The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-24
Natchez Pass Road Bill V etoed. &.

! D
srovaL Very respectfully yours
J. II. MGRAw. Governor.
Natchez Pass Road Bill V etoed.
The governor also vetoed senate bin
i55, the Natchex pass road bin. giving his
reasons in the following message.
Here with I transmit senate Oil No Is
entitled An act 70 provide for ,ae cssab-
hshmeng OF a state road through tAe CAS-
cade mount aims n Satcnez pass. 10 con-
nect Eastern and Western Washington:
for t1e appointment 81 a beard o1 conl-
m.ssioners % sUper.nteEd The const-ac-
ttou and maintenance Ot the same. and
making an appropriation therefor" wa-
out nly approval
The first and most serious consideration
prompting objection % this biz = me
fac5 that K opens vide another avenue
10 al indefinite outlay of public moneys
10 De der.y ed from direct taxatitn. a. a
cr's,s when it Is obviously in gas public
lnterest not u undertake any vrx SAFE
enterprise Involving present auI future
expenditures n excess OF tie public rev.
elue.
Another objection is thar ne approorla-
ton provision * the bin marks a radical
departure from the policy emphasized in
the ilrsI legisis I've Enactment on the s,,h
Ject Of state roads. This very Justly re-
quired the counties primarily concerned
IN the commercial benefits 10 result from
the completion OF the road 10 confributa
funds toward defraying the cost ~ lars.
tioa. Inception CT the work was condi
TONED on the prepayment to the s-a-a
treasury OF certain sums az money from
the counties 70 be trayersei Senate hili
l53 imposes no conditions of co-onerarion
or financial aid on King, Pierce and Yak
ina, the counties whose domestic e.,on-
omy IS especially 10 be promoted
Inc experience OF the state in going into
the business Of constructing and ,,.ir
tanning public highways is in the exDe.-i-
mental stage In Washington we have
pFooiems OF construction and maintenance
unknown 10 the road builders OF other
sections Of the Union. The extravarance
ana I'll management caused by haste i'm
carrying out projects of internal improve
ment soon produce a reaction of public
opinion fatal 10 the progress sure to n.
attained through thrifty and cautious
methods If We are 10 have several state
roads provided for by laws which discriu,-
mate as betweers the obligations of The
counties, and managed by separate COM
missions, none of which has mastered the
difficulties in the paths of all, we shall
lose sight of the greater possibilities of
wise and systematic development in the
lesser contentious and strife of localities
struggling for public appropriations.
The state road progressing out of the
legislation of 1898 Will open to the COM
merce of Puget sound and the upper Co
lumbia river large mining, farming, graz
ing and lumber regions now isolated from
the public markets. and impoverished in
products for want of access to the chan
nels OF trade. 1t bisects a wilderness OF
the state and crosses an Indian reserva-
tion rich in minerals and arabic lands.
which is 10 be opened 10 settlement at an
early day. IL follows no beaten paths;
parallels no railroad. Almost its entire
course lies through virgin country. Its
character is pioneer. Until the success or
failure Of the state In executing this work
is finally determined. prudence should die.
tate the tnexpediency-and particularly
should this he true at time when tax
burdens are becoming unbeara ble-of the
further use of public funds in the con-
struction of state roads. Very respect
fully yours. j. H. MGRAW,
Governor.
Four Appropriations Vetoed.
House bill 95 TO aid the Washington
Historical Society. was vetoed, the gov
ernor regarding the appropriation of 81 600
as excessive. and one that should not be
allowed at this time.
Senate bill 1856. for the relief OF John
Dorsey. has also failed of executive ap-
prevail
The governor has also vetoed house bill
No. ?, providing for sinking an artesian
NcA III w dtIi w dlld county. Also senate
bill go, an act in relation to the legisla-
tive manual.
These bills were disapproved BY the gov
ernor on the general plea OF economy.
and because they call for appropriations
which, however insignificant. will contrib
ute toward reducing the expenditures
which have been authorized largely In ex-
cess of the revenue.
The Revenue Bill signed.
The governor approved senate bill ss5.
amending the revenue law, excepting sec
tions g, I, s. 9, 10 IL. -. 49, which are dis
approved. The sections against which OBJ
1ection is made create an additional and
needless factor OF cost in labor and in
troduce an obnoxious change in the ad-
ministration OF assessments by providing
that county assessors in all counties, In
stead OF county auditors shall act as
clerk of the board OF equalization, and
that county assessors of counties from
the first 10 the ninth classes inclusive shall
extend taxes upon tax rolls. instead OF
such extension being made by the county
auditor as heretofore.
The bill has an emergency clause, and
becomes law at once. Under the new
law taxes are payable I'm two INSTALL
ments. which become delinquent May u
and November 81. Under the old law the
current taxes were delinquent April I.
1856
House bill $50. providing for an appro-
priation Of $12SA for improvements, re-
pairs ar1 supplies AZ the eastern and
western hospitals for the insane is ap-
proved. except as 10 tho following items
for tho eastern hospital. improvements
OF farms and srpunds. 5000: construction
. Of workshop. $50