The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-27

raewe that viii undoubtedly prove o.
een.ASaerzhi& importance shreuga0uE the
sfafa % being azitsted in favor q re-
vision o. laws bearing on municipal c10ll
procedure. municipal revenue and an
ssse. county. eiiy and school afa4fs a
convention 10 discuss legislative changes
~ b. opsrsaa December - AZ 10 a. N IN
1he city hzil OF Tacoma Delegates are
expected from al parts OF tbs state. and
over - wtsl lie present
This action s. the outErovyTh OF the re-
freacnmsus committee when recentiy
NEE here. 4 Subcommittee on legisla-
4lss xas apeointeB By ehe retTencnment
committee and ~ 8 meeting held about
a week ago decided 10 send out invita-
tf6Ts 10 s conference.
Following Il a copy Of the circular let
ser sent - officials in other parts o. the
STATE.
.sIt has been arranged between the va
Tsogs organazat tons o. the cttlzens O. nc
ceanfles ~ PIERCE Spokane ard k4ng and
81 Us elites OF Tacoma. Spokane ana -,
afue anAs a state convention De eA4tea
70 consider the proposed Amendments 70
to laws y the state. such convention -
b held u tae city hall ~ the e.ty OF
Taeofna. beginning on Wednesday. De-
.FfnHer 81 ~ 1N O'Clock a. m. and 70
continue caring tae pleasure OF the del
.ef.1,ls convention will consider eH gues-
fl8ns that may be auagsstea, whether re-
fadne 10 state. county. clay or school az
81 ia earnestly desired that al mem
beFs 81 TIE coming legislature VINO car
zach tnis meeting VIII favor us VIII
fheiF presence and aasice. ana That az =,
CITY and county officer members of
commercial bodies ard other ciSlZtHh VII
h. present and offer suggestions, OF "Aefs
thls Is impossible viii send tie same by
mail 10 a. Il. Es@Dham. city comptroller,
Taeuna. The eommiftee hopes yon can
te present ard VIII influence other cit
~. 's1.sfri.e LEGISLATIVE COMMIT
"Bs ". D. WOOD. Secretary"
Copies o. this letter were sent 20 officers
OF the cities. counties. meznbers OF the
legislature. chambers of commerce and
schasol boards Counties WHEN have 50
FAR arranged for representation are sp0-
kane Pierce and king As many outside
counties are desired as possible.
IN Spokane body similar 70 The Seattle
legislative committee II organized. II Is
known aa the Spokane Tax Reform
League Tire league accepted the first in
ylfati2n sant cut % join n conference,
fna fefs the selection uf place 20 Seattle.
II wis nraf suggested that the meeting
ha held here on December y az he same
time 81 the good roads convention. city
Comptroller Parry ard Corporation Coun-
81 Brown went 10 Tacoma yesterday 70 .
r5naalt with the city officials there. IL
VS. there deemed aavisaA9 10 hold the
meeting Ia Tacoma. A meeting was held
81 that eitg Thursday evening. \ wcrk-
La committee Was organized. ana next
Monday was hNed Tor the conference.
Yesterday the local committee consulted
with the Tacouss. committee, and Wednes-
d. morning at 10 o'ci0ck was fixed Upon.
The cooperation OF all county. municipal
and school district officers. ana especially
s1lenbefs % the legislature. Is invited.
The limo u atttcn 70 be pafsped ~ the
conference viii probably be based on the
recommendation contained IN The final
rsrorT OF the local retrenchment Cnzntsait-
tee suhattted October :. The IDEAS CT
this cau7mittee on municipal and county
questions were set forth In the report as
follows
Recommendations.
svVe believe The rate OF taxation TO be
unnecessarily high, sud higher than n
consistent with the hest public interests
That 80 heavy a burden aiecourRgcs IN
N.ssafuent and immigration. In our 5udg-
r4ent the business 90 the county has been
conducted without sufficient care In the
limitation ~ indebtedness and expenses
in our Judgment there has not been the
same degree % retrsncnmcnt In the adj
uisnfRiFafion OF scAoot affairs as mas been
enforced IN other branches OF local gov
ss.feae recent charter revision Of Seattle
fA4 ted 10 a consolidation OF municipal
departments and substantial reduction
81 expenses within the last six months
under the present authorities IS no" re-
organized. -.
almost exclusively hy real estate. much
o. which Is unprodgctive and over-val-
uea. and ibis GENERALIZATION and eNces-
slRn taxation tends 20 exclude new inn
proKemenfs and new enterprises and 20
regard the development Cf our city. ana
consideration es AL business interests re-
euires thst a fair proportion or the pun.
H. burden should be- borne by personal
property (which now largely escapes tax
Hfsnni and BY those engaged in business,
W# EaF ugh saa ~ a
Fne public experse Is Incurred, therefore
Ersater effort should b. made - secure
fair assessment ~ personal property
Comfy Affairs.
.-s-omnllsssaner aistrfcts-That thu boun-
daftsa OF the commissioner districts OF
Elmg county should De reaataEtet 80 "a
g more evenly divide the territory and
population ef the county as contemplated
t,sWngv clerks onles-That the system
o. eeurt rccords should be slInpitaod by
proper legislation That pleadings fud-
tffEs and aecrecs are ufteu unnscessaFily
NefH nlnntiss and some measure should he
aeytses ~ whica proper Tees ssiA - coi-
such rieaainEs ThAt tire courtroom clerks
should write uN thu minutes % taciE de-
svshfrfT eHloe-Jbat it would Dc better
fAr frp c0uufy - b1ar4 tts prison
cfs ou its own Account tran - make con-
tracts WITH the sheriff az given rate per
ssI~fa. That payments mAde 'hy the United
- ataw Ter temporary keerlua 0& It's pris-
sfaFH NnnEAH Cur7H 90 TIRE county after de-
SlscEfOns Sufficient Is cover bosrd. when
they are boarded hv fbe sheriff. We recon-
mend that the law should De - changed
tat after conviction and pending appeal
prisoners shoulG ~ transferred 10 ghe stAro
ptnfseHttarr st Wata Nata.
Witness gese-'rast IN criminal eases
witness fees should be reduced % 81 Per
UaN ard g. ger mile
Jurors faes-Ihat }aro~s' fees rs re-
tucet 60 s. per day. and sc yer mile
rEndtEcut slek--'last the care ~ Fhs In
dsE-nf Ftek ard county 5r1nr rhrltA %
saazn-itfra - distinct CesHrui ssian or
renar1hse3auer for ere lscNr
FHrrst 81 "a sss-That wrene~ limitations
should BE- hxed IS law FOR the amount ~
fuseht saness that may bo iucarEet hy
a. uuty cssekfIi tzstnners
"FhttlnE That pfsaFer legislation shoutG
- enacted tp restrict tas useless ana
tr1uat ee1ru& rAtruE ~ oufs3ae lana "a
HfrFrat fhe great eesf and expense u the
safaeata taEafien 20 - tT1auy subdivisions
snd RtFc taai Vrayissan should ba made
IL YOTI