Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-01-27

ton that their integrity, ability, in
tellectualty or something of the kind
had been impugned, the senators with
much jocularity as to their own abil-
ity and disability-one might even
say deshabille-of the members OF
the lower house, killed the House
measure authorizing the employment
of two attorneys by the attorney gen.
erals department to pass upon all
bills with the view of eliminating am
biguOus language, and fixing their
salaries at $1,000 apiece for the ses-
sion.
| might say that the measure car
ried out the recommendation Cover
nor Lister made to eliminate probably
one of the greatest causes of litiga-
ton in this state ambiguity, confus-
ion, and the lack of clarity in the
statutes passed by the legislature.
That the legislators would be able to
find two competent attorneys for such
purpose who would devote all their
time to the work for $500 a month
is considered remarkable by those ac-
quainted with the usual counselors'
fees.
The senator's, however, forgetting
the old adage that an ounce of pre-
ventiOn is better than pound of cure,
preferred to plunge the people into
thousands of dollars of costly litiga-
tion annually, entailing also as it
probably will another department in
the state supreme court, if the amount
of litigation continues to increase as
it has in the last few years, and re-
Quiring the maintenance by the cOun-
ties of more superior judges than
would be necessary if proposed stat
utes We're placed in the proper form
before enactment. When the state
ments of several prominent attorneys
are considered that at least so per
cent of the bills introduced so far
this session are either unconstitution.
al or are wholly irreconcilable with
present statutes not repealed and con.
tanning conflicting provisions in them
selves, it is easily seen how valuable
that ounce of prevention might be.
Many New Bills.
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
pensaries first aid amendment to in
dustrial insurance; a bill requiring
that pledges by legislative candidates
must be made 10 or more days prior
to election and filed with the county
auditor; congressional apportionment
and state re-districting bills; Oregon
system of state distribution of candf-
dates literature; statewide registra-
ton; presidential primary and the like.
Just in passing l might remark that
the post-mortem statement of Cover
nor Hay or perhaps rather the rea-
son for it, has been the chief topic
of discussion in political circles this
week, with no one throwing bouquets
at the accidental governor. Natural
ly in Democratic circles it is taken az
a wholly unwarranted, unjustiable
and babyish attack upon Governor
Lister from one who is still crying
over his defeat, and so far as | have
been able to find out, the same view
is held by the Republicans.
1t so happens, you know, that you
and ] and the rest of the American
people are prone to admire man
who, when defeated, smiles and gets
into the game again with as much grit
and good humor as before, and we
are equally just as prone to overlook
the man who continually explains,
continually excuses himself, continual
ly walls.
Hay was held in high regard in
many quarters at the close of this
last campaign, even though he was
defeated. Report has it that he wants
to be United States senator two years
hence, but it is generally accepted
that his last statement makes him
out a petted. spoiled, blobbering child
and not man, and, and in view OF
these traits of the American people,
one who has succeeded in eliminating
himself from all further consideration
at the hands of the voters of Wash
ingtOn