The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-01-20
S0L0NS GET BUSY
AT STATE CAPITOL
FIRST WEEK SEES ORGANIZA.
TON OF LEGISLATURES AND
INAUGURATION OF HART
New Civil Code, State School Code
and Blue Sky Law Stir Up Dis
cussiOn.

Inc state legislature at Olympia got
down to work Monday morning, Janu,
airy 10, and during the week following
much important legislation was con.
sidered. The first day was devoted
largely to organization while Wednes.
day was taken up with the Inaugural.
ton and consideration of Governor
Harris message. The governor called
the legislators attention to the need
of revising the form of state govern.
ment to relieve it of many of it's COM
missions which have proved a burden
on the taxpayer He submitted the
report of his educational committee
I and recommended its adoption, sug-
[fgested changes in the state divorce
J law to make the separation of married
couples more difficult, recommended
well prepared farm marketing law,
suggested changes in the direct pri-
mary law and the establishing of a
state police.
Howard Taylor, of King county, was
unanimously elected president of that
body. Senator Tholme, of Snohomish,
was granted leave of absence until
January &c. He is in New York.
The new civil code, drawn under
the concurrent resolution adopted at
the session of the legislature last
March creates ten new departments
of state to be known as, % public
works, (2) business control, 90 eff
ficiency, (4) taxation and examination,
60 health, CO.. conservation and de-
velopment, CD labor and industries,
(S) agriculture, (9) licenses, (10) fish
cries and game. These departments
are to be presided over by director
to be appointed by the governor with
the consent of the senate. The act
creates nine administrative commit
tees as follows: Equalization, finance,
highways, capitol, archives, parks,
voting machines, law library and state
library.
Governor Hart stated it as his opin-
ion that the new form of administra-
ton would reduce the number of state
employees at least twenty-five per cent.
The code is similar to codes in force
in Illinois, Nebraska and Massachu-
sets. but has been adapted to the Pc
culiar needs of this state.
A blue sky law to protect the in
nocent investor in stocks from Wild
cat mining and oil propositions, has
been introduced and created consider
able discussion throughout the state.
1t has been attacked by mining men
as hindering the development OF leg1tl-
mate business. The bill provides for
the registration Of stock brokers ana
divides all stocks into four classes
(a) securities of inherent qualities
that assure their sale; CD securities
sold by the owner for the owners &C.
count exclusively when not made IN
the course of repeated transactions;
(c) based on established incomes, ana
(d) securities based on prospective in
comes. In the (c) and (d) classes
regulations have been provided intend
ed to call the purchasers attention to
the tyne of stock he is buying and
providing for report of the assets OF
the company issuing the stock and also
of the status of the company's ofhcers
to be placed on file with the secretary
of state.
The new school code reported by
the governors committee Of which
Senator w. ]. Sutton, of Cheney, was
chairman, has caused considerable
feeling among the members OF the
legislature because of the many points
involved Charges that the state SUI
perintendent of public instruction mas
promulgated "insidious political pro-
paganda" for the purpose OF defeating
the code have been made and there
is a general lining up on one side OF
the other of the different factions
Among other provisions the new code
would abolish the office of school SUI
perintendent providing in it's place foI
an appointive official chosen by a
board appointed by the governor the
code also provides for more equa
division of the state school tax by
having thirty dollars for every census
child raised through the general tax
instead of $40 as at present, the coun
ty tax still being left to raise $lo'
At the present time, in the case o.
the death of United States senator
from this state the office would remain
vacant until the next election. bill
has been offered empowering the gov
ernor to appoint senator to hold OF
flee until his successor is regularl!
elected. The divorce bill which wal
nassed by the senate two years ag'
and killed in committee in the hous'