The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-11-27

Tuesday, Nov. "a. 1877.
MIGHT HAVE BEEN EX-
PECTED.

An up-Sound journal accuses The
President Of snubbing the Governor by
10 call an extra session Of the
IsG;slature. We don't think %, At all.
We give the President credi. for little
common sense. The records Of the two
Houses snow that while tho Council in
troducsd and passed seven memorials to
Congress, the House passed twenty
Now. any man who knows anything
about Legislation. knows that memorials
to Congress are not transmitted to Con.
gress more than one time in a dozen.
So we'll aware of this fast was Hon. ].
j. NcGilvrs, that before he started for
Washington Oh his mission concerning
public lands in th;s county, be procured
. certified copy Of Council Memorial
No. !. which passed both Houses. know
ing that Il would not got there till
afacr adjournment. BY the usual chan.
mel
President Hayes probably consulted
sonsbody concerning the matter, and
iound out that the Legislature were
passing memorials for fog whistles and
such aspdoodle, while bills Of the
utmost importance--involving the COL
lection Of revenue and other measures
vital to the Territorial government.
were slumbsring in Committees or
lying in the Clerks desk. On the very
day that Governor Ferry telegraphed
on that the utmost necessity for sn
extra ssssion existed. the House passed
resolutions deploring the death of
senator Norton and sulogizing the
Administration Of President Hayes.
This did not look much as If the Lcgis.
la.urs had any important work to per-
form; 20 we don't blame the President
tor refusing to call the extra session.
Tho dilstory action Of the I.egisls.
ture is largely attributable to . rule Of
the two Houses. which entails a great
deal Of Unnecessary work. We sllud-
to tho rule requiring every bill which
passes, to be first signed by the
Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tivss. whsthe. it originates there or not
In our opinion, this rule cost the Coun-
ell five days delay and the House eight,
out Of tbs forty. Tho only thing it
does, is to make three messages Oh
every Council bill. which makes just So
much extre work for the public printer;
nor Is it any additional safeguard
against fraud in legislation.
The proper way is TO have each bill
signed by the presiding officer Of the
house where il originates, which is sui
ficlent guarantee Of ito authenticity to
the presiding officer Of the oslier house
This should be notified by a clerks
message aud that should be the only
transmitted on that subject
Tho bill after signature should be re-
turned TO the Chairman Of the Commit
tee on Enrolment. who should present
Il to the presiding officer of the other
branch. Ho should, after receiving it,
signature. carry il to tho Governor and
then return 10 his ssst and make the
following report:
"Nr. Speaker Tor Precedent Your
Committee on Enrollments would re-
specially report that C. 3. Tor n. B J
An Act ete. (here give tho title Of the
billy having bean first signed BY your
solf. WAS signed by the President (or
Spsskcr) in presence OF your Conuits~e
and waa b. your Conaistee haadsss
to the Governor for his approval a ~
ject,eu."
This 10 tia custom In vogue IN the
California Legislature for the PIT sis-
teen ysars. and has always worked veil.
Introduce Il here and il will be equiva.
lent to extending the Legislative 49,
sions 70 afey day., but Il woat hs
quite = good . thing Tor the psblie
printer. who nos. in pablisning The jour.
nah, pehlhhes ous urssAse from tn
Coancil that osstain bills. properly en-.
rolled, await the Speakers signature; .
second ffpm tbs unuso thos tho 0peok-
q ~ ignsd such billss and = third one.
to tha clBpt that the President hes
signeo No.. b this rule extra sesaions
viii Be unnecso1asy.