The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-02-22
No COMMISSION BILL
Senator TOIman'S Measure Fol.
lows PrestOn's to the Grave.
lhe Vote Was Decisive and Settles
All Such Measures For
This Session.

Olympia, Wash, Feb. 19.-Senator
IOlman's bill creating a railway com
llssIon was killed in the senate TODAY
y vote OF 20 to IA The result was
anticipated by everyone. The Preston
bill had been beaten by a vote of 10 to
10, and today's vote confirmed The
statement that the RAILWAYS control
enough votes to defeat any legislation
lhlmical to their interests, though parti.
zanshlp Is offered as an excuse for the
votes OF four men who voted against
the Iolman bill today while supporting
the Preston bill two weeks ago.
SO sure were the railway interests OF
the defeat OF the bill today that onlv a
lew members of the big lobby were on
hand to watch the result. Senator Tol.
man had no hope of carrying the bill
He made the only speech on final pass
age, briefly outlining the necessity of q
commission being appointed. Senators
Reser and l.. c. Crow of the democrats
and Senator COrnwell OF the republicans
voted with the TOlman wing, according
to their previous announcements on the
floor, and four republicans Senators
Megler, MOultray, Sharp and Sumner
went over to the opposition. They claim
thelr opposition is based solely upon
giving the appointive power to the gov
ernor. Senator Land, democrat. who
had promised to vote for the Tolman
bill, voted against it,
Those voting for the bill we're: Sena-
tors Angle, CornwelI, II. D. Crow, L. c..
Grow, CARRIER, Hall, Hallett, Hammer,
Mantz, Preston, Reser, Tolman, WeIty,
Wilshire-14.
Those opposed were: Senators An
drews, Baker, Baumeister, Biggs, CIapp.
Davis, Hamilton, Heinrich, Land, Le-
Crone, Megler, MOutray, Rands. Ruth,
Schotield, Sharp, Smith, Stewart, Sum
ner, WarburtOn-20.
Vote BY Machinery.
Olympia, Wash, Feb. lS.-The first
move toward the adoption of voting
machines in this state was made TODAY
IN the senate. Senator Wiltshire intro
duced a resolution calling for the ap-
PointmeDt of committee of one senator
and two representatives. to investigate
the merits OF voting machines, ascertain
their cost, etc. The committee is to
conduct it's investigation after the ses-
sion closes and report to the next legis-
iature. No salary is to be paid the com
mlttee. The idea is favored in the senate
and will doubtless pass both houses.
Ibe senate refused to reconsider its
vote by which no property not specially
provided for was exempted from execu
ton Tor wages of clerks, labOrers end
mechanics. Friday last the senate voted
to repeal the law allowing a $1,000 ex.
emptlOn from execution aside from other
exemptions. Senators Crow of Whit
man and Mantz of Stevens led the move
ment to secure a reconsideration today.
Mr.. Raymer of Lincoln county pre-
sented a petition from farmers asking
Tor the passage of railroad rate and
commission bills. The petition cited
that a quarter of the proceeds of the
crops was consumed in freight rates.
A Whitman petition asking for the
passage OF the Rosenhaupt maximum
rate bill was also presented.
Preston and TOIman Bills
Olympia, Wash, Feb 18-The Pres
ton bill, to create a railway commission.
was resurrected for few minutes this
afternoon and was then returned to the
grave, where it will probably remain.
RumOrs of deals that have agitated
both sides of the question for the past
4S hours were disposed of quickly, the
vote on reconsideration resulting in Is
for the bill and 10 against it, everv
member voting precisely as upon Friday
last. The result was anticipated on
both sides, as a canvass made this
morning showed no change in the senti-
ments of the senators.
Immediately after the failure to do
anything more with his bill, Senator
Preston presented a report of the rail
way commission, favoring the Tolman
bill. The senate went into committee of
the whole to consider the TOlman meas
ure and adopted two amendments. One
apprOpriates $4,000 to carry the bill
into effect; the other reduces the maxi
mum penalty for violation OF the act
from $4,000 to $4,000. Both amend
ments were adopted without discussion
and the bill went over to it's third read
ing. There is no hope of its passing but
it will place the senate on record, which
is all it's supporters expect.
Senator l.. G. Crow introduced bill
providing for three congressional dis
tricts.