The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-27
= Irs JOB PRINTING

COW" counties OF Washington formed
stonewall combine and put through
the house of representatives q con.
gressional reapportionment bill to fit
the desires Of the rural districts.
The reapportionment as passed 10 -
follows:
First district-Seattle and Kitsap
county; second Observation-Disclosures
Clallam. Snohomish, Skagit. Whatcom,
Island and San Juan; third district
Pierce, Thurston. Mason. Lewis, Wah.
kiakum. Cowlitz. Pacific, Chehalis,
Clark and Skamania: fourth district
Yakima, Benton. Kittitas,
Whitman. Columbia. Garfield. Asotin,
Grant. Adams. Franklin. Walla Walla;
fifth district-Lincoln. Chelan. Okla.
hogan. Douglas, Ferry, Stevens, Pend
O'Reille. Spokane.
Senate Passes Minimum Waae Dill.
The state senate passed the senate
women's minimum wage bill. with
only two dissenting votes. The bill
creates an industrial welfare commits.
sion, to consist OF five members, and
to be charged with the duty Of inves-
tigating the conditions surrounding
the employment Of women and cost
Of living. and to fix minimum wage
scales. No person who has been q
member OF a labor union or a manu-.
facturers' association In the preceding
five years is eligible to q place on the
commission.
Legislators Back Farm eettsrment.
With only three dissenting votes the
senate concurred in a bill passed by
the house creating . farm develop.
ment department Of the state govern.
ment
AZ passed the bill places the Board
of Commissioners OF all the counties
in the bureau. with the director of
the Washington state college At Pull
man as the head. The bureau is given
power to engage scientific experts to
give personal instruction and conduct
experiments In the various counties
and to hold community meetings and
exhibits to instruct farmers In the
art Of growing better and larger crops.
Short Ballot Hard HIt.
The senate sat down heavily on the
short ballot and state non-partisan
ballot ideas, which have stirred the
political atmosphere in this state dur
ing the last few years. Both schemes
we're voted down by the majority Of
the senate members in a session as
committee OF the whole, held at the
request Of the elections committee to
settle the election questions. which
the committee could not settle.
With as strong vote as the ballot
ideas were taboo the question Of ~
curing voters to register their party
affiliations before voting 1t primary
elections was Endorsed. This feature
carried by vote Of II to IA. The
shortballot plan as relating to state
offices was voted down 20 to 10, while
the same plan relating to county Of
ficers was voted down Is to IL, while
a county non-partisan ballot was in.
dorsed by % votes, not all senators
voting on all the questions.
Home Rule Lost.
Home rule for Washington cities
was knocked in the head by the SEN
ate. by vote OF 20 to 10. Two bills,
one giving cities OF the first class the
right to make their own charters, and
another giving cities Of 10000 or more
population the right to control public
service corporations within such
cities. were indefinitely postponed.
The vote demonstrated the strength
Of the smaller counties - compared
to the larger counties vote.
Capital PunIshmsnt Abolished.
Following q bitter fight. the house
Of representatives passed. 10 to Is. q
bill abolishing capital punishment in
this state. The measure, which is
said to have enough votes pledged in
the senate to carry 1t, and is said to
have the support Of Governor Lister.
substitutes life imprisonment for
hanging or shooting.
Purity Standard for Seeds.
Among new bills introduced In the
senate was one by the committee on
fixing a standard Of purity
for seeds. The bill is urged by dele
cations representing the agricultural
sections because Of the present lack
Of standards for seeds Of all kinds.
The bill 10 In the form Of a code set
ting forth restrictions and providing
against the sale of cereal seed con-
tanning certain classes Of weed seeds.
The bill makes it possible for the
state to place a quarantine against
seeds grown in a section infested with
weeds of . class not found in this
state and not wanted here. Dealers
are required to label all packages Of
seeds with the name Of the grower.
his address, the class Of seeds. their
purity and their age.
$500, 900 For Fair Urged.
Business men Of Seattle. Tacoma
and Spokane came here 200 strong in