The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-12

SALEM. Or, Jan n.-The nineteenth
biennial session OF the Oregon Legislature
convened ar noon today. The senate Or
gained by the election OF Joseph Simon.
Of Portland, Is president. and adjourned
Until tomorrow. The house failed 20 or
Eanizs, owing 20 the contest over the
speakership. The vote for United States
senator win therefore be delayed until
January IS. as the statute provides THAI
the vote for senator cannot Dc taken until
the second Tuesday after organization.
The delay in organization tonight was
brought about BY those opposed 20 the re-
election OF Senator Mitchell In order 20
gain time The speakershtp contest has
narrowed down 70 ]. Bourne, Ponnlist. and
II. L. Benson. Republican. with G. W.
Riddle. Republican. holding the balance
OF power. Bourne scored victory today
in the failure Of the house 10 organize.
Benson's forces were cleverly oGtwitted
and Bourne secured three members OF the
credentials committee. Benson is assured
Of 30 votes, just one short of a majority.
and Il remains 10 be seen whether he can
secure the needed vote. An attempt made
tonight to break the deadlock was futile
owing TO the lack OF a quorum.
The house met al noon and effected tenn
porary organization by the election Of q.
J. Davis. of Umatiila, as temporary speak
er. A credentials committee was ap-
pointed and adjournment taken until 9:50
o. m. The house was called 70 order at
7:So by Temporary Speaker Davis.
Mr.. Lake of Benton county moved TO ap-
point committee OF three TO ascertain
how soon the committee on credentials
would be ready 10 report. Then Somers
Of Linn sprang SURPRISE by moving as
an amendment that the credentials COM
mittee be discharged. and that the COM
monty published list Of members he de-
ciared members of the house. This mo-
ton Chairman Davis attempted TO rule
out of order saying that the constitution
OF the state required that two-thirds of
the members elected only can organize the
house. Somers appealed from the chairs
decision and was overruled. It was then
ascertained that there were but thirty-one
members present. Nevertheless the speak
er was oyerruled and the Somers substi-
tute was carried. The members therefore
declared the house organized.
A copy OF the constitution was brought
In and II appeared that the chair was
right on the deciding that two-thirds Of all
the members elected were necessary TO
constitute quorum. The chair ruled all
proceedings out of order. There was no
objection. Meanwhile the Populists, DEM
ocrats and the Bourne men and several
Republicans had left the house in body.
A roll call showed only thirty present. be-
ing no quorum
At this point Bridges of Douglass moved
that Riddle be substituted as speaker for
Davis. This brought W. o. U'Ren, Popu-
list. excitedly TO his feet and he cried
that no one but reyolution.st would ever
dare 10 make such a motion. Somers jump
ed UP and amid great uprosr shook his
fist at U'Ren, shouting something unintel-
ligible about U'Ren being himself revo-
lutionist. Then followed great excitement
and an uproarious colloquy between C'Ren
and Scmers. who were wildly shaking
subsidized IN few minutes and then Craw-
ford, of Douglas himself put q motion to
make Riddle the speaker. This move on
the part of Crawford was received with
wild applause by the lobby. but the whole
proceeding rapidly degenerated into a
farce, and although Crawford declared
Riddle elected that gentleman laugh!ngly
refused TO take the chair and affairs re-
mained In statu quo
At Mitchell headquarters tonight II is
claimed that fifty signatures have been
secured for a caucus on the senatorial
question. This is four more than a MA
jority Of the legislature.
At midnight tonight Senator Mitchell
stated that forty-eight members had sign
ed call for a caucus and that three more
would be secured. He further stated that
al were Republicans and voted for Nc
Kinley and Hobart. He also stated that
he would have a majority on separate
vote in each house. \ caucus is to be
held at .. m. Thursday.