The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-04
Governor Ferry's Message Read
to the Legislature.
ONLY ONE THING TO DO.
The House and Senate Perfect
Organization and Adjourn.
Speaker and All Other oficers Elected
The Constitution ON Apportionment--
Census Gives This State Three Hun
drsd and Fifty Thousand People.

OLYMPIA, Sept 3-Speaker Feighan called
the House 10 order at noon, and Kuhn at
once moved that it proceed TO elect q
speaker, his opinion being that when the
House adjourned sine die its organization
ceased. He nominated Feiehan, who was
elected by q unanimous vote. Feighan
briefly acknowledged the compliment, and
named Drew, Meade. Allen, Brown of
Spokane, Stevenson, Ostrander, Painter.
Tucker and Kuhn committee to inform
the governor that the House was ready for
business.
Secretary Barton, Of the Senate, appeared
with message announcing that the Senate
was in session. The speaker appointed
Geoghegan. Hughes. Grant. Herren and
Moultray a committee to determine what
officers and clerks would be needed, and
their report was acted upon later. Ad-
lournment was agreed 70 until 3 o'clock.
At the afternoon session Charles z.
Cline, of Lynden, was reelected chief
clerk, and W. 81. Chandler, of Sprague.
assistant. The late Sergeant-at-Arms
Letter was not candidate, and in his
place A. j. Mills, the former postmaster,
was chosen.
Kuhn objected to the election of an en-.
rolling clerk. Ii, he said, as seems prob
able. there will be only one bill passed.
they certainly do not need an enrolling
clerk or general clerk. This was agreed
10. w. FL. Hazard, of Seattle. was selected
to act as postmaster and messenger: Fl.
Mckay. OF Port Gamble, janitor, and R T.
Reynolds. of Chehalis, watchman. The
1hn
Matson and Loughton Mckay.
The question again arose as to the cleo
ton of journal clerk. On motion of Her
rem. who thought there would be sufficient
work for one man. it was resolved TO ap-
point journal clerk, and Mrs. NJ. Culver,
OF Tacoma. was assigned to that position.
Cook OF Clarke asked for permanent
leave of absence, but it was refused.
Judson of Pierce entering strong protest.
He declared that if many such permissions
were given they would not have enough
votes to pass the emergency clause of the
apportionment.
The governors message was read and the
House adjourned until o'clock tomorrow.
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen Of the Ssnate and House Of Repre-
seatufiues: No legislative apportionment bill
having been enacted st your first session. tbe
imperative and unavoidable duty has devolved
upon me to call you in extraordinary session to
enable you to consider and take action upon
this subject After Q careful examination of
the various provisions of the constitution hear-
ing upon the question. / arrived at the conciu-
sion that without q new apPortionmenf and the
crea tion Of single senatorial districts no sens-
tors could constitutionaliy be elected at the
general election TO be held in this state on the
4th day of November next
By section of Article 70 OF the constitution
the state was divided into twenty-foar senatorial
districts, in which thirty-ive senator's were TO
be elected This section declared thst the sp-
portionnent thus made should continue "until
otherwise provided by law" Tie question has
been asked. why cannot a senator
be elected under this constitutional apportion-
ment until the legislature shall enact an ap-
portionment lawf" If this were the only
provision in the constitution referring 20 this
matter. no question could arise, and the con-
sttu,ionai spportionment would continue
until changed by tne legislature. but there is
another provision binding upon every eleetor
IN this state, which mus. be followed and
ooeyed. This is he second paragraph OF Article
2, which 10 as follows: AFTER the drst eiecTaon
the senators shall be elected ny single districts
OF convenient and contiguous territory, as the
same time and in the same manner az mem bers
Of the House of Representatives are elected. and
no representative ulsLflcl snail De divided IN
the formation of senatorial district They
shall be elected for a term of iour years,
oae-half of their NUMBER retiring every
TWO years The senatorial districts shall be
consecutive, and the senators chosen al the
first election had by virtue OF this constitution
in odd-nHmbered districts shall go out of once
OF the end OF the first year and the senators
elected in the even-numDered districts shah go
out OF office ., the end of the third year" The
words '-frst election" used IN this section have
been construed By some to refer 10 the election
10 be held on tue 4rh day of November next,
anu not 10 the ell ction which occur d October
!, 1889. The construction Is not SQUAD. The
language l.: The frat election held b. virtue
OF this constitution" Tne election on the lst
day of October last was held .'by yirfue OF the
constitution" The time and manner of hold
ing the election and the officers TO be elected
were prescribed by the constitution. Although
held before the admission OF the state. it WAS
practically stale election, at which all the
officers Of the state government and .
member OF congress were elected In a6di-
ton 10 this, sections ? Is and Ia Of
Article IS OF the constitution clearly refers 70
the election he'd October l. 1859. and the frss
election by virtue of the constitution At that
election tnirsy-nve senators were elected Ia the
twenty -four districts prescribed IN the constitu
ton. Eighteen senators were elected in the
odd-uumbered districts. and seventeen senators
were elected In the even-numbered districts.
IL is provided by the constitution that the
eighteen senators elected in the odd districts
shall go our of Office IS the end of the FIRST year.
ana the seventeen senators elected in the even.
umbered districts snail 80 cat of Office ~ the
end of the third year. IL Is also provided that
alter the first election "the senators shall be
elected by single districts-" 1t must therefore
be apparent thai senators cannot constitution
aGEy os elec9ed 10 succeed the eighteen senators
VINO 20 Out of ONCE AZ The cad of one year until
the legislature shall create single senatorial
cissricts in which they cannot be elected
should Enere be no new ap2ozfsonnent enacted
by the present ls gis AZURE There eannot bs q
quorum present ~ ;hs eonveains OF the
lsg.slsi ure On the Tn day of January.
1891. unless the electors OF the state. In PEELED
by the gravity OF the situation, are induced 70
violate the plain requirement OF the constitn-
ton ana elses eighteen senators un1er sae old
spporfionmeut. At the iAss election eacn esec-
tor was authorized 70 vote for ss many senators
az were spportioned 10 his County. In soma
counties TWO, Ia osher counties three, and in
enc county five senators were thus elected. but
uneer tae single district system provided for in
tna constitution after the frss election each
eIeesor is authorized 20 vo.e for one senator
only. II. therefore, q new appertSonnens ID no7
eoac.ed the electors ia al sRe counties having
more than one sea&tor undef tie constitutional
apportionmens viii b. eeupe.isd 10 rsiTa-H
from voting or vote for more Than one senssoF
and thus soiste the constitution
The unprecedented miscnievons complies
tons which viii arse IA tne event THAI ne
places Of the eighseen outgoing senator's are
not filed e. the next election sscuad nos oe ioss
xirns of III they are not elected aE that time nc
fasisIa-ure can ever constlfutionAiiy eonvens
in the state until Ehe eorsrtuaon i amended