The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-23
GOVERNOR MEAD
TO LEGISLATURE


senate and house of representatives
said in part:
THE eleventh regular session of the
legislature of the state of Washington
is assembled at the opening of year
which promises to exert stronger in
fluence upon the future veal of this
state than any other period in it's his
tory. This virile young commonwealth.
in the full enjoyment of a wonderful
prosperity, has entered upon an era
of progress and economic development
seldom equaled in the history of any
other state. In addressing my mes
sage to the tenth legislature optimis-
tically predicted that at the close of
the next biennium this state would
boast a population of one million peo-
pie. In this, even my most sanguine
expectation has been surpassed, which
demonstrates that in this state the
events of tomorrow may easily exceed
what appear to be the exaggerations
of today and which were considered
the dreams of yesterday.
A. Y. P. Exposition.
The resources and the wealth of
Washington and of the Northwest will
be displayed to the world this year at
the Alaska ukon-Pacific exposition.
There is every prospect that this fair
will realize the fondest hopes of it's
projectors and will exert a profound
and far-reaching influence in the years
to come. By fully and fifty advertising
the opportunities and the advantages
of this Opulent country on such scale
as Is planned, a great influx of home
builders will be assured and an added
stimulus injected into every avenue of
trade and commerce.
Railroad Construction.
The past four years have witnessed
the greatest industrial growth and ex-
pansion in the history of Washington.
At the beginning of the year 1905 there
were 3,145.47 miles of main line rail-
way tracks in the state. During the
past four years 1,150 additional miles
of main line have been constructed,
and there are now 900 miles in process
of building, while several hundred
miles more are projected.
The construction of these lines has
opened large areas of country and
made possible their rapid settlement
and complete development. The roads
yet to be constructed and now pro-
posed will afford transportation facili-
ties to other extensive areas which
need only this to make them the scene
of an active and progressive prospect
ty.
Political Machine Ceases.
The domination of the political ma
chine has ceased in Washington. No
longer can a few adrOit manipulatOrs
dictate party platforms and name
party candidates. This prerogative,
which our forefathers intended should
be vested in the people only, has been
restored to the electorate of this state
through the passage of the direct pri-
mary law The people exercised that
prerogative for the first time last sum-
mer. They have chosen their repre-
sentatives for the various administra-
tive positions and through them the
people rule.
Direct Primary Law.
A wholesome provision of the direct
primary law extended to the electors
of this state an opportunity at the Sep
TENDER primaries to register their
choice for United States senator. The
people having exercised that privilege,
heretofore denied them, and having
declared their decision, the simple
duty rests with this legislature to
elect, and, thereafter, with the execu-
tive, to issue a commission to the peo-
pies choice, the Hon. Wesley L. Jones.
Local Option Laws.
The result of the recent general
election fully demonstrated that the
platform utterance of the republican
party in Spokane last May concerning
the regulation of the liquor traffic met
with the enthusiastic approval OF
great majority of our citizens. The
principle of local option was given ex-
ceptional prominence in the primary
and general elections. 1t has received
consideration in three previous legisla-
tive sessions. The promise to enact
reasonable local option law should re-
ceive your early and earnest attention.
The people have registered in no UNI
certain terms their desire to secure
the adoption of such law.
Liquor Traffic.
In addition to party obligation rest
ing upon a majority of the members OF
this legislature, it is within the knOwl-
edge of everyone interested in protect
ing the citizenship of this state that
rigid provisions regulating the liquor
traffic are required. Within the past
three years the people have awakened
to the urgent necessity of law enforce
ment upon this subject. What is
known as the Sunday closing law"
which has been dormant for years, was
aroused from its slumber and is now
enforced the same as are other Grim
inal statutes. The policy of the state
should be to encourage temperance.
Race Track Gambling.
The state now has upon its statutes
a law that makes it a felony to con-
duct a game of chance. That law was
enacted for the purpose of suppressing
one of the most insidious and danger
GUS evils that preys upon the weakness
of man. It's provisions, however, are
not comprehensive enough to include
a form of gambling that has flourished
and grown to grave proportions in this
state. / refer to race track gambling,
book making and pool selling. Aside
from the weighty considerations OF
public morality, there is a strong, I'M
CONTINENTAL business argument against