Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-02-11


Olympia. Feb. with almost
half ct the 18th session OF the Wash
ingtoc legislature gone, the record
of laws enacted includes only Ave
bills signed by the governor. four
OF which carry appropriations.
One appropriates $4,000 to de-
fray general legislative expenses;
one appropriates $4,000 for legisla-
tive printing: a third appropriates
$1617 for the insurance commission
er's Office and another a seal for the
same Office. while the fifth continues
appropriation for the Alaska-Yukon-
Pacific Exposition.
The senate has passed 1S senate
bills and the house has passed q
house bills. The senate has received
227 new bills and the house 203.
The two main issues of the ses-
sion, local option and anti-racetrack
gambling, however. are we'll along
and by taking them up early in the
session the legislature has made
more actual progress than is appar-
ent on the face of things.
The anti-racetrack gambling bill
has passed both houses, but the
emergency feature is still unsettled.
The local option issue last week con-
sumed two days and one night of
the house sessions, but did not reach
final passage Efforts will be made
to dispose of it in both houses this
week.
The house seems certain to pass
the 'McMaster local option bill with
out material change, but there are
no sincere predictions that the meas
u:e will get through the senate in
It's present form.
Unique Provisions in Code.
With the anti-racetrack and loca!
option bills out of the way, interest
is likely to settle on the new crini-
nal code. The code commission has
submitted a draft of the proposed
code to the senate judiciary commit
tee. which is likely to eliminate
many provisions and perhaps add
number.
The commissions suggestions COW
err wide range. comparison with
existing statutes reveals that of the
$50 sections of the code as submit
ted by the commission, 1870 are whol-
ly new, while a large number Of old
sections are broadened in scope.
The new code has provision
which s UNIQUE in the United States.
Under the operation of the proposed
law, insanity, idiocy, !mbecility and
criminal propensity az the time Of
ti4o Commission OF the Ci.ilie, cannot
be made a defense. There is no
other state which has such provis-
ion in its criminal code. 1t is de-
signed to prohibit the common plea
of insanity as an excuse for murder
and other crimes.
The effect Of the proposed law is
to take from the jury the power to
consider insanity as a plea for the
defense. The court may appoint a
commission of alienists to examine
the defendant and if the defendant
is found insane the trial will not
proceed. If, on the other hand, the
court decides that the defendant is
not insane or was not insane at the
time of the commission of the crime,
the trial will go on and the defend
ant is barred from making any fur
Their plea on that ground.
MuZZling the Press.
Several of the drastic features OF
! the Graves bill, which was defeated
in the legislature two years ago, are
contained in the new code. Under
the section relating to prohibited
publications., the new code makes 1t
misdemeanor for any newspaper,
magazine or any printed publication
to give a circumstantial account OF
the commission or attempted COM
| mission Of any criminal homicide.
According to the opinion of we'll
Informed lawyers, the provisions OF
the proposed law are 80 restrictive
that newspapers are absolutely pro-
hibited from giving accounts Of any
crimes or attempted crimes where
murder or homicide is factor until
the person accused Is tried.
Under that provision no account
ocu,d have how c'ven ~ the ktl'in~
of the town marshal Of Kent by des-
peradoes a few months ago. No ac-
count of a train robbery where muir
der was committed or attempted
could be printed.
Hay Sends Message.
Acting Governor NJ. z. Hay trans
mitted to the senate Thursday mes
sage in which it is proposed to es-
tablish new reform school in tho
irrigation section of the state, tra-S
fer the fecble-ninded section of The
Medical Lake institution to the or
Soldiers Home at Orting, move thu
old soldiers to the site of the new