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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1905)
THE MORNING OKEGUJNlAjN, WKD-NISSDAY, FJSJBKUAKr 8, littg. RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL IN HANDS OF THE POLISHER RATE POWER DENIED DIRECT PRIMARIES BILL NTRODUCED IN BOTH HOUSES OF WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE. Remodeling of the Ponderous Bill a Serious Task, Cities of Third and Fourth Classes and Other Exemptions Are Provided For. t f ; THREE PROMINENT STATE SENATORS OF THE WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE, SKETCHED BY HARRY MURPHY OPPOSITION IS NOT MARKED Washington Railroad Men Seem Fairly Well SatlsfiedWith Changes Made by House Committee Division of Opinion. OLYMPIA, "Wash.. Feb. 7. (Staff Corre spondence.) The subcommittee of the House, In -whose hands the Railroad Com mission bill has been undergoing a trans formation for the past week, have prac tically completed their labors, and the measure Is now In the hands of the Attorney-General, who is polishing off the rough edges and putting: the legal veneering on the measure. The subcommittee, unless something happens in the meantime, will report it back to the Joint railroad committee Thursday. The action of that commit tee on the report of the subcommittee will determine whether the trouble will be settled this week or not. jit is re garded as a certainty that there will come from the subcommittee both a minority and a majority report, and the discussion of these reports will probably reveal a difference of opinion among other members of the commit tee. The bill will then be brought before the House, where it will be taken up probably in committee of the whole. The duration of the fight will depend entirely upon the size of the majority that can be mustered for the amended bill, which Is due Thursday from the subcommittee. It is known that this bill will not suit some of the members who were strongly in favor of the Ken nedy bill, as originally drawn, but It is not yet certain that the number of these ultra-commission men will be sufficient to cause any delay in either house. Many Changes Are Necessary. The bill is a ponderous affair of more than 7000 words, and the work of re modelling It has been a task that has occupied all of the spare time of the committee for the past week. The third section of the bill, which con ferred on the Commission power to make rates, has entirely lost its Iden tity since It reached the hands of the .subcommittee, and in drder to make the rest of the bill conform to the changes made In this section, scores of changes were necessary throughout, while the radical hange In the third section practically eliminates all of the provisions which would confer great political power on the Commissioners. Harry Falrchlld, who framed the bill. Is still regarded as certain of the ap pointment as chairman of the commis sion. There is considerable speculation as to who his associates will be, but it is rumored that one of them will be T. D. Rockwell, a Spokane politician with rather pronounced commission tenden cies, and the other may be F. B. Heustls, of Olympla. Instead of one or the other of the two latter named, an Eastern "Washington farmer may be named, but the Governor has not yet made public his Intentions regarding any of the appoint ments. By virtue of a greater population, the west side of the mountains will prob ably secure two of the commissioners, although it has always been and still is a matter of Indifference to any but the politicians on the west side, whether or not there is a Railroad Commission bill passed. The railroads have a smaller lobby here than ever before, and are making no serious protest against the passage of such a bill as it is reported will come from the subcommittee Thurs day. Burden of Proof on Railroads. The bill will place the burden of proof on them when the question of discrimi nation arises, and while the commission will have no power to take the Initiative in making rates, in case of a dispute they will have power to make and en force the new rate. Beyond this It Is hardly probable that the proposed bill can go. Perhaps the most noticeable feature In connection with the efforts of the com mission men this session Is the almost utter lack of organization compared with the strong line-up and solid front dis played two years, ago. This is due to the difference of opinion among them selve regarding the degree of stringency necessary in the bill. "When It was learned that It would be impossible to pass a bill that would cure all of the ills to which flesh is heir, the members from east of the mountains be gan receiving letters from their constitu ents urging them to hold out for a bill conferring