Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-02-04

CODE PASSES SENATE
SENATOR'S LANDON, RYAN AND
O'HAERA CAST ONLY Mega
TIVE BALLOTS
FIGHT ON EMERGENCY
COnstitutiOnality of Measure Is At
tackled by Senator O'Harra in
Closing Argument

The Administrative Code passed
the Senate yesterday afternoon by a
vote of SO ayes, three nays, one men,
Der not voting and two absent. The
negative votes were cast by Senators
Landon and O'Harra of King, and
| Ryan Of Pierce. Senator Hastings OF
King was silent, and Senators Sutton
of Spokane and Thomle of SnohO-
mish were absent. Previous to final
passage accepted amendments sub
mitted by senate members OF the
special committee on executive rec
concentrations eXempting educational
institutions from the provisions of
the code, and favoring the retention
of the veterans welfare commission.
The special order went into effect
at 2 O'Clock and nearly three hours
were consumed in debating and vot-
| ing on amendments offered by in
dividual members. group of in
| fuential senators fought strenu-
ously for the retention of the public
service commission as judicial
| body and an amendment with this
Johnson providing that the two SUI
pervisors under the director of pub
lie works be appointed directly by
the governor instead of by the di-
rector. Senators Rockwell, Renick.
Loomis, Morthland, Hastings and
Landon supported this amendment
strongly on the floor of the senate.
and on the ballot they were aided
by Senators Conan, Davis, Nwcett,
Myers, O'Harra, Post, Ryan, Wells
and Wilmer. Senators Conan and
Renick went into the history of the
commission and claimed that the
two supervisors could not exercise
Independent judgment as judges in
rate cases.
Senator Sinclair of Pacific at
tempted to place in the fisheries Sec
ton an amendment providing that
the fisheries board give sixty days
notice before putting an order into
effect. Senator Johnson attacked
this section as unconstitutional be-
cause it provided for the delegation
of legislative powers. Senators
Wray and Bishop fought against
these changes.
Senator Morthland of Yakima Of
fered an amendment providing that
the legislature make a reserve de-
iiciency appropriation which the
joint board of eleven members would
not be allowed to exceed instead of
leaving the amount of the deficiency
at the discretion of the state board.
Senator Morthland somewhat faceti-
ously remarked that the majority
evidently considered it anathema to
offer any amendment not sponsored
by the governor. He claimed the
right to use his individual judgment,
otherwise he might as we'll stay at
home and let the people of the
Yakima valley send up a proxy for
the governor.
Senator Ryan tried to have the
section abolishing the industrial in
surance commission stricken, but did
not succeed in getting a roll call.
Johnson Fights Emergency Clause :
Immediately before final passage
Senator Johnson sought to have the
emergency clause stricken. claiming
the question at issue was so mo-
mentous that the people of the state
should have the opportunity to pass
upon the measure. Since the franz
ers Of the bill took ten months to
: study the question and draw up the
bill, the citizens of the state should
be given more than few weeks to
study the bill. Senator Johnson
argued, and the senators themselves
had no right to arrogate all the
wisdom in the state to themselves
In the balloting on this amendment
he received the support of Senators
Adams. Conan, Davis, Fawcett,
Hastings. Landon, McMillen, NORTH
land, Myers, O'Harra, Ryan. and
Westfall.
The moment the previous ques-
ton had carried to vote on final
passage Senator O'Harra of King
arose and attacked the whole code
as unconstitutional, unpatriOtic, and
tending toward the establishment Of
monarchy in the state of Washing
ton. He expressed surprise that
none of the legal talent in the SEN
ate had discovered the flaws in the
code which he stated were very evil
dent to him as layman.
!