Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-01-15
MESSAGE OF
COY. LISTER
Breathes Economy in Az
Branches Of State, County
and City Covernments
NEED NEW CONSTITUTION
Favers Commission to lnyes-
tisate Duplication { d ! = Eds- !
cationaI Institutien, :, u,

%.tS y t.,
OLYMPIA, Jan. 14.-Proposals to re-
duce the public highway levy from ono
mill to one-half mill and the perma-
nent highway levy from one and = half
mills to one-half mill; to repeal tho
mothers pension law; to establish q
powder factory at an original appro-
priation outlay of 100000; to reduce
the interest on delinquent taxes; to
elect state and county school superin-
tendents by bipartisan ballot; to Ii
cense and examine plumbers, and to
place the higher educational institu-
tions under one board Of regents
these were the leading features Of the
bills introduced today in the legisla-
ture, all but the emergency board bill
being senate bills.
Governor Lister read his volumin-
GUS message to joint session Tues
day afternoon. Among the suggestions
of the message are the following:
Constitutional convention to revise
constitution rather than method of
amending by legislature and popular
vote; preferential presidential pri-
mary; non-partisan county and city
elections; reduction in size Of the legis-
lature; $4,000 appropriation for en-
forcing initiative prohibition measure;
educational survey Of the higher edu-
cational institutions; deportation Of ap-
proximately 800 inmates OF the state
institutions: abolition Of the state tax
commission with the substitution OF
one tax commissioner; adoption Of the
first aid measure drafted BY special
committee recently appointed BY him:
appropriation Of $4,000 for the state
fair for the biennium, Of which $1os-
900 is for Improvements: continuation
of the same highway levies ana PRO-
gram a. now being followed under
the laws OF 1919; purchase Of two
blocks for an entrance to the capitol
building in Olympia, and the compile
ton Of the group according to the
plans as time and finances will permit;
The adoption of a fish code: the estAb-
lishment of one and q new library
board to take the place Of the two
commissioners now having supervision
over state library matters; the adop-
tion Of the budget system in all taxing
districts and corporations; retrench-
ment in the powers of tax levyins
bodies; adoption of the law recon-
mended by State Treasurer Edward
Meath permitting the carrying Of an
overdraft in the general fund mot to
exceed rs per cent Of the funds de-
linQuent taxes; the adoption of some
method whereby school text books may
be purchased at lower expense than
at present; the adoption Of q state
flag; the creation of the office Of state
architect; the adoption Of q water
code. =.
He expressed doubt as to the feas-
ibility Of the emergency board plan
for the higher educational institu-
tions.
Necessity Of Economy. $50
Governor Lister will shortly present
to the legislature a schedule Of the
appropriations which he will recon-
mend for the departments under his
control. The total will be less than
the appropriations Of two years ago.
Governor Listers message through
out emphasizes the necessity and de-
sirability of economy in al depart
ments. In his discussion of this SUBJ
ject he, refers to the several depart
ments of the state and the Increased
burdens put upon the taxpayers Of tie
counties and municipalities and says
that the time has now arrived whea
further increase can not but result In
burden far beyond their ability tn
pay" , sar
Il feel that the heads OF the depart
ments as whole should be held re-,
sponsible for their operation,., said the,
governor, "and the legislature and the
people have a perfect right to look
to me for an accounting Of their CON
duct. -, !.
1T Is natural that the heads Of the
various departments should become
enthusiastic over their own work, and
that they should perhaps ask for more
than may be needed for some Of the
matters in question. There must be
balance wheel somewhere, and /
take 1t that the governor Is the one
upon whom the responsibility for such
balance rests"
Governor Listers budget will show
in one column the actual apprupria-
lions granted By the 1913 Legislature
for the various departments and 6is
own estimates Of their needs dufing
the ensuing biennium. ! There win b.
lsft . blank column Tor annetlfinns ~
the legisla&orA