rate-making powers on the commission. Pressure of this kind was so strong from some districts that the members went home after the bill was introduced and quieted the clamor with a personal explanation of the situation. It is pretty definitely settled that the bill will not suit all classes or degrees of railroad commission men, and Instead of putting up a united front for some special degree of legislation on these lines, they are split up Into a number of different groups. The southeast combine, which were pledged to vote as .a unit on the commission matter. Is the largest branch of the commission forces, but even In that camp there Is a wide difference of opinion as to how drastic the measure should be. This lack of unison has made it easier for the opposition to secure recognition. and any measure that gets past both houses will not be very harmful to the railroads. The capital-removal bill was received In the House from the Senate today and re ferred to the Judiciary committee, and as soon as It is reported will be hustled through the House as rapidly as possible There were no new developments in the content today, but the Olympians are still fighting with all of the force they can command. e. w. "W. BANKING BILL MAY BE PASSED Committee Replaces Section Cut Out by the House. OLYMPIA, Wash., Feb. 7. (Special.) The foreign banking bill, which the House amended by cutting out the sec tion prohibiting the receiving of de posits by newly organized branch for eign banks and. then referred back to the committee, will be reported back to the House with the amended section replaced in the bill with the recom mendation that it pass. The committee has decided to rec ommend the passage of the House bill requiring banks to report to the Sec retary of State annually all deposits of over $25 that have been idle for ten years. The House committee on revenue and taxation has decided to report for pass age Falconer's bill embodying the rec ommendations of Governor Mead rela tive to payment of tne state's 10 per cent of the liquor licenses. The bill provides that liquor licenses shall not be valid until the Indorsement of the State Treasurer that the state's share is paid appears thereon. A bill has been presented to the Senate Judiciary committee with the request that It be introduced as a com mittee bill, v which repeals the direct tax feature of the inheritance tax law, leaving only a state Inheritance tax against property left to collateral heirs. The bill Is said to have been prepared by attorneys for some of the larger estates now being administered. The committee took the bill under consid eration. The joint subcommittee on printing, which was appointed to recommend a bill providing for all state printing, will submit its report to the joint com mittee tomorrow. The subcommittee has prepared a bill which follows the general plan of the Oregon law. It provides for the appointment by the Governor of a State Printer and classi fies all printing and fixes a schedule of prices that the State Printer shall receive for the work. The State Printer Is to print all mat ter except the Supreme Court reports. Each department Is to have a special printing appropriation which will limit it to the expenditure of the amount required for its benefit. The committee considered the ques tion of recommending the purchase of a state plant and the appointment of a state foreman, after the California law, and while leaning toward the plan outlined above, it will report to the main committee that It Is not opposed to, -the California plan. At the present time there Is no law governing state printing. Each depart ment is provided with an appropriation and issues Its printing to the best pos sible advantage. Four bills in which the State Federa tion of Labor has been taking active Interest were up before the House com mittee on labor tonight and on each the committee will submit a divided re port, the majority favoring indefinite postponement. Five of the 15 members favor the bills. The bills are: The Twltchell bill, requiring the licensing of stationary engineers; the Lyons bill, regulating the conduct of sawmill mess or boarding-houses; the Huxtable bill, defining fellow servants, and the Dob son bill, requiring employers to pay their employes semi-monthly n cash. Christian's "high finance" bill, which has passed the Senate, was" before the Judiciary committee of the House to night. The bill permits one corpora tion to own stock in another. Judge J. I Stiles, of Tacoma, formerly on the state supreme bench, delivered a long address In opposition to the bill, and Thomas B. Hardin, of Seattle, Sen ator Welsh and Senator Christian spoke in its favor. Stiles declared that such a law would be conducive to the organ ization of mergers and trusts. The committee decided to recommend the bill for passage. Lumbermen Meet at Spokane. SPOKANE, Feb. 7. The "Western Re tail Lumbermen's' Association is holding Its annual convention here. About 100 members, representing 55 firms, are here from "Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Utah has applied for admis sion. The convention will last three days Tuesday. "Wednesday and Thurs day. The meetings are behind closed doors. The Hoohoos, a social order, made up of lumbermen, will give a banquet and initiate 45 new members tomorrow night. Fell in Pit and Drowned. VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. Feb. 7. A man named Munster. who was employed by the Conroy Mining Company at Ruby, fell off a scow at the Gordon Dredge to day and was drowned In the- pit which the dredge was excavating. LIABILITY BILL IS SLAIN HOUSE PUTS QUIETUS ON MEAS URE PASSED BY SENATE. Amount Recoverable in Action on Death by Wrongful Act of An other Was Put at $5000. OLYMPIA. "Wash., Feb. 7. (Special.) The Senate general liability bill, which passed the upper branch of the Legisla ture last week, met swift death In the House this morning. The bill came In 'from the Judiciary committee with a. recommendation that It be indefinitely' postponed. A motion was made to adopt the report, and the motion received a full chorus of ayes and no opposing votes. The bill limits to 55000 the amount re coverable In actions for the death of a person due to the wrongful act of another. It was Introduced by "Welsh In the Senate and found no serious opposition In that body. There are numerous other bills SENATOR ftUTH DEFENDING OLYMPIAN FIRESIDES AGAINST CAPITAL MOVERS fixing the excess liability at $3000. but the other measures affect only employes. The State Federation of Labor Is vig orously opposing the enactment of any limit on employers' liability In the event of death to an employe, and has asked that if any bill is passed on the subject it be a general act. covering all cases. The Firemen's Relief Association and pensioning bill created a warm debate In the House just before the noon recess. The bill was up on second reading, and Roth attempted to secure the adoption of amendments which would levy an addi tional excise tax of 1 per cent on Insur ance premiums for the. purpose of keeping up the firemen's relief fund. The bill as It stands takes half of the amount real ized m each Incorporated city from the present excise tax of 2 per cent. AH the tax now goes to the general fund. It was contended by Roth and L. A. Johnson that the bill provided In effect for an appropriation from the general fund. During the discussion Roth Inter posed a motion Indefinitely to postpone. It was lost. 35 to 3. and recess was taken. In the afternoon the House convened with Roth not In his seat, and his amend ment was taken up and defeated. Later Roth declared on the floor of the House that he had been detained by a fisheries committee meeting, and ln an Indignant voice Insisted that the House had treated him discourteously. He then proposed the Senate amendments to the Senate bill, and demanded a rollcall. The Speaker ruled that the request must come from 15 mem bers, but only 11 responded, and rollcall was refused. The amendments were de feated by viva voce vote. The bill went over to third reading without further ac tion. In consideration of the Falconer state depository bill, Vilas of King tried to se cure an amendment relieving the bill of some of Its more radical features. He proposed to allow the State Depository Board to keep a sum of money In each bank equal to the capital stock and one half the surplus. The bill permits only an amount equal to the capital. Falconer contended that the amendment would kill the object of the bill by enabling the few big banks to secure a monopoly of the funds. The amendment was defeated. The House indefinitely postponed the House substitute bill regulating plumbing In cities of the first class. The bill was sent to the House with a divided com mittee report, the majority favoring In definite postponement. The minority re port that the bill pass was voted down. 26 to 20. The House also Indefinitely post poned the House bills providing for build ing ordinances In first-class cities; pro hibiting the remarriage of persons di vorced on account of Insanity; making - 4 employment of others than certified ex pert accountants unlawful in expertlng public accounts. The Senate bill which removes the 50- year limit on life Insurance companies organized in this state was taken up un der suspension of the rules and passed. ayes 71, noes 1; absent, 15. The bill Can nes an emergency clause. The House also passed the Senate bill fixing the bonds of guardians at double