The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-02-03

y. '. Diydh, NltodP, Lu DIOWll,
Whatcom; Charles E. Meyers, Lin
coin; John A. Whalley, King; H.
o. Fishback, Lewis; John E. Chap
pell, Klickitat; w. H. Paulhamus,
president of the senate, Pierce; H..
T. White, .Whatcom; E. c. Davis,
Grant; Joseph Arrasmith, Whit
man; Oliver Hall, Whitman; A.
w. Anderson, Stevens; B. A.
Bowen, King; Ralph Metcalf, Pierce
H. A. Espy, Pacific; John r.. Stew
enson, Garfield.
The bill excepts cities Of the first
class only from the county unit.
Hits Small Counties
The small counties of the state
will be deeply affected by the plans
of the state tax commission to put
through a bill which will change
the entire system of taxation.
According to the plan of the tax
commissioners the state would col
lect taxes from all inter county pub
lie utility corporations and would
allow the counties to take all taxes
from all other property within its
borders.
The tax commissioners have
figured that such change would
mean that the state would take
$125 900 less taxes from King coun-
ty, $50, 900 less from Spokane and
s27 900 from Pierce.
Naturally the small counties will
have to pay the difference if the
scheme goes through. In speaking
of the matter the other day Tax
Commissioner T. D. Rockwell said:
Seventy per, cent OF. the taxable
property in Franklin county, for
instance, is that of the railroads,
and all railroad taxes would go to
the state under this plan. Benton
county would not fare so badly but
it would be a loser, too, as would
numerous other. small counties" +"
The commission contends that
this method of collecting taxes
would be more business like and up
to-date. 1t has been adopted re-
Gently in Michigan and California.
It will take a constitutional
amendment, however, to inaugurate
the proposed system. Even though
the bill providing the amendment
should 60 through the legislature
the people will have a chance to
vote on it and stern opposition is
likely to be manifested.
Events of Past Week
The lower house has decle,red in
favor of the death penalty for MUIR
der by voting down the Goss resolu-
ton for it's abolition So to 40.
Nelson Rich of Benton voted for
the death penalty and B. B. Horri-s
gan against it.
The house has voted for an in
vestigation Of the national guard
and has refused the guard an ap-
preparation of $4,000, needed to
keep up the organization to April 1.
Both senate and the house have
passed the income tax amendment
to the constitution of the United
States.
The senate has voted 25 to l6 in
favor of state conservation as against
national conservation by passing the
the Beach memorial to ask congress
to open Alaska.
A fight has been started in both
houses to repeal the freak anti
cigarette and anti-tipping laws.
A bill has been introduced, with
strong support, which would abolish
the second choice provisions in the
election laws.
A bill has passed the house which
makes jury service optional with
women.
The house committee has RECON-
mended the creation OF the new
county of Pend Oreille from the east
half of Stevens.
The house labor committee has
decided to recommend the passage
of the bill providing an eight hour
day for working women.
The public utilities bill, which
will bring all public utility corpor-
ations under control OF commits
sion similar to the railway commits
sion, has been introduced.
A new grain inspection law has
been introduced which provides that
all grain exported to foreign coun-
tries must be inspected.
| The employers liability bill is ex-