The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-03-15
INSIDE HISTORY OF THE
WENATCHEE BRIDGE BILL

they were blocked by the bridge PEG.
pie, who held off adjournment of
Monday until their bill was passed
On Tuesday the canal bill was push
ed through.
1t was necessary to get the united
support of the little fellows to make
the scheme complete success. The
Spokane delegation would have been
satisfied with a third of the $4,000
which they actually received, but the
Wenachee river bridge had been Of
fered to the state for $4,000 dur
ing the tenth session. The men be-
hind the Columbia river scheme have
worked for years to open the upper
river, and although they asked for
100000 in their bill, they would
have been satisfied with tenth part
of the sum for the present. They,
however, agreed with the Stuck river
men, who also asked for 100000,
to allow the appropriations to be cut
in two.
So the trades were made. By
hanging together the little fish hatch
cry bills were passed with the big
ones. W. w. Sparks, of Clark, got
$4,000 for the relief of the veterans
of the Indian wars of 1S55-1S56.
Kenoyer, of Lewis, got $4,000 for
the Southwest Washington Fair asso-
citation, although at the beginning of
the session it was expected that one
third of the amount was all that he
could possibly get.
In some way or other, suited to
each individual who was in the game,
votes to swell the appropriation ma
jorities were secured. DR.. w. M.
Beach, of Mason, had a bill which
permits oyster men to get fee SIM
pie title to oyster lands. His sup
port was secured on the promising of
passing his bill. The weaknesses of
others were ferreted out and the
trades were made.
The size of the omnibus appropria-
lions bill is declared in the house to
be entirely the fault of the senate.
During the session a sub-apprOpria-
lions committee heard state officers,
considered appropriations to be made
and made an effort to hold down the
expenses of the state for the next
two years. But when the report of
the subcommittee, which had work
ed for weeks in absolute secrecy, was
made to the joint appropriations
committee, the senate members of
the committee passed a motion that
the senate committee only should
consider the report. The house COM
mittee was packed out of the room
and the senate decided upon the ap-
preparations for the next two years.
The report of the subcommittee was
torn to shreds. The state offices that
had asked increases were allowed.
Other state officers were allowed
their estimates of expenditures be-
cause they were satisfactory as they
stood. An instance Of the lavishness
of the senate committee is the in
crease of the appropriations in the
governors office In the original bud
get he was allowed $34,700. but the
senate committee cheerfully raised
the appropriation to $4,000. Other
state officers who asked for increases
Jared equally well.
When the state institutions were
considered the bars were let down.
BY system of trading between men
behind special appropriation bills the
friends of state institutions were able
to increase their appropriations by
1886, 900. The principal increase was
made to the three normal schools,
whose appropriations were twice in
creased; the state university the
state college and the reformatory.
Then the senators, with their will
worked, held the appropriations bill
until the house had only the after
noon of the last day of the session
in which to consider it.