The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-02-22
BOTH HOUSES PASS
BILL TO AID FAIRS
Measure Goes Through Without OPP
position: Browns Road Amend
meDt Now In House

Both houses of the legislature have
passed Gorham's bill permitting the
counties of the state giving aid to
county fairs, and the measure is up
to the governor for his signature.
Under the new law, Whatcom COM
missioners could appropriate as high
as $500 for the aid of the county
fair.
A bill introduced by Hoff of What
com providing that in counties hav-
ing township organization, the county
board shall pay the costs of bridge
repair and construction where the
cost is more than $50, was passed un-
animously by the house and is now
before the senate. This law would
settle the constant controversy bet
ween townships and the commission
- as to who should pay the costs
~tbfidges.
A measure of the utmost import
ance to the highway improvement of
the state, has passed the senate and
is now in committee in the house.
This is Senator Ed Browns bill am
ending the Donahue road law to per
nit the issuance of twenty year bonds
to pay for road improvements. If
this becomes a law, it is predicted
that every trunk road in Whatcom
County will be hard-surfaced within
five years.
Last Friday, the 40th day of tie
60-day session. aid the last day fol-
the introduction of bills without con-
sent of two-thirds majority of both
houses. witnessed the introduction OF
q flood of new bills. The senate re-
ceived &c and the house 10, making
total of 10 bills introduced this
session, 321 in the senate and 329
In the house, considerable increase
over the session of 1915, when
total of 6S4 bills appeared.
New senate bills provide for op
tional voting of second choice instead
OF compulsory voting, as now roquir
cd; make farm-loan bonds legal in
vestments for trust funds; authorize
joint county ferries; appropriate So.
900 for the appointment of a state
welfare commissioner at $500 salary;
make felony of advocating sabotage
and other forms of terrorism; extend!
public service regulation over inter
f4n lines, and gives husband
rignt to sue for damages fo- the death
of his wife.
Short Ballot to Be Amended
The new house bills are designed tc
amend the constitution in order to es
tablish a short-ballot System whereof,
only the governor, lieutenantgover
nor and state auditor will be elected
and another establishes commissio:
government for counties.
The house list of new bills also in
cludes an appropriation of $4,000 TO,
state enforcement of the bone-dry law
. proposal to increase the lieutenant
governors salary from $1,000 to $500
annually; to eliminate a $3.50 cbalg
for installation of telephones, as fixet
by the public service commission, an
limit any monthly telephone charge
$25; and to create the county of Nor
out of adjoining sections of Clallar
and Jefferson.
First Aid Bill Passed BY House
First aid bill, an important piecf
of constructive legislation. passed tn
house by a vote of Sc to 8. The
overwhelming majority given the bill
is taken generally to indicate that i
will be adopted by the senate and vii
settle a vexing problem that has beer
before every legislature since 1911
and that has been taken up twice b,
initiative.
The present bill provides for equa
SNntributions of, funds from employer
" employe. Deduction from the
employees pay will range from u cent
to III cents per day, depending upon
the hazard of the occupation. Two
plans of operation are provided. The
employer, with the consent of a ma
iority of his workmen,- may contract
with a physician or hospital for the
care of injured workmen, the contract
to be subject to the approval of the
governor. Those not adopting this
method pay fees into the state fund.
Lister vetoes Bill With Emergency
Governor Lister registered his first
veto of the 1917 session in disapprov-
ing the emergency clause attached to
senate bill 32, by Cox, of Walla Waila
The pig provided that grain, wool OF
oyster growers of the state shouia
purchase grain, wool or oyster SACKS
manufactured at the penitentiary at
Walla Walla pro-rata to the number OF
sacks applied for by the individual
grower
According to Senator Cox and east
ern Washington legislators generally
this measure is designed to prevent
growers with a 10000 sack crop from
applying to the penitentiary jute mil
for twice the number and disposine
80 th.a axcess to speculatOrs