The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-23
THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE.


Advice to the Legislature by Prom
fnent Jurfst.
Port Townsend. Feb. Is. 1855
To the Error: This legislature {the
fourth general assembly, is nearing It's
close. and grave doubts are heard as to
its ability or desire to give the people
such laws ~ The present exigency de-
u,auds.
sity and circumstances It wOald seem
that no notice - required Of the urgent
demand necessary TO place them On the
statute books.
Flrss-Among these Is . township or
ganixation act lssmisar To Senator GIL
bexrs). one In accordance with a GER
tain provision Of the constitution. for
without this no legislation on the road
question viii be of much utility. and be-
sides. township organization has political
educational features NOT found elsewhere,
and . safeguard against extraeagance
or the imbecsiity Of two OF more county
commissioners.
Secund-The ONCE OF state printer
should be fixed by salary and other safe
guards against a w1llfui and useless ex-
penditure Of state funds.
Third-The state board OF land COM
missioners "a useless political body
should be extermina,ed, root and branch,
and / am not sure but several other
boards should be disposed OF In .
similar manner.
Fourth-AIl bills making warrants on
the general fund OF counties payable for
taxes er payable at any other time OF
manner other than in their regular order.
should have the enacting clause stricken
out, as such legislation would undoubt-
edIy be the abrogation Of the contract
between the county and its creditors:
the same remark Is applicable to the
bills sought 10 affect salary warrants, as
such legislation u not only vicious but
unconstitutional.
FIfth-The acts OF q former legisla-
ture creating an emergency board" Is
unconstitutional and void and should be-
wiped FROM the statutes.
SIxth--A wise, just measure enabling
counties and municipalities 10 fund
their Indebtedness (similar 20 Mr..
Haitemans bilD Is absolutely indis-
pensable. The present funding law is
a burlesque, and authorizes the treas
urer Qf he has no funds) to issue more
county Indebtedness. and thereby COM
pound the interest.
Seventh-A law with proper penalties
preventing all officers from depostting
public funds in bank or banks should be
enacted. No argument is necessary to
indicate the wisdom of this provision.
Eighth--A law against the practice OF
auditors and city officials. with proper
penalties. providing against the criminal
habit of drawing warrants against spe-
cIal funds having no existence. Officers
should not do what would be criminal IL
the act were done by private persons.
Nluth-The building Of the state capitol
should be postponed to a more favorable
season. The voters two years ago at
the general election then held. by g 900
majority decided that they did not
wish to authorize the legislature to issue
bonds TO suild state capitol or for any
other purpose. Is not this vote binding !?
Besides the valuation placed upon the
states assets Is two-thirds too high: the
bonds if authorized viii not sell for any
more than the lands are actually worth.
Lands valued two years since at $40
per acre are not today worth exceeding
S. per acre. II might suit some people,
no doubt. To build the state capitol on
wind or false valuation of the lands do
mated for that purpose but the chickens
viii come home 10 roost,' and the party
or individual. high or low. who urges
! 1t had better provide for a political fu-
neral In advance. LEX SCRIpTA-