The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-03-11
May Increase Appropriations.


preparations, was the dissolution OF
the joint appropriations committee
OF the house AMI senate, before
single section OF the schedules cov-
ering the educational, charitable,
penal and reformatory Institutions
had been ado I'D This is the end
of the joint ,rt to frame an ap-
preparations att that would be salts
factorily confined within the limits
Of estimated revenue for the blen-
ial term, and unless the signs fail,
the taxpayers are to be up against
a total appropriation that will force
a three-mill levy next year on the
basis Of the highest proporrionate as
sessment ever put on the tax rolls OF
the state.
Not only is such the prospect with
respect to the general fund levy, but
it is also likely that the legislative
trading, which is expected to follow
between the members of both houses
representing the counties having
state institutions, will result in a
total Of appropriations that must
plunge the general fund beyond the
twelve hundred thousand debt 1t al
ready owes the permanent school
fund.
Confer on Code Bill.
The senate refused to concur in
the action OF the house in striking
out the sections of the penal code
prohibiting the sale or manufacture
of rectified or improperly aged llq-
ors and also the exemption from
criminal inhibition OF games for
wagers played between the host and
guests in private residences or apart
ments and conference committees
were appointed
The conference committees agreed
upon a report, most important fea-
lures of which will be an acceptance
by the house of a stringent section
forbidding the rectifying Of liquors
and the four-year-ag limit on all
whiskeys save Irish or Scotch, and
abandonment by the senate OF the
section specifically exempting games
in private homes where wagers are
posted on the outcome.
Health Measure Passed by House.
A senate bill, creating the Office OF
state commissioner of health, was
passed by the house after some Of
the country members had exhausted
themselves in an effort to thwart its
passing. The measure provides that
within 80 days after the act takes
effect the state board of health shall
elect state health commissioner at
salary of $4,000 year and ax-
penses.
The commissioner is to look after
the sanitary conditions of the state
and is to be state registrar of vital
statistics. He is to be the executive
officer of the health board and have
charge of it's laboratories and its
property and records The country
members felt that the election of the
officer would be an added burden on
the taxpayers of the state.
Burn Slashings as Usual.
A bill prohibiting the burning of
slashings during the exposition at
Seattle next summer was Indefinite
ly postponed by the house
E. B. Palmer and country men,
bers led the attack On the measure.
They held that smoke from brush
fires would not cause inconvenience
to visitors at the fair. AS a further
reason for delaying the bill it was
shown that the dry heaps of brush
were liable to catch fire and aid in
carrying the flames Of forest fires.
The inconvenience the bill would
cause farmers ON the western slope
was another reason for it's postpone
ment
House Favors Free Libraries.
A bill permitting municipalities
and school districts to levy taxes for
the establishment and maintenance
Ct free libraries was passed by the
house. Whenever IS taxpayers Pc
tftion, the question OF providing H.
brary facilities may be voted on at
the next election. The money may
be granted toward the support of the
libraries not owned by the public but
maintained for it's welfare and free
use. Libraries established by the
provisions of the bill are to be gov
erned by board of five trustees and
subject to the inspection of the state
library commission.
Grain Inspection Bill Passed.
The new grain inspection and
warehouse bill is now up to the gov
ernor, having passed both houses.
The bill abolishes the present office
of state grain inspector, but puts
supervision of grain under the rail-
way commission. The law is broad
ened to give the commission control
of public warehouses and inspection
of hay. Railroad companies, under
the new law, will have to have suit
able sidetracks, equipped with scales
for purposes of weighing. The cost
of inspection of sacked grain will be
advanced from rs cents to 81, and
the inspection of bulk grain will oe
TX cents