Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-01-15

; vidcd that whenever the State shall
| engage III the manufacture of books
t the contract Is to become imperative.
| am of the opinion that the State
can, ut comparatively small outlay,
establish an experimental book manu-
t factory and manufacture for her citi-
zcnS good School-buokS at from % to
r To 33a5 per cent ol the present cost. A
} first-claSs printing press and bindery
can he bought and established for
about 5000. Elcctrotype plates of a
, standard series of school books, with
privilege to print from them, can, it is
{ thought, be obtained for Il reasonable
sum. This plant might bc established
, ut the Walla Walla pcnitentiary.
Only two expert workmcn need be en-
ployed, pressman and book-binder,
and even their services might soon be
dispensed with. Under instruction
from these experts, the inmates of the
prison, who, | am told, spend much
idle time, will soon be able to make all
the books needed for all the children
OF the State. The books thus manu-
factured might be sold at cost to the
different counties or school districts,
or supplied free, as may be provided
by statute. In Il vely short time in
this way, under the supervision of one
man rs superintendent, the State
might be freed from an arbitrary tax,
amounting in the aggregate to very
large sum, and also make criminals
instrumental in elevating and educat-
ing the youth of the State. Thus light
might be brought out of darkness and
good out of evil.
COERCION OF THE VOTER.
1t need not be said that purity of
the ballot box is one of the essential
requisites in any scheme of free gov
ernment. Free men must have free
votes, and if votes are not beyond the
control of selfish outside influences,
the voter becomes in time only ma
chine for recording the edicts of a
power greater than that of his own
will Under these circumstances free
dom is Il sham and sclf-govcrnment an
idle word. 1t is earnestly recon-
mended that Il statute be prepared and
passed which will prevent the growing
evil of coercion and intimidation of
| the voter
FREE PASSES.
Section 80 of Article III of the State
| Constitution stipulates that at shall
not be lawful for any person holding
public office in this State to accept or
use Il pass, or to purchase transporta-
ton from any railroad, or other cor
poration, other than as the same may
be purchased by the general public,
and the Legislature shall pass laws to
enforce this provision"
Section 20 of Article XII. of the
Constitution also provides as follows
"No railroad or other transportation
company shall grant free passes or sell
tickets or passes at a discount, other
than as sold to the public generally,
to any member of the Legislature, or
to any person holding any public
Office in this State. The Legislature
shall pass laws to carry this provision
into effect"
The Legislature has never passed
the necessary laws to enforce the pro-
visions of the Constitution, and hence
they have been practically inopera-
tive. No time should be lost in pro-
viding by law that corporations issuing
free passes and officials who accept
them shall be properly punished.
| RAILWAY RATES AND FARES.
The proper regulation and control
of common carriers, including railroad
and steamship lines, telegraph and
| telephone companies, is a problem
difficult of solution. Government
ownership is the only final remedy;
but that is yet i'll the future. Freight
rates and passenger fares in this State
are exobitant. They should be re-
duced. But whether public interest
would best be subserved by placing the
matter altogether in charge of a COM
mission, or attending to it by direct
| legislative enactment, those most to
be benefited by a reduction are not
agreed. 1t seems to me that the best
results could be obtained from law
establishing maximum scale of rates
and fares, and providing for the en-
forcement of the law through the
agency of a commission, giving the
commission power further to lower the
| scale, as time and circumstances may
| Justify. Inasmuch as the Governor of
the State is responsible for the execu-
ton of the laws, believe that such
commission should be appointed by
| him, any member of it to be removable
at the will of the Governor. Thus
faithfulness to the people would be
insured, or Governor justly held to ac-
count. The expenses of n transporta-
tion commission ought not to be
burdensomc, and would amount to an
intinitcsimal part of the direct benefit
accruing to the patrons of common
carriers within this State rs Il result OF
reduced rates and better regulated
| service.
| ABOLITION OF COMMISSIONS.
The office of Arid Band Commits
sioner, | am inclined to think, should
be abolished, and the duties devolving
upon this official be performed by the
elected Land Commissioner. 1t seems
probable that the bill now before Con-
gress ceding to the several States out
right and without qualification all arid
lands within their borders will pass.
This will remove any necessity for Sc
lecting such lands by the State.
| l. is the opinion OF those best able
to Judge of these matters that the land
commissioner provided for by recent
statute should likewise be abolished.
am unable to discover that the
Dairy Commissioner has been able to
produce Il pound of butter more than
would have been the case if his office
| had not been created. Nor do | be-
| lieve that he has increased the price or
quality OF the butter offered in the
markets. The sale of oleo as butter is
prohibited by penalty, and half the
fine is, by statute, given to the inform
er. 1t is probable that this is sufficient
to protect our producers, but If the
continuation of the office is demanded,
might it not be well to provide for