The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-06

Twenty-Five countrywide public
utility districts. including several
in southwest Washington. vitality
are interested.
Here is what Puyallup's pioneer
public power grangeman, Fred
Chamberlain, has to say:
"The effect, II not the design.
of $1,000 Is TO Illustrate the
entire public power program
In this state and to deprive its
people of the benefits of Bon
neville and Grand Coulee
dams.
Power generated at Bonneville
dam" asserts Chamberlain, lis
reserved to public utility districts,
by act of congress. until after Jan.
l, 1941. II the PUBS are not sue
cessful in acquiring properties and
placing them into operation by
that time, the benefits of Bonnie
vile will be left almost entirely to
the private companies.
THE original bill was sponsored
by the grange and commissioner
of the 25 districts, in order to ex-
pedite this program. Its purposes
were to bring the law of the state
relating to revenue bonds and war;
rants up to date, in order to i'm
prove the marketability of such
bonds and effect substantial saw
ings in interest rates.
However" Chsmbe rlain
charges, provisions were inserted
in the substitute bill designed to
defeat the purposes of the original
bill. Stripped of camouflage,
these provisions stand out as fol-
lows:
"O. The requirement was
inserted that an election be
held before power district
may acquire any properties or
issue any revenue bonds.
"t2). JOkers were inserted
In the provisions relating to
the type Of revenue bonds In
such a nature as to render II
impossible for the districts to
market such bonds, even IL
they were successful In issuing
them"
Grangemen predict the bill will
not pass the house as easily as it
did the senate, If it passes in its
present form at all. In fact, it is
known that already one left winger
and an eastern Washington Re-
publican are collaborating on pre-
paration of amendments.
incidentally, TacOma's mu-
nicipal power syste m ap-
parently has no more to fear
from this legislature. Re-
naming bills aimed at plants
of Tacoma and Seattle died
when the time expired for each
house to consider its own
measures.
Majority Democrats. Republic
cans, and left wingers who voted
for John Sylvester for speaker,
were called into caucus by the
speaker as the last week of the
legislature opened.
Sylvester appealed to them to
support the majority program.
No binding agreement was
reached. but II appeared. as
the conference ended, that the
house majority will remain
unbrokcn.
The speaker of the house and
the senate presidents have signed
the bill to permit a new PORTAGE
ma development plan to be put be-
for the people.
A committee. representing Ia
coma industry, business, labor and
officialdom. is expected to cal. on
Gov. Martin and urge him to sign.
Sen. Ted Schroeder's sustained
yield forest management bill is
now in house committee, having
passed the senate.
Only Sen. Ralph Metcalf
from Pierce county voted no."
when the senate reversed itself
and decided the people should
be allowed to vote on the pro-
posed income tax amendment
to the constitution. All other
Tacoma senators were favor
able.
The amendment. if adopted by
the legislature, would allow the
people to vote in 1910 on whether
to permit the legislature to levy an
income tax, now forbidden by the
constitution.
Roll call on the vote to allot 5
per cent of Seattle's state road
funds to relief of taxpayers in the
Aurora avenue assessment district
shows Pierce county's house men,
bers voted this way:
For the proposal. Edward Pet
tus, Hugh Rosellini. Paul Sande-
gren, z. A. Vane. Charles Tromb-
ley.
Against, DIR. w. G. Cameron,
Frank Chervenka. Gerald Dixon,
H. N jackson and Tom Mont
gomery. The plan carried, 81 to
As. All Spokane members voted
no"
All Pierce county housemen
voted yes" on the highways ap-
preparations measure.
Dixon saw the precedent set
by the Aurora vote. so. with
his tongue In his cheek. he
moved TO allot $4,000 Of
Pierce county's road "cut" to
South SSth street paving. The
speaker ruled he had lost
voice vote, hut II really sounded
rs though he won.
Every member of the senate got
a box of candy when the bill pre-
scribing public health and stan
dardization regulations to the
sweetmeats industry passed the
upper house. II was sponsored by