The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-03-14
ECHOES FROM STATE CAPITAL
CONCERNING LAWMAKERS
Sam Sumner of Chelan County, Repre-
sentative, in bad, Votes Against Bill
to Amend State Constitution

The really big fight Of the week was
on H. B. 800, relating to the initiative
by the people in amending the constr
tuition, when the measure went down
to defeat because Of the fact that those
men who had pledged themselves pre-
vious to the election, in order to insure
their election, utterly refused to vote
for the measure. Their pledges were
in the hands OF the legislative league
and they knew it, but in the face OF
this several Of them voted directly OPP
posite. 1t took the house the greater
part OF Thursday to dispose of the bill,
starting in about 1890 in the morning,
when a call of the house was secured,
and continued for two hours in order
to locate Just two members, Hays OF
'Thurston, and Rowland of Benton, al
ter several members had been excused
by vote of house because Of sickness.
The friends of the matter delayed ac-
ton on the bill until they had secured
their presence in the hall OF every
member that could be brought in, and
made to cast his vote one way or the
other. About 1890 p. m. recess
was taken until two o'clock and after
the usual preliminaries the fight was
resumed. The bill was ably cham
pioned by the progressives in the main
although supported by Republicans
and democrats alike, but the republic
can machine managed to swing sufh-
cient votes to bring about its defeat.
Sam Sumner, OF this county, voted
against the bill, although he pledged
himself before election as in favor Of
amending the constitution.
The enemies OF the bill tried in
every conceivable manner to amend
the measure aud even went so far as to
promise that il the bill was amended
so as to make the necessary per cent
of signers to petitions practically un-
available and thus insure defeat of the
purpose Of the measure, but the
friends OF the measure absolutely re-
fused to accept any such amendments,
preferring rather to have the bill go
down to defeat than to have it so
amended that the people could not
make it effective.
Not to be outdone by the house, the
senate on Friday gave over a large
portion of the afternoon to the consld-
Grafton of H. B. No. 81, by Mrs. AK
tell, repeating the annotated codes rel
alive to the rule of evidence in the
case of certain crimes against moral
ity and decency, eliminating the clause
that makes it necessary to have corro-
boratiye evidence in order to secure
conviction in rape cases. A full gal
lery. composed largely OF women, sat
throughout the entire hearing, which
at times developed into some very
pointed discussions on the merits pro
and con. Finally, the senate passed
the bill by a vote of SO to 4, with 3
absent.
Believing that there is a necessity
for such an act, the senate this week
passed the Nichols bill known as un-
fair discrimination law" an act rela-
ting to the prices of commodities sold
for delivery in this state. and making
it possible for the purchaser to recover
the difference over that paid elsewhere.
Senate bill No. Is, the teachers
retirement fund bill, went through the
house this week without much oppo-
sition. The measure is to be referred
to the people in 1914.
Manufacturing powder by the state
and selling it at cost to settlers in the
effort to encourage clearing OF logged
off lands is provided in the Cotter-
Brown bill, which passed the senate
this week, carrying with it an appro-
priation:.of $4,000.
One of the most drastic measures
vet passed by either branch is that
known as the Iowa red light" BILL
which was amended in the senate this
week.
Remarks submitted jointly BY Thorn
as Cookery and Frank W. Middaush on
second reading of H. B. 800, provid
inc for initiative by the people in