Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-02-26
SOLONS GET READY
FOR RUSH At CLOSE
SPEND WEEK READING BILLS
APPLY REFERENDUM TO THE
UTILITIES MEASURE.

AoSCl tiA6 IudJ Iue duties or
the taxing authority of the
state were so important that
they should be handled by a dis
tinct and Independent depart
ment, Governor Lister, in a
lengthy message late Thursday.
vetoed the McArdle tax board
bill, the third of the trio and
his third veto. This bill abol-
ished the tax commission and
assigned it's duties to the secre-
tary of state and public service
commission. Governor Lister
wants the present tax commits
sion abolished and tax COM
missioner created.
Election bills fathered by the Re-
publican organizations privileges
and elections committee, covering
the recall of public officials, modi-
flying the initiative and referendum
and touching other phases Of the
election laws, were the pivot of a
lively wrangle in the house Thurs
day afternoon, in which they were
under consideration on second read
ing.
The senate had a lively session
Thursday morning, having as special
order OF business the bill preventing
the use Of heavy vehicles on roads,
which was passed after some heated
discussion. and on reconsideration
the bill giving the public service
commission authority to regulate
dock charges Of port districts. When
hrst acted on Wednesday afternoon,
the bill, though receiving majority
OF the senators present, failed to
reach the constitutional majority By
one vote, but Thursday morning It
was effectivel and finally killed.
To prevent its final defeat, Senator
Taylor as last resort had refer.
endum clause added to his amended
public utilities bill, 80 that 1t will
come up for a vote at the general
election in 1916. This is the meas
ure over which there was such
storm Of protest when first intro
duced and there was : lively fght
over 1t when 1t came into the senate
for final action this week.
Lister ON Capitol Bonds.
In letter addressed to the MEM
bers of the state capitol and grounds
committee Of the house. Governor
Lister this week urged the house to
re-insert in the capitol bonds bill the
section eliminated by the senate,
which would have permitted the
capitol commission to deviate from
the original plans, the governors
principal argument being that to.
follow the original plans would cost
some $10,000.000. while the COM
missions present plans can be car
ried out completely at cost Of not
more than $4,000, 900. 1t is expect
ed the committe will recommend the
bill favorably with this section re-
inserted and that it will come up for
action in the house about the middle
of next week.
Local people got considerably
worked up this week over clause
in the new fish code which it was
declared would destroy the local
shrimp and smelt industry that At
torney Thomas M. Vance, acting for
the fishermen, asserted amounted to
$1,000 month and provided liv-
ing for some 100 people. The local
sport enthusiasts proposed to create
q game preserve in the local harbor
which would prevent fishing with
anything but hook and line for q
of two miles out, and the
matter was threshed out between
them and the fishermen at meeting
with the Chamber of Commerce
trustees, when the latter recon-
mended as a compromise that the pre-
serve extend only to Priest Point
park. The bill has passed the house
md the opposition to 1t did ~,
until it had reached the
senate. 1t is on the senate calendar
.oday as a special order of business.
$4,000 for Local Road.
Apportionment of the state road
funds for the ensuing biennium was
the big event behind committee doors.
Western Washington's solons reached
an agreement early in the week, as
tba racult of uh;ch S60 nm 10 RI ho