Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-03-31
OUT OF sight.
Indications of Adjournment of
the Legislature.
A Flood of Local Bills alta House
Night Session.

Bills Rushed Through with Scarcely 1
Thought = House Clerk MaIIoy tn,
Man for the Place-How Great Juris
Secured a Much Desired Chew-Poo,
Ventilation of the State House-Th.
Late Cold Wave Had No Effect on tn,
Ohhce-Seeker.
COLUMBUS, O.. March 30.
The grind goes on but there is deer
seated talk of adjournment and the
prospects of more than two more weeks
of this sort of thing are small. The
senate has the appropriation bill yet tc
pass and the redistricting bill is at the
present writing in the hands of a con.
ference committee that is likely to bring
about an agreement at almost any
moment and thus settle that much
vexed question. When these two meas
ures are out of the way, look out for
adjournment; but at present it is still
like mlllenium-out of sight.
Night Sessions.
The house took a taste of night ses-
| sions a few evenings ago, and what q
rush! Nearly sixty new bills intro
duced and nearly every one of them
what is denominated "local" have
dilated on the evils of local legislation
before and do not intend to reiterate
those curtain lectures again, except to
say that the late night session developed
local legislation in its most pronounced
and most harmful form. Bills were
rushed through and members voted for
them without knowing what they were
about, simply taking the word of the
man who introduced them that they
were all right
To show what can be done in an emer-
gency. can bring to mind bill that
was introduced in the house in the after
noon and passed that evening; and was
rushed through the senate before noon
the next day. l happen to know that
that particular bill was meritorious and
necessary to the countS for which it was
passed, but none of the members knew
anything about that feature of the case:
they took the word of the introducer
and away it went. Making laws in a
day and half is quick enough, to say
the least; and yet that very thing is
done here scores of times every winter.
House Clerk MaIIoy.
The house of representatives is blessed
with one of the best clerks that ever
presided at desk. Mr.. John R. Malloy
was born to be- clerk; his voice is strong
yet melodious, and it is cared for by its
owner so that it is as resounding after
hours of use as it is at the beginning.
Mr.. Malloy says he has been about
the state house for years, sever since he
was kid" as he himself says. He is a
newspaper man by profession and a good
one, too. He is popular and obliging
and can 'catch on to parliamentary
point as quickly and as tenaciously as a
terrier to a rat. He showed this pro-
clivity early in his Legislative life.
In March, 1877 he was journal clerk of
the house. The reader will remember
that the inauguration of President
Hayes, over whose election there has
been so much trouble and bitter feeling.
took place at that time. The larger
portion of the Republican side of the
house wanted to go to Washington to
witness the Inauguration. DOC" Nor
ton, at present railroad commissioner.
was a leader on the Democratic side.
The Republicans who were going to
Washington exacted promise from
their Democratic brethren that they
would not cut up any monkey-shines'
during their absence. Mr. Malloy was
left in charge of the clerks desk, all of
his superior officers going to Washing.
ton. The program was to elect speak
er pro tenn, read the journal and ad-
journ.
When the time came to open up,
"Doc" Norton was elected speaker
pro TEN. Clerk Malloy read the journal.
Then some Democratic wag handed
up long preamble and resolution re-
citing the miquity of the seating of |
Hayes in the presidential chair and |
dilating upon the situation from Dem
ocratic standpoint to the extent of a
page of closely written foolscap. The
author of the effusion expected that it
would be declared out of order and thus
End the joke, but the speaker recognized
The situation and as if to carry the
Joke still farther he said: "The question
IS on the adoption of the resolution"
The rules now require that all resolu-
lions shall lie over one day after intro
1uction, but then unless there was
notice to discuss" the resolution came
up Immediately for passage.
None of the Republicans who were
present was quick enough to give notice
% discuss, though Clerk Malloy tried the
effect OF stage whisper directed toward
he nearest Republican, but he did not
seem to grasp the exigencies of the oc-
'asion as did the young clerk; one Re-
however, did call for
division" which compelled all voting
% arise and be counted by the speaker.
Nine Democrats were counted in the
affirmative and seven Republicans in the
negative.
Then Speaker Pro Tenn. Norton smil-
ngly adjourned the house.
OF course, the newspapers made great
'apital out Of the fact that the s'Ohio
legislature" as they put it, chad passed
'esolutions against the seating of
Hayes" This was a great story, as the
ohio legislature was known all over the /,
country as Republican body.
Clerk Malloy never lost his head, not
le; he simply directed his assistant to in
ert the letter ~" between the two let
ers "H" and "R,' thus making
house joint resolution" out of it, and
ne constitution provides that all Joint
must be adopted by a roll
all vote and must have a majority Of