The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-07

WOMAN WINS WAR FOR BILL
Hard Fight and Oratory Gain
Votes In House.


Olympia-The first real fight to be
waged by woman on the floor of the
Washington legislature and the first
victory to be scored was that by Mrs.
Frances Axtell, representative from
Bellingham, who, after hard fight
and much oratory, saved one of her pet
bills, which appeared in the house
with the recommendation OF com
mittee that it be piegonholed.
The bill provides for the elimination
of the previously chaste character
provision of the statutory law. The
public morals committee, after consid-
ering it, reported unfavorably and a
motion was made to adopt the report
when Mrs. Axtell rushed to the rescue
of the measure.
"There is no reason for such com
mittee report" urged Mrs. Axtell,
"and I protest against this steam roll
Ter proposition. The bill has been
checked up by the encouragement
and it is all right.
Continuing plea for the bill, Mrs.
Axtell won enough votes to defeat the
committee report and get her bill re-
ferred to the judiciary committee.
By unanimous vote the senate OF the
Washington legislature passed a bill
prohibiting the sale, barter or giving
away by any person, firm or corpora.
ton of a pocket pistol or revolver un-
less the purchaser shall have secured
a purchasing permit from judge Of
municipal or superior court OF the
state.
Before Judge can issue such a per-
nit he must be presented with affl'
davits from at least two reputable cit
liens vouching for the good reputation
and record of the purchaser.
The measure, which was originated
bv Senator Collins, is aimed to restrict
the sale of firearms and thereby lesser
the number of murders, holdups anC
suicides by shooting. Before it was
finally passed by the senate it was
amended so as to require permits from
Judges instead of chiefs Of police OF
sheriffs as was originally provided II
the bill.
The change was made on motion OF
Senator Piper, who declared that il
there is to be restriction of the fire
arm traffic it should be drastic ano
sweeping. He declared that peace
officers are not as careful as they
should be in giving permits to carry
concealed weapons and would not be
careful in issing purchasing permits
The Piper amendment carried.
An amendment prohibiting the dis
play of firearms in show windows was
also adopted. 80
'What we want" declared Collins
in explaining his bill, lis to lessen the
amount of crime in this state. If we
make it impossible for the holduT
man, the burglar or the maniac to pur'
chase a revolver on the spur of the
moment we will lessen the amount Of
crime. The majority of shootings
could be averted if revolvers were not
available or if time were required be-
fore a gun could be purchased.
1t is believed that the house will
pass the bill and that it will be signed
by the governor.
The committee on game introduced {
bill providing for the establishment Of
complete state fish and game depart.
ment with board of commissioners, {
state game warden and deputy war
dens in each county. Provision is
made for the establishment of hunting
and fishing licenses for counties and
for the state at large, the county Ii.
cense to cost 81 year and the state
license SIS year to residents of the
state and $40 for non-residents.
The bill gives the game commission
the power to create game refugees ane
game farms and to raise various spe.
cies of game birds and animals. The
bill is compromise on bill introduced
in the senate last week creating 8
game commission.
A resolution was adopted by the
senate calling for an Investigation OF
the State Reformatory at Monroe
The Investigation will be upon the
question of the care of inmates anc
the general management of the insti-
tuition from a moral and financial
standpoint.
A resolution was introduced by Sen
ators Leonard and Wende, memorial
izing congress to extend road
through the Rainier National forest to
connect with a highway proposed to
extend from Spokane to Seattle
through North Bend, Snoqualmie Pass,
Easton, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Wa
terville and Wilbur. The resolution
was referred to the memorials COM
mittee.
The house passed bill making it
possible for county commissioners to
employ scientific agriculturists to in
struct farmers and others in the art of
improving crops. The measure was
sought by the agricultural commune
ties, which desire the counties to paw
for scientists who are now being paid
by public subscription.
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