Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-02-28
ANGERED, TAYLOR
MACHINE HOLDS UP
BOTH VETOED BILLS
Steam Roller" Forces Expung-
ing of Whole Days Record in
Stormy Fight This Week.
BUT POWER SEEMS BROKEN.
Governor Lister Disapproves Road
Levy - House Sustains but
Passes Cheney Bill Over.

Passes Cheney Bill Over.
| Angered because seven representa-
tives favoring the Cheney normal bill
would not stay put" when the III
road levy came up for passage over the
governors veto, Representative Sims
and the Taylor organization this week
forced the expunging of Tuesdays rec
ord when the normal veto was reject
ed and the road veto was sustained and
calmly and quietly asserted they would
keep the bills in the rules committee
until they obtained enough votes to
pass both over the governors veto, or.
failing in that. would kill the normal
appropriation, too.
The fight was the stormiest Of the
session and while 1t quieted down on
the surface after Sims secured the ex-
punging of the record Wednesday, It
was the prime topic of discussion and
was the pivot about which circulated
all vote trading. Where. 1t was at first
thought the Taylor machine might be
able to swing enough votes into line to
put over the road levy. the impression
gained ground 40 the bills were held
back that the machines power was
broken and that continued delay would
mean the killing Of both bills.
Never before In the history Of wash
ington Legislatures were such tactics
- employed by the Taylor machine
this week. in expunging whole days
record. made use Of. But these tactics
served to ALLEVIATE not : few who had
been aligned with the machine on thu
original confederation Of the bills snd,
to make harder The pAth Il ehese -
tread. No action had been taken -
the bills up to the time the SrANpAHn
went to press.
The governors veto Of the ~ milT
levy had mot come = : sufprissp
though for : while the machine hAsa
thought he would not dare to do 4.
But the governor apparently meant
what he had said before election and
since, and, standing between the tax
payers and the machine which purpos-
ed to perpetrate monumental pork
barrel" grab. he acted % he thought
were to the best interests Of the state.
Governor Listers veto message read:
II herewith return house bill No.
339 without my approval. This bin
provides for levy Of one and one
half mills for the purpose Of raising
revenue to construct and repair high
ways and bridges, and providing that
revenue SO raised shall be placed In
the public highway fund. This fund
is expended under the direction Of the
highway department Of the state.
"In considering this measure 1t has
appeared to me advisable to also take
into consideration house bill No. $40.
which bill has also passed the house
and provides for q levy Gof two and
one-half mills for the permanent high
way fund. The permanent highway
fund Is expended by the commissioners
OF the different counties. A two and
one-half mill levy for this fund would
amount to approximately $1,500,000
per annum. making q total Of $4,000
600 per annum. or $s.o00.o00 during
biennial period.
while personally am strongly In
favor Of the construction Of good roads
do not feel that present conditions
justify expenditures so large at this
time.
"In the consideration Of these meas
ures hope it may be possible to fix
levies covering each of the funds SO
that it will not be necessary at each
succeeding session OF the legislature
to either increase OF decrease the lew
les. Having this in mind and in veto
ing this measure, l deem 1t my duty
to indicate to your honorable body the
levies that would meet with my
approval. would suggest that
it appears to me a levy of one mill for
the public highway fund would be an
amount you would be justified In con-
sidering favorably. For the perman-
ent highway fund l would favor
levy of one and one-half mills instead
of two and one-half mills, as Is now
provided for in house bill No. 379.
"As / have stated above, levies un-
der the bill am now returning. and
Continued on page 81