Lawmakers Faced a $350,000 Deficit—and Made Officials Pay Personally

Olympia, March 2.—Special.—The passage of Ide's bill making the state officer, superintendent, manager or director of state institutions or member of commission, who incurs any liability in excess of the amount of money appropriated by the legislature, personally responsible for such excess amount and making it a misdemeanor to create such deficit, shows the temper of the legislature on such matters. The full force of the bill was felt, as it went before both houses at a time when the members had before them a deficit of $350,000 for the past two years to be settled. In the upper house there was only one negative vote. In the lower house it passed unanimously. The bill now goes to the governor, and Senator Ide believes will be approved unless there is some legal reason why it should not. But its passage was in time to have it returned to the legislature before adjournment, should the governor not sign it, and there would undoubtedly be a pretty fight in an attempt to pass it over the veto. There is little prospect of such a contest, however.