The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-03-09

OF maintenance through the keeping
of prisoners or of many other details.
A perfunctory effort, however, was
made to figure depreciation. but It II
now admitted that the state, in fact,
has been losing heavily.
The bill providing for the continn-
ance of the jute mill authorizes the
state board of control to sell jute
sacks at profit in competition with
private firms, If necessary, to put an
agent on the road to handle the sales.
Insanity Dodge frustrated.
Pleas of insanity as a defense for
murder and other crimes will not be
a factor for consideration by juries.
but will be left solely to the trial
judge, under provisions of a bill
passed in the Senate. The Judge and
not the jury shall determine the men,
tai condition of the defendant at the
time of the commission of the crime
and at the time of the trial,
If the judge finds that the defend
ant is Of unsound mind, he shall COM
nit the prisoner to the insane ward
at the state penitentiary, there to re-
main until the state board of pardons
considers him safe person to be at
large.
Disagree on Elsht-Hour Bill.
The Senate did not approve of the
House amendments to the eight-hour
bill and passed it as drafted origin
ally. The House had exempted the
provisions applying to the employ
ment of women in the fish eanneries
and fruit packing houses. Senator
Metcalf, Of Pierce. accused the House
Of being dominated by the special in
terests, declaring that the eight-hour
bill should apply to all alike. Only
five voted against the bill. They were
Eastman of Clark, Espey Of Pacific,
Stewart of Cowlitz, and Rydestrom
and Roberts of Pierce.
In contrast with the Senate's atti-
tude toward the Pacific highway bill,
the House by almost unanimous vote
passed the measure without amend
ment. The bill provides for a special
highway fund to be created by one
half mill levy by assessing IL coun-
ties through which the road will pass.
The northern terminus will be at
Blaine and the southern terminus at
Vancouver. 49,
Jury Duty Optional.
A bill passed by the Senate tn ef-
feet exempts women from jury duty,
but is not the measure opposed by
the woman suffrage leaders and which
was killed. The bill just passed does
not make women incl gible, but gives
them the right to plead to be excused
on account Of their sex. If they are
summoned they may serve if they
wish.
Must Deposit Land Money.
The House passed the bill which
requires the state land commissioner
to deposit all money collected in the
department that the state can draw
interest on it. 1t was shown by. an
investigating committee that e. w.
Ross was carrying an average of
100000 day in his own name, and
this bill forbids such deposit.
The House also passed the bill max
ing October IL, Columbus day, a le-
gal holiday.
Good Roads Bills Pass House.
The House of Representatives
grappled with the good roads prob
lem Saturday, holding the members
to their seats behind locked doors
after call of the House. passed IL
bills having to do with this PROPOSE
ton. and appropriated in these several
bills total of $1,523;13O.16,
After a bitter fight had been made
on the first road measure offered in
calendar, the members as whole
made no active resistance to the plans
of the committee. There was a per-
sistent hail of amendments, but these
were always voted down, and the bills
went through with no further real
friction.
Anti-cigarette Law Repealed.
Another freak law was wiped of
the statute books. The anti-cigarette
law. which permits justice to fine
man who carries coffin nails or the.
"makin's." was repealed and in it's
stead is an act which prohibits all
minors from carrying. not only cigar
cites and cigarette papers. but to-
bacco in any form. Legislators mer-
ri ~ 4