The 1909 Legislature Went Home With a $10 Million Tab and an Unfinished Scandal

Olympia — The eleventh session of the legislature was remarkable for the number of voluminous bills passed, the notable long ones being the school, criminal, horticultural, life insurance and military codes.

It is worthy of note that this legislature established a precedent by keeping within its original appropriation for legislative expenses, although the lawmakers will undoubtedly come in for considerable criticism owing to the liberal appropriations.

The aggregate appropriations exceed those of all previous sessions, provision having been made for the expenditure of approximately $10,000,000. A considerable proportion of this total, however, is to be made up by the disposal of land resources of the state and the issuance of bonds.

While there were many clashes among members over the passage of various bills, the chief fight of the session was over the problem of local option, and this question brought about considerable bitterness among members.

This session experienced the novel sensation of electing a United States senator without a long, bitter fight.

The closing hours of the session witnessed a spirited fight over a resolution to investigate the alleged malfeasance in the insurance commissioner's office. The attempt to secure an investigation of the insurance department, which was waged unsuccessfully during the early days of the session, on the last day was won largely through the efforts of Acting-Governor Hay, who threatened to call an extra session in case no attempt was made to clear up the insurance scandal.

The resolution as introduced in the house applied only to the offices of secretary of state and insurance commissioner, but was amended so that the names of no offices or officers were mentioned. The situation was peculiar. The house refused to adopt the original resolution because it was not general in form, while the senate refused to adopt the amended resolution because it was not specific. Apparently the house was opposed to any investigation, but in the face of a brief message from the acting-governor receded from its position and the result was the adoption of a resolution providing for the appointment of a committee with general power to investigate any state office.

The committee named to conduct the inquiry is composed of Senators Allen and Fishback and Representatives Hubbell, McMasters and Taylor. This committee must finish its investigations by July 12.

Among the laws passed of real importance to the state at large may be mentioned:

A new criminal code prepared by prosecuting attorneys which upsets the previous theory of giving all doubt to defendants and strengthens prosecuting attorneys' authority.

A new horticultural code; a new educational code changing many of the school laws of the state; an anti-racetrack gambling bill prohibiting poolselling and bookmaking at race tracks.

Appropriating $595,000 for state aid of roads in which state and county join and $650,000 for roads built by the state alone, and increasing the tax levy for road purposes to one mill.

A local option law that means units of cities of the first, second, third and fourth classes; and provides for calling one special election this year upon petition of 30 percent of the voters.

Giving the railroad commission jurisdiction over telegraph and telephone lines; over wheat and hay inspection; provided in future that railroads must get permission from the railroad commission for crossing highways at grade, and also a bill that permits consolidation of subsidiary companies.

Submitting the question of equal suffrage to vote at the next general election.

Amending the direct primary act to provide for convention nominations of supreme court judges and requiring that each voter shall give his party affiliations when registering and be entitled to only his party ticket at the primary polls.