White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-02-14
Washington
State Analyst
BY Horace Lane and Lew Selvidge

State Analyst
BY Horace Lane and Lew selvidge
The legislature went into the fifth
week of it's session to face approx
mately 600 proposed measures, only a
score of which have been brought up
for final passage in the first half OF
the session. Bills and more bills are
being filed daily with no definite move
yet in evidence to put lid on the
hopper. Only minor matters were
passed upon, even in the twenty bills
that were finally passed. Relief, unem-
ployment, taxation, road control and
other vital legislation is still in the
hands of committees. Highlights of the
week in the House included defeat of
bill repeating the criminal syndical-
ism statute a measure that was warm
ly debated but finally voted down. The
delinquent tax holiday was extended
until May 81, 1885, by the House and
bill to place a heavy tax on diesel oil
or other fuel oils was defeated.
Most definite progress in the way
of major legislation has been made on
the new highway code. According to
reports from official sources, the bill
has been amended materially, especi-
ally in it's application to county road
control and will be reported out by the
senate Roads and Bridges committee
some time this week. "Details of the
amendments have not been made cleaI
but it is understood that the new Sec
ton will correct the abuses charged
against road administration by county
commissioners and yet stop short Of
transferring county roads to the con-
troll of the state. 1t is understood that
the amendment meets with acquies-
cence, if not entire approval, from
both the state highway department and
county commissioner groups.
The administration tax bill was COM
plicated somewhat with the filing of
sales tax bill which has been launched
to replace major sections in the ORR
ginal administration proposal. The
brackets on the sales tax bill are high,
providir, for one cent tax on pur-
chases from 9 to 40 cents, two cents
on purchases from 40 to 10 cents and
three cents on purchases from 70 cents
to $1OO, with flat 8 per cent tax
on all purchases over dollar. One
of the major objections being voiced to
| the sales tax program, apart from the
| high rate of the tax, is that the brack-
ct has been lowered to include bread
and milk and other items that retail
for as low as nine cents each. The
sales tax addition to the tax program
promises to quiet opposition to the
general taxation program from certain
groups, such as the tobacco interests
which were to be taxed very heavily
under the original program, but it is
drawing fire from other groups who
feel that there may be an overlapping
of the sales tax on the business tax
sections of the original bill.
/ The senate, with an unusual pen
chant for reconsidering things, has al
last reconsidered itself into placing the
Grange blanket primary bill before the
people, The resolution to refer the
measure carried when brought up &
second time, after the original move
toward a referendum had been killed
A resolution referring this measure tt
the people promises to have great pol
itical significance in the 1896 election
since 1t will hold the voters to thu
present party system. Political leader
conceded Martin one of the top posi-
tions on the general election ticket i
the primaries were. conducted unde
the new plan so that he could holt
both his Democratic and Republican
support. His opponents are rejoicing il
the action taken by the Senate in tina
it increases, in their opinion, thel
chances of defeating him in the pr
maries. The weakest link however, il
this chain of political thought, is tina
Governor Martin has not yet even an
nounced his intention to run.
One of the bills over which battl
is now being waged is the re-Writte
gasoline measure, planned to put tn
state in the gasoline business. 1t passe
/. the House Monday by vote of 80 t
TO- The bill has been rewritten in com
mittee, so that it now gives the stat
the power to enter the gasoline bust
e ness if conditions warrant, but it
e not mandatory. The state need nc
;. please turn to page A.