The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-16


from one 70 two years.
In the isne ~ curtssifng cost. facilitat-
Ing collections and expanding the reve-
should BE- extended al once. in accordance
with the successful experiments Of these
statss having wsss-grounaed fiscal poll
cses. and the stousest resistance shoud
be made 70 the interference Of HOBBIES
fnsmacai to this r<orm. The tax most cas-
iiy collected Is the iesst burdensome.
The transfer or fnkeritarce tax system
OF Eastern states should be studied with
view 10 adoption
Temporary provision for seuni-annua1
collection of the tax levy on READ prop
er,y would meet with popular approval
Remittance Of the state apportionment
OK TAR collections. a. at present provided
for. Il siIlatory. Funds which should be
applied promptly on receipt from the tax
payers 20 the redemption OF warrants and
the cancellation Of interest deot are with
held too often BY county treasurers TO
suit their own convenience. Thss abuse
should be corrected by stringent reguia-
tons
Rigorous provisions to prevent the Sc
questration Of personal property. large
proportion Of which eludes taxation.
should be adopted.
A large part of the 10 per cent. liquor
siesnse tax due the state is lost for want
Of regulations essential to its collection.
The emergency clause should be omitted
from the revenue act. 1t is an open ques-
tion whether some OF the provissos Of
revenue law hastily put into operation
viii not prove retroactive. Certain delin-
quent revenues barely escaped forfeiture
under clause Of the present act, and II
would be wise to defer operation of the
revised revenue laws. perhaps 10 the limit
OF year. TO afford opportunity for the
proper study and comprehension of them.
To enforce collections 20 per cent. inter-
est and a S per cent. penalty were inn
posed on delinquents. Existing embar-
easements had not been foreseen. Rene
dial legislation In this particular Is de-
manied. As inability to pay. caused by
circumstances over which the citizen has
no control. entities him TO statutory re-
lief. remission OF penalty and reduction
of interest would be simple justice.
MANAGEMENT OF STATE LANDS.
The policy of concentrating the man
agement of the state lands Ia single
commission, instituted by the legislation
of 1885. has proved q departure in the line
of the best possible achievements. The
functions and duties OF seven different
boards were consolidated. to the end that
both the executive and administrative la
bors In connection with the public lands
ED faA 81.
business expedited and cheapened In the
matter OF outlay comparative saving
OF nearly $4,000 In two years Is shown
In official and clerical expenditures alone.
So long as the state Is TO operate as
negot.ator in landed property and retain
the attitude OF creditor 10 classes of its
citizens-a relation repugnant to good
Observation-Disclosures of service, fix
einess of responsibility and frugal!sy of
management can be assured only by vest
ing full power to supervise. control and
dispose of all state lands In one board of
executive officers. The present law. still
defective in this respect. and demanding
repair in other particulars, should be
amended and amplified SO as to confer
every authority requisite to absolute SUI
able disposal Of the public domain.
The careful perusal of the report Of the,
board Is urgently recommended. in order
that the substantial benefits resultant
from the painstaking and intelligent work
already done may be comprehe1iei clear
y. The many suggestions contained
therein are Endorsed. and the several rec
concentrations are fully approved as ex-
pedsent, remedial and necessary.
GRANTED LANDS.
The securement by the state of the s22-
0oo acres of land under the enabling act
for the establishment and maintenance of
public institutions has been slow, difficult
and altogether unsatisfactory. Four years
ago provisions were made for cruisers,
whose compensation consists of fees. one
half Of which are paid after filing selec-
lions, and the remainder upon the approx
al Of filings by the secretary of the in
terror. Under a concession prescribed in
The sundry civil bin. sixty days prefer
ence right of fling had beea allowed the
state. Such was the usually prolonged
period between the application for the
survey of a township and It's completion.
when the sixty days provision for state
selection and ding became operative. that
settlers actual or coliuSsve excluded the
state from the most desirable tracts.
Inasmuch as the interests OF the state
were general rather than particular. its
protests against the fraud, conspiracy and
bad faith OF Witch 1t was made the VIC
tim We're unavailing. Confronted by abun-
dani evidence CT losses certain 10 result
frcia ORGANIZATIONS made by cruisers
eager 10 profit from the fees for seaec-
ton, and conscious OF the ant3gon.Stlc
and far-reachiug influence exercised by
the timber purchasing syndicates where
the rights or privileges of the state were
concerned. the board of state lard COM
mlssioncrs and the executive department.
after consultation. assumed an advanced
position toward the Federal government
in an appeal for special legislation on
the subject OF granted lands. IN affirm
ing the doctrine or the equality OF the
state and cs;izsn. and IN requesting i'm
Partially q treatment within the law. II
was demonstrated that for want OF proper
legislation, in conformity with the e1a3ow-
ment provisions Of the enabling act the
settler was favored as agasnst the state
by existing settlement laws oeerwhelen-
Fas proofs aSi aaspiiei arguments in
support OF this position were forwarded
10 the land department through our rep
resentatsyes IN congress. Eventually the
general lansi Office adopted sse view os
the state administration. ant, supported
hy sha zes~~ssarxs ~ .hz sy.s-fN- .,.yvSs.ss