The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-06-12
DARLINGTON IS hit
HARD
STATE ADMINISTRATION ANNUIS
LAW WHICH PROVIDES FOR
EXPENSES FOR DISTRICT IN.
SPECTORS.'
fBy Associated Press. }


horticultural code failed to make
provision for paying the expenses of
the fruit inspector. The state fruit
inspector sent the vouchers of his
ten or twelve deputies to the state
auditor for their salaries and ex-
pense accounts. There was no money
in any fund for the payment of these
vouchers and the attorney general
was consulted as to what course the
auditor should pursue in allowing
The claim.
Attorney General Bell advised the
state auditor to issue warrants to
the deputies for their salaries, but
not the expense account. The am
out of the salary was fixed definitely
by the legislature at $500 annual
ly, but there was no means of de-
termining the amount which the
trainers of the horticultural code in
tended should be allowed the depu-
ties for expenses. 1t is probable the
deputies will come before the special
session of the legislature for a relief
bill for the payment Of these ex-
penses. In case the lawmakers de-
eide to take up no business except
the Impeachment proceedings the
deputies will be obliged to pay their
own expenses and await reimburse
ment until the legislature of 1911
convenes.
The salary warrants are being ta-
ken up by the State Bank at a dis
count as there Is no state money
which can be used to redeem them.
BY the provision of the horticultu-
raj code the assessment from the Is
districts into which the state is di-
yided for the purpose of inspection
comes in with the regular taxes, so
there will be no money in this fund
until next February when the taxes
are paid.
The state administration has
adopted a policy regarding the In
spection of fruit and nursery stock
that practically annuls the law pass
ed at the last session of the legisla-
ture and approved by Gov. M. e.
Hay. unless an inspector chooses to
pay out of his own pocket all his
necessary travelling and other ex-
penses. Section IL, of the act bear
ing Governor Hays signature and
which became effective March Is,
last, provides:
District horticultural inspectors
shall receive a salary of $500 per
annum. payable monthly as salaries
of other state officers; and they shall
he allowed their necessary travelling
expenses"
Since the first of April, State
Treasurer John G. Lewis and State
Auditor Charles W. Clausen have re-
fused to pay the necessary expenses
Of horticultural inspectors. No rea-
son is given, other than that no ex-
nense money will be allowed. This
places the Is district inspectors au-
thorized under the new law in a po-
sstion of providing themselves with
an Office and paying their own rail-
road and hotel bills. Otherwise they
must neglect their duty.
When a shipment Of nursery stock
arrives at q station, the inspector is
compelled to follow 1t up to the or
cbard for inspection. To break the
castings at the freight house to in
spect the trees would be ruinous, as
the trees would IL before they
could be transplantc-. II, as is often
the case, they are shipped a great
distance.
The action taken by the admins
tration at Olympia leaves it to the
,nsnector to break the cases and run
the risk of having claims for dam
ages filed against the state in the
event the trees are injured; or to
nav out of his own pocket the ex-
penses of going to the orchard to
make the inspection; or to refuse to
make any inspection at all. Under
the law those planting trees that
have not been inspected are liable
to a heavy penalty. The inspector
can choose only one of the three
evils enumerated-leave the state
open to claims for damages, pay the