The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1913-02-13
WHAT WASHINC1uN'S
SoLONS ARE DOING
Time Limit is Placed on Intro
ductiOn of Bills

q record of six bills passed by both
houses. During the week the senate
passed 81 bills and the house %.
A total of $40 bills have been intro
duced in the two houses, including all
manner and kinds Of reforms pertain
ing TO every condition of human exis-
tence in the state Of Washington.
Among the enactments of the SEN
ate during the past week have been
several tax bills which, it is asserted,
will have the effect Of putting a stop
to some alleged big tax lodging. These
include the provision for the assess
ment of fishtraps, fishtrap locations
and fishing locations and OF all water
craft by the state tax commission.
Several bills which might be said
to be of less serious moment to the
state, including the placing Of boun-
ties on crows and magpies. providing
rules regulating automobile and other
vehicle accidents on the public high.
ways, and a bill making q public Off.
cial or employee just as liable as any
other salaried person for his debts.
are included in the senate bills passed
by that body.
The National Guard reorganization
bill, shorn of all its increases in the
emoluments for officers, was another
measure finally passed upon by the
senate.
In the house the good roads bill to
increase the tax for the state highway
fund from " to III mills was easily
the most important of the bills passed.
The passage Of the lazy husband"
bill was the measure Of most general
human interest" in the houses grind.
Appropriation for Cheney Normal.
The Cheney normal bill, appropriate
ing 100000 for the rebuilding Of the
normal school on the east side Of the
mountains. was the first big appropria-
ton measure to be considered. outside
of that for the expense Of the legis-
lative session.
Probably no more important bill has
been passed by either house than the
road tax levy measure. put through
the house by vote Of 70 to FL. This
provides for the increasing OF the
state highway fund levy from a half
mill to a mill and q half. In dollars
this means an increase from 100000
to $500, 900 a year. The bill demon
strated that there Is a strong senti-
ment in favor of good roads legislation
in the house.
New Divorce Law Proposed.
If the legislature should enact, as
Senator Harve W. Phipps Of Spokane
believes it will. bill to be introduced
by Mr.. Phipps, quarreling husbands
and wives will have time to sit down
and think about their troubles for a
whole year before they may file suit
for divorce.
The measure will amend those Sec
lions of the present divorce law which
specify divorce may be granted for
cruelty, indignities and those causes
klOWAu Oul "a A00A CAo Aho AASOA ReAe
Utility. so as to provide that divorce
may be granted for these causes "only
when the man and wife shall have
lived apart for at least one year."
Would Permit Aliens to Own Land.
The house is on record as favoring
the submission to the people Of con-
stitutional amendment permitting
aliens to own real estate in Washing
ton. Only japanese and Chinese are
excluded.
Governor Lister received telegram
from Secretary of State Knox asking
him to use his influence to delay fur
ther consideration of the alien owner
ship bill until the department OF state
can examine the bill in the light Of
treaty obligations.
Lazy Husband Bill Passes.
The house bill relating to family
desertion and non-support 10 consider
ed one of the most drastic measures
passed by the house during the pres.
ent session. II is known as the lazy
husband act. It makes 1t q gross mis-
demeanor for any person to fail II
physically able to care for, or to de-
sert dependent minor children or q
wife. In addition it prescribes q pun
ishment OF not more than one year
in Jail, at labor on the public roads
1T a wage Of $3.50 q day. the same to
be paid to the persons dependent upon
the prisoner for support.
Legislative Nuggets.
The anti-tipping law which has been
q part Of the Washington code for sew.
eral years, was knocked out by the
house by almost unanimous vote.
The legal rate Of interest in Wash
ington hereafter will be 10 per cent,
if the house and governor concur in
a senate bill.
A message from Ex-Governor Hay
vetoing q bill pAaoed by the last legis.
lature permitting druggists to sell hq-
uor provided q record Of sales 10 kept.
was sustained by the senate