The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-01-26
lContinued From Last Meck

Had we been willing to accept the
governors terms go per cent of all votes
cast in the election must be in favor of
a constitutional amendment to adopt the
same) we could have secured its passage.
Better, a thousand times better to do
without it than to cucumber our consti-
tuition with an initiative amendment
that we could not use. \ ma iority of
the vote cast for a constitutional amend
ment always has been sufficient to adopt
it heretofore why 90 per cent of all votes
cast in the election under the initiative
method?
Recall H. B. No. 62.
This bill as introduced applied to all
elective officials, state and all political
subdivisions thereof, on a % per cent
petition basis. 1t was returned to the
house with two committee reports,
Messrs. Locke. Sims, Fisher, Foster and
Iaroldson. favoring so per cent peti-
tion which would make the recall use
less, Messrs. Dcnman, Phipps and Camp
bell recommending that the original bill
do pass.
Following this 39 per cent amend
ment was offered and adopted, after
which the bill went to the rules COM
mittec. For SO days we tried in vain
to get the rules committee to put it on
the daily calendar for final considera-
tion, but our efforts were in vain. In
the meantime the governor had been en-
deayoring by every known method to
force the house to pass senate bill No.
III. This bill created a board of three
land commissioners, appointiye by the
governor, two of whom should be APP
pointed Immediately upon the passage
of the act. It's purpose was twofold to
create two more appointive positions for
the governor to fill and to secure con-
troll of the office of the land commits
sioner. The house indefinitely post
poned this pet measure on the fifty
eighth day of the session, whcrcupon the
governor, through his influence with
some members of the rules committee,
secured the release of the recall bill. It
was again amended SO as to read
"The percentages required shall be-
state officers lother than judges, sena
tors and representatives), city officers
of cities of the first class, school district
boards in cities of the first class, county
officers of counties OF the first, second
and third classes, twenty-five per cent
Offices of all other political subdivisions
cities, towns, townships, precincts and
school districts not herein mentioned
and state senators and representatives
thirty-five per cent
In this form it passed the house with
but six nay votes,
The bill was introduced in the senate
between and 10 Il. m. on the last day
of the session, read lby title) and placed
on the calendar. was carefully CD con-
sidered and passed before p. m, (les,
it is easy when the administration is
with you.) Some friend of the supreme
court tour divine judges was on the
job, however, for Senator Collins moved
to exempt judges of courts of record
from the bill, which amendment was
passed.
Workmen'S Compensation Act.
This measure, fathered by and known
as the Teats bill, was prepared by Il
committee composed of five employers
and five workingmen, appointed by the
governor as the result of conference
held under the auspices of the Tacoma
Commercial club.
The committee after several months
of arduous volunteer work in which they
were aided by Attorneys Harold Preston
and Govnor Teats, completed their work
few days before the converting of the
legislature. The completed bill met the
approval of representatives of the hum
ber and mining industries and was en-
dorsed by the State Federation of Labor
at its last convention.
We had presumed that the employers
on the committee represented all the
employers of the state and were sur
prised after the introduction of the bill
to learn that chambers of commerce and
manufacturing associations were oppos
ing its passage. As originally drawn
the bill contained what became known
as First Aid" provisions. The first aid
portion provided that the cost of surgi-
cal, medical and hospital attention for
all workmen injured in the course of
their employment should be borne equal
ly by employer and employee during the
first three weeks after injury. Plainly
speaking this meant, hospital care for
the injured under direct state super.
vision. cutting out the grating institu-
tions which are through colusion with
employers collecting, usually 81 month
ly. from workingmen and giving them
as little as possible in return Natur
ally, hospital associations, doctors con
nected with same and employers receiv-
ing a percentage of the monthly amount
they withhold from workingmen with
out the latters' consent. resented such
interference with their source of profit.
Employers who are not Withholding hos
pital fees for profit approved of the nrst
aid.
A motion 10 strike the "first nidn 500.