The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-02-20

The lawmakers are opening their
factories. says the Republican stand
ard and a little later the new pro-
duct of the season will begin 90 APP
pear all over the country Alabama,
Arkansas. California, Colorado, Con-
necticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, In
diana, Kansas, Maine, Me ssachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mon
tana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hanp-
shire New Jersey, New York, Noi tn
Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Penn
sylvania, South Carolina, South Dako-
ia, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washing
ton, West Virginia, Wisconsin and
wyoming have legislatures i'm session,
The Florida Legislature will convene in
April, and the other states escape this
year.
There were some picturesque features
connected with the opening o. the leg
islatures. one of these was in India
ma, where Mr.. Herrold of Laporte,
made himself the most conspicuous fig
ure of the opening day He appeared
in the chamber attired in pair of blue
bib" overalls drawn on over his reg
ulation dress. Mr.. Herrold is a farm
er, and says it was the farmers vote
elected him. Some of the boys told
me that | daren't wear my farm
clothes in the legislature said he,
land just to show them that l was
I /
is statesman who is sensitive to the
sentiments of his constituents. IN con-
trast to him, but no less queer to the
| Massachusetts eyes is the lieutenant
governor of South Carolina, who wears
a purple robe of office when Presiding
over the senate, and this gives digni-
ty to the proceedings. All manners of
extremes exist in this country and
| these are illustrations of two of them.
Two other curious contrasts appear
in the action of the California senate
which decided that no wine, beer or
other sprituous liquors should be
served at the inaugural ball, and that
| of the Michigan Legislature which pro-
vided for itself a supply of mineral
water at the expense of the state. Con-
trasts in conceptions of economy, or at
any rate in it's practice, are revealed
in all directions. Thus in New Hamp-
shire, the members of the house have
restricted themselves to two daily pa
pers each during the session, but in
| Texas, the senators can have five ev-
cry day provided the total cost is not
over fifteen cents, and i'm Arkansas each
member of the Legislature is entitled
Ito twenty daily or weekly papers at the
expense of the state. This probably
means subscription to every ueWspl-
per in each members district. In the
! way of postage allowances, each Ar
kansas legislator has an allowance of
twenty-five cents a day for that Fur-
pose. They are rather better off than
their fellows in Tennessee who receive
only IS allowance for the whole ses-
sion, and in addition are subjected TO
the ndignity of being told by an eco
nOmical and out spoken member mat
most of the appropriation passes over
the saloon bars of Nashville. Econo-
my is not, as rule, very popular in
| legislatures this year. The Tennessee
! senate had a mild spasm refusing to
! print the governors message because
of the large deficit in the treasury and
| cutting a dollar a day from the jour
| nal clerks salary. In South Dakota,
| too there was a manifestation of SINH
| ar nature, fifty cents day being ia
ken from the pay of each Legislative
| employee. Colorado, however, cast eco
nomy to the winds, when it came to a
choice of chaplain for the house, and
| appointed one chaplain for each of the
three parties in the fusion Under
such circumstances it seems rather
heartless that the fusion majority
should have denied the requests of
! the Republican minority for a fourth
| chaplain to pray for them, and of the
| Spanish speaking members for an Of
| iicial interpreter of prayers.