The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1914-07-30

| IodSSiudlcO.
| Ichabod has declared invalid hun
dreds and hundreds of signatures
where the signers are bona fide
voters and entirely qualified.
Howell rules that whether a sig
mature is genuine or not, 1t will be
declared invalid where deputy
Registration official initiated his
10. X. alongside it, and the chief
registration official made out the
formal certificate. In other words
Howell is requiring the same reg
istration official. in the various
counties and cities. to take charge
OF the entire check himself. How
ell says this Is the law. His inter
probation means that if any regis
tration official. either through ig-
norance or deliberately, fails TO ob>
serve Howell's ruling. then hun
dreds and thousands of voters may
be arbitrarily disfranchised
Besides the business Of sticking
| the stiletto into the Seven Sisters
Ichabod also is making noble
effort to spend 100000 needless
y.
The initiative petitions have
been checked up-every name on
them-by duly qualified officials
In the various counties where the
signatures were obtained. Ichabod
Is going over the asme ground. and
| recheckiDg the check.
The requirements of the law
would have supplied only three or
four extra clerks in the secretary's s
office. But Ichabod gathered. ut
the recommendation of the ward
heelers in the state. $50 clerks 10
do this work.
And he's racking his brains for
ideas to make it appear that they
have real work to do.
Maybe it was on this account
that Ichabod undertook prelim-
mary check few days after the
Seven Sisters" were presented to
him.
The law doesn't call for a pre-
liminary check.
But Ichabod figured it would
help spend that 100000 which
the legislature had provided for
initiative purposes.
Or maybe Ichabdo wanted 10
give Ed Sims a definite idea as TO
iiow many signatures there were
really on the Seven Sisters es-
pecially the fish bill, SO that Ed
then could be better able to form
ulate the plan OF attack.
Anyhow. the preliminary check
was made.
And today all is ready for the
final check.
In the meantime. the courts al
ready have one case. Ichabod de-
mands 5000 a page to print the
arguments pro and con on the in
itiative bills. The proposers of the
Seven Sisters" claim he's entitled
to only $3.50, the exact cost of
the paper.
The opponents of these meas
ures, being literally supplied with
coin. are digging up the double
centuries without objection.
The law allows arguments to be
presented to the voters in printed
form and the secretary of state Is
charged with the duty of supplying
a copy to each voter. Arguments
against five of the Seven Sisters"
were filed in sealed envelopes yes
terday by ten organizations; and
$1,4OO deposited. The following
are the organizations:
Washington State Fisheries,
Puget Sound Gamers and the Co
lumbia River Packers of Washing
ton against the fish bill. initiative
measure No. IL; the Owners and
Managers association. of Seattle,
and the Taxpyers' association, of
Tacoma, one argument each
against initiative measure No. Z,
to abolish the state bureau of in
spectiOn; the State Employment
Agents association and the Wom-
ans Domestic Guild against initia-
tive measure No. 8. the abolition
of employment agencies, and the
West Coast Lumber Manufacturers,
the Coal Operators Association of
Washington and the Employers As
sociation of the Inland Empire
against initiative measure No. 8,
the so-called first aid bill.
At Olympia today. there are. be-
sides Miss Lucy Case. who has ap-
peared for the Seven Sisters"
since they were filed with Ichabod.
direct legislation committee. But
while they are given only a cursory
also other representatives of the
opportunity to watch the second
check by Howells 100000 ma
chine, Ed Sims and his cohorts are
given the freedom of Ichabod's
office.
Ichabod likes that gubernational
talk.