The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1913-03-13
The States's Worst Legislature.

Very little of good or in the inter-
est of the taxpayers has been &C
complished. The Progressive leg
islators did their best to bring a
bout needed changes, but on accoun
of the corrupt organization in con-
trol-the "unholy alliance" formed
at the opening of the session be-
tween standpat democrats and re-
publicans-these Progressives were
hampered in their efforts towards
good legislative enactments. The
legislative record of each and every
member has been taken and will
confront him should he again ask
political favor. The people OF
Whatcom County are proud of the
records made by their Progressive
Legislative servants Mrs. Axtell and
Messrs. Dunning and Falkner, and
these have an equal right to be
proud of their work. grateful
people knows how to appreciate 10y
al service and will know how to re-
ward these public servants should
they again ask for their suffrages.
In the meantime they will have to
be content with the thanks of a
grateful and appreciative public.
A summing up of the legislative
situation at Olympia, made for the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer wholly
without partisan or facttOnal bias
is presented by that newspaper as
follows:
"Gov. Lister is unquestionably
right in his contention that the
legislature has been recklessly ex-
travagant. The only defenses Of
fered have been the merest quib-
bles. His position on road levy
IL certainly the weakest phase OF
his economy program, but both the
governor and the members are re-
ceiving literally thousands of let
tiers from all over the state up
holding the governor
The Vancouver bridge. the Pend
Oreille bridge, probably the North
Yakima armory and possibly other
appropriations will be vetoed. The
armory comes out of the military
fund and may get by on that basis.
The permanent highway fund
levy. cut by the senate from 2k
and may cause all sorts of trouble.
The exposition bill has not passed
yet. The governor will no doubt
stand pat on his limit of 100000
and recommend that commercial
organizations raise fund, that
lumber, cement, ETC., be donated,
and the counties be allowed to
make levies for their own exhibits.
The road appropriation bill,
which was rejected at the execu-
tive mansion, is now repOsing In
the pocket of a photographer who
went out to get photo of it. I'm
dou btedly it is pork barrel
measure, but it is next to impossi-
BILE to spread fund around the
state any other way. House and
senate members admitted that it
was held up In the senate until
trades could be arranged to insure
n twO-thirds vote in each house
to pass the levy over the veto.
The Republican organization,
lacking a real majority OF Repub.
licans, has been forced to trade OH
bridges and roads and pet bills
right and left to keep the organ
izatiOn in line. This Is in the house
of course. The senate has strong
working Republican majority ~
all times; in fact, has two-thirds
lined up to beat almost any veto.
The rules committee In the mousse
has repeatedly promised to place
a bill at the top of the calendar
and pass 1t, on condition that the
author pledge vote to beat the
road veto. In fact, Taylor, Sims
McArdle and Davis have had
tough row to hoe and have played
the game as they know 1t. The
old game of politics is not very
popular these days. and the trad
ing, gumshoe system has Few
friends left. The Republicans could
have done the party lot more
good in this legislature by adopt
ing more modern methods. AS 1t
il. mighty little legislation has
been considered on its merits,
which, fundamentally. is the way
all laws should be considered.
The house and senate leaders
have been at outs more or less
over the road bill all along.
The Democrats are split wide In
two. half of them being with LIS
ter and the rest standing with the
Republicans, who have fed them