Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-29
The Argus SraEcgOat.

The Port Town send .hy"< takes
for its subject the tfui,m TIL,
world is governed too much. TO be
rate certain members of the last As
semblv ana Gov. Newell. for The
many inaccuracies in the laws of the
session. Had the writer not been
50 personal in fixing the blame,
probably his structures would have
had NOE weight. Bat as he is SO
explicit "a To m-nti, II the name of
prominent Democrat III each House
and the Governor, to serve as scape-
goats. it may he we'll TO inquire if he
is not using colored spectacles in the
hope of making some discovery
which Will constitute party capital
IN the canvass soon to ensue.
1t is not our intention to paliate
or excuse the many plumbers of the
last Legislature, but we may truth
fully remark that they are owing
more to the haste in which large
proportion of the bills were acted
upon at the close of the session,
than to the stupidity or incapaciry
of the members. The fact is, so
much time was taken up in junket-
ing expeditions during the first half
OF the session, and disposition to
postpone consideration of lengthy
bills until after the members had re-
covered from their swing around
the circle" that an immense amount
of labor was crammed into the few
remaining days after the Legislature
had settled down to active work.
The absence of Speaker Ferguson a
week or more after his ten days
leave of absence had expired, like
wise infinitely retarded the course of
legislation, and fifty or more bills
awaited his signature, when he re.
turned just in time to avert action
for declaring the Office of presiding
officer vacant. All these bills were,
of course, signed by him without
thorough knowledge of their con.
tents, and so anxious was he to
make up for lost time, that he per-
mitted several important vo'uminous
laws to pass to final vote without
reading, except by title, in utter dis
regard of the rules of the House,
and nil Legislative precedent. Is it
surprising that, under such a state
of circumstances, the work was inn
perfectly done? Is il at all remark
able. that the legislation, SO far at
least as the House was concerned,
should be crude and imperfect
The Council, with two or three
exceptions, was composed of men of
but little legislative experience and
the President was probably the
poorest qualified of either of its
Members for that position. In fact
the whole organization of the Assem-
bly, was Republican with Repub-
lican Executive), and anybody at all |
conversant with law-making knows
that quite as much depends upon
the officers as the members for that |
dispatch of business which keeps
the machinery moving with preci-
sion and accuracy. 1t is not enough |
that competent men ara placed at
the heads of committees, unless they
are given reasonable time to per-
form the duties devolving upon
them.
1t is thought that much of the |
fault-finding, however, originates
from q desire to hold another ses-
sion of the Legislature in December
OF tho present year, a memorial hav-
ing passed the Assembly praying an
act of Congress for authority to
make the change. This would, of
course, give another opportunity for
the small-fry politicians to get pull
at the public purse before the adj
ministration of affairs passes into the
hands OF their political opponents.
But this means of relief can only be
advanced On the srpposition that
the next Legislature will be an i'm.
prOvement on the last, and it must
be admitted that under present con-
troll the chances are so evenly bal.
anced it seems to be an expedient of
very doubtful propriety.
The following officers of the Grand
Lodge OF knights of Pythias we've
elected and installed Wednesday
evening at Tacoma: Past Chancel-
lor, H. o. Bigelow; Grand Chancel-
lor, P. T. Jordon; Grand Vice
Chancellor, r. G. Parks; Grand
Prelate, A. S. Nicholson; Grand
Master of Exchequer, D. j. Cole
man; Grand X. of R. S., w. D.
jenkins; Grand M. at A., J. F. Nc
Donald; Grand j. G., J. F. Gates;