The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-02-21
LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED
BY THE LEGISLATURE
Session Half 0yer-0ver Eight Hundred
Bills introduced, and Still There
Are More to Follow

take more than a grammar school stu
dent to tell just what has been accom-
plished by the thirteenth assembly oil
the state Of Washington, and at that
the student wouldn't have to jog his
memory to get it right However,
the assembly has already made record
for the introduction Of bills, over 800
being the number on the list OF the
two houses. If the rule voted in the
house a couple Of weeks ago is ac-
ceded to then in less than a week no
more bills will be allowed to be in
troduced. But as on all former occa-
sions the house by two-thirds vote
will doubtless permit members to in
troduce bills up until the last moment.
About the most notable act of the
house this week was the passage of the
Mothers Pension bill introduced by
Cookery of Spokane and Rowland of
Pierce, both Progressives. Just what
means these members used to get the
big majority of house members to vote
for their measure has not as yet been
determined, but the very fact that 81
voted for the bill and only 4 against,
with s absent, shows that there must
have been something doing, or else
the house members have begun to
think that there must be something in
the saying that the people at home
are watching us like hawks" On the
other hand it is declared that there was
a sinister motive behind the actions Of
the ''unholy alliance" in supporting
this measure-it is openly declared
that it is the intention of the standpat
republicans and many Of the democrats
to vote against the measure which will
put into effect the machinery for the
initiative, referendum and recall as
voted for by the people OF the state
last fall. If such is the case there will
be all the more reason for the people
making more decided their opinions in
two years hence.
No little furry has been caused in
the state capitol over the passage by
the house of the alien land bill, faith
cred by Hughes Of Whatcom county.
This measure had the effect of stirring
I'D the secretary of state of the United
States, who wired Governor Lister
asking that he use his influence in
having further action on the measure
withheld until further advice could be
communicated to him, since it was
feared the enactment OF such meas
ure might act detrimental to the
peaceable interests now maintained be-
tween this country and Japan. The
governor took the matter up with SEN
ate leaders and the upper branch OF
the Legislature will do nothing with the
bill until Secretary of State Knox can
be heard from further. The bill, which
prohibits the ownership of property by
others than white aliens, is said to be
directly aimed at the Japanese and
Chinese.
There will be no increase in salary
of legislators, two years hence, be-
cause the house easily killed Mid
daugh's bill providing for an increase
from S5 to $40. The members de-
cided that the honor of being a legis-
lator compensated for the difference
between what they get and what they
think ought to get.
Another commission is provided for
in H. B. 1T, which passed the house
this week, providing for court OF do
nestle relations to have jurisdiction
over divorce and alimony matters.
In the passage Of H. B. ia, the
house has given its sanction to the
formation of cooperative associations
by farmers of the state, this being a
measure very much desired by the far
mers' legislative committee.
Anderson believes the state constr
tuition should be redrafted and Tor TINS
purpose he has introduced a bill In
the senate provision for submission to
the voters in 1914 Of the proposition
as to whether a constitutional conven-
ton shall be held. If the proposition
carries by majority vote OF those vo-
ting thereon, the next legislature shall
fix the date for such constitutional
convention and also date OF election