The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-01-30
VHAT WASH|NGTQN'S
| SOL0NS ARE DOING

o,vmn;a-The second week OF the
..,h session of the legislature closed
nth practically nothing accomplished
n the way Of legislation, il the mum
No. NJ hills passed is. a criterion OF
york One lone bill has passed both
houses. a senate bill providing Tor the
.nuropriation of money to pay the sal
aries of the legislators.
The energies of the members thus
,sr seems to be devoted to the intro
ruction of bills. The flood OF bills
covers every conceivable subject and
q ali the measures awaiting action by
the committees become laws the
washington code will have few sec
. t,ous without some change.
When both branches adjourned for
the week the number of bills introduc-
Cd was double the number filed at the
close of the second week OF the SEES
sion of 1907, which was the record
breaker. In the senate there nave
heen introduced 1876 bills. and in the
house a total Of PIG.
While little has been accomplished
in the way Of actual legislation some
progress has been made in shaping
the policies which are to be followed
during the session by both branches.
Among the important questions which
seem to have been settled are those
relating to appointments, building of
roads and sidetracking of political dis
play.
Constitutional Reapportionment Futile
The question of reapportionment OF
legislative districts, which the session
Of 1911 was unable to settle, was prac-
tically settled in test vote brought
about by Representative Zednick. 1t
was upon the question OF making a
reapportionment in conformity with
the constitution of the state on the
basis of population. The house voted
overwhelmingly against reapportion-
ment on this basis.
This means that attempts to bring
about a legislative reapportionment
under the present constitutional pro-
vision, will be futile. The only way
the state will be reapportioned is by
changing the constitution so that each
county will have one representative in
the legislature. This is the reappor-
tionment plan being sought by the COW
counties. To get this they have form
ed stone wall combination which the
larger counties have been unable to
break The COW counties refuse to
grant reapportionment on the basis
Of population, because they believe the
larger counties would get more legis-
lative strength than they have now,
and the larger counties refuse to grant
reapp0rtionment on the basis of one
representative for each county, be-
cause under that scheme they would
lose some representatives
For that reason there is a deadlock
and the SESSION probably will pass
without reapportionment being
made.
It Is likely that reapportionment
OF the congressional districts will be
possible. A scheme has been worked
out which satisfies all sections of the
state except a part of the east side.
It Is believed the differences there can
be adjusted
The most important change in the
congressional plan suggested Is the
creation Of district of the city of
Seattle. While this is not favored by
some OF the Puget sound districts, it is
believed the King county delegation
can put 1t through by vote swapping.
Legislators UnfavorabIe to Road Bonds
On road propositions which have
SNAPPED themselves into form during
tue past week there seems to be a GER
tainty OF special funds being raised
oy taxation. It was learned by an ex-
perimental vote in the house that it
Will De useless to try to pass bond
issue for road building. A measure
calling for $2O,OOO,OOO in bonds was
overwhelmingly defeated.
In the face OF this the legislators
VINO are seeking road improvements
Ior their districts have abandoned
nope OF getting favorable action on
pond issue measures. They will en-
aeaVor TO raise money only by tax
levy.
Parties Play Politics
HAtremely interesting during the
last week has been the political Lineup
:" the house. On the one side has
'eeh the republican and democratic
members and ON the other the Bull
"oosers They have watched each
o'ner with a diligence that has been
surprising. Each has attacked as Wig
o'ousiy as possible attempts on the
na.' Vi the other to put over popular
'ty acts or fights.
Inc most concrete example of this
a' Tue hight put up on Bull Moose
resolution introduced by Houser, cali
Jug ior the appointment of a commit.
VOC 70 investigate the question of OVID.
s.sn'p OF dock property in Seattle and
o'ner cities on Puget Sound.
Ahe MOOSerS rising &c n unit In