The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-01-29

olympia, Jan. 25.-TwO weeks
have been consumed by the legisla-
ture in rolling up it's sleeves ard get-
ting ready for work
SO far the principal work has been
in the organization of the two
houses, the Introduction of bills and
election of a United States senator.
Although the house was a day or two
behind the senate in accepting it's
first bill it has caught up with the
senate in point of numbers and left
the upper body behind. The house
file shows Fl bills, while the senate
contains but 9S.
But two bills have passed both
houses that can be considered of i'm
Dortance. One is the legislative ap-
preparation bill, which provides for
an expenditure of $4,000 for sal
aries and expenses Of the eleventh
session. TIE other is the bill that
increases the rate and guarantees
the interest on 100000 of A.-Y.-P.
Exposition warrants, making it Dos
slble to use them TO pay for the con-
struction OF state buildings now I'M
der way at the exposition.
Committee Work.
The committee work has been
largely preliminary although some
committees have reported on minor
bills and the senate harbors commit
tee has favorably reported the ST.
100000 harbor bill Only a few of
the committees have yet begun seri-
Gus work. The railroad committees
are the most active. Theyshave held
two joint sessions, at one of which
were heard from as to needed
changes in the commission law and
at the other Track Inspector A. w.
Perley outlined the work he has ac-
complished and made a few recon-
mendations for changes in the law.
The appropriations committees
have made some Investigations into
the needs of the state departments
and the road committees have heard
from the highway commissioner and
gone over the latter's biennial re-
port.
The house committee on public
morals, by a vote of to 4, has
agreed to report out the Anti-Saloon
League local option bill, with the
recommendation that it do pass.
Those voting aye were John An
derson, chairman; Mcclure, Whalley,
Thompson and w. T. Anderson; con-
trary, Erickson, Hayward, Norris
and Fisher
The senate public morals commit
tee has discussed the Anti-Saloon
League local option bill, but has not
discussed it by sections. 1t is known
the committee is almost hopelessIy
divided aud three reports are expect
ed.
To License Drinkers.
Palmer, of King, has two local op-
ton bills, one of which provides for
voting on the saloon question at each
general election outside of incorpor-
ated cities. The other provides for
precinct elections outside Of first,
second and third-class cities on pc
tition Of 40 per cent of the qualified
electors.
The senate, however, will have a
novelty in substitute bill, if Whit
ney, of Spokane, carries out his in
tention. Senator Whitney has in
mind the introduction of bill that
will require every person who drinks
to take out a license, but will per-
NIT the sale Of Intoxicating liquors
without license. His plan is to have
county auditors issue licenses to
drinkers at about So each, make
drunkenness ground for suspension
or forfeiture of license and impose
severe penalties on dealers selling
liquors to unlicensed persons. The
maximum penalty for continued Of
lenses of the latter character is to be
Imprisonment in the penitentiary
Woman Suffrage Lobby Busy.
The woman suffrage lobby, which
stitutional amendment to the people
has aroused the admiration of the
women of Olympia. After a hard
days work endeavoring to convince
legislators Of the justice of the bill
the woman suffragists go home 10
their headquarters to don aprons and
to do the cooking.
Opponents of the woman's suffrage
bill have prepared freak substitute
which will be offered and rushed
through if the former bill is not per-
uitted to die In committee. The sub
atitute gives any woman who is be-
tween the ages Of 81 and 70 years
the right to vote at all elections, pro-
vided she is the mother of child
She is also allowed one vote for each
additional child.
ssnchers Oppose Harbor Fund.
The Cotterill bill providing for the
restoration of the harbor improve
ment fund aroused the opposition OF