The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-06-20
Developments in
State Politics

or the two constitutional amendments
to be submitted to the voters in the
general election in November have
been prepared and will be mailed to
the newspapers about July l. They
must be published 13 weeks In every
county and the total cost of publica-
tion will be 50. Ate. It will be seen
from this that it costs something to
submit constitutional amendment
The amendments this time are a little
longer than usual. as the secretary of
state, for the convenience of voters.
has included in the notice copy of
the original sections that will be
amended. in addition to the sections
as they will read after amendment.
One amendment. If adopted. will
give the logging roads the right to
condemn property for right -of-way
purposes. This amendment was
submitted in the election of 1906 and
was voted down. The other amend
ment changes the constitution relative
to taxation so that one class of property
may be taxed in different proportion
to another, or to other classes. This
amendment, if adopted. will permit
the legislature to segragate state from
local taxes and carry out thu plan to
have the corporations pay only a
state tax and other property pay only
local taxes. 1t would also permit
the exemption of moneys and credits.
or the placing of very small levy on
moneys in bank.
Nearly every candidate for nomina-
tion under the direct primary law de-
sires to have his name appear on the Of
fetal primary ballot first under the
heading of the Office to which he as
pires. There is general belief among
candidates that he whose name is first
on the ticket will get most of the votes
of the many electors who have no
particular preference for that Office.
The result is that candidates are
scheming to get their declarations
filed first in the Office of the secretary
of state. The secretary is not author
lied to file declarations of candidacy
until 80 days before the date of the
primaries. This will make the day
for filing July 9. Efforts have been
made to induce the secretary to accept
declarations and retain them in his
office untiLJuly 9 and then file them
In accordance with the order of their
receipt. Secretary Nichols has refused
to comply with these requests. 1t is
probable that before the date for filing
he will decide upon some systematic
cuorse to pursue. so that all candi-
dates will have an equal show to get
IN first.
The past week put new candidate
in the field for lieutenant governor
in the person of A. V. Fawcett. former
mayor of Tacoma. Mr.. Fawcett is
quite commonly known in Tacoma
By the name OF ''Turkey" Fawcett.
He acquired the coRnomen few years
ago as result of giving Thanksgiving
dinners to the poor. Tacoma now
has candidates for secretary Of state.
lieutenant governor. Justice of the
supreme court, congressman. attorney
general and state superintendent of
schools.
The "bar primary" election is to
be held in Seattle on Saturday Of this
week to select six candidates for
superior judge of King county.
These candidates will 90 before the
September primaries as the candidates
endorsed by the members of the bar OF
King county. and will doubtless be
elected by the people. The five
present superior court judges here
will probably be endorsed by the bar
association.
Mr.. and Mrs. Triplett returned
Monday evening from short visit IN
Anacortes. They have been in the
state only few weeks, having arrived
in April from southeastern Iowa.
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