The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-01-14
First Move of Hartley Sup
porters to Garry Scrap
to the People
REPLY UPHOLDS
HARTLEY STAND
Says Majority Stand All
Wrong Educational Bill
was Only Bugaboo
By p. a. SIMS

By E.. A. SIMS
{Leader of Minority Group of the
House of Representatives.
Upon adjournment Of the special
session of the legislature, Represen-
tative Mark Moulton, of Kennewick,
issued lengthy statement in an at
tempt to justify the actions of the
House majority. In trying to justify
his own record. Mr.. Moulton says he
entered into combination, or the
majority, to save reclamation, educa-
ton and highways. He did not men,
ton the cabal with the state timber
group, or the forces that controlled
the program Of the House majority.
~ Reclamation. In considering
reclamation, it should be remembered
that the majority's only reclamation
problem was the K1ttitas project. An
analysis of the majority's plan, the
Banker bill, shows that it carried ex-
traneous matters, most of which
would have been detrimental to the
state and to reclamation. The min
ority, from the start, offered the So
luton-later termed the compromise
that was finally adopted and ap-
proved by the governor.
The half-mill reclamation levy was
suspended for one year.
The house and senate, by taking the
state out of the White Bluffs-Ha
ford soldier land settlement project
and authorizing the department of
conservation to settle with the con-
tract holders, must be construed as a
new legislative policy toward land
settlement.
Mr.. Moulton did not mention the
legislative committee named to IN
vestigate state reclamation. This
committee was dictated by the house
majority, the majority of the invest
igating committee being members
that represent districts in which the
state sustained it's heaviest losses IN
reclamation bonds.
Therefore, excepting the majority
private investigating committee, even
Mr.. Moulton must admit that the
Kittitas project is going ahead and
reclamation and land settlement are
to be handled substantially in accord
ance with the governors frequently
urged ideas for more district respon-
sibilitv and less state interference.
(2) Education. Mr.. Moulton tries
to give the impression that education
was facing crisis, but study q
the governors message ana recon-
mendations shows that Mr.. Moulton
and the majority were only putting
up a bugaboo-the educational 1nstl-
tutions needed no saving by the leg
islature.
The essential difference was this
The governor wanted the educational
institutions to come under the Dud-
get. to show cause, to give an ac-
counting of where and how state mon
ey was to be spent. The majority
wanted to retain the wornout mlilage
levy system. which raises lump sums
annually. leaving the institutions TO
spend the money where and how tney
please, without regard OF the educa-
tional needs of the state and the peo-
pies ability to pay the bill.
U..der the plan enforced Dy Mr
Moulton and the majority, neither the
legislature nor tie governor, Daseo
on past experience, can exercise any
restraint upon the educational !, insti'
tutions-they may ruE hog-Wiio.
The recommendations in the gov.
,ernor's budget for the support OF the
educational institutions during the
coming wear were as follows-qulte
a tidy sum, exceeding any previous
appropriations: a., nc,
University of Warrington, $l,7ol'
064.34. -.
State College: state funds $l,OZ1,
294.O9; federal funds $173,OOO. Iota
$1,200,294.O9.
Bellingham normal $432, ,4S2.l6.
Cheney normal, $500, 1881.
Ellensburg normal $189, ,4SS.So.
Total $3,774,053.10.
Had the majority followed the gov
"ernor's Recommendation and placess
the institutions upon strictly ouu
get basis, the budget othclals an.
the governor would have been IN
position to present recommendatloil
to the 1927 legislature that Woult
more nearly meet the needs OF tl'
Institutions than has been posslple q
any time in the past under the exist
ing system.
Mr.. Moulton's fear that the recon-
mendations of the executive were no
well founded seems childish ana reui