King County Lawmakers Want to Cut the Budget—and Railroad Rates

Members of the King County delegation to the coming session of the legislature are agreed on the necessity of economy and retrenchment. Interviews with the representatives show that they favor abolishing useless commissions, reducing railroad rates, appointing a state grain inspector, and amending the road laws.

Frank Hanford, representative from the Forty-first district, believes firmly in the abolition of all useless commissions and in amending the revenue laws, but not below the point of efficiency. “One particular amendment in our revenue laws,” said Mr. Hanford, “should be the abolition of the one-mill road tax assessed in the cities for the benefit of country roads. The cities build their own roads and streets and assist the counties in which they are located to that extent. This is not right. There is no question about the necessity for a new road law. We cannot have roads under any present law. I favor some such plan as is in vogue in New Jersey, a system of districts and issuance of district bonds for road construction.”

On deficiency judgments on mortgages, Hanford said he opposed anything tending to impair the credit of the borrowing party. “If we should make such a law as is talked of in this respect for future mortgages, people with money would refuse to loan it. The proposal eliminates personal responsibility of the borrower and makes the property entirely responsible for the loan, when the loan was secured and the land mortgaged as a guaranty that the loan would be paid.” He believed state grain inspection to be a good idea, especially for farmers east of the mountains. He also called for amending corporation laws so that all corporations would show their assets and liabilities.

Fred A. Wing, representative from the Forty-first district, favored reduction of state expenses wherever it could be done without interfering with the proper management of state affairs. He thought there should be one state commission appointed to transact all business now done by the various commissions. He favored a 5 per cent penalty and a just rate of interest—say 10 per cent—on delinquent taxes, and a law on deficiency judgments that would be just both to borrower and lender. He believed competition should regulate railroad rates and that a state grain inspector, following the Eastern system of fixed grades, would prevent shippers and buyers from taking advantage of the grower.

Representative George R. Kittinger, of the Fortieth district, urged road laws similar to New Jersey’s, one state road across the mountains, and a change in the assessment system. He said the state militia was too cumbersome and election laws should be changed to prevent a dozen or more tickets from being placed in the field. He favored a half-cent-per-ton-per-mile rate on grain from Eastern Washington to the Sound ports and a passenger rate of not more than 3 cents a mile. “The present rates the people are paying in the Eastern Washington local tariff are simply outrageous,” he said, noting that Spokane alone paid a $6,000,000 freight bill to the railroads running into that city. He would abolish the municipal court, making a saving of $10,000 a year, and place its duties on the justices of the peace. He also called for a state grain inspector, a milk inspector, and a state chemist.

Albert Burrows, of the Forty-third district, said: “We ought to curtail the state expenditures and I am in favor of doing so wherever possible without injury to the best interests of the state. ... I favor the abolition of all useless commissions.” He wanted a state road across Snoqualmie Pass and a law providing for the appraisement of all property so that it could not be sold for less than two-thirds of its appraised value. He favored reducing the interest on delinquent taxes to the legal rate, a 7 per cent penalty, and an 8 per cent interest rate. He also favored free textbooks and compulsory school attendance.

Mr. Pusey, presenting the twenty-ninth senatorial district, said he would favor legislation reducing state expenses where it could be done without detriment. He favored the abolition of commissions whose work could be done equally well by some other agency, especially in the state schools. He did not favor reducing the penalty on delinquent taxes below 10 per cent. On railroad rates he said: “I favor reduction of rates, but there are several things to consider. It is evident exorbitant rates have been charged on some roads, but the earning capacity and various other things must be considered in laws compelling fixed rates. Competition as far as possible ought to be permitted to regulate rates.” He thought a grain inspector could do no harm and that an official grade for Washington wheat would give buyer and seller a basis for agreement.