Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-01-24
LEGISLATURE GETS
Down TO BUSINESS
DURING THIS WEEK
Charge Of Intended Theft Of Tide
lands Causes Commotion in
House MANY Bills Appear.
SENATORS KILL THE JUNKEI
Also Defeat Proposal to Employ
Lawyers to Re-draft Measures
to Make Meanings Clear.


Houser of King county that the rail-
roads and other big corporations had
combined to fleece the state out Of
thousands of dollars worth Of tide
lands in and near the Seattle harbor
turned the House into turmoil We'd
resday. which was prolonged until the
representatives decided yesterday to
appoint committee to investigate the
foundation for his charges.
Houser's allegations grew out of
several tideland bills introduced at
this session, dealing with the addi-
tional shore line that will be created
on Lake Washington with the COM
pletion Of the Lake Washington canal
and the consequent lowering of the
present water level Of the lake. Hous-
er urged the appointment Of COM
mittee to investigate the situation but
the House finally decided all that was
necessary was committee to investi-
gate whether an investigation should
be made.
The high mark Of the week in the
legislative halls was touched with this
cction. much of the time being given
over to more or less routine matters
end the introduction Of an unusually
large number Of bills for all kinds and
conditions Of things. The week saw
however two instances in which the
senators lorded 1t over their brethren
OF lesser degree by disdainfully and
exsn jocosely stamping all over. HOuss
measures. II
The first Of these was the proposed
junket by all the legislators to everJ
state institution in the state, for which
the House appropriated $500 and sci
aside six days on the argument that
the solons would be better acquainted
with the institutions upon their re
turn, would know their financial needs
ard could appropriate accordingly
perhaps saving the state thousands oi
dollars. The senators decided against
the trip.
And then, because they got the
notion their integrity. ability. intel.
lectuality or something else Of the
kind had been impugned, the senators
likewise killed the House measure
authorizing the employment Of two at-
torneys to work with the attorney
generals department and to pass. upon
sll Ellis to eliminate any ambiguous
language, fixing their salaries 1t $1,000
apiece for the session
Among the many measures intro.
duced this week are the Iowa ''red
light" injunction law; statewide pro
hibition bill; teachers retirement
fund; short ballot; state liquor dis
lensaries: first aid amendment to in
dustrial insurance; requiring pledges
by legislative candidates be made 10
or more days prior to election and Al
ed with the county auditor; congres.
sional apportionment and redistricting
bills; Oregon system Of state distri-
button of candidates literature; state
wide registration; presidential pri-
mary and the like.
Some little stir was caused in the
House when 1t was discovered, after
the amendment to the federal consti-
tuition providing for the direct cleo
tion Of senator's had been ratified, that
the legislature had no oficial docu-
ment upon which to act. Inasmuch
as there are some differences in Ian
guage among rough drafts of the
amendment in the possession of the
solons, 1t is probable that the legisla-
ture will have to act on the measure
again.