The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1909-01-23


corporations other than first class and on the COM
mttees on privileges and elections, roads and
bridges, drainge, judiciary.
Thefght between the 'wets' and 'drys' in the
legislature has shown that the drys are not able
to cope with the willy liquor forces Last week
Friday the house adjourned for more than three
days. which is contrary to the constitution, thus
in reality closing the session for this year. NO
matter what law is passed by foes Of the Saloons
it can probably be declared unconstitutional, thus
leaving matters the way they are which is all that
is wanted Perhaps some day a legislature Will
be elected which will not fall into each and every
one of the pits prepared by various interests. The
various legislatures of Washington have performed
some cord-breakng absurdties, but this last one
with the legislature wholly republican, is the limit
The last of the liquor interests caught them all.
The Northport Republican wonders what our
representatives will do on the question of the New
port-Orient road for the completion of which an
appropriation of $50, 900 is asked. 1t seems that
Northport wants this road to run through North
port instead of through Colville the center of all
things holy in republican policies But the fact
that the people elected two representatives from
Colvlle shows that the popular desire is that the
road shall go through Covile as planned, and it is
reasonable to suppose that the representatives will
act accordingly.
Legislation to protect the innocent purchaser of
stock as well as the legitimate promoter
from the irresponsible manipulation is strongly
urged by Governor Albert E. Mead in his biennial
message to the state legislature at Washington
now in session at Olympia. Governor Mead says
on the subject:
Legitimate mining in this state has often suf-
fered because of the failure to protect with whole
some laws that industry from the operations of
unscrupulous promoters. The unrestricted free
dom with which wildcat companies can be and
have been manipulated in the mining districts of
this state has cast an odium upon the industry of
Washington, which can only be removed through
the enactment of laws that will effectualy rid the
state of this most undesirable class of fraudulent
operators. Legislation should be enacted designed
to protect the innocent purchaser of stock as we'll
as the legitimate promoter from the irresponsible
manipulation.
interpretations based upon unpatented claims
should be declared illegal, since such holdings may
lapse at any time; else the board of directors of
such corporations should be made personally liable
for all debts contracted until the claims are
patented at the expense Of the promoters; trans
fer of promoters stock should be permitted until
all the treasury stock has been disposed of; all
moneys derived from the sale Of treasury stock
should be placed in escrow until at least one-half
of the treasury stock has been sold for cash, and
unless such an amount is sold within certain time
say six months-all such moneys should be re-
turned intact to the subscribers, and such other
provisions should be incorporated as will adequate
ly safeguard the interests of investors" :"
Whatever may have been said against Governor
Mead, his message to the legislature is good one
and should be read by every voter.
S>S
COL Harvey W. Scott in a recent issue of The
Portland Oregonian, takes advantage of an excel
lent opportunity to say a few very we'll chosen
words concerning the way ''Uncle Sam" does bus-
ness and the fact that his methods are such that
no private business house would tolerate them
for an instant.
He bases his theme upon the probability that the
present session Of congress will find it necessary
to curta the Rivers and Harbors bill to such
point that it will practically to exist because
of the necessity for economy on account of the
alarming deficit in the national treasury
He blames this deficit in large measure, upon
the bad business methods in use by the govern
ment bureaus, and says in condemnation:
''The deficit is increasing in part on account of
the enormous demands of the navy and for the
Panama canal and other legitimate expenses, and
in part through the prodgal waste of money by
an abnormally large army of officeholders whose
incompetence would prohibit them from holding
any commercial position for Is minutes. This in
competence and ignorance of the first principles of
business can be found in all departments, and,
while the losses thus caused are individually small,