The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-01-26

WAS pointed OUT That several sessions
ago the Legislature was convin ced OF
the brutalizing effect Of public execu
lions and made 1t imperative that
such punishments could only be In
ficted at the state penltentiary and
in the presence Of only such officials
as were necessary. An effort to In
definitely postpone the bill was lost
'and there Is every prospect that it
will go through with flying colors.
Combine State Offices.
In the Senate there Is bill already
in committee following out the recon-
mendation of Governor M. E. Hay
that the offices of lieutenant-governor.
auditor. insurance commissioner and
commissioner Of public lands be abol-
ished upon expiration Of the terms Of
the present officials 1t is proposed
to combine the work of the auditor
with that of the secretary Of state and
the work Of the land commission with
the tax commissions work
Emp,oyes' Corporation Sill.
1t is believed that no measure will
engage the serious attention Of the
Washington Legislature more or af-
feet the interests of the state at large
more than the employees compensa-
ton bill. The commission appointed
by Governor Hay has submitted its
report with a draft or the bill.
Arguments advanced for the passage
Of the bill are based on statistics
showing that sums OF money paid by
the employer for employees liability
insurance have been little. II any, In
excess of 20 per cent of the amounts
that have actually reached the injured
employe or his family In Washington
the sum paid for liability insurance
last year Is said to have been more
than $500, 900, of which nearly 100000
was absolutely wasted.
Antitrust Law Proposed.
Representative Hugh c. Todd. Of
Whl,man County. has introduced bill
in the House to prohibit trusts and
combinations In restraint Of trade.
The proposed law Is based upon the
Calf orni. statute as amended in 1909,
which has been proved valid in the
courts Ut that state
Under the terms of Mr.. Todd's bill.
labor is not a commodity and labor
unions are specifically exempted from
the operations Of the proposed law.
Violators of the antitrust law are
subject to fine of not less than $50
or more than $1,000. or to be impris-
oned not less than six months or more
than a year Both fine and imprison-
ment may be imposed and each days
violation Is made a separate offense.
To Curb Insurance Trust.
II Senate bill providing for a new
insurance code is made law by this
Legislature. it via be a death blow to
the so-called insurance trust and
the first effective weapon used by any
legislative body on the Pacific Coast
against the San Francisco Board of
Fire Insurance underwriters COM
bination said to control the general
insurance business In Washington,
Oregon and California.
That the bill will rid the state OF
the alleged trust is indicated in the
provision which forbids agents or
companies. either within or without
the state. from entering into q COM
binatton to control or regulate rates.
Violation Of this provision is punish
able by revocation of license for three
years. Every kind Of insurance will
be affected. Fire. life, casualty, fra
ternal and live stock insurance.
For Better Roads.
associations are asking tor goodly ap.
propriations. Senator H. o. Fishba:k,
chairman OF the committee on roads
and bridges. has introduced a number
OF good roads bills. the more import
ant OF which calls for a series OF state
roads and carries an appropriation Of
$1.500.000 and provides that the coun-
ties through which the roads will run
shall pay an equal amount. The high
ways designated in the bill are:
No s. the Pacific highway" from
Blaine to Vancouver; No. S. Pacific
extension. from Chenalis to Aberdeen
and South Bend; No. Z, Washington
highway from Seattle via west shore
OF Lake Washington to Renton,
through North Bend. Snoqualmie
Pass. Ellensburg. Wenatchee. Water.
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