The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-14

ben practically. imperative No line
should - lost 81 providing BY AK that
txsrpoT2acl issuing free passes ard chi
GAS wno accept than shall Dc erapeTiy
punished.
Railway Rates and Fares.
Tae proper regulation and ccatral of
common carriers. including railroad and
steamship lines. telegraph ard iesephons
companies. = 4 problem 1istc 1T OF soi1-
Llo1- Government ownership i the Only
freight rates and passenger fares n THIS
state a-e exoraitznt They should - re-
cuced But whether public inter So would
best % SUBSCRIBED 81 placing the matter
attending TO e By direct legislative enact
Eent, those uoSr n D benefited cy re-
cueloz are Tot agreed. II seems 20 me
t2a- the best results could 2E obtained
from a law estaol zshiug q maximum scale
o. rates and fares. and providing Ter he
endorsement % tie law through the ager-
60 OF commission. giving The coua-nis-
ss9E power further 20 tower tae scale. as
tine ana circumstances nav Justify. II
asmuch as the governor o. the state IS
responsible Tor the execution OF The Jaws.
! aelievs thst such commission should Re
appointed by him. any member Of y 10 be
removable 1t the will or iaS governor
thus faitAsuiness 10 the peonte would De
insured, O. The governor Justly he'd 20 &c-
count. The expenses OF a g-s7sporta 'lon
commission ought not 10 be eurdensoTre,
and would amount 10 an tnHalte-iisnal
Part OF the direct bsneglt ScsrulnS 20 re
patrons OF common carriers within this
stste "a result OF reduced -3tss and =
better regulated service
Abolition of Commissions.
The Office OF arid land commissioner.
am Inclined 10 think. should be abolished,
and the duties devolving upon this Official
be performed BY the elected land com
missioner. II seems probable that the bill
now before congress ceatng 70 the several
states outright and without Qualt1eAucn
al arid lands within their borders will
pass This VIII remove any necessity OF
selecting such lands by the state.
IL Is the opinion OF those best able 10
Judge OF those matters that the land COM
mission provided for By a recent statute
should likewise ba abolished.
am unable 10 discover that the dairy
com missioner has been able TO produce
pound of butter more than would have
created. Nor do / believe that he has IN
creased the price or quality OF the butter
onsrea IN our markets; The sale OF olee
half the fine il by statute given 10 the
informer- Ii Is probable that this is SUI
heient 10 protect our producers. but II the
continuation OF the Office is demanded,
might IL not be well also 10 provide for
hen commissioner who shall see that our
grocers properly count the eggs as
brought IN for sale2 Said hen commits
sioner might also. by way OF diversion.
undertake, at least occasionally. the in
straction OF our farmers in the highly I'M
setting hen. Seriously it seems 10 me
that the regulation OF the sale of milk
butter and eggs is a matter entirely for
municipal control.
Other and minor commissions might
with propriety be abolished or consosi-
dated
Beard of Public Institutions
| am Of opinion that the boards now
controlling the. penal, refornatory and
eleemosynary institutions OF the state.
consisting of the state penitentiary, the
reform school. the soldiers home. the two
insane asylums and the school for de-
abolished and control OF these Institutions
be vested in one board to consist OF the
governor. the lieutenant governor, the
secretary OF state. the state auditor and
an official. whose Office is 70 be created,
10 be called the commissioner Of public
institutions. who shall do the work and
perform the services usually devolving
upon travelling auditor. The saving N
salaries per diem now paid six boards
would be large. Goods could be bought
at wholesale and local and retail prices
greater system could be secured. and In
thu aggregate larger saving effected.
Affairs of the Penitentiary.
Rumors OF an exceedingly bad condition
OF affairs az the state penitentiary having
been a1oat for some time q watch has
been kept and some amateur detective
work done by citizens OF Walla Walla.
aided by suggestions received from dis
serious and even alarming nature Of the
rfsse' tons made. | request that at the
earliest opportunity a legislative commit
tee vita nun power TO act. be sent TO
walla Walla; that an investigation be
had before changes are made IN the
present management. II statements made
by reiiabla persons are true. all the
criminals are not on the inside.
Mine Inspection.
The great loss Of life by coal mine ex-
plosions in this state within the last few
years shows clearly the lackof proper mine
inspection and ventilation. In the three
mine explosions at Roslyns Franklin and
Blue Canyon more than a hundred men
lost their lives. many widows and some
200 hundred orphans were hereft- The
mining law should be changed. 1t is
grossly untrue TO the interests OF the min
ers. Ii should not be the policy of the
state 10 hamper or impose onerous condi-
tions upon the coal mining companies.
but with the hope OF being able by prop
er regulation 10 protect the lives of our
hardy miners. something ought 10 be
done. The legislature has appropriated
ct each session 81 600 for coal mine in
spection. I believe this SIM 10 be praeti-
cally wasted as the law now stands.
Examination of state Banks and
Building and Loan Associations.
Frequent and most grievous losses have
fallen upon tbs. people or this state by
reason OF the failure OF Institutions IN
which deposits OF money have been made.
For the future this may, 10 a great ex-
tent, be prevented by the appointment OF
state bank examiner In other states,
notably IN Kansas. this plan has proved
most effective, and losses from this
source have been reduced 10 minimum.
Such an official might be paid by fee
chs rEed for each examination. or each
institution might be required TO pay a
certain sum per annum. No expense 20
the people at large would be involved
and much good done.
The Fishing Industry.
From the best sources Of Informs ton ~
my command I am clearly OF opinion that
the law should within a reasonable limit
OF time. prohibit utterly all fish traps,
wheels and other stationary gear az a
means OF catching fish In the waters
under the control OF the state Of Wash
fngtor As a means OF revenue TO the
state Il is probable that an annual tax
Imposed upon each boat engaged IN FISH
ing should be collected. This would more
than Offset the amount now collected
from traps.
The following extract from the message
OF Gov. Sylvester Pennoyer 10 the iegis-
latlIrA OF Oregon for the year 1888. Is here
included and endorsed:
Salmon fishing has for years been one