the probable Issues of the estate and the House bill requiring the consent of the Board of Regents to the sale by the Land Commissioner of agricultural college lands. The Senate passed the Stansell bill which creates a judicial district In Ste vens and Ferry Counties. The effect of the bill If finally enacted will be to put Judge R- S. Stelner in Okanogan, Chelan and Douglas Counties; relieve Judge Poin dexter of his Stevens County work, and allow Ferry and Stevens to elect a new Judge. The divided committee report over the Senate bill locating a school for defective youth at Steilacoom had just started a debate In the Senate when Baker secured Its recommitment to the 'appropriations committee. The bill carries an appro priation of $52,000 and there is little oppo sition to a division of the school, so that the feebleminded will not be classed with the blind and deaf, but there Is a fight over tne location of the new school. Med leal Lake presenting strong claims for it. as wen as steilacoom. The Senate passed Clapp's bin rcgulat Ing tne Incorporation of associations, so cletles and clubs; LIndsley's House bill relating to witness fees in civil actions. ana several small relief bills. Senators Veness and Rasher have been appointed on the committee to visit tho Reform School to Investigate the neces slty for the purchase of additional lands. IDAHO IS GROWING VERY FAST Present Laws and Capacity of Stafe Capitol Insufficient. BOISE, Idaho. Feb. 7. (Special.) Two predicaments In which the state finds itself placed by reason of Its rapid growth came to the front today In the proceed ings of the Legislature. One was raised In a special message from Governor Gooding to the Legislature asking for a constitutional amendment to enable the state to raise more money for state pur poses when the assessed valuation shall have reached $100,000,000. Under the constitution a levy of 5 mills can be made until the valuation reaches the figure named, but thereafter it must be limited to 3 mills. The valuation Is now about $70,000,000, and It Is estimated by the Auditor that the expenses of the state during the next two years will be $740,000. The expenses cannot decrease but must Increase, while in a few years. when the valuation passes beyond $100, 000,000. the state can collect no more than $600,000 in two yeare by general taxation The Governor In his message called attention to this condition and asked that an amendment to the constitution be submitted by this Legislature. The other trouble Is the capacity of the Capitol building. It has been Insufficient for some years and provision for more room has become Imperative. Today the problem appeared In the House in the form of a bill by the state affairs com mlttee authorizing the construction of i new building to cost $330,000. It Is pro posed to acquire an adjoining block ana erect the new building In the middle of the two facing Seventh street. The plan Is to build In sections, using tho old struc ture and the sections of the new as they are finished. There is $66,000 In the Capitol building fund, and the board is authorized to Issue $100,000 in bonds for immediate work if they do not think it wise to dis pose of capltol lands at this time. House Bills Postponed by Senate. SALEM. Or.. Feb. 7. (Special.) The following House bills were indefinitely postponed in the Senate: H. B. 61. by Mcars To authorize certain corporations to act as administrators. H. C, R.. 28. by Linthlcura For Joint committee to Investigate bridge across "WI1 lamette River near Milwaukle. H. C R. 27. by Smith of Josephine That name of Mount McLoughlln be restored to Mount Pitt, referred. The following resolution was adopted by the Senate: S. -J. It. 9, by Rands Fixing adjournment on February 17. and expressing confidence In Senator Mitchell; adopted on suspension of rules. Pumping. Water Out of Mine. MAR SHFIELD, Or., Feb. 7. The work of removing the water from the Beaver Hill coal mine Is about com pleted and the mine Is daily turning out more coal than ever before. Tho water was pumped into the mine dur Ing- the recent fire. OLYMPIA. Wash., Feb. 7. (Special.) A direct primary law was introduced by Russell In the Senate and Todd in the House today. It exempts from Its opera tions cities of the third and fourth classes and school, dike and Irrigation districts; fixes the second Tuesday in September as the date for state primaries. It provides that candidates at primaries must be brought out by petition, as follows: For state offices and United States Sen ate, 1 per cent of the total party vote in the state located In at least six counties; Congress, 2 per cent of the vote in the district, the signers to reside in at least one-tenth of the precincts in one-halt the counties in the