The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-02-17
Notes 'rom the Legislature.


IL, Il ~.
The railroad attorneys, through theit
own request, were given an opportun.
ity to.speak before the railroad com
mlttees OF both houses upon the pro,
posed freight rate reductions. Lawye,
Gr"s~cup spoke for the Mp; Cotton
for the 0. r. & NJ; Will Thompson
for the G.. N; Piles for the Shore line
holding forth all of the afternoon Of
Saturday and all evening.
One would be led to believe from
what the attorneys said that the rail
road companies were composed of the
most magnanimous beings on earth
and that in pursuing their philan.
thropic work they were barely making
expenses. Surely they must be almost
as poor as the fish trap monopoly and
less conscience.
They maintained that they were
getting less for hauling here than in
the east, citing the wheat schedule to
prove it. But looking over the tariffs
OF the eastern roads one will soon dis
cover that the differences drawn from
such statements are erroneous. One
single article, that of coal, for instance
will show it. A 500 mile haul from
Chicago westward costs $1.44 per ton
while the charges from Seattle to
Spokane and eastern Washington (4O0
miles, is 1925 and other commodities
in like proportion. Monday evening
Messrs. Snively and Vance spoke for
the farmers.
The house has passed some IS bills,
Indefinitely postponed 121; tabled 6,
and defeated II while the senate has
passed 81; indefinitely postponed -
and fifteen passed both houses, and
less than 6 signed by the Governor.
There has been 410 bills introduced in
the House and about $50 in the senate
thus far.
Bills have passed the house that will
call for the investment of the $2S0OOO
permanent school funds in Washing
ton bonds GO year general fund.- at 81
per cent and another TO redeem gen
eral fund warrants, the interest on
which shall be turned into the current
school funds.
The capitol question, that some
time ago gave promise of an early and
speedy settlement has come to sudden
stop. The senate has attached a rider
to the House bill, IN the form relief
bill of $4,000 to Mr.. Goss, the con
tractor, who, they claim has a contract
under the law of 1898. This question
is aggravated somewhat by the cry OF
"jobbery" on the part of the Tacoma
Seattle and Spokane press whose wish
it is, to move the Capitol from here.
The probabilities are that there will
be no larger sum than $4,000 appro-
priated for the three Normals when it
has run the gauntlet of both houses
and what. and oh, where will it be after
the Gov. is through with it!
1t is estimated that, should the state
roads prayed for be established, that
would necessitate an appropriation of
100000 alone.
The Senate approved the action of
the house in the creation of the new
county of Ferry.
From present indications the license
tees on fish traps and canneries will be
from 4 to 10 times the amount hereto
fose charged, based principally on the
amount caught and on the canneries,
the amount packed. The burdens on
the average fisherman using other
applian ces than traps ought to be the
same as at present. When the trap
and canning monopoly are attacked
they in turn retaliate by trying to in
crease the burdens of the gill METERS
and seine men.
A bill has been introduced the
House, which measure, if it becomes a
law will terminate the term of Office
of state printer August LIST next, there
after the printing is to be done by the
state owning and operating its own
plant.
The wide tire wagon act bids fair to
become law. Its main provisions
are that the tires are to be at least 81
inches wide and that for. each wagon
a man has, conforming to that stand
ard, reduction $500 in road taxes
will be made each year.
The labor unions are ure ing an s
hour day law on all state work, and
the Chinese and japanese are denied
the pleasure of working for the state or
county in any capacity whatsoever,
the only crumb left him is that he