The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1911-02-17
Land Office in Hands of Three
Commissioners.
Two Contradictory Reports on Cost
of Jute Bags at State Peniten-
urins, Both Probably Right.

Olympia, Feb. Is Since taking Office
January q, 1909, Governor NJ. E. Hay
has granted pardon to but one prisoner
convicted in Whitman county. This
was Ralph W. Carter, sentenced in July,
1909, to not less than one year in the
reformatory for the crime of grand lar
ceny. A communication by the gov
ernor to the legislature states that the
pardon was granted on the recommends
tion of the board of managers of the re
formatory, the trial judge and number
of reputable citizens of Whitman county.
The pardon was granted March 80,
1910.
In re the Land Office.
Outside OF the bill cutting the state
road tax levy from one mill to half
mill the measure of most general in
terest throughout the state thus far
treated upon in the senate is the bill by
Allen of King to abolish the elective
Office of state land commissioner and to
place the affairs Of the land Office in the
hands of commission Of three mem
bers TO be appointed by the governor.
This passed the senate Thursday after
noon by vote Of "a to II. Senators
Arrasmith and Hall of Whitman county
both opposed the bill on final passage,
and both supported the motion made a
few moments before by Stewart of Cow
litz that the measure be indefinitely
postponed. The measure was lost, how
ever, by vote OF 81 to IA Some of
the opposition to the measure was due
to the appointive feature, and an effort
was made by some OF the friends of the
bill to have it referred to committee and
the appointive feature eliminated.
Bills Introduced.
The Whitman county delegation in
the legislature has introduced within the
past few days measures as follows:
By Representative Larue, II. B. 2S6,
providing that county treasurers shall
submit monthly statements of financial
conditions of third class school districts
to clerks of such districts. II. B. 2S7,
amending the constitution, making
supreme court judges appointives of
governor and fixing their terms at II
years. H. B. $40, prohibiting hunting
and fishing on private property without
consent of the owner. II. B. PA, re-
latiDg to cities OF third class, author
izing collection of assessments for local
improvements and declaring an emer-
gency.
By Representative Todd, Il. B. 3O2,
permitting candidates for the legislature
to file declaration to vote for popular
choice for United States senator. 81. B.
317, relating to damages for death by
wrongful act and amending laws of
1909 relating TO recovery of damage for
death of person caused by wrongful act
or neglect of another.
Two Sides of the Shield.
Two reports have been received by
Governor NJ. E. b ay from the three men
named to investigate the matter of iute
bag production at the state penitentiary
at Wala Walla. A minority report was
turned in by E. D. Cowan, member of
the state board of control, while a ma
iority report was received from h. d.
Hansen OF Touchet and 81. A. Reynolds
of Walla Walla. According to the re-
port of Cowan the state. during the last
Is years, has lost $4,000 in operating
the iute mill. On the other hand, the
report by the majority shows a profit
to the state in the sum of $113, 900 in
the same time.
The difference is due to the method OF
figuring employed. In the compilation
of the minority report maintenance and
every expense except interest on the in
vestment and sustenence of free en-
ployes is figured in, while in preparing
the majority report there was only
charged to expense the actual expense of
operation of the mill. Mr.. Cowan is of
the opinion that the prisoners should
not be required TO work in the iute mill,
that it is unhealthy and that it would
be better for them to be employed upon
the public roads.
The report also Gays that if the farm
ers of Oregon, Idaho and Washington
were of a mind to combine in the pur.
chase of grain bags as a corporate body
they could break the grain bag trust.
The minority report says the state
should have buyer OF iute stationed at
Calcutta all the time to take advantage
of any lowering OF price, and in addition
could save the state some $4,000 a
year by buying second grade or mixed
jute, which would result in the manu-.
iacture of lighter sack.