The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-03-09
OUR REPRESENTATIVE EXPLAINS
His Position and Gives Reasons for In.
Producing Bills Nos. 159 and SCI.

! His POsition and Gives Reasons for In
Producing Bills Nos. 150 and 9e7.
i Relative to house bills Nos. 297 and 159
our representative, Judge w. III. Thack
er, III the following letter, fully explains
his position in the matter and exonerates
himself from all blame which may have
been laid at his door. No comment upon
this is necessary, as the following ex-
plains itself in every detail:
| OLYMPIA, March 8, 1899.
! Editor San Juan Islander-My Dear
Sir: In regard to house bill No. 297, ITO
| provide for publication by posting" in
troduced by me (by request), and knock ed
| into smithereenS, and which, though
dead, appears to be q thorn in the flesh of
some persons, seems to demand an ex-
PLANTATION, and yet am unable 10 under
stand why it should, as every one knows,
Der introduces a bill 'by request" he
assumes no responsibility whatever in
regard to it. Therefore, when that bill
was so introduced, the newspaper men
and reporters of the leading papers of
the state who were here cast no reflection
upon me, Had felt IN harmony with
the bill, the ''by request would not have
been attached, but would have advo-
Gated it boldly and to the best of my
humble ability, as / think my record
made during the two sessions / have had
the honor OF representing county am
proud to be q citizen OF, shows; for ex
ample, two years ago, on the passage OF
county auditors, or was supposed to force
them to purchase all county blanks from
the state printer, end proved to be such
bloOd-sucker that it has already been re-.
pealed this session, was SO popular when
passed that all of the fusion members
voted for it but two-Giikey and Stnhr-
man-and all of the republican members
but myself; three of us stood out and
voted against the remaining seventy
eight. Had it proved good law sup
pose / would have been censured, but
this session had the pleasure of helping
to kill the measure by repeating it.
Now, word in regard to this bill No.
when introduced in the legislature, is
nothing more nor less in effect than a
petition presented to the state, asking for
relief from some hardship, either real or
imaginary, which is accomplished by the
petition or bill being enacted into a law,
and either makes a new law on the stat
ute books or repeats law that is in force;
and any person or persons who want re-
lief have right to be heard by present
ing their bill to the legislature, through
their representative.
It appears that some of the good people
of my county felt that they were ag-
grieved by having to pay so much for the
upon the scheme of having bill intro
duced and make a law by which they
could post notices and thus save the ex-
pense of publishing them, and had the
bill drawn accordingly. The first knew
of it was when | received the bill by
mail. Now, what was my duty in the
premises. as their representative? Had
would have felt that did not treat them
fairly, and would have still thong hit they
had grievance and were refused relief;
therefore introduced the bill as was my
duty, and let the state of Washington pass
upon it through the representatives in
bill failed to pass, they would be satisfied,
and had done my duty as their repre-
sentative. 1 was satisfied. the bill would
be killed, and it was dead even
before the news of it's birth was known
to the country, and, SO far as l have
heard, those who originated 1t are salts
fed. They have had their day in court,
which was their right. 1t was not my
duty to pass upon the merits of their
bill, but the duty Of the legislature.
Some one seems to think it. looked sus-
piciOus, simply because l am lawyer.
That is absurd, for the reason that every
legal notice have published i'll news
paper is an advertisement for me as
lawyer, which every newspaper man
very we'll knows. Perhaps they will now
say that killed it. The fact is, had the
bill been enacted into law / hardly
think it would be a good law under the
decisions of the supreme court OF this or
any other state.
Something has been said, too, in regard
to my work here for the fishing industry,
but cannot believe that there is fisher
man in my county who is afraid to risk
that industry in my hands, as far as am
able to protect it: They may question
my ability. and justly, but as to my
faithfulness and my willingness to do all
in my power, don't think they have any
reason for suspicion as far as am con-
cerned; however, 1 see plainly that
cannot have my own way even for the
fishermen. but with the help of the able
representatives from different parts of
the state, will pass the best laws we can.
am very truly,
w. III. THACKER.