Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-18

1t IL interesting to look through tn,
work Of the recent session Of the Ipgis
luture and observe how badly mucl
ofit was performed. The Statesman
has heretofore called attention to tn
fact that the present system of proviti
lug clerks for the legislature is II lot
terry. Some good attaches are y cure,
aud some that are utterly incompetent
The records show who were efficien
and who were unfit for the places the,
held. 81 far as cursory exnminati0,
serves to throw any light upon the sub
)ect the house seems to have been tn
theatre OF action for most Of the in
cOnpetents. One enrolling clerk wa
discharged during the season for in
ability to attend to the duties properly
tut some other clsiks were rs bad
rl'e enrolled copy of house bill No
1853 has an error that may prove serious
This law Is one fixing maximum
charge tor water for irrigation and
domestic purposes. It provides tina,
the minimum charge for domestic pur
poses and irrigation may not. he les.
than SO" The next provision of the
bill a. 1t passed was:
provided further, that the provi.
sions Of this section shall not apply to
the furnishing Of water to the inhabit.
ants Of any city, town or village.
The enrolled bill has the word mot
left out, making the section applicable
to towns and cities, exactlythe reverse
Of what was intended.
The appropriation bill has more than
Que mistake. 1t reads In the opening
lines:
section !. That the following sums
OF NJ ,ney, or SO much thereof az may
he necessary, are hereby appropriated
out Of any money in the state treasury
not otherwise appropria for the
salaries Of the state officers" etc.
The word payment" Is omitted and
the c.ntext must he relied upon to de-
termine the purpose of the act.
Ifall the mistakes Of punctuation,
etc., were listed they would make a
volume. In many cases litigation will
probably result from blunders of one
kind or another, aud IN any event the
laws will be disgrace when sent
abroad.
The house journal reads like chap
ter from Artemus Wards works. Here
Is one entry:
"Mr. Keats moved that the sergeant.
vt arms procure copy for ench men,
l+r Of the Fifteenth territorial session
and First, Second and Third sessions,
the revised statutes and the state con-
stitution."
The mover was undoubtedly Mr..
Keat. just what he intended to have
inflicted upon the members Of the FIT.
t~enth session II not made clear by the
Intelligent clerk. II would seem az
though the First, Second aud Third
sessions, the revised statutes aud the
constitution were 10 h~ heaped upon
The shoulders If the members Of tina,
session If long ago; hut those who
we're IN hat legislature will be glad
I" Knew hat the men,ier from KnOte-
hst did not propose to load the Fourth
I. ssi"ns upon them.
Ano, her entry Oh the journal Of the
hoN-e rpMtis:
1.-THE -ieaker appointed Mr.. Orr to
net on all committees made vacant by
Mr.. Capps, and appointed Mr.. Briggs
tu act on all committees made vacant
l.y Mr.. Mu,iner."
II will he news to the state to learn
that Messrs t'apps and Mulllner were
vested with any suck plenary powers
IN that house. So far from being
granted any such special rights, they
we're. according to the popular notion,
Of the ordinary rights attach
Ing 10 III election NJ member OF the
badly.
"Mr, Elder" according to the jour
nal. moved that the rules Of the house
aud articie 3 Of sectiou Is Of the consti.
tuition lie suspended and house bill No.
ITO by Elder bs considered. engrSsed
and placed upon IT'S final passage"
Again: "Mr. Hamer moved that
his rules ~ the houee ana article 3 OF
section Is Of the constitution be sus-N
pended aud house bill No. 1T he read
FIRST and second time by title. consid.
Erred engrossed aud passed u third
In the frantic effort to get blu No.
Ia through pretty nearly everythin
lse WAS suspended, but It was not sup
posed that 1t had bs.en necessary to re-
arrange the constitution and suspend
articles aud sections that do not appear
IN the instrument rs 1t came from the
hands If the trainers. Fortunately
I he enr,'llsd bill Is the law. fit were
Ia 20 hack Of 1t II might b.