The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-06


NE that al Of the house bills for assay
offices were defective. and that Ehile they
were under consideration IN suo-ccr.nft-
feee the senate bill for Seattle came over
20 the house, having passed the senate,
was reserre., 70 him as chairman and by
him was referred TO his subcommittee,
with the suggestion that i be adopted
The senate bill was therefore favoraby
reported by Mr.. Stones committee ard
vas placed - the house calendar. where
found Il.
sFor persons who are unfamiliar with
the parliamentary rules OF the house OF
representatives IL should be explained
that bill on the calendar can be reached
and taken ", for passage IL only three
ways: First. il lis regular numerical or
der This IL practically out Of the ouss-
ton. as nearly I5.ao bills are introduced
at every session and hardly I per cent.
pass: 90 q bill n low down on tho caiers-
dar a. our bill could never be reached
that way. Second. by unanimous consent.
In this case one objection by any MEM
Der prevents consideration. and several
members had said, notably the two from
Oregon. that they would object. Third.
a bill can be reached for consideration by
suspension Of the rules. Under the rules
every second Monday IS known az 'sus-
pension day On those days members
whom the speaker viii agree in advance
10 recognize when they rise may offer for
consideration a BILL and II two-thirds of
those present vote for II the bill passes.
II Is not generally known. but it should
be, that no man can speak on the floor OF
the house of representatives who rises 10
co 50 unless the speaker recognizes him.
and on suspension DAYS the speaker will
recognize no ore unless ne knows in adj
dance. by agreement, what the member
proposes 10 bring up. II Is absolutely
@sA Ia fo~ he.
milton on suspension day unless the
speaker knows what for. Here arose our
difficulty. Mr.. Reed il opposed. as many
% our best men are. to the establishment
of assay offices. To use his expression.
there is no sound reason why the govern
ment should pay the cost OF transporta-
ton o., miners dus. from the assay office
TO the niRt AR. Reed. hewsver. is
frserfsiy to Seattle. He was here IN 1896.
knows the city ard the people, and likes
them both. I saw him three times, and
know he is friendly to US. With Mr..
Stone I saw the speaker and knew his
attitude.
With Speaker Reed.
ION Monday, May Q a suspension day
Mr.. Stone saw Mr.. Reed and wished to
he recognized to bring up our bill Mr..
Reed at first refused. but finally said that
T.
Stone a chance. Unfortunately for US.
on that day a war measure. an urgent de-
ficiency bill for So. 600 coo. was brought IN,
compelled immediate consideration by
unanimous consent, to the exclusion OF
everything else. and took up time in which
our bill might have been reached. sat
in the press gallery. over the speakers
head. watching the clock from IL until
about 3. when a motion to adjourn was
put and carried. and we had no chance
aEain for two weeks. When Monday,
May &c. came around. Mr. Stone and Mr..
Lewis both saw Mr. Reed and urged that
he recognize Mr.. Stone TO bring up our
bin. and he refused point blank. After
lunch Mr.. Stone again saw Mr.. Reed and
urged the matter strenuously. Mr. Reed
then. an Mr.. Stone SAYS in a letter which
have: Recognized me (Mr. Stonel
to move to suspsnd the rules. because I
was somewhat insistent upon It Some
what insistent' is mid way OF putting
the matter: because. as / know. Mr.. Stone
was dead In earnest for our bill. Be
fore the speaker recognized Mr.. Stone the
latter saw Mr. Lewis. and that gentle
man worked like a Trojan to rally hls
Democratic and Populist friends. and. with
CONGRESSMAN Jones. of Spokane. he mus
tered very considerable number. Con-
sidering that Mr.. Lewis is not only in the
minority. but in a minority OF the minor
ity. as he aspires 10 divide honors with
Mr.. Bailey. Of Texas. the caucus leader
Of the minority he made a surprising
showing. Mr.. Lewis was heartily and ear
nestiy for the bill. He made concessions
10 me as a lobbyist which were more than
! could expect. but 20 say. as some of his
over-zealous friends are doing. I under
stand. that he 'tricked' Speaker Reed and
passed the bill, is unjust to Speaker Reed,
and to Mr.. Stone especially. Without the
full knowledge and consent of these gem
tlemen the bill could never have been
taken UP and discussed without Mr..
stones consent. as he. not Mr.. Lewis. was
In charge Of the bill. MIR. Lewis could not
have opened his mouth, and Il is absurd
to say that any one man passed the bill.
Seattle had many strong and vigorous
friends, without whose help IL might equal
~ truthfully he said the bill would no,
have passed Familiar as he is with the
rules. do not believe that Mr.. Lewis
himself would do such an absurd thing
as to say that he tricked Speaker Reed
on suspension day. Among the friends
of the measure. outside of officials and
members Of congress. were such men as
J. ]. Hill. u. II. Weare DR.. James p
KimbaE. former director az the mint:
Capt. r. II. Ray. now a colonel In The
VI
Gilbert. formerly of Yakima; A. T Nc
cargan. formerly OF Seattle, but now Of
Syracuse. y. Y; WiIlian F.. Bailey. who
Is Gen. Ayers sou-in-sw. and many
others well known here. The fact Is Seat
tie has very Influential. friends in all PARTS
Of the United States numbers of whom
used their pull and II has active friends
on the fooor or The house Itself. In other
words. Seattle was strong enough TO get
consideration and she got It
AS for myself. I was there simply as
4 lobbyist. claim no credi. for any,
thing and ! have no criticism to make
adverse 70 any person. The establish
ment OF an assay ONCE in Seattle is OF i'm
rortsnce 20 all sections of the state and
the whole state delegation worked FOR II.
hut do not believe IN taking credit from
men who showed themselves actually 20
be our friends IN the manner that Thomas
II. Reed and Charles w Stone did
II understand that 1; is said that I
claim credit for the passage Of the bill
ara thst am a candidate for the Office Of
assaver / would like - say that I an
not such an ass az 70 ciaim credit for
what d'd not DO. ard as FOR being a can
dda'a for aSSaver I an rot am ont ~