White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-01-29
Legislature
Slow Getting
Under Way
Opposition to ShowalteF
School Bill Seems to
Be Developing
KNUrE HILL

KNUTE HILL
The past week has been great
deal like the first week, only more so!
We have had short sessions, two of
which lasted not more than twenty
minutes each. One session was pro-
longed to one hour and half due to
heated discussion between lawyers
over minor amendment to the Home
stead Act. There have been more
extended meetings Of important COM
mittees and several of the proposed
tax bills have been studied and dis
cussed An open meeting to discuss
the income tax bill will be held in
the House Chamber Tuesday after
noon. The Showalter Bill was intro
duced in the Senate early last week
and our House Education Committee
will have several joint hearings with
the Senate Education Committee this
coming week. There is a determined
opposition from several important
sections of the state to the bill. Some
of it's former friends in the 1929 ses-
sion are lined up against it. Until
your representative has studied it
carefully and heard both sides of
this important question, he can not
state his position. 1t has been re-
vamped and revised from day to day
so that it is not the same bill it was
several months ago.
A Permanent Registration Bill and
New England Blanket Primary Bill
will come before our committee on
Elections and Privileges this coming
week, for consideration. Also pro-
posed constitutional amendment to
reapportion the state on the so-called
Federal plan of one senator and one
representative for each county and
as many more representatives as pop
ulation would merit.
A bill increasing the number Of
superior judges in King county from
thirteen to seventeen was defeated in
the Senate after heated discussion.
Senator Dan Landon Of King county
was one Of the leading opponents Of
the bill. As chairman of the Senate
Appropriation Committee, he has de.
clared policy of retrenchment and
has requested Sam Hunes Of the
Highway Department to appear be-
fore the committee to explain addi-
tional levies for that department. He
has also reintroduced resolution to
ratify the child labor amendment to
the United States Constitution. Sen-
ator Hall of Clark county has intro
duced resolution providing for y
majority of those voting on the meas
ure in place of majority of all vot-
ing at an election to authorize the
calling of "a constitutional convention.
This is good resolution. 1t is rath-
er strange that with so many calls to
amend the state constitution at each
session and in view of the fact that
we have abandoned both the old Der
ritorial and state capitol buildings
and reared these beautiful structures
in which to house our state govern
ment, people should be so adverse to
remodeling or reconstructing our
form of government to meet modern
needs and demands. Both the build
ings and our constitution are man.
made and there is nothing sacred ex-
cept human rights. Our government
should keep abreast of progress, the
same as industry and invention.
Messrs Forsyth and Powell in
collaboration with several senators
and representatives, on the sugges-
ton of Deputy Attorney General
Gleason, have drafted general law
to take care of cancellation and re-
funding of taxes due to state each
year on drainage, irrigation and con-
tract lands but which can not under
the law of 1927 be collected by coun-
ties on said lands and hence an un-
just claim by the state. This bill will
be introduced in the Senate and has
good chance of becoming "a law as
it will apply to all counties and pre-
clude the necessity of each county
making claim for cancellation each
session.
Another group including the
Messrs Moulton, E. j. Brand and
Fyfe attended the session Of the Re-
clamation and Irrigation Committee
Friday afternoon and some very i'm
portant amendments to the irrigation
laws were proposed and discussed.
Among them we're provisions for ex-
tending loans from the reclamation
fund to solvent districts; like the Sum
nyside Irrigation District at Benton
City and one in Oloanogan county
and from present Indications these
latter provisions will be Incorporated
into law. E. ]. Barnes, Director It
Agriculture, has ok th4stwo ahcvs
mentioned districts while danying ~
/! lief to Others which seemingly 6ave
I other safe methods Of disposing II q
I l.s.. L. mn -