Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-03-21
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP
BIGE EDDY PASSES OPINION ON
The late SESSION.
The Direct Primary Law Full of Blow
Holes. Liberaiity of ApprOpria-
tiOnS Nav Prevent Many Members
from Returning. COtteriIi the
HbleSt Senator.

Especial to the HERALD
OLYMPIA, March 19.-The late legisla.
ture has been handed lot of boquets by
the press in general and the Olympia
journals in particular. 1t is sad COM
mentary upon its predecessors that it is,
probably, the best in the history of the
state, for verify it might have been much
better.
In special legislation it was the limit.
II we except the Stuck. .Puyallup river
people (and they got their order in rath-
er late anyway it may be said that ev-
eryone got all he wanted as the taxpayer
will find out to his sorrow.
The direct primary, for which much
commentator has been gwen, seems
especially designed to protect and per-
petuate the dominant party and to dis
franchise the independent voter both at
the primary and at the polls. By its pro-
vision for non.partisan judiciary it is
not only possible but very probable that
both candidates (only two being allowed)
will come from the majority party. The
rise Of new party is practically made a
political impossibility and the restric.
tions thrown around the press SAVIOR
more Of Russia than of these United
States. He who does not care to wear
his political predictions on his sleeve
mnst stay away. Any direct primary
bill beats none for change could hardly
be made for the worse. But it is hard to
point with pride to the bill which the
tenth legislature has placed on the stat
ute books.
The session has been productive of no
great man consequently no political COM
plications have been raised. Cotterill is
conceded to be the ablest member of the
senate, but his eccentricites bar him
from political promotion if his party al.
filations did not forbid it. Paulhamus
has managed to keep himself in the pub
lie eye but doesn't seem to have been
able to deliver the goods.
Speaker Falconer has been an able
and impartial presiding officer but equal
ly able men have graduated into private
life from the same school.
The cong essional apportionment bill
is distinctly creditabIe to the tenth leg
islature; none the less 30 that it was dis.
creditable to the other nine to leave the
Job undone 80 long.
Despite the general good opinion of
the legislature just adjourned, in which
my failure to share may be set down to
my contrary nature, it is improbable
that many of them, save the hold-over
senators, will be with us in the eleventh.
The high taxes consequent upon thei r
"liberality" will get some of them, the
direct primary will get others, party
changes (for such political unanmity is
not like to continue indefinitely will be
the undoing Of still others.
One thing is certain, however, Olym-
pia would be more than ungrateful if she
did not speak good word for the tenth.
She got all she asked for and was far
from as modest as usual. Even Spo-
kane's attempt to put the supreme
court on wheels failed to become a law.
The appointment of Prof. w. w.
Montgomery to he assistant state super
intenden! in place OF Prof. Dewey pro-
noted to the position of the late F. NJ.
McCully. gives general satisfaction in
the capital city where Prof. Montgomery
is we'll and favorably known having ac-
ceptably filled the position of city super
intendent here for number Of years.
BIGE EDDY.