Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-02-08
The Gist Of Legislation.

The first thing done in the House
Saturday was, after many hours spent
in coaching members that had been
importuned by their constituents TO
vote against or delay for time action
upon the lake-shore bill, but the In
surgent ring, formed at the beginning
of the session, was not broken, and
when the House was called to order,
the first bill creating the Y.-A.-P.
Commission was passed by a vote of
S3 to 3, the second, by SO to 3, the
third by IS to 4, these carrying appro-
priations of 100000 and $iOO,OOO
The fourth, authorizing sale of the
shore.lands, to provide fund for the
exposition, was the quid that was most
difficult to masticate. A motion to
make it the special order for Monday
was voted down, and the bill passed
by vote of II to TO- Glenn, OF Pierce
county, was the only one in the Pierce
county delegation who voted against
all the measures, and all the Spokane
members voted for all the bills. A
resident of Seattle, whose opinion is
entitled to the greatest respect, says,
in commenting upon this action, at
may serve the present purpose, but in
five or ten years from now Seattle will
be glad to buy back the shore line at a
cost of many million dollars, to estab.
lish . boulevard encircling both lakes"
The only matter OF interest in the
Senate Saturday was concurrence in
some minor amendments OF the House
to the A.-Y..U. bills. 1t passed a bill
providing for liens by owners of don.
key engines; the McGregor bill relat-
ing to partition fences, the bill pro-
viding . commission for the blind,
and the Appropriations committees
bill granting $3.50 to the office OF the
Land Commissioner, to cover a def
cheney.
Goldman OF the House has intimated
that he may ask for adjustment OF
the State Land Commission, as the
Constitution wisely leaves way open
for that action.
In the Senate, Monday, the principal
matters of interest were introduction
of the noted Pennypacker" libel law,
designed to reach reporters as we'll as
owner of newspapers for publications
that assail private character. 1t was
before the last Legislature, but was
scarcely deemed worthy of considera-
ton by that body.
Senator Ruth's bill appropriating
$50, 900 for an Executive Mansion
passed, with ten dissenting votes.
Psulhamus wanted to reduce the
amount to $4,000, giving as a reason
that ait would be difficult to sell the
building at any price after the capital
had been removed to Tacoma"
A marked disposition of the present
Legislature is shown by introduction
of many bills, which is in direct con-
flict with the much.vaunted profession
OF economy, as every bill passes to the
Public Printer and constitutes the "fat.
test" part OF that officer's perquisites.
An effort to entomb the bill TO
adopt the Torrens land system. by
committee report, met with such de.
J cided opposition by supporters OF the
bill Tuesday, that a motion to re.refer
carried by decided vote-lS to %.
The motion was to commit it to the
tender mercies of the Internal In
provements committee. but Speaker
Falconer, recognizing the claim that q
bill had . right to 90 to committee
that il not favorable to its passs &c
would, at least give il fair eonsidera.
ton. placed it in charge of the com.
mittee on Privileges and Elections.
The House passed five bills Tuesday
and q memorial to open the Swino-
mish Indian reservation. The bills
passed were: BY Bassett, q bill re.
lating to the liability of . bank or
trust company to a depositor in case
of forged or raised notes; by Meg.
Ter. appropriating 81, OO7. 25 to pay for
the publishing of the constitutional
amendments at the last election; Meg.
Ter, appropriating 81 ,2S5.S2 for repairs
and $500 for maintenance OF the
State capitol; Hanson, amending de.
linquent children law. authorizing
court to appoint probation officers
court physician and giving court power
to examine parents of hayward child
rem IS to ability to support them; and
Hanson, giving right to husband or
wife OF insane person to sell commun.
ity property for payment of debt or for
better investment.
| The new bills introduced in the
House were: By Bradbury, providing
that there shall be corroberative testi.
mony Of female complaining witnesses
to convict in abduction or seduction
cases; appropriating $50, 600 for State
road through Snoqualmie Pass, and
one by Sewell, appropriating 81, 900 for
establishment of q fish hatchey ON Big
Quilcens river.
In the Senate, Tuesday, Ruth's bill
authorizing the State to deed to the
city OF Olympia tide-lands fronting
Mission Park, passed, as did Met
Calls bill deciding tide-lands fronting
Point Defiance Park to Tacoma
Booths bill repeating the act requiring
. written contract before . real estate
agent may collect his commission,
passed by vote OF % to II. Senator
Allen gave notice for reconsideration
Jones bill authorizing sale of lease.
bold estate in State lands to satisfy
special improvement taxes, where they
lie within city improvement districts
was also passed, as were McGregor's
bill exempting sheep from provisions
OF estray law, and by the Com mittee on
Horticulture requiring . 5000 fund
from Commission merchants.
Tuesday night Prof. Lancaster, the
government Roads lecturer, addressed
. joint meeting of the Legislature, on
the subject of road building.
The House, Wednesday, passed Ahe
eight tH hour law for women, by . vote
| Sewell, Of Jefferson, introduced q
bill providing that no small launches
other than those propelled by steam
be allowed to navigate tho Straits OF
Fuca west of line drawn from Castle
Point, in San Juan county, to the
lighthouse onDungeness Spit.
The Pierce county delegation, las,
Tuesday, waited upon the Governor
with unanimous endorsement nj