Washington's Fourth Legislature Adjourns After a Marathon Final Day

OLYMPIA, March 14 — Special — With many good deeds to its credit, and none had once the fourth legislature of the state of Washington let go its grip on legislation at midnight. The wheels stopped without a jar, and the end was looked forward to with pleasure by a majority of the members. The old capitol building was crowded all the evening and Gov. McGraw, Secretary of State Price and other leading men were interested spectators. The work during the day was progressive. There were few measures killed, and those that were went down quickly. The morning session of the senate began at 9:30, and with only two hours' intermission work was continued until 6 o'clock, when a recess was taken. Little followed in the way of legislation until the last gavel fell. There was the usual bustle while the houses were waiting for the last batch of bills to be enrolled for signature, and for about two hours, while the quorum waited, smoked cigars and ate sandwiches, there were scenes of mirth or rough jollity. During the day sessions there was excellent work. Conference committees were constantly at work, and without any jar fifty-three bills were passed, twenty-four in the house and twenty-nine in the senate. At the night session fifteen bills were passed by the house and fourteen by the senate. The only contest of interest during the day was the fight over the state school book bill, which resulted in a black eye being given to the big American book trust. The result was received with cheers. During the afternoon and evening there was some fight over the general appropriation bill. The committees of the house and senate were somewhat apart when they began work in the afternoon. They once agreed to disagree, and then asked for permission to sit in conference, with the right to make amendments. Even then it was slow work, and at 9 o'clock they were grinding away. The agreement was not reached until after 9 o'clock, and then there were minority and majority reports over the military appropriation. The house at 11 o'clock, by a strict party vote, adopted the majority report, which gave the military $x, and the bill was passed.

SENATE PROCEEDINGS. OLYMPIA, March 14. — Special — The senate put the house bills through today without many amendments, and with but little discussion. The only interesting measure was Ham's bill reorganizing judicial districts, when Senator Deckebach nearly scared Senator Horr out of his wits by securing the passage of an amendment to attach Thurston to Lewis county, thus bringing it under the jurisdiction of Judge Langhorne. The vote by which the amendment was adopted was afterward reconsidered, and Thurston secured its one judge. Deckebach's joke was prompted by Horr's efforts to have Lewis attached to Mason and Chehalis counties, to which Deckebach said his people objected. Pierce county, by the senate amendment, was given three, instead of two judges, the same as King. These senate bills were passed: By committee on mining — Substitute for S.B. No. 173 and H.B. No. 45, for the proper ventilation and safety of coal mines. It requires 1,000 cubic feet of air per minute for each man. By Deckebach — To make unknown owners parties to proceedings in condemnation of property for public use. Passed in the interest of the lighthouse at Westport. By Frink — Confining the sale of jute and other fabrics manufactured at the penitentiary to residents of Washington. By Frink — Providing for the appointment by the penitentiary directors of a warden for the term of four years, under a bond of $7,000, and for a clerk with a $10,000 bond. The clerk must require from the warden a daily statement of all departments and keep a set of double entry books. A full list of the bills passed by the legislature, and by the senate today, will be found on another page of this paper.

HOUSE. OLYMPIA, March 14. — Special. The most enthusiasm shown in the house this session was shown this morning when the speaker announced the passage of Hutchinson's senate bill providing for the publication by the state of the text books to be used in the public schools. The bill as passed is a direct slap at the American Book Company and other school book trusts, and its enactment into law was hailed with long and continued cheers, participated in by most of the members and several hundred persons who filled the lobby. The bill was bitterly opposed by Furse, of Kittitas, M..., and others favored it. The vote resulted in 61 yeas and 5 nays, those voting in opposition being Albertson, Close, Gandy, Hanford, Mills, Nims and J.C. Taylor. The bill provides an appropriation for the purpose of carrying out its provisions. The state printer shall publish the books, and it is claimed by the friends of the bill that 50 2-3 cents on every dollar will be saved the school children of the state in the purchase of books over the present system, compared with the present system. Representative Cline, the Populist leader, offered the following resolution in the house which was adopted by a unanimous vote: 'Be it resolved, That the thanks of the house are tendered the Hon. E.M. Morrison for the able, honest and impartial manner in which he has fulfilled the duties of speaker during the present session, and that his courtesy will remain not the least of the pleasant memories of the present session fast nearing its close.' These senate bills were passed: By Helm — To prevent stallions running at large. By J.V. Taylor — Providing weather guards for street cars. By Donahue — Appropriation for state reform school. By Metfler — Appropriations for deficiencies of state institutions. By Hutchinson — For the state to publish school books. Bill to provide for a state road through Snoqualmie pass which was reported yesterday was reconsidered today and again killed. Hatch bill to provide for a state bridewell between Seattle and Tacoma was also killed. The house tonight defeated the senate bill for the submission of the question of woman's suffrage to a vote of the people. The bill was placed on the calendar and taken up on the suspension of the rules, the suffragists committee having about it cut. Several eloquent speeches were made in its support. The vote resulted in its defeat, failing to receive the necessary two-thirds vote, and the question of woman's suffrage will be a dead letter for at least two years. Speaker Morrison, who has made a most popular presiding officer, was tonight presented with a gold watch by members of the house, representatives of the press and employees. Representative Schively made an appropriate presentation and the speaker responded with great feeling. The incident brought forth enthusiastic cheers. A full list of the bills passed by the legislature, including the bills passed by the house today, will be found on another page of this paper.