Northern Pacific turns south, extending to
Portland, Oregon, and the Great Northern turns
north to the Canadian border. The Canadian
Pacific operates trains over the Seattle and
International Railway, and thus brings the
commercial centres of the State into touch with a
third continental system.
INDUSTRIES
Year
Number of establishments
Average number wage-earners
Value of products, including custom work and repairing
Total for selected industries for State
1900
1,391
23,080
$52,769,825
1890
755
12,836
27,354,282
Increase, 1890 to 1900
......
636
10,244
$25,415,543
Per cent. of increase
......
84.2
79.8
92.9
Per cent. of total of all industries in State
1900
38.3
68.3
60.8
1890
48.9
68.7
65.5
Cars and general shop construction and repairs
by steam railroad companies
1900
16
956
$1,479,680
1890
4
342
461,561
Cheese, butter, and condensed milk, factory product
1900
60
146
1,190,239
1890
3
3
33,100
Fish, canning and preserving
1900
36
2,190
4,831,038
1890
7
316
525,000
Flouring and grist-mill products
1900
85
488
6,875,672
1890
38
170
2,460,809
Foundry and machine-shop products
1900
80
1,075
2,257,643
1890
27
515
1,347,700
Liquors, malt
1900
25
211
1,230,525
1890
13
209
1,178,306
Lumber and timber products
1900
778
15,696
30,286,280
1890
462
9,491
17,450,301
Lumber, planing-mill products,
including sash, doors, and blinds
1900
29
647
1,257,369
1890
39
839
2,030,279
Printing and publishing—total
1900
246
930
1,855,730
1890
145
780
1,678,541
Printing and publishing, book and job
1900
58
304
534,686
1890
20
118
278,477
Printing and publishing, newspapers and periodicals
1900
188
626
1,321,044
1890
125
662
1,400,064
Ship and boat building, wooden
1900
36
741
1,505,649
1890
17
171
188,685
Banks. As Washington was admitted to
Statehood long after the national banking system
was introduced, the national banks are the
older and the stronger institutions. The banking
provisions of the Constitution are very
incomplete. Yearly reports to the State Auditor
are required, but there is no punishment for
failure to comply with the rule. The banks are
sound and there were no failures even during
the panic of 1893. The number of State banks
is rapidly increasing; in 1899 there were 28
banks and in 1902 40.
The following table shows the financial
condition of the various banks in 1902:
National banks
State banks
Number
34
40
Capital
$3,430,000
$1,470,000
Surplus
947,000
29,000
Cash, etc.
3,089,000
1,623,000
Deposits
30,967,000
13,232,000
Loans
18,802,000
7,170,000
Government. The first Constitution, adopted
by a vote of the people in 1889, is still in operation.
An amendment may be proposed in either
branch of the Legislature and must receive the
approval of two-thirds of the members elected
to each House, followed by the approval
of a majority of the electors voting at a popular
election. In like manner a constitutional
convention may be called, but the Constitution
drawn up cannot be valid until adopted by the
people. The rights of suffrage are limited to
male citizens 21 or more years of age, who
have resided in the State one year, the county 90
days, and the town, ward, or precinct 30 days,
and who are of sane mind and have not been
convicted of infamous crime. The Legislature may,
however, give women the right to vote at school
elections.
Executive. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor,
Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor,
Attorney-General, Superintendent of Public
Instruction, and a Commissioner of Public Lands
are elected on the Tuesday after the first Monday
in November every four years. The Governor
may call extra sessions of the Legislature, and
exercises, under regulation, the pardoning power.
A two-thirds vote of the members present in
each House may overcome the Governor's veto,
whether of an entire bill or any part thereof.
Legislative. The minimum and maximum limits
to the number of representatives are respectively
63 and 99, and the number of Senators
cannot be more than one-half nor less than
one-third of the number of Representatives. The
former are elected for two years, the latter for
four years. Regular sessions are held biennially
and are limited in length to 60 days, the time of
meeting being subject to the control of the
Legislature. Any bill may originate in either House,
but cannot contain more than one subject.
Unless approved by a two-thirds vote of all the
members elected to each House, a bill cannot be
considered in either House unless the time of its
introduction shall have been at least ten days
before the final adjournment of the Legislature.
Members receive $5 per day and mileage.
Judiciary. The Supreme Court consists of five
judges, who are elected for six years. The number
