The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1923-02-01

SEED wheat to be sold to farmers In
the drought districts on credit was
passed by the house last week. the
bill was signed by the governor later
and Director Dan A. Scott OF the de.
partment of conservation and develop
ment is now in the field arranging for
the distribution of seed wheat. Farm
ers will be required to pay for the
seed wheat furnished out of the pro-
ceeds Of their crop. The bill en-
countered some opposition from Repre-
sentatives p. L. Allen and T. F. MUIR
phine OF Seattle, who wished to buy
the seed wheat on competitive bids,
and some friends OF the measure sug-
gested its provisions might be strength
ened, but it finally passed by an over
whelming vote.
What took on the nature Of poll
tical fight cropped out last week when
Representatives Homer T. Bone, ].
H. Ryan and Mrs. Jessie B. Kastner,
three Pierce. county Farmer-Labor
members. brought out their memorial
asking President Warren q. Harding
to pardon so-called political prison
ers." Representative John Hanks of
Kittitas and c. II. leighton Of King.
led q fight to have the memorial in
definitely postponed and won out by
q vote OF 70 to is. Those who voted
against killing the memorial were:
Representatives Beeler, Cohen, Sweet
man and Totten, OF King: Bone. Kast-
ner, Thompson, Mckinney and J. H.
Ryan Of Pierce; Brislawn, Of Lincoln;
Danielson, of Whatcom: DUNCAN, of
Grant; Goldsworthy, Klemgard and
Mahoney, of Whitman; and Jones Of
Douglas.
Increase Seattle Judges Pay
During week otherwise filled with
talk Of economy and tax reform, the
King county senatorial delegation fore
ed q bill through the upper house to
increase the salaries Of the nine Sc
attic superior court judges to $4,000
a year and another which raises the
salary Of Seattle Justice of the peace
who holds night session of his court
Seattle and Tacoma city officials last
week urged the King and Pierce coun-
ty delegations to support a bill that
would permit the municipality owned
power plants Of Seattle and Tacoma
20 sell power outside the two cities
without restriction and without paying
any excise tax to either the state or
counties which they serve. The same
city officials appeared before . public
meeting Of the joint committee on
public utilities Monday evening Of this
week to urge that . favorable report
be made on Z house bill that grants
authority to extend the municipality
owned plants. A counter move led by
representatives from smaller counties
demands that some form Of excise tax
be placed on the municipality owned
utilities to offset the losses It is claim
ed the state suffers from non-payment
Of taxes on the properties.
Increase Workman's Compensation
Two bills increasing compensation
paid injured workmen and dependents
Of those killed in industrial accidents
now are before the legislature. One
comes from the department Of labor
and II = compromise between the radi-
cal increases demanded in q bill sub
mitted by the State Federation Of
Labor and the attitude of employers
who insist the present rates Of COM
pensation are adequate This fight
has developed unexpected proportions
and threatens to become one Of the
leading issues Of the session.
Among the new bills which were
introduced during the past week were
measures that provide:
Compensation for animals killed to
prevent the spread Of contagious dis
eases; amendment to alien land law
to permit the state to bring civil suits
to recover from owners: exclusion Of