The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-10
A SET OF CLOWNS
The Way Valuable Time Is
Wasted by the Legisla-
tors at Trenton.
HARRIGAN AND THE SPEAKER.
Suspicious Trouble With tie Roll
calls = Clerks Announce the
5a sd Vote To Order. h
Special to the Jersep Citg Nears.

session, together with the warm weather.,
or Trenton is the warmest place in New
Jersey physically, Is beginning to tell upon
the tempers OF the members. The discon-
tent and chatting under the strain of three
long sessions manifested itself in several
ways yesterday. TIE inability to secure q
working majority in the morning and the
waste of several good working hours, which
necessitated a night session, did not improve
the situation any, and during the afternoon
session there was another outbr lax which
was almost as disgraceful as that of the day
before. The trouble began through a mis-
understanding between the Speaker and Mr..
Harrigan and was increased by the childish
and exceedingly ungentlemanly conduct of
Mr.. Beekman, who by one OF those mys-
terious dispensations of Providence, which
are past finding out, was inflicted upon the
Democratic minority as leader.
Senator Adrain secured in the Senate the
passage of a bill which provides that surety
companies may become security for any
officer or other person who may be com
PEELED to give security. and which came up
| on final passage in the House. The measure
was altogether too innocent a one to cause
the rumpus it did.
THE sPEAKER AND HARRIGAN.
The bill started off with a rush. MIR. Har-
| rigan wanted to speak, but the Speaker
ruled him out of order, and directed the roll
! call to proceed. Mr.. Harrigan began to
shout as loud as he could for his c~onstitu-
tional rights.
He started to say that if he had shown the
Speaker as much disrespect as the gentle
man from Hudson, meaning MIR. Salinger-
The Speakers gavel interrupted him and
he was told to confne his remarks to the
bill.
Again the pugnacious old gentleman from
Essex began by directing attention to what
he called Mr.. Salinger's disrespect to the
| Speaker, and again the gavel drowned his
words.
This was gone through with several times,
during which the Speakers patience became
exhausted and he curtly told Mr.. Harrigan
that if he did not sit down and keep order
he would order the Ser~geant-at-Arms TO re-
move him from the floor. Mr.. Harrigan sat
down, when Mr.. Carroll jumped up excited
ly and called attention to the fact that mem
bers were on the floor lobbying for the bill.
and demanded the enforcement of the rule
against lobbyists.
The Speaker ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms
to clear the floor and the roll call proceeded.
The impression got abroad hat there was
some scheme IN the bill and there was q mad
rush to change. When Clerk Cyphers finally
announced the vote there were 81 recorded
in favor of the bill. Mr.. Carroll disputed
the vote, and the Clerk started to read the
names of those voting in the affirmative.
/ The second name called was hat of Mr..
Austin, who had changed from aye to no.
Mr.. Carroll called attention this fact, and
the change was made. This, OF course, killed
the bill. Then Mr.. Beekinan lost his head
and acted like q spoiled child who lar had
some plaything taken away from him.. He
sputtered and fumed in his usual way and
said that the bill had been introduced by
Senator Adrain and there was doubt of its
Democracy.
Mr.. Harrigan said he did not understand
the bill, which lead MI. Beekman to remark
that anyone who could not understand the
\ bill must be very ignorant. That pro-
duced an uproar which the Speaker quelled
with his gavel. While this was going on
several of the members had ascertalned
what the bill accomplished, and enough
votes were changed to pass it.
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
Then Mr.. Harrlgan arose with a copy of
the Constitution in his hand and said
thai the Speaker had denied him his con-
stitutional rights. and he would like to nave
Mr.. Holt read section l of article 5 of the
Constitution.
The Speaker appealed to the Democratic
minority to say if he had not treated them
fairly. Mr.. Hafrigan said that up to that
time the Speaker had been fair, but he was
unjust in depriving him of his constitution
al right to speak upon the question.
"Sit down, you're a nuisance. Harrigan,
and an impeachment to the Democratic
party sputtered Mr.. Beekman. ssIt's a
good thing we're going to elect by counties
next fall, and you can't come back, Thank
God for that
Mr.. Harrigan kept the floor, clamoring for
his constitutional rights, while Mr.. Beekman
kept popping up like a 1a~ck-in-the-box with
such expressions as, Hear Bill Harrigan
talking about the Constitution you're a
-,sc,no Horriron /. elf Aou,,, - kktITt,o+ H.
you know about the CONSTITUTIONS Beck
mans buffoonery created much laughter,
which added to the disorder. Finally things
simmered down, leaving Mr.. Harrigan on
his feet, still in quest of his constitutional
rights.
ways began to speak after a roll call, which
was manifestly out of order, and hereafter
the Speaker would insist that the rules
should be observed.
81 believe you are an honest man, Mr..
Speaker" said Mr.. Harrigan, and mean to
do what is right. but you are surrounded by
circumstances over which you have no con-
troll"
sMr. Speaker, / objectr' shouted several
members in chorus, jumping to their feet.
The Speaker recognized Mr.. Walters, who
said that mon had been summoned before the
bar of the House for impeding its business
/ with their absence, and those who impede it
with their presence should be also repri-
manded.
Loud cries of Question, " whats before
the House" broke out from all parts of the
House.
sBfn Harrigan's before the House. Scar
rolls before the House, YOU'RE before the
House" shouted Beeknnan, in rapid success
sion, doing his j~ack-in-the-box act.
On of the pages brought in a large bunch
of roses, and placed them upon the desk of
Mr.. Walters, who still held the floor. The
laugh which his bushes over the gift created
acted like oil on the troubled waters, and the
House went on with its business.
PREEHnLn DER RILI. PASSED