The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-02-18
n
Renton County's Representative
Is Keeping Tab on Palmer's
Port District Bill
sTILL WORKING FOR
SLICE OF ROAD FUND
several Washington Members Have
Promised to Back Up Benton COun-
TVS Request for the Money
(By Special Correspondent

OLYMPIA, Feb. 17-Considerable leg
islation is pending here which if en-
acted would have important bearing
upon the creation of port district at
Kennewick, and one such measure,
Senate Bill No. 142, introduced by
Senator Palmer, of King county would
prevent absolutely the creation of the
projected district. This measure,
amendatory of the present law, pro-
vides:
sNo port district may be created
within the limits of which, when Great
ed, there shall not exist an incorpor-
ated city of the first class"
This measure is now in the hands
Of the senate committee on harbors
and harbor lines. Representative
Grant Stewart, Of Benton county, is
watching the measure carefully, pre-
pared to oppose it if it should come
from the senate.
The Palmer bill, it develops, is one
Of number of special bills introduced
for the personal benefit Of it's author,
which have caused trouble after every
session Of the legislature, as some in
variably slip through the legislative
4rist mill and prove to have wider
scope than their authors intended. In
this case it is reported that the bill
was introduced because Senator Pal
mer owns some land in Kitsap county
that is about to be included in a pro-
jected port district, which he desired
eliminated.
Roads and Bridges
Representative Stewart has re-
ceived several promises of support
from Western Washington members
OF the roads and bridges committee,
for an appropriation for Benton
county public highway work. The
Seattle Chamber of Commerce prob
ably will be brought into the campaign
as THIS organization is sensible Of the
benefits to be derived by Sound cities
through diverting traffic from south
eastern Washington in this direction,
instead of to Portland.
One danger that confronts the Ben
ton county road work is the political
issue. Following the custom of past
sessions the bill appropriating out the
100000 Of public highway funds
Will be held until the last days of the
session.. to keep members in line to
vote Tor measures desired by the
house leaders, and particularly to se-
sure votes to pass vetoed measures
over the governors head. In the last
days Of the session it often is neces-
sary to recast the road appropriations
Dill to secure needed votes for other
measures, SO that agreements enter
"a early in the session are frequently
broken.
Power Interests Oppose
A final public hearing on the water
cooe was held by the joint committee
On irrigation and arid lands Monday.
rover interests appeared in force to
oppose the measure, as had been the
hrAse Tor the last two sessions. Pro-
ponents Of the bill were also present
numbers and appeared to have ra-
tner the better Of the argument, so
.naf it is generally predicted that the
JOINT committees will recommend en-
actment of the bill.
Former Representative B. B. Horri-
gan, OF Pasco, was one of those who
appeared in behalf of the measure,
oeciarlng its enactment absolutely
necessary to make water rights se-
cure, before the federal government
would take any further steps toward
carrying out the Palouse reclamation
project or any other irrigating scheme
on large scale.