The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-02-19

Gambling Bill Now Law.
Olympia, Feb. 16.-When the leg
islature convened Monday afternoon
it had 25 days of business ahead of
it, for on March II, at midnight, it
will have to close under provision of
the law. With practically a week
over half the session gone, the actual
work of the lawmakers is infinitely
unimportant. The first bill passed
provided for the payment of the ex-
pense of the session and four other
appropriation bills followed. Aside
from these billsy5ut three measures
have been passed and presented to
the governor, the most important of
which is the anti-racetrack gambling
bill. Local option has been passed
in the house, and is now before the
senate The eight-hour day for wo-
men bill is still in cold storage. The
general appropriation bill has not
been presented, neither has the
school code nor the criminal code.
Both these codes are lengthy docu-
ments and are being considered by
subcommittee before being pre-
scented as bills. In the house 287
bills have been presented, the num-
Der being trifie less in the senate.
OF the total not more than 100 have
any general significance to the peo-
pie of the state. Dozens of them are
pet measures, covering special in
terests of some sort. The last day
for introduction of bills is February
20.
COsgrOve Urges Local Option.
Great pressure will be brought to
bear on the senate to pass the house
local option bill.
From the sanitarium in Southern
California Governor S. G. Cosgrove
is urging by telegraph the passage
by the senate of this measure
In addition to the influence ex-
erted by Governor Cosgrove, Acting
Governor Hay is strongly advocating
the adoption of an effective bill.
With the executive chair certain to
be filled by an ardent local Optionist,
house members are now discussing
the feasibility of rejecting any half
way substitute bill that the senate
may send back for the McMaster's
bill.
House members believe that If eff
fective local option fails in the SEN
ate the governor will summon an ex-
ira session of the legislature. They
say that after the senators have been
home for two weeks among their
constituents, after defeating local
option, they will be willing and anx-
ious to return and promptly pass an
effective measure.
The close of the week left the
exact fate of the McMaster's dill in
the senate uncertain. 1t Is conceded
by some of the most ardent advO-
Gates Of the bill that it cannot pass
in its present form and they are
discussing what they are willing to
concede.
The principal concessions the
stringent local option leaders in the
senate are willing to make affect the
unit and the time of holding cleo
tons. 1t is said they would not
now oppose, if such amendments
would carry the bill through the SEN
ate, the elimination of first-class
counties from the county uEit. leav-
ing other counties so controlled. In
first-class counties they would want
the city to vote as separate unit.
They would also not strongly object
to having the saloon question
brought up at general elections after
the first test, but would insist upon
the first vote being taken in a spe-
cial election.
Snags Met in Criminal Code.
The new criminal code, prepared
by special commission appointed
by Governor Mead, is in the hands
of joint committed from the house
and senate to consider its provisions
before having it presented In the
form O.! bill. The document occu'
pies sc pages, printed as a bill, each
page being full. The committee Is
considering the code article by ar
ticle.
Already many snags have beer
struck. 1t is stated that before the
bill is recommended for passing
there will be many amendment:
made to it.
The code was drawn by com
mission of prosecuting attorneys o.
this state, and many of the section!
In it have been worded to their ad
vantage. The joint committee is go
Ing over the ground from the stand
point Of the defendant, and section.
which react too strongly in favor O
the prosecutor are being stricken.
The committee will recommend
mat the clause which permits wifi,
and husband to testify against on,
another be stricken. They object t,
the provision which makes a trail
or boat a criminal district.