Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-03-27
NOT A LEGISLATURE.


from member Of the general assembly
Of this state which recently met In bi.
ennial session, severely censuring it's
editor for what he calls disrespectful
language toward the members Of that
body. 1t In not right OF an editor to
treat with disrespect an official or sD
institution 20 long as that person OF
body obeys the laws which creates that
official or department Of government
1t Is not an rule our purpose to do 30.
II we have been guilty Of such mis-
conduct, which we are convinced We
have not, we wish 10 be corrected and
make proper amends. But we are not
convinced that W far we have shown
auy want Of proper appreciation for the
character Of this legislature. We ar
quite convinced II WAS not q legisla-
ture. The word legislature implies
lawful conduct. The constitution and
common law and parliamentary Law
governs legislature This body OF
men calling themselves a legislatur,
can be shown To have ignored the or
ganic law Of The slate, the common
law Of the land and to have trampled
upon Fundamental principles Of th'
lay governing all parliamentary bodies.
We can prove this even TO this mem-
ber who has just stopped his paper tha,
II hagrantly violated the law thai
called II Into beiug, and under which
II was required by its very existence TO
conduct its proceedings. An assem-
bIsge which did not respect the con.
stituti0n Of the state under which IL
was called together IL not entitled TO
the praises Of any citizen. We do not
mean by this that there were not hon.
sst men In that body, or that there was
not an honest but feeble minority that
at times made an effort ut opposition.
But we do mean TO say that the whole
assemblsge Of alleged Representatives Of
the people calling Itself a Legislature
was 20 organized from the beginning
and was 20 wholly given up to uncoD.
trolIable and corrupting Influences that
Il sacrificed oil title to respect Of disin.
terested citizens.
Call II what you will, II was not u
legislature, because Legislature Is sup.
posed TO act according TO Its own laws,
and ~ 90 ordinate branch Of govern.
ment within the limits prescribed for 1t
by the constitution. Does anyone pre-.
tend that locating new state institutions
IN distant parts Of the state. appropriate
ing tl00, 900 for state militia, passing u
bill for q 100000 jute mill without
reading the bill on the day Of
its passage, and q score Of other equal
ly fragrant acts were according to the
constitutionp This 80 called legislature
never encroached upon constitutional
Limitations In dolng anything to help
the people on In the direction OF the
common good and general welfare. 1t
never lost moment seriously trying to
pass bill 10 open our rivers aud free
the producers OF the INLAND empire
from the clutch OF n monopoly, but
cAucussed until late o'nights TO pass
90. 900 Chicago fair appropriation bill,
even going 80 far as TO secure the sup.
port Of members with tempting sug-
gcstions ofiucrative positions to change
ths,r vote. Edmund Burke said you
canpot indict = whole common wealth
but the commonwealth can indict
IT, servant, the Legislature,
The grand jury OF tho common
people have found an Indictment
against the late sssemblsge calling itself
\ legislature. The indictment will
stand. No one can show that II IL not
, true bill. Members Of that body who
made good record can easily show Il
for themsslves. But for one man, TO
enter . plea Of not guilty for the
whole body when II 10 ArrAigned
u the bar Of outraged public senti.
lnsnt, he might an well try
10 sweep back the surf Of the PA.
,lflc ocean with = broom. He has = hope
esa task. II 10 true the Portland press
'ulogissd the alleged Legislature. Its
work was largely their work, aud why
'houid they not praise i,g Its orgsni-
alton aud inspiration came largely
sona the Portland press and the Port
md politicians. neither la touch or In :
with the masses Of the peo-
- cf thIs state. II IL claimed that the
"a record Of . legislature should be
Ia consideration Of the good
hss done. II h claimed that thls
~ ss~.ion p~ssed soms mueh-nesded
nd mssitorioos measures. Let that hs
Omitted. Why should not sueh n
pdy u men In this ase of common
,hools and colleges. Of ChrisliAn infiu.
ncss. IL an enlightened ffee press, aud
y general sprsad of intsiligsnee and
experience of this great
'uptry ofouu aud al tho laws enacted ,
. eur guidance by other states and
0ueriss. IA the name ofcommon ssnss
aold not ninety representatives of
> pscpls pess soms good ulsAsasss-