Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-01-25

requiring the payment by banks OF .
per cent. on State deposits. This bill
comes from An investigation Of State
banking methods. 1t was found, for
instance. that the state deposits i'll the
CAPITAL National Bank Of this city,
aggregates $9GS,000 Yet ID stock
holders Of this bank, among them G.
J. Lord, have filed statements in the
Thurston county courts that their
debts exceed their stock holdings.
Lord atfirms that he owes the Dexter
Horton bank at Seattle 500 600.
Under ruling OF the Supreme Court,
bank stock is not assessable.
The House suggests an amendment
to the Senate proposition for reducing
the length Of the legislative session to
forty days, and suggests fifty days as
substitute. Dollars to doughnuts
that neither proposition will be adopt.
ed aud the session will not expire in
less than the lawful limit. The
amendment for the House to adjourn
March LIST, and limit the introduction
of new bills to Feb. 20-eight days is
no indication of the time of final ad-
journment, there are so many ways to
"kill a cat"-a joint rule being very
little imredien' if the disposition exists
to render it ineffective. If it is held to
be guide for action it would shorten
the session fourteen days.
A very stringent bill to prevent the
corrupt practices of lobbyists was in
duced by Senator Blair, of San Juan,
this week. 1t provides for all agents
who appear as lobbyists to register
their names in volume to be kept
for the purpose. on which shall also be
entered what particular bill or bills he
is interested in. After his departure
Ut will be noted that it is not expected
he will make an all-session job of his
mission) the company or corporation
he represents, must submit to the
Legislature an itemized statement Of
all the expenses or money disbursed by
their representative. II also provides
a penalty OF from 5000 to $1,000 for
the corporation failing TO comply with
this provision, and q fine of from 500
to 81 900 for the lobbyist who violates
the provisions Of the act, and the lob
byist who breaks the law shall not be
permitted to appear before the Legis.
lature again for . term OF years.
People would probably neve. realize
in what q disgraceful condition are
many of the buildings and resources
of the State institutions, were not the
Legislature in session with its hand
upon the bow.knot of the public purse.
The Soldiers Home is pronounced to
be disgrace to the State; The Re.
formatory school is shockinely in need
OF dormitories aud other buildings; the
University is teaching classes in the
open, for the want of class rooms the
North Yakima High School uses
churches for instruction rooms (on &C.
count of loss Of buildings by frey
the insane asylums are crowded and
need new buildings and the State
Penitentiary is altogether inadequate
for the present, to say nothing o.
growing needs. and separate building
is asked for the western part Of the
IState-and 80 il goes. But fortunately
our Legislatures seem impressed with
tho necessity for economy and doubt
less all these and other appropriation
bills will be scrutinized With the
greatest care and any effort 1t graft be
vigorously contested. The people are
not niggardly in providing for public
charges like these, but it does seem
queer that such appalling necessity
should come ~ sweeping avalanche