The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-12
Lawyers TALK POLITICS.
State Bar Association Discusses
Present Day Topics.
REFORMS IN DIVORCE LAWS.
Paper on This subject by Judge j.
II. Davidson Calls Forth Much
Commenf-Manner of Conducting
Senatorial Elections Precipitntes
Much Debute--The Government
Ownership of Railroads Argued.

The second day OF the twelfth annua
session of the Washington State Bar As
socia;ion yesterday was devoted 10 this
reading and discussion Of original papers
Contrary 10 the usual custom. two Of
the papers read dealt with subjects OF
political as well as legal interest. The
matter OF allowing politics to come Into
the associations deliberations called 70,
some criticism from some OF the Older
members, but the majority of the associ.
alton seemed TO favor the discussion OF
present day topics.
The two papers of political bearing
read were Government Ownership OF
Railroads" by Judge &. w. Hodgdon, OF
Montesano. and How Should United
states Senators BE Elected?'' by Thomas
Is. Hardin, OF the Seattle bar. The latter
paper called forth lengthy discussion,
as also did a paper on Needed Reforms
in the Laws OF Marriage and Divorce.
by Judge ,. y. Davidson. OF Ellensburg,
This forenoon the lawyers will eject ONT
GERS for the coming year, select delegates
to the convention OF the American Bar
Association choose n time and place Tor
the next annual meeting and finish up all
routine business. In the afternoon they
will picnic at Meydenbauer bay on Lake
Washington. Adjournment viii follow.
Limitations OF Municipal Indebted
OF Seattle was the first paper read. Mr.,
Shepard handled his subject briefly. but
Thoroughly touching upon all the
merits and defects of the system adopted
by American cities generally. that OF
placing an arbitrary limit upon eohga-
lions that can be legally Incurred. he
had reached the conclusion That the DE.
fects more than outweiBned the merits OF
liz arst pointed out the courses mum:
ctpality was At liberty to adopt In regard
to its expenditures. The nrst was 70 ~,
low the officials making expenditures lut
In extravaganza. for. as Mr.. shepard pnt
II, man, at least gregarious ana cofporai,s
man y spn rnnse a lnnasitv 10 the end
III his rope. Stii. II was not certain that
TITS course was not as wise az any. Tor
rarely effectuai, and the only way 20
hiring about true economy was 10 make
the Voters understand BY bitter experience
thnt she remedy lay With themselves.
The second course was to prohibit NUM-
cipai debt absolutely, the other extreme.
Al least one state. Illinois. the speaker
said. had adopted this plan. u had It's
aavantages ana its disadvantages. It OPP
Grated inconvenicntly at times and often
checked and delayed great enterprises,
but 1. also prevented vast municipal
Losses, checked extravagance and. pre-
vented the undertaking OF large and use
less improvements in times OF prosperity.
Ths tArd course, and that adopted by
Teal llsab 70 Indebtedness. The advocates
OF fiN system were confident that 1t
wouid wplk automatically and economic
ally li,,t not - few municipalities lost
theif lanuclai foothoid during the panic
81 ISIS Notwithstanding this safeguard.
&s Il aysl m II seemed TO have both the
good and bad features OF both the others,
In rpo1 sinics II tempted cities to usa
their cgeA!f up TO the limit without edu-
cDtlnr tlis voters TO prudence, and In hard
times 2 credit net exhausted was a useful
rs ~ N AVl& sea- m
IL led 60 cStruvagance and in the other to
repuaiations Every lawyer would agree
that tbs experience OF the cities of this
state had offered striking proof OF these
facts
MAY nc Evsded.
The courts, MIR Shepard went on 10 say.
had OF late ia the state OF Washington
rendered. at least two decisions. one In
other In tho Seattle Cedar river water
qase. practically allowing the arbitrary
dcbt limit 20 be cvadch
The speaker WAS Inclined 20 think with
all due respect TO the supreme court. that
these decisions we're not based on their
true grounds lui they were necessary
az. and conyenlSnt aud served their purpose.
Cities. Mt shepard concluded, never take
the BACK track, and he saw IN these dsoi-
sions Tho foreshaduwing OF a new principle
whttn wuuio prove powerful ally 10 the
present socinliAtlo tendency for municipal
ownership
This principle. Mr. shepard explained
would allow tho ownership and manage.
fnent or great public utilities Of different
sorts by the city as trustee for The lleopIe
on plan ~ limited labiiltv. The fniinTe
* one OF the schemes would involve only
thet particular scheme. and would have
no bearing whatever on the cttv's othr,
nuness arairn. In this manner an The
great works OF the city would he carried
IN pfaSie aiiy without municipal debt
penses w
la his paper Jpdse Hodgdoa took a
,shH mi'@N IN taver ~ the ownership
% Al the rallFosis by the general sov.
eminent He ug9icd that under the 80
AlawinH the contamination ~ private nro-
slightest legal c@pstscle 10 IN aea,,,rss
mcnt Nf the railroads by the nation Tha
Only dinEully would DO In pay{nr for th.
PROPERTY condemned ''0
The pruisahle essss of aeaugrfns the r,,t.
~ the EnVernmont would be from six 10
eight BILLIONS % dollars an amount thsf
~ s.s.sss Say nation, however wealthy
70 hrtltatN fat There was a great uolHkt
OF authority 90 ahs9w Shat tha lnvass nssnt
would paw q splendid prnNt espaciaiTy
VIZ WE , was s9eas,aercd that the eos, %
earnings 90 dO0be largely Increased u.,ls~
soyeEnnient ewneFahlp.
~ g shs s,lysasasss % b derived from
tHs oatteu all shNa w the ranwnvu. piags
Hoesssen held thss there COULD lie no s,,|s-
tioa. Under the present svatem tha ar
ssrss so Asenlss we're eenilauAlly en-.
sss=ss walsh rates were secretly ear al
fioprw sp~nt with q lavish hanA 4 1r's,,+
hasn't NAiisay maa Wa authertt, X X. V .a.
rtaismsnt that "a all rvsatN would MAN.
tain ths'r prtae~S schedules tSav set.il
r~iuss tAsis rates ere halt aud atm rnaRS
90 nGcA money az uedcv TIE present rys.
Tern.
As o. the success % xevernn,snt eyvnrr.
sshlp lsass iASdgden said there Vas 40
dtsasrsen@St on authorities 1f tna
larorsan eougsrtes that hal aaaptr.f ~,
system cniy one rtaiy had 4Fopref N
nnd ether SovntrteS had Haie barge prof,
patrons
He ga rot resar5 the ohfectto, TIA.
,hs ranros3s would ~ sslrvseA into ervSt
i~asttch' machines as vital m thia r,trs
s9hn W. Pratt 81 sAs seattle car. vgns