San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-04-23
Concerning Texas Legislation, It's
Methods and Incidents.


CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va, April IL, 'S5.
EDITOR FREE Press Turn th,
rascals out" has for years been the
slogan of democracy, and I am glat
to SEQ the Nineteenth Legislature liv
ing up to this provorb.
This august assemblago has made
itself conspicuous for its failure tc
accomplish anything in the way o.
Legislation, but has certainly reflected
great credit upon itself by expell
ing the clerks who were recently con,
nected with "monkeying" with the
"Buckot Shop" bill and attempting
to blackmail those Interested in its
suppression.
In the recent disgraceful scrimmage
in tho senate in which two of it's old
est members used somo very forcible
and powerful arguments in their on
deavors to prove that each bore close
resemblance to tho canine species,
the Galveston News reports that pis
tolls were passed around in the cham,
ber as cards are shuf1led, while those
who were 80 unfortunate rs to leave
their pistols on their mantels, dis
patched messengers after them.
The next day, some joker who evi-
IDENTIFY wished to hear some noise
other than the palavering of the sen
ators, stuck number of match heads
to the end of the gavel with mucilage,
which made u loud report when the
the president raped for order, caus-
ing some of the senators to spring to
their feet. This scene has been ex-
aggerated until the people here say
that the senate of Texas is called to
order with pistol and the members
go armed as cowboys when they an
ticipate q heated discussion. People
hero swallow any report concerning
Texas whenever pistols form any part
Of the concoction of the story. No
wonder the senate struck out the con-
inement,in- the. Jail clause of tho pis
;ol bill. Who could blame the Globe
Democrat correspondent for carica-
;uring the "mugs" and "phizs" Of the
whole legislature?
But to return to the "Bucket Shop"
dill, which caused the expulsion of the
Jerks. It is O well known fact to
hose who arc conversant with the
work of the legislature that q number
If chronic oi1ice-seekers and "warts"
lang around the capitol from year to
,ear for the express purpose OF gath
ring the ''pickings" from the unso-
Occasionally these in
proper-legislation indi-
'iduals succeed by some unforeseen
of circumstances in get
ing elected to clerkship, but as q
lle, they are appointed by the
peaker or president as committee
Jerks. It is the committee clerk
Who can boast Of pure, unadulterated,
A carat, Tom Ochiltree check; he
axes no oath of Office, and the posi-
ion of general rousta-bout or clerk
f various committees affords o fine
eld in which to display his abilities.
No sooner does the outsider appear,
Tho is interested in the pending leg
Station, before he is button-holed by
ONE of these two-for-a-quarter com
littee clerks, who claim they control
40 legislature in both houses-thoy
ave only to speak the word and the
1lons shape the Legislature accord
they simply pull their committee
ERIK snuff-box and the whole legis ,
.ture sneezes.
The committee clerk Of the house
ho was expelled is a weI-known |
oung man of Houston, who at one I
me held the important trust Of city c
SCISSOR. or course this recent ex- G
DISC and expulsion was a complete 7
lrprise to his friends and acquaint-
noes.
I am unacquainted with the calcn-
ir clerk Of the senate whose legisla- L
ve influence and strength were as 7
rong a. a Sampson's-in his own q
ind. Only know him by the carica- = :
nc in the Globe -DenOcrat which .
I've a fne view Of tie base Of tbe
.ntlenan's sPine, ani IN substance 4
ID:
-TLis face VII be recognized Es the Z