district; lesser offices, by at least 5 per cent of the party vote in the district In at least one-third of tho precincts thereof. It requires that the polls be open from 12 to 8 P. M. The compulsory pilotage bill, opposition to which brought a number of 'the leading shipping men of the Sound to the Legis lature, was taken up by the House com mittee on commerce this afternoon, and on motion of Representative Huston it was decided to report the bill back to the House with a recommendation for Indefi nite postponement. Dyke, author of the bill, and Booth, op posed the motion. The shipping men present were not called upon to .discuss the bill, as the sentiment of the commit tee was so plainly against the measure. The principal speech against the bill was made by "William Bishop, of Jefferson. He recited the fact that a strong- effect is being' made to induce Congress to give aid to American ship ping and that in this connection the argument is being made that Puget Sound Is, an open port, free from navi gation dangers. He declared the pass age of the pilotage bill would nullify the effect of the state s contention be fore Congress. A delegation of cannery and fishtrap men from Puget Sound appeared before the fisheries committee of the House this afternoon to urge favorable action upon a bill designating a close season. The close season as desired by the rep resentatives of the fishing Industry- present affects the taking only of sock eyes. They want a six weeks' prohib itory season between July 10 and Aug ust 20 In the "off years." They suggest that the closed season be tried dur ing two "off years," 106 and 1903. A bill embracing the features asked will be presented by the committee. Among the fisheries men here are: Carl A. Sutter, of the Fidelgo Island Canning Company; R. E. Davis, Porter Fish Company; E. B. Demlng, Pacific American Fisheries & Northern Fish eries' Company; D. Campbell, Puget Sound & Astoria Packing Company; A. E. "Woolard, Apex Packing Company; J. A. Kerr, Pacific Packing & Naviga tion Company. Commission Bill in Montana. HELENA, Mont., Feb. 7. The Senate this afternoon passed the Brenner rail road commission bill, which Is patterned after the Minnesota railroad commlslson law. The Governor. Secretary of State and E. "W. King are named as commis sioners. The bill provides for an elective com mission of three members to be chosen at the next general election. In the mean time the first commission is to be ap pointive. The commission has power to fix traffic rates, but the railroad compa nies affected may go Into the courts to protest against any acts of the commis sion that may be regarded as unjust. The bill provides that no rebates shall be given by the railroad companies, and that there shall be no preferences or dis criminations in rates to the disadvantage of any person, firm or corporation. The bill also forbids the combination or pool ing of interests of different roads. Crushed Under Load of Lumber. EUGENE, Or., Feb. 7. (Special.)- Tester "Wilcox, an emDloye of the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company, was In stantly killed yesterday at the UQDurg mill by being crushed under a car of lumber. He and other men were taking the car from the dry kiln when "Wilcox fell and was crushed beneath tho car. He was 26 years of age and leaves a wife and one child. AFTER GRIPPE Or Any Severe Sickness Our Drug gists, Woodard, Clarke & Co., Ad vise Portland People to Take Vinoi. Every Person Recovering From a Se vere Illness May Be Quickly Re stored to Health and Strength by Vinoi. Mrs. G. I. Partridge, of Franklin, Mass., who recently celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary, writes: "The grippe left me In a very weak ened condition no appetite, thin, nervous and no vitality. Nothing seemed to help me until a friend brought me a bottle of your Vlnol. I commenced to take It, and It gave me a hearty appetite, my health MRS. G. I. PARTRIDGE. and strength returned until I feel like a new creature. I consider "Vinoi a wonder ful medicine for any. one who has had a severe sickness; It makes strength and vi tality so fast." "We have never sold In our store such a valuable strength creator and health restorer for the convalescent as Vlnol. This Is because "Vlnol contains in a con centrated form all of the vital principles of cod liver oil, but without a drop of oil to upset the stomach and retard Its work. Vlnol purifies and enriches the blood, tones up the digestive organs, and strengthens every organ of the body to do Its work as nature Intended. "We ask every person in Portland who has been ill to try Vlnol on our guarantee to build them up and make them well and strong. "We return money if It " fails. "Woodard, Clarke & Co. lruggiats. A