The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-03-18
Conference Commute Necessary.


Conference Committe Necessary.
The features of Tuesdays legislative
proceedings were the appointment of
conference committees to adjust the
differences between the senate and the
house on the railroad freight-rate re-
duction bill, and on the revenue and
taxation bill, and the prospect for a
contest for supremacy between the two
houses. The house refused to concur
in the senate amendments to the rate
bill.
The house passed the senate revenue
bill, with several important amend
ments, and sent it Immediately to the
senate. Later the senate concurred in
three amendments, as follows:
Reducing the tax limit on county in
debtedness from 10 to 8 mills; eliminat-
ing the section authorizing county COM
missioners and city councils to COM
promise taxes for 1896 and prior there
to-; authorizing the issuance of certifi-
Gates of indebtedness on delinquent
taxes the day after the real property
is delinquent.
The senate refused to concur in these
house amendments:
Exempting improvements on real
property to the value of $500; securing
the assessable value of railroad prop
erty and roadbed by ascertaining the
cost of duplicating the same; striking
out the section relative to the remission
of penalty and interest on delinquent
taxes.
The house again refused to recede
and conference committee was ap-
pointed.
Days bill to regulate banks was
killed by the house.
The house met in the evening and
considered the Torrens land-title bill,
prepared by Cline, Gilkey and Free
man. The bin passed by vote of 43
ayes and 16 noes. The supporters of
the bill urged that it provided system
by which the records would show at a
glance any piece of real estate or any
incumbrance against real estate, as such
would be shown simply by certificates
of registration, and doing away with
deeds, mortgages and districts, making
abstracts unnecessary, The opposition
claimed the bill was unconstitutional,
On the ground that it was unconstitu-
tional to make the auditor a judicial
officer, as provided by the bill.
The following house bills passed the
house: By Thacker, providing for dig
ging bitches and drains on the lands of
others; Connie, relating to construction
of bitches for drainage purposes; Gill
key, appropriating $4,000 out of the
fish hatchery fund for fish hatchery
on the Chehalis river in Chehalis coun-
ty; Barlow, authorizing the improve
ment of the boulevard at Tacoma; Mo-
hundro, compelling railroad companies,
when requested by % residents, to put
in transfer switches at any point where
two railroad lines cross or come within
1000 feet Of each other.
In the senate Yesterdays bill abol-
ishing municipal courts in Spokane.
Seattle and Tacoma. which failed to
pass Saturday, was reconsidered, after
a sharp contest, and yesterday, as q
compromise, offered an amendment
that the courts should continue to exist
until January 1, 1898, and the bill as
amended, passed.
The senate bill appropriating SIC, 900
additional for the expenses Of the Leg
islature passed the house without q dis
senting vote.
At night session of the senate the
general appropriation bill was reported
back from the committee Of the whole
with the recommendation that it pass
as amended. AS reported back the bill
carries with it total Of 81, 323, 588, it
having been increased $3.50, $50 in the
committee of the whole. Without de-
bate, it passed, "a to Z.
A memorial was adopted by both
houses to the president and congress OF
the United States to revoke as speedily
as possible that part Of the law which
prohibits mining within the tracts Of
land set apart in this state = forest
reservations.