The Seattle Republican., 1903-03-06

|
the printing contracts to the lowest
bidder into the courts, and yet Mr..
Madge, of the Olympian, with whom
! Scobey is financially interested as
soon as put on the rack frankly admit
ted that the five bidding printing con-
Germs did contribute a $1,000 jackpot
if he would not force the acceptance
of his bid on the part of the printing
board by means of the civil courts.
this matter? If Mr.. Madge got $500
for such a consideration the presump-
tion is that Mr.. Scobey as partner in
the printing concern of which Madge
was and is the manager not only got
an equal part, but probably got the
lions share. 1t was hardly thought
that Mr.. Scobey would have made the
statement that he did and especially
if the statement subsequently made
i by Madge was true. So far as Scobey
and Madge are now concerned Its
question of speculation as to which
told the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, in their evil
dence before the investigating COM
mittee. Expert Houghton should be
dismissed from further service from
the state and the printing concerns
of which Gwin Hicks, Al Howe, Pin
Allen and Houghton represent should
be forever barred from bidding on
printing contracts for the state.
The bill which had for it's object the
sale of the states oyster lands at a
most shameful and ridiculous sacrifice
was defeated in the senate last We'd
nesday afternoon and it now sleeps
the sleep of the just. Ii the bill had
have passed it would have been moth
ing short of highway robbery so far
as the states financial interest is con-
cerned. Oyster lands worth not less
than $1,000 per acre would have teen
sold and gobbled up by persons at not
to exceed $40 per acre. Just how any
one could muster up the audacity to
champion such vicious measure is
the question that puzzles the average
citizen. But the bill is dead and
peace be to its ashes.
Col. Alden J. Blethen, who has re-
peatedly vilified the members OF the
senate in his paper since the eighth
legislature begun business in a man
ner exasperating almost beyond hui
mar endurance got bunch OF it hand
ed back to him all doubled up last
Wednesday when the senate refused
to confirm his appointment as regent
of the University of Washington. This
J was the first inning of the senate and
it did good work. If reports be true
there is more coming to the colonel
which he will get before many more
moons. It's a long long lane that has
no turn, and Col. Alden J. Blethen is
now beginning to realize that
Next Thursday night at II o'clock
the eighth legislature will come to an
end and the members thereof can re-
turn to their constituents to give an
account of their stewardship during
the past sixty days. Many excellent
measures have been and will yet be
passed by it, Many excellent meas
ures have likewise been proposed and
killed. while many vicious measures
have been killed which were fathered
by individuals for selfish ends. A ma
iority of the members of the legisla-
ture has been at outs with the COVER
nor and no unanimity of purpose eth
er from a party standpoint or patri-
otic one has existed between the exc
cutive and the legislative branches of
the state government.
President Smith is perhaps the
ablest and most efficient presiding
officer that any senate of this state
has ever had. 1t is generally conced-
ed that he is by far the best parlia-
mentarian that ever presided over
branch of a washington legislature. In
discussing the subject number of
Republican lobbyists almost unanimous
ly decided that Smith stood first,