Eight Days, $7 Million in Requests, and a Labor Agenda Left to Die

Olympia, March 2. — The legislature has now been in session seven weeks, but, aside from the passage of the anti-racetrack gambling bill and the woman suffrage bill, little or no legislation of great importance to the state at large has been enacted. The session will close March 11, so but eight working days remain. Much may be accomplished during the remaining days of the session, however, if both houses get down to systematic, business-like methods and cut out the oratory.

It is very evident that considerable pruning will be necessary to bring the appropriations within the estimated revenues of the state. Appropriations and estimated needs of state institutions and departments aggregate more than $7,000,000, while the estimated revenues will aggregate about $4,300,000. Of the total of $7,000,000 asked for, $6,250,000 is for state departments and institutions, the rest being miscellaneous appropriations, including numerous relief bills, an appropriation of $125,000 for the purchase of the bridge across the Columbia river at Wenatchee, and appropriations for the protection of game, regulation of dairies, inspection of steamers, erection of monuments to famous men, survey of logged-off lands and a large variety of other matters.

Two institutions likely to feel the knife are the State University and State College. The University presented estimates of needs aggregating $700,000, but it is thought this will be cut down by the appropriations committees to $400,000. The State College wants $300,000, but will not get more than $200,000.

Many Liquor Bills. Judging from the number of bills introduced, the present session will not lack material upon which to base discussion of almost every phase of the liquor question, for more than 30 bills dealing with the sale of intoxicating liquors have been introduced. These range from prohibiting treating to prohibiting saloons within certain distances of military reservations. One bill adapted from the Iowa mulct law and the Massachusetts law will prohibit the shades at saloon windows, the use of chairs or tables and provide regulations for entrances, and prohibit pool and billiard tables. Another bill prohibits the advertising of spirituous or malt liquors.

The local option issue will be forced to the front this week, and it is very probable that some sort of compromise measure will be passed. Nichols' local option bill, which passed the senate, has been reported out by the house public morals committee. The majority report recommends substitution of a new bill. The principal difference is that the substitute puts fourth-class cities in the county unit, while the Nichols bill would put them in separate units.

To Rush Criminal Code. The criminal code commission is displaying unusual energy in rushing through its bill. The code has come out of the senate judiciary committee as a committee bill relating to crimes, taking the number of senate bill 300. Chairman Graves, of the judiciary committee, and Chairman Vander Veer, of the code commission, express the utmost confidence in their ability to pass the bill through the senate, although doubtful of the action of the house. There is a strong feeling in the house that the wisest course would be to postpone action for two years so that its features might be studied.

Deaf Ear to Muckrake Call. Reporting that allegations of serious misconduct in the office of the insurance commissioner were being made in the press, a resolution was introduced in the house providing for a legislative committee to report to the next session. Investigation was defeated by a margin of three votes, the resolution being indefinitely postponed after those who opposed it declared that the state should not go into the muckraking business on account of mere rumors.

Solons Visit Exposition Grounds. One of the last official acts of the session will be a visit to Seattle as guests of the state Alaska-Yukon-Pacific commission. Saturday, March 6, the members will, with their families, be taken to the Seattle fair grounds, shown over the new buildings, and a lasting interest in the success of the first great Washington fair will be aroused.

Frown on Labor Bills. It seems likely that only one or two minor bills out of 13 presented to the legislature, recognized as labor bills, will be able to run the gamut of opposition. Employers' liability bills, eight-hour bills for the benefit of women in laundries and restaurants, safety laws for the regulation of railroads and factories, strict regulation of mines — all this character of legislation is being sidetracked. At the same time labor's friends will likely be able to kill a bill introduced by Senator Graves giving employers the right to contract with workmen as to the amount of damages to be recovered in case of death or injury. The bill provides that a workman should be paid no less than $3,000 in case of death by accident, and that $1,500 should be the limit in case of injury. This was the first contract law ever presented to the Washington legislature, and it has aroused considerable opposition.

Keep State Credit Good. In spite of attacks by house members and the claim that it was a gigantic steal from the state, the senate bill providing for the issuance of $208,000 in state bonds to take up illegal normal school warrants issued in 1895 passed the house. The original principal of the warrants was about $106,000, but the interest has practically doubled the obligation of the state, which is a moral and not a legal one.

Senate Passes Fruit Bill. A bill providing for state regulation of horticulture and sale of fruit passed the senate after much wrangling. It provides for a state commissioner at $2,500, with authority to name deputies in 13 districts at $1,500 each, to have supervision of horticulture, eradication of pests and inspection of fruits. Kennewick was decided upon as the commissioner's office.

To Protect Travelers. The act indorsed by the Commercial Travelers' and the Hotelkeepers' associations, regulating hotels and lodging-houses, has passed both branches. It requires fire escapes on hotels of more than two stories, ropes in rooms of hotels of less than three stories, bedding of the present standard size, and numerous sanitary regulations. An attempt in the house to increase the size of sheets to nine feet failed.

Compromise Local Tax Bill. The senate passed a bill providing for assessing railroad terminal property in the county where it is found — wharves, docks, sheds, elevators, station houses, depots, roundhouses, machine shops and other buildings, together with the land upon which they stand, to be taxed in the county in which they are located.

Capital to Remain in Olympia. A bill providing for the erection of a million-dollar statehouse, the sale of the federal land grant made to fund it, and a commission to superintend the expenditure passed the house. Favorable action of the senate and governor is anticipated, with no serious opposition known.

Can Fix Telegraph Tolls. The senate gave its approval to the bill greatly enlarging the scope of the railway commission's power, giving it as broad rate-making and rate-enforcing powers as the legislature may delegate.

House Passes Several Bills. The house approved a senate bill increasing the number of judges from seven to nine and dividing the court into two divisions; a bill permitting large counties to be divided into judicial districts and allowing superior judges to hold court outside the county seats; a bill requiring every place where drugs are sold to be deemed a pharmacy under a licensed pharmacist; and the new military code bill placing the Washington National Guard under the same rules as the United States army.