The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-03-19
A FAMOUS LEGISLATURE.

else IL mas accomplished
the first legislature of the state of
Washington has made itself famous.
The fame of Montana's first legisla-
ture is of no mean dimensions, but II
has very few of those qualities which
are distinguishing the Washington
body from all other legislatures since
the United States began their career.
There have been feeble legislatures,
rocked legislatures, legislatures bereft
of sense and reason, and legislatures
highly suggestive of q band of highway
robbers. WashingtOn's legislature may
bear points of resemblance to these
legislatures, but it rises above and SUI
perior to them all in respect to the
originality of its methods and the bold
ness of its conceptions.
These characteristics are especially
marked when the legislature of WASH
ington INDUCES in a little relaxation.
Instances are not wanting hen legis-
latures Immediately upon adjournment
i'm the afternoon nave resolved them
selves into bodies of private individu.
ais, who with the freedom assumed by
all American citizens have embraced
opportunities to attend prize fights and
entertainments of a similar order. But
OH all such occasions the legislators
have been al pains to conceal from the
public their attendance at these gath
erings, since in the minds of many ex-
lists a prejudice that a legislator is a
legislator until his term of Office eX-
pires and cannot drop his identity and
restore himself to his primitive cOndi-
ton at will. Some people are SO un-
reasonable as to think that a legislator
should be OH his good behavior at all
times, and in Difference to
this feeling legislators have es-
tablished a rule to withdraw from the
gaze of the public whenever it is nee
essary to procure for themselves hat
peculiar time commonly designated by
the adjectives "high" and "old."
The Washington legislature has cut
loose from h francis of custom. Its
members have undertaken with a note
! worthy degree of success to make pub
lie exhibitions of themselves. 1t ap-
| pears from the Portland OyeyOHidn
that one night last week thirty of them
went to n theater and counting the at
tention of the audience proceeded to
have the variety of time tn which ref.
erence has been made. They hooted
and guyed the players until the perfor.
nance was nearly n total wreck. This
pastime was varied by throwing over
shoes and umbrellas ut ZACH other, and
when their own stock of ammunition
was exhausted they borrowed that OF
others. senator King of Clifford
county, according to the OyeyonioD
particularly distinguished himself. He
threw "a big Orange across the auditor
ium with such accuracy of aim that il
struck Senator Parkinson. n president
pro tenn. of the senate, square in tn
pit of the stomach. The missile passed
close to a lady's head in its flight, caus
inc her considerable uuaasinpSs am
disgust in spite of the fact that it came
direct from the hands of a state sen
ator.
The members of n Legislature il
short had a most enjoyable time, ant
although as much cannot he said TO
the remainder of II audience, it wa
an occasion long to be remembered b,
all. The Washington Legislature vii
surely be forgotten.