The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1911-02-16

must keep their places of business
open when others did so.
May Abolish Fund Commission.
What may be regarded as the first
test of the administrations strength
| in the Senate resulted in victory for
it when Senator Pliny Aliens bill
| abolishing the office of commissioner
OF public lands and providing for a
| by the chief executive at salary OF
| $500 per month, carried by "a to II
Ruth voting for it for the purpose OF
| moving its reconsideration.
| The main provision of the new
measure is for the appointment OF
| two commissioners to act with Ross
until his present term of Office ex
| pires, and then a third commissioner
will be appointed by the governor.
Disagree Over Compensation Bill.
No subject has been more widely
| discussed or has received more atten
ton from the special committees OF
| the House and Senate than the EN-
ployers' compensation bill The bill
drafted by a special committee com
| posed OF representatives of labor and
employers has had three public hear.
lngs and still the different interests
have been unable to get together on
| all the provisions. The employers de-
mand certain changes be made. They
particularly object to the first aid
fund provision, which they say will
cause an unnecessary and additional
expense in taking care of the injured
They maintain that with this provi
sion eliminated, both the employees
and the employers will be put on an
equitable basis in providing funds for
the care of the injured workmen.
Recent developments indicate that
opposition is being directed against
the bill from various sources. Lined
up against the measure are the hos
pital associations, physicians, many
of the public service corporations and
the casualty insurance companies.
To Purify Ballot.
For any person who, knowing that
he is not qualified elector, attempts
to vote, the penalty under the new
law will be q felony, instead of a mis-
demeanor. The same is true of any
election official who knowingly allows
such a person to vote The election
official who by offers of reward OF
otherwise attempts to influence any
voter, is to be deemed guilty of gross
misdemeanor. Any attempt on the
part of election officials to learn be.
fore a ballot has been placed in the
ballot box for whom the vote is cast
shall be considered gross misde-
meanor instead of misdemeanor.
The principal clause of the bill is
that which covers the action of cleo.
ton officials who tamper with the
ballots or otherwise connive to make
fraudulent returns of the vote cast.
This is increased from misdemeanor
punishable by fine, to felony.
Freak Bill Postponed.
One of the freak measures which
have already fallen by the wayside in
the well travelled road of indefinite
postponement" is one wh;ch would
have declared the state Legis-
lature paramount to the supreme
court and that body would have no
power to declare any of the acts of
the law makers unconstitutional. This
would have very materially lightened
the labor of the court, for at present
after every session certain number
of actions are brought to test the
constitutlonality Of the legislation en-.
acted, with the result that many OF
the measures most bitterly fought
over are set at naught with one stroke
of the judicial pen.
Committee Reports On State Quarres
The joint committee of the House
and Senate reported the result of its
investigation of the state quarries at
Fidalgo and Meskill. The committee
found that the cost of crushed rock
at Fidalgo was $l.42h per cubit yard,
and that it must be reduced to 35
cents to make it pay, because of the
freight rates.
Better conditions were found at
Meskill, where the cost is now said
to be IS cents, and where, by the
installation of proper machinery, it
may be reduced to 35 cents. An ap-
preparation of $4,000 for this purpose
was recommended. The report was
referred to the appropriation commit
Tee.
Firearm Bill Passed.
The Senate passed bill providing
that aliens who carry firearms must
be licensed. The fee is fixed at SIS.
The bill is to prevent Japanese from
having guns. No permit will be
granted unless a resident consul
vouches for the applicant.
Ten-Round Fights Asked.
The Tommy Burns bill to permit
i0-round prizefights in the state OF
Washington was introduced in the
House by Representative Wray, of