The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-01-29
IGNORED BY THE SENATE.

! IGNORED BY THE SENATE.
President Simon Declined to Recognize
the Benson House.
! The lobby of the senate chamber in
Salem was crowded Monday afternoon
in anticipation of action on the house
concurrent resolution to notify the gov
ernor of the organization Of the legis-
| lature The resolution failed to put in
an appearance, but the matter came up
in another form on a resolution by
Senator King, which was lost on tie.
vote, and subsequently by decisive
ruling of President Simon, which was
distinctly against recognition of the
Benson house. Immediately after the
senate was called to order, President
Simon announced that he had in his
possession a communication from the
temporary house. 1t had been sent in
last Friday, but he had taken the lib
erty to withhold it, expecting the con-
current resolution also to be submitted.
The resolution was not at hand, but he
thought it proper now to present the
communication. 1t was in brief the
particulars of the Benson house organ
ization, and setting forth the unconsti-
tutionality of such action, stating that
at no time was quorum present. The
communication was signed by R. E.
Moody, temporary chief clerk.
The senate listened to the reading of
the communication, but took no action
in the matter, and the regular order Of
business was resumed. After several
bills had been introduced, King (Popu-
list), of Baker county, asked unanimous
consent to introduce resolution.
There was no objection, and King sent
the following to the clerks desk:
Whereas, There appears to be some
question as to whether the house OF
representatives, comprising the other
branch of this legislative assembly, has
organized and is ready to proceed with
business; that there is one organization
Of such house claiming to be the tenn
porary house, duly organized as such,
and one organization, claiming to be
permanent and duly organized; that the
senate has not been notified by resolu
tions or otherwise of such permanent
organization; that this branch of the
| legislative assembly cannot perform
| legislative duties for which its mem
bers were elected without the concur
renee of the house of representatives on
all bills and joint resolutions passing
this body; that this branch of the
legislative assembly has for two weeks
been organized and ready for the trans
action of business, and the cause of
such delay on the part Of the house Of
representatives has not been fully made
known to this body; therefore,
Resolved. That a committee of
| three members of the senate be appoint
| ed to examine into the conditions
above set forth and ascertain whether
or not either of the two pretended or
ganizations of the house of representa-
tives is legally organized branch of
this assembly, and, if SO, which of the
two is SO organized, and report the con-
dition thereof to the senate at as nearly
date as may be deemed practicable by
/ said committee
This brought up the matter of the
house recognition in an unexpected
form. A motion was made to lay the
resolution on the table, but it did not
carry After some debate vote was
| taken, resulting in tie, the resolution
| failing to be adopted.
| Shortly after this episode messen-
ger from the house was announced. He
laid his message in front of President
Simon, who opened it and read it, and
then sail:
'tThe chair is in receipt of COM
munication puporrting to be message
| from the house stating that the house
has effected permanent organization by
electing Hon. Ell. l.. Benson as speaker,
| R. R. Hays as chief clerk and other
officers, and is ready for the transaction
of business. The chair has already
submitted to the senate message from
| the temporary organization of the
house, advising the senate that such
permanent organization was effected in
an irregular and unconstitutional man
ner and without the presence of a
quorum, and that such action was ille-
| gal and void. The chair is of the
opinion that no permanent organization
of the house has been effected and that
| the pretended permanent organization,
without a quorum mentioned in this
communication, is not valid or bind
| ing, and that the senate cannot recog-
nize such an alleged permanent organ
ization of the house. The chair, there
| fore, declines to entertain or receive
this communication, and rules that the
same cannot be entered upon the jour
nal. The decision will stand as the
| Judgment of the senate, unless the SEN
ate will overrule the decision of the
| chair"
The presidents ruling was received
in silence by the senate, which ap-
peared to think that it was entirely cor-
rect, and it would be useless to attempt
to set it aside, even if SO disposed.