The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-03-21
STATE LEGISLATURE
PASSED MANY BILLS
Spent More Money and Accomplished
Less Than Any Legislature In
History of The State

without doubt the most exIraVagana
legislature in the history Of the state,
and at the same time one that accom-
plished the least real beneficial and
remedial legislation, came to close in
Olympia Friday morning, March IA,
1918, although supposed to have ad-
journed at midnight. Not content
with passing into history as being the
most extravgant from the standpoint OF
appropriations passed, the house also
went further and voted extra salaries
to members and employees to the
amount of 100000 in round figures.
In some instances doubtless the extra
salary is deserving, but one particular
case is cited to show how reckless the
republican ring became with the peo-
pies money. G. Will Shaffer, state
law librarian, drawing an annual salary
of $4,000 and having an assistant and
stenographer who really do the work
OF the Office, was allowed extra salary
by the house to the tune OF $500 Tor
services alleged to have been rendered
the Legislators in drawing bills, etc.
And all this on top of the fact that the
Legislature had, in the beginning, en-
gagged the services of two high priced
attorneys to assist the attorney general
in this particular work. And the 5000
annual salary received from the state
by Shaffer is not all he earns. 1t is
further claimed that he takes the states
time to write briefs and papers for at
torneys throughout the state, and In
this way adds to his salary not less than
an additional $4,000 year. OF course,
the taxpayers don't pay this except
that time which they pay him for is
used for other purposes than that OF
actual state business.
The total appropriations for the
next two years total in round figures
$40, 1000, 900, or nearly double that OF
two years ago. Of the amount,
however, the governor has vetoed al
most $4,000 and will doubtless put
the axe to still further amounts. The
governor won out in almost every con-
tention against the "unholy alliance,
being supported practically on every
veto by the Progressives of both house
and senate. Toward the end OF the
session the democrats, at least a ma
iority of them in the house, upheld
the governors hands, when they dis
covered that to do otherwise meant
absolute death to their party. On his
platform Of economy so far as appro-
priations went the governor was sus-
tanned by Progressives and democrats
with a few republicans, but his demo-
cratic brethren refused to support him
in his plan of consolidating many OF
the commissions under one head and
thus further reducing the expense OF
state government.
OF total of 1,100 bills introduced
in both houses. only about 200 passed
and not all Of these will become laws.
The session enacted:
A minimum wage law for women.
A teachers pension bill to be SUBJ
mitted at referendum vote in 1914.
A mothers pension act.
A logged-off land bill.
A law abolishing hanging.
A congressional reapportionment act.
A red light injunction act.
The foundation for state highway
plan. :.
Initiative, referendum and recall
,.ws 10 make the constitutional amend
ments on these points effective.
A law legalizing voting machines.
Juvenile, mining, probate and game
codes.
The Legislature did not enact:
ANY legislative reapportionment act.
Anv changes in the workmen's com
pensation act.