The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-01-19

.I 4 MIC Lean, McNeelN, AlIltI ~. A.J, scales
Smith, Thompson, Ward and Wra!
signed the above pledge Some eNplana
tion is due from these representative
who signed a pledge agreeing to support
effective direct legislation amendments
and then voted as noted above Ash
them to explain.
In the senate the committee on consti
tutional revision to whom same was re.
fcrred increased the percentages from
to 8 to to 10 upon demand of Senator
Collins. On the floor destructive amend
ments were offered by Senators Fish
bach, Epsey, Rydstrom and Collins. The
Fishbach amendment required that in
itiative and referendum petitions should
be placed on file in the office of county
auditor and that all persons desiring to
sign same should call and sign in the
presence of the county auditor.
OF those voting nay the following had
pledged their constituents to support
such amendments to the constitution -
would effectually provide for the initio
live and referendum recall: Senators
Collins. Epsey, Shaefer and Whalley.
To Amend Constitution by Initiative.c
Friends of direct legislation deemed it
essential to amend the constitution by
two seperate bills House bill No. 1913
covered only the matter of initiative and
was intended to give the people the
right to submit constitutional amend
mcnts under the initiative instead of by
the almost impossible method of secur
ing the consent of two-thirds of both
branches of the legislature as it is at
present.
This bill provided that ten per cent
of the people could petition for con
stitutional amendment and said amend
ment would be submitted to the people
at a general election and if approved by
majority of those voting thereon it
became Il part of the constitution 1t
passed the house by practically the
same vote as house bill No. 1873, the
two being classed as companion bills. '
running the gauntlet of the same gang
that opposed all progressive legislation.
The committee on constitutional re
vision reported with recommendations
that the bill do pass Cmaking no amend
ments to the house bilD on February
10, the report being signed by Jesse
HuXtable (chairman), Senators Collins,
Landon and IIutchison. Six days later
it had not appeared on the senate cal
endar for final consideration and an
inquiry was started to ascertain the
reason of the delay. Farmer Charles +.
Cline tone of our legislative committed
was assigned the task and upon inquiry
was referred to the governor. He Sc
cured an interview with Governor Hay
on February II and made the following
report thereof The governor met me
with the statement that he could offer
me no help in the passage of house bill
No. 60; that he had called in several
friends among the senator's among them
being the two Aliens, Bassett. Paul
hamus, Collins and Myers; that they
would not support the bill unless it was
amended. The governor said i proposed
4
to support the bill if so amended; that
the bill provide that at least so per cent
of all the votes east at any election
when the people had proposed an amend
ment to the constitution would be re
quired to adopt the same The governor
further said that he would veto the bill
if it came to him in its present form.
but if amended as suggested he was pre-
pared to assure me that the bill would
pass"
Upon recovery from this body blow
by our chief executive We sought inter
views with the senator's who We're "called
in and verified the statement. Senator
Josiah Collins, who had on February lC
acted as reading clerk in the committee
read the bill aloud, in its entirety
moved its endorsement by the commit
tee and signed the committee report
that 1t do pass, just as it came from the
house requiring but a 10 per cent peti
ton and but a majority of the votes cast
on the amendment to adopt samei, after
the governors conference signed another
committee report requiring a 20 per cent
petition and three-fifths go per cent
of all votes east in said election mot
on said amendment) to adopt an in.
itiative amendment. What was he prom
ised for the flopg
The bill did not again appear on tn,
calendar but on the afternoon of tn,
last day after the time limit for tn,
consideration of bills had expired join
resolution was offered giving permission
to the house to consider senate bin No
32l "a military billy Senator Bryan of
fered an amendment which would civ,
the senate permission to consider hous,
bill No. GO. Members of the senate desir
ing the passage of the military bill by
the house voted for the amended resolu
tion and it carried but the house neve
acted on this joint resolution. What be
came of it Ask President Paulhamu
or Speaker Taylor The printed record
do not tell.
e ITO BE Continued