The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-12-17
FOR BETTER LAWS
r1UNlCIpAL CONVENTION HAS con-.
pLETED ITS LABORS.
Recommends Many Changes In Old
Laws and Some New Ones.
Similar Convention Will Prob
ably Be Held Before Each Leg
iSIatiVe Session.

4
committee representing the municipal
legislative convention will be present
with large number Of important pro-
posed laws and amendments to existing
statutes, which they will ask the leg
| islature to pass.
The convention, which has been in
session since Monday morning, came
to close yesterday afternoon, after a
scrore or more Of proposed measures
had been outlined and committee
had been appointed to draft them in
the form of bills for presentation to
the state law making body.
! 1t was the sense of the convention
that each and every member should
use his utmost endcavors to have these
measures favorably acted upon by the
legislature, and that every endeavor
should be mace to enlist the aid and
support of all cities and towns not rep
resented at the convention. Isa
| The new laws and the amendments
which the convention decided to Ere
sent to the legislature, refer to matters
in which every city and town in the
state has an interest. In preparing
these measures the various committees
of the convention performed their work
With regard for the welfare of all
| the municipalities having an interest
in them
| Copies Of all proposed measures will
be sent to the councils of all cities in
the state for their approval, so that
| the bills may 60 before the Legislature
bearing the stamp of approval of the
people in general.
Those in attendance at the cOnven.
ton expressed themselves as feeling
that the work Of the organization was
highly satisfactory, and that it will
lead to future good to all the cities
which will participate in such
meeting.
Chairman Lindsey urged that con-
vention be called before each and ev-
cry session of the legislature, that it
may become permanent organization
and be recognized by the legislature as
a mouthpiece through which the cities
of the state may express their desires.
He extended an invitation to the con-
vention to meet in Spokane upon the
occasion of its next session.
Legislation Recommended.
Following are the topics of legisla-
tion recommended by the convention:
To make the law of eminent domain
applicable to cities of the second and
third class, as we'll as to those of the
first class.
To amend the law regulating the
sale of property for delinquent i'm
provement assessments to eliminate ex-
cessive bidding on such property by
speculative purchasers. III.
To pass a law authorizing cities of
the first class to assess state, school and
county = property for local improve
ments
To pass law exempting cities from
liability for damage claims arising
from accidents on unimproved streets.
To pass law requiring property
owners to maintain sidewalks in good
condition in front of their property
To pass law placing assessments
for local improvements on the same
basis as general taxes and making
them an equal lien against the property
To repeal the law requiring regis
tration books to be kept in the city
precinct polling place for registration
purposes before election dates.
To amend election laws SO as to pro-
vide that the original registration
books shall be placed at the polling
places on election days and certified
copies shall be kept at the Office Of the
registration clerk for the purpose of
better guarding against fraudulent
voting
To amend the election laws 80 as to
compel the secretary of state to supply
copies of the election laws to city
clerks for the use of election officers.
To amend election laws so as to give
cities the right to change the boundaries
of city voting precincts when such
changes may be deemed necessary.
To pass law requiring that 25 per
cent of the road and bridge fund col
lected within the corporate limits of
any city be spent for the Improvement
of roads within that city which con-
meet with county roads.
To pase law enabling cities of the
third class to construct lateral sewers
under the bonding system.
To pass law enabling cities of the
third class to validate outstanding in.
debtednesss above the amount of in.
debtedDess legal for such cities.
TO amend the local Improvement as
sessment law for cities of the third
class so that they may assess to the
center of the block.
10 pass a law providing that the
mayors and councilmen of cities of the
third class shall receive compensation.
SEVASTOpOl SINK