The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-21
FIT TO GOVERN I?
The Democrats in House To-
day Threw Books About,
Slammed Desks, PeIted Each Other
With Bananas, Disgraced the State.

With Bananas, Disgraced the State.
The Democratic House made spectacle
OF itself this morning and was disgrace
to the State. Ii was silly exhibition
and fitting beginning of the last week
of as useless an Assembly as ever sat in the
State House. Boys play is too diginfied in
expression to convey the scenes OF dis
order and frivolity INDUCED in by Mon
day morning "kids" with boards.
Representative Allen of East Greenwich
entered his protest today against the
practice which has been INDUCED
in for the past two weeks by Clerk Conley
and Deputy Sheriff Sheahan, of answer
ing to the names of members who were
not present in the House at the roll -call.
The clerk answered to the name of John
Jencks, who had waited an hour for the
House'to be called to order and had started
for Boston with his family. The Speaker
ruled the point out of order and refused
to entertain the appeal, saying the MEM
Der had been about the State House dur
ing the morning and il was the custom TO
count him.
Counting Quorums.
Clerk Conley called the roll, and an
noupced quorum present. Representa-
tive Allen asked what number had re .
sponded and the speaker replied prompt
ly 36.
Then Representative Allen directed the
attention of the speaker to the fact that
Representative Jencks had been present
and had personally informed him that he
should leave at II o'clock, as he was GO
ing to Boston at 12:05 with his family.
High Sheriff White told the Speaker that
Representative Jencks had given him the
same information, whercupon the Speaker
took backwater and had the name re-
moved from the roll call
Doors Locked Again.
The speaker then announced that 10
members had asked for the enforcement
of Rule AZ, whereupon the sheriff was
instructed to lock the door and
confine the mem bers in the chamber. He
then asked the sheriff il he had any OBJ
jections to allowing Democratic deputy
to accompany him in the service OF
the summons and Mr.. White said
he had not. So Deputy Sheriff Blanch-
ard of Woonsocket was drafted into SER
vice and he started on his mis-
sion. Sheriff White remained behind
and good naturedly distributed
smokers from his never failing supply.
Presently Representative Jencks entered
the chamber and reported TO the speaker
stating that he had been TO the train
and notified his wife that he
couldn't accompany her to the Hub He was
promptly forgiven. That made 36 mem
bers in the House, yet the speaker wanted
to make assurance doubly sure and the
House waited Tor the return of the deputy
with Representatives BloGgett and James
l.. Jencks OF Pawtucket. The chamber
was blue with smoke. and rat
Ting OF newspapers and swapping
OF Jokes filled in the interval
OF waiting. Meantime Clerk Conley
was preparing formidable docu-
ment rehearsing his experiences with the
- -. n. -
dorsement of the S2-day pay roll.
Representative Brown of Providence at
tempted to start the wheels Of legislation
by makeing a report from the committee
on corporations. Speaker Owen said he
would receive it il there was no objec-
tions.
Representative Allen-'T do object to
its reception unless quorum is present"
Representative Brown" Then let the
page bring Il beck to me, and he did.
There was season OF laughter and then
the smoking and conversation were re-
sumed.
1t was apparent that either the Speaker
or the steering committee had prepared
for the eAigency i'm the event OF failure OF
quorum oflthe Democracy to materialize.
When the doors were ordered locked, sun
dry deputies sprang up from ambush, and
took their stations something after the
Jack Waters'style in Newport.
Gcntlemanly Legislators.
Ambrose West and seven OF his COL
legues in the southwest corner amused
themselves by slamming their desks and
firing packages OF Garvin bills. One OF
them struck the rubicund jaw of Dan Me-
by shying it at one OF the clerks.
Percy Smith was found to have
broken his promise to material
ize in half an hour. Speaker
Owen asked for a red seal to attach to a
warrant to serve upon the delinquent, and
a deputy was dispatched to. his law Office.
Vests Antics.
Meantime Ambrose West was spelling
for fun. So he moved to adjourn and
asked for q roll call. Only four mem
bers supported the motion, not
tion was lost. Then Ambrose sought TO
present a. communication from John f..
Conley relative TO the pay roll, but Rep
resentative Allen was on hand with his
objection and IL was returned to the
statesman from Ward 10.
A Warrant for Bowen.
The speaker then made out warrants for
the capture of John r.. Bowen OF Johns
ton. Representative Mccarthy was nervous
over u. III. Mulholland's walking exercise,
and moved that the finance COMMITTEES be
instructed TO report resolution making
an appropriation to provide him with an
anchor.
Desks Were Slammed.
This choice witticism was hailed with
applause and some move desk -slamming.
Then Ambrose asked that the
gentleman from East Greenwich h
be excused from further attend
ance today. Representative Brown sug-
gested that Dr. Garvin be given the
floor, whereupon the Cumberland
| statesman introduced resolution
OF Adjournment. Representative Allen