Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1925-01-30
LAWMAKERS PREPARE
TO ADJOURN EARLY
Emergency Bills Being Brought
Into Shape For Quick
Passage.

ed conditions that followed Governor
Roland II. Hartley's suggestion last
week that the 10Th session pass GER
tain pressing legislation, then adjourn
and await call for special session
next November by which time a
thorough survey of state government
could be completed, is struggling this
week to whip into shape the emer-
gency bills that are to be allowed to
slip through.
While enthusiasm over the COVER
nor's suggestion was running highest
both branches Of the legislature bound
themselves to consider only legisla.
tion that is covered by ten points
agreed upon at conference between
the executive and the rules commit
tees of the senate and house. Suisse
quently it became known that the
governor and the legislative leaders
understood that any emergency legis
lation that had been overlooked could
be taken up without doing violence to
the gentlemen's agreement.
Emergency Legislation Perplexes.
This question of what constitutes
emergency legislation harassed some
of the legislators this week. The ques.
ton first arose just before last Fri.
days adjournment when Representa-
tive L. c. Weik Of Lincoln county call.
ed attention to the fact that nothing
had been said about state aid for
the grain growers in the arid belt. 1t
previously had become known that
100000 acres Of land needs seed wheat
this spring and a committee bill ap.
propriating 100000 for state loan
to farmers was before the house prior
to the governors message. Inform
ally Representative E. E. Halsey
brought up the same question before
some of the members of the house
rules committee. The legislative lead
ers were inclined to believe that this
was an emergency subject when first
approached. Since then some of the
members interested in other legisla-
ton have cautiously inquired whether
the lid could be pried up to let in other
emergency" bills and some of this
weeks most strenuous maneuvering
has been to keep out these measures.
November Session Tentative.
Some question has been raised as
to whether November is the best
month for calling back the law makers.
Some of the farmer-members hold that
the crops will not be all put by in
November and some business men do
not like to leave home at the ap-
proach of the holiday season. How
ever the date, only tentatively sug-
gested, has not figured seriously in
either the legislatures or the cover.
nor's plans.
Governor Hartley's proposal that the
present session of the legislature con-
fine itself to essential legislation, then
adjourn to give time for business sur
vey of every department and division
Of state government, came from a
clear sky to the lawmakers, just a
week after the Inauguration of the new
executive. Subsequently the COVER
nor stated that the solution to the
problem of increasing state efficiency
and pairing down governmental ex-
pense had been communicated to the
Legislature as soon as it had occurred
to him and been examined for pos
sible flaws. The legislature, acting
under the spur of enthusiasm over the
proposal, set about agreeing to the
suggestion Immediately. The gov.
ernor had promised special session
by November and the big counties
went into caucus and ratified the pro
posal before the first day was over;
the next morning a joint resolution
was passed binding both houses to an
adjournment on or before February IA.
Governors Plan Outlined.
The whole plan of the proposed
Hartley survey is contained in the fol
lowing extract from the governors
special message to the Legislature:
81 propose to make business sur
vsy of every department and division
of state government and shall ask
the other elective state officers to co.
operate with me to the end that may
present program of legislation to you
which, when enacted into law, will ef-
feet economies and the reduction in
taxation demanded by the people.
"Such survey cannot be complet.
ed in the brief available time while
you are now in session. Nothing hasty
nor ill-considered should be offered.
Thorough investigation Of all the activi.
ties and functions of each and every
department and division of govern.
ment, followed by mature deliberation,