The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-01-18

governor smiled and bowed his thanks
and then turned to Chief Justice Mount
and took the oath of office.
governor MEAD'S MESSAGE.
Governor Albert e. E. Mead, in his
first message to the legislature recon-
mends the immediate enactment of
laws providing for appointive railway
and tax commissions.
70 the divorce law he calls special
attention and urges amendments where.
by unhappy couples will have to 60 to
considerably more trouble than they
have in the past In securing legal sep
aration.
Railway Commission.
In regard to the railway commits.
sion, be says:
II recommend the enactment Of q
law esta blishing a railway and trans.
portation commission in this state. to
consist Of three members, to be ap.
pointed by the executive. to perform
the duties and exercise the powers con-
templated BY the provisions Of Sec.
1876. Art. 2, Of the state constitution.
which is as follows:
"'The Legislature shall pass laws
establishing reasonable maximum rates
for the transportation Of passengers
and freight, and to correct abuses, and
to prevent discrimination and extortion
in the rates of freight and passenger
tariffs on different railroads and other
common carriers in this state. and
shall enforce such laws by adequate
penalties. A railway and transporta.
ton commission may be appointed and
its powers and duties fully defined by
law"
In regard to the difference Of legal
opinion as to the duties and powers
that may be delegated to a railway and
transportation commission. he urges
the immediate passage Of the railway
commission bill with the emergency
clause attached thereto, in order that
test case may be taken to the su.
preme court and decision rendered
before the present legislature adjourns.
In this way he hopes to secure q rail.
way commission law which, as he
says, may receive a constitutional
majority at your hands, and which
will not only conform to the mandates
of the constitution. but will be so
framed that its execution will be In
accord with the plsinest principles Of
Justice between shipper and carrier"
Economy In Appropriations.
The new governor urges economy in
the passage Of appropriation bills.
In regard to the election Of United
States senator. he would have . man
who would be in "the Henry Clay,
Daniel Webster, James g. Blaine,
Stephen A. Douglass GLASS" Other
than this he does not commit himself
az to whether any Of the leading az.
pirants or some great unknown would
be the best man.
He urges the Legislators not to work
overtime making new laws. because
there 10 common CRY that there are
already too many laws IN the statute
books. He would haze them strength.
en- existing laws rather than plunge
into new and untried fields.
In order to enact laws that will
stand the test Of the courts, he urges
legislation similar to that in other
states, whereby pills pending are sub
mitted to the supreme court to have
their legality passed upon before final
ly enacted.
On account of the superb bundance
of work in the supreme court he sug.
gests increasing the membership from
five to seven members.
Drastic changes in the criminal code
to expedite trial and appeal are urged.
While not advocating q radical
change in the divorce system, the gov
ernor recommends that certain provi.
sions be strengthened and given life
and vigor by amendment. In regard
to divorce, he says:
Fewer applicants for divorce de.
crees would appear in our courts If
this body enacted law making it
felony or misdemeanor for parent to
desert his child, or for a husband to
voluntarily desert or abandon his wife
unless some reasonable ground exists
therefor. The one hundred and fifty
or more children committed TO the
state reform school are there largely
by reason OF the domestic difficulties
Of their parents, who no longer contin.
ne the marriage relation, or who have
been separated by the decree Of divorce