White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-02-27

| extra bills was Of
much statewide
g interest though
Gov. r. n. Hartley each was badly
needed by some community.
In working out the Governors pro-
gram some alterations were found
necessary. For instance, while the
law creating board of higher curri-
cula was repealed the proposed lay
| board was not created to take its
place because the new budget law will
take care Of the finances of the higher
educational institutions and Gov.
Hartley's business survey may sug-
gest some new plan for better man
aging the big schools. The sugges-
ton that further tax be levied on
auto stages and trucks was met by
the discovery that very few of the
passenger stage lines are really profit
able; that there already is tax
levied to support the department of
public works; that there is consti.
tutional question whether tax could
be levied for other state purposes and
finally that the subject Is dealt with
in the big automobile code that goes
over until the special session in No.
vember.
Pass Tax Bill.
The Governor did not attempt to
control the legislative action on any
of his "ten points," Therefore, while
such important suggestions as the
creation Of state tax commission
came from the Governor, the legisla-
ture is solely responsible for the man.
ner in which the idea was worked out.
This piece of legislation probably re-
ceived more careful attention and re-
vision than any other law that has
passed in many years. It was thor
oughly discussed two years ago, but
no legislation was discussed. This
year the bill was completely redrawn
| three times and amended literally in
both houses Its essential features
are that state supervision over prop.
erty assessments and tax levies is
provided; an easy method Of appeals
is furnished taxpayers and the COM
mission has real power to delve thor
oughly into tax problems.
| Rejection of the child labor amend
ment to the federal constitution was
so overwhelmingly voted in both
houses that it was apparent the mem
bers came to Olympia opposed to give
Congress control over the employ
ment of minors under 10 years Of age.
| While there was much sympathetic
talk of barring child labor at s
younger age there was no means OF
taking test vote to determine
whether the 1S-year limit was respon-
sible for enough opposition to defeat
the. amendment. However, 1t was
rather clearly demonstrated that
though the amendment had a great
deal Of sympathy and support among
women, male thought was that boy
ought to learn how to work before he
reaches 18.
Aside from the tax commission and
defeat of the child labor amendment
the ten points in the Hartley program
that the legislature approved were:
| One years general appropriation
bill; financing Of highway program
for two years; repeal of one and one
half mill permanent highway tax and
substitution of policy Of reimburs-
ing counties from the motor vehicle
and gas tax funds; capitol building
bond issue; repeal Of Centralia nor
NAL school tax levy, state budget law,
repeal Of board of higher curricula
act, and passage of bill that would
require a more representative vote
for ratification Of bond issues. The
Legislature fixed upon the idea Of re-
| curing the presence at the polls Of a
vote equal to SO per cent Of the vote
cast at the last preceding general cleo
ton when bond questions are submit
ted by counties, cities, towns or
metropolitan park boards. 1t was
found impossible to include school
districts because their boundaries are
not coincident with those of election
precincts.
The general appropriation bill, be-
side taking care Of the revolving,
self-supporting and trust funds, pro-
vided, among other things, $4,28S,535
1 to defray the expense Of the state
government and its necessary insti-
tutions; s2,836,2S7 raised from the
millage funds Of the higher educa-
tional institutions; $4,000 for the
National Guard and then added ST.
1870 for pressing capital outlay