The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-01-29
LAW MAKING AT
THE STATE CAPITAL
Brief Outline of Most Important Matters
Under Consideration the
Past Week

sage OF resolution against calling any
special election-The Board OF Re.
gents plan is opposed-Bill being
prepared providing for partial return
to convention sYstem-Alien insane
may be deported-Bill introduced to
abolish tax commission.
Olympis.-The second week of the
legislative session slipped by with
nothing accomplished in the way of
legislation. Not a bill was voted on
in either house during the week, an
unheard of occurrence in a Washing
ton legislature. The last legislature
at the close of the second week of the
session had passed a dozen or more
bills in each house and several meas
ures were in the hands of the COVER
= nor.
The time of the legislators appar-
emily was occupied with the liquor
question, political jockeying of the
two houses.
How far the legislature is behind
the work of previous sessions is indi-
Gated by the fact that the bills intro
total only 157, of which 10 are SEN
ate bills and AZ house bills. On the
same day of the last session 359 bills
had been introducod-142 senate bills
and 207 house bills.
This comparison is not altogether
to the discredit of the present legis-
lature, for the house has innovated
the plan of first submitting its i'm
portant measures to committees. II
the bills are approved by the commit
tee they are then introduced as COM
mittee measures, the expense of print
ing bills that would have no chance of
favorable consideration thus being
saved.
Liquor Question Disposed of.
But while the legislature made no
progress along legislative lines, it
positively disposed of liquor legisla-
ton, which otherwise would have been
q busy source of trouble, and it clean
ed up most of the combinations Of
the gubernatorial appointments and
sent the governors vetoes to commit
tees.
The liquor question has been wiped
off the map by passage of the joint
resolution pledglng the legislature to
call no special election.
Opinion is divided outside the legis-
Iature as to the policy of the action
with respect to liquor legislation. The
vets are emphasizing the fact that the
two petitions bore an aggregate OF
nearly 100000 signatures and declare
with considerable heat that these Pc
titioners were not even given the cour-
tesy of 9 hearing"
OF course the action pleased the
drys and also was satisfactory to q
large number who were opposed to the
expense of the proposed special cleo
ton. Both democrats and republicans
are claiming the credit there be for
getting the matter out of the way be-
fore II interfered with other legisla-
ton.
Recommendation Considered.
The legislature has shown a marked
disposition to give serious considera-
ton to the principal recommendations
of Cover or Lister in his message.
nit az
is holding up all proposed amend
ments, with probability that instead
of submitting any of them the COVER
nors plan of q constitutional conven-
ton will be submitted to the voters
instead
The Joint committees on education
are calling before them the presidents
of the institutions of higher education.
President Henry Landes, of the Uni
yersity of Washington, already has
spoken strongly for the governors
plan of critical survey of the insti-
buttons to eliminate courses which are
conflicting, as opposed to the Zednick
plan of one board of regents for all
institutions. President E. A. Bryan,
Of Washington state college, though
reported cherishirg guberhatorlai
bee in opposition to Mr.. Lister, also
has Joined the executive in opposition
to the Zednick plan and it is alto
gether probable that the joint commit
tees will recommend the survey. The
legislature also is considering the
sharpstein bill to provide tuition fees
at the university, to provide needed
funds for new buildings.
This week will see lot OF oilis
brought out to a vote for passage or
rejection.
Sizing up the situation SO far it
would seem that it is really to be
conservative session, with few If any
freak measures to be given consider
alton and with every indication that
there will be considerable accomplish
"a toward efficiency and economy.
special Election for Vets Blocked
In a mad rush 10 get aboard the