The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-03-17
Seattle, Wash, March II, 1911.
Dor C;r aud Prot bar.


Dear Sir and Brother:
The pressure of business during the
closing days of the legislature made it
impossible for us to find time to keep
you posted as to the progress of legis-
lation in your interests. All progressive
legislation had been delayed by oppon-
ents in the hopes that it could be sifted
out in the closing days and defeated
without recor dof those who were re-
sponsibe for it's defeat.
As soon as committee appointments
were made at the opening of the session
lit was apparent that our chances at the
hands of the committee on rules (sift-
ing commitee) of the two houses was
far the best in the senate. We there
fore proceeded to push most of our leg
islation from the house first in the
hope that we might get same through
the house before the calendar became
congested
We We're successful with all of our
most important bills, but lost many
meritorious measures by the refusal of
the House rules committee to put them
on the calendar.
The senate gave us much fairer treat
ment and we lost but two measures at
the hands of the rules committee. H.
B. No 60, providing for the amendment
of the constitution by the initiative
was not reported and II. B. No. 135,
BARRIERS license law, was put at the
bottom of the calendar on the last day
and never reached. In fairness to this
committee it should be said that neith-
er of these measures reached the rules
committee until very late in the session,
the morning of the Sth, l believe, and
that if rumors or happenings within the
committee room are true, Senator Jo-
siah Collins, who was bitterly opposed
to H. B. No. 60, misrepresented the
friends of this measure by stating be-
fore said committee that he had an un-
derstanding with us that if the commit
tee would put Fl. B. No. 62 (tre recall
bilD on the calendar we would be salts
fled, which statement, if made, was
wholly false.
The following bills We're lost through
the refusal of the house rules commit
tee to put them on the calendar, the
dates noted being the date on which
they went into the hands of the commit
tee.
House Bill No. 2S, False Advertising
for labor, Feb. 1.
House Bill No. A, Protection of eli.
ployes in building construction, Feb. 6.
House Bill No. 70, Relating to assign
ment of wages, Feb. s.
House Bill No 1877, Hours of labor in
drug stores, Feb. Is.
House Bill No. 225, Giving cities the
right to regulate charges for water, gas,
electricity, etc, Feb. l5.
House Bill No 254, American Fedora
tion of Labor Liability Act, Feb II.
House Bill No. 29S, Child Labor Bill
prepared by national committee, Feb.
20.
House Bill No. 317, Relating to dam
ages for death by wrongful act, Feb. II
House Bill No 3S7, Protection of EN-
ployes ON electrical work, Feb. rs.
House Bill No. $40, Regulating man
ufacture and sale of shoddy, Feb. 25.
Regulating public employment offices
Senate Bill No. 100, Providing that
convict made goods should be so labeled
The names of this committee who are
responsible for the defeat of these meas
ures are: Mr.. Speaker Howard Tay.
lori, Dickson, Megler, Carlyon, Beach,
McNeely, Miller 81. Az Sims, Stevens,
(W. E.), Todd While | have no knowl-
edge of what occurred within the COM
mite, it is but fair to state that
Messrs. Todd, Miller, McNeely and Dick
son were invariably friendly to our in
terests. On Feb. 2S, notified members
of this committee of the large number
of labor bills in their possession and de-
manded that they be reported out, but
met with no success. While comment
ing on committees and their work, it is
but just to say that in every instance
except that noted above, we received
fair, courteous and prompt consideration
of all measures in which we were inter
ested, no effort being made to prevent
or to any extent delay prompt reports.
Legislation Enacted.
The Initiative and Referendum bill,
providing for the making of laws, as
finally passed was amended so as to
require 10 and 6 per cent, respectively,
on initiative and referendum petitions.
The time which laws enacted should be
in force before being subject to amend
ment was reduced from four to two
years. A proviso requiring that no
measure should be enacted or rejected
by the initiative and referendum process
unless one e-third of all the votes cast at
such election voted on the issue as at
tached. Otherwise the bill passed as
prepared by its friends. We acquieseei