The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-02-26
UNUSUAL SCENES.
LIVELY TIME OCCURS IN LE0IS-
LATlVE HOUSE.
Commission Men Greatly Irritated
by Ruling Of Speaker Hare---His
Motives Impugned, and There
Were Lively Times Before and
After Adjournment.

Oily mpia, Feb. 49, After having
ruled in the morning that the railroad
commission bill, over the status of
which there has been a great deal of
heated discussion ever since it was con-
sideied in committee of the whole
week ago, had been indefinitely post
poned, Speaker Hare permitted the
friends of the bill to secure roll call
on the motion in the afternoon and it
was restored to place onsthe calendar.
The bill was saved from indefinite post
ponement by vote of Al to 40. the COM
mission men showing one more than
a majority of the members of the house.
After the bill had been restored to
the calendar it was ordered placed at
the bottom of the list of bills on second
reading. This was ruling made by
Speaker Hare in making up the calen-
dar, he holding that the bill had lost
it's place by reason of being set as a
special order, and must 60 to the foot
of the calendar.
This ruling by Speaker Hare is sig
nificant, for it may have bearing on
this bill in the future, and also upon
other legislation. He ruled in effect
that majority could suspend rule of
the house. His ruling was in fact that
the house could suspend the regular or
der of business and 60 into committee
of the whole by majority vote, but if
the rule is carried out that a majority
can get away from the presidents of the
house on this bill it can on all other
matters.
The action of the house on the CON-
mission bill was accompanied by scenes
of the widest disorder. The spectacle
of members shaking their fists under
the speakers nose; of excited men
hurting charges of bribery and of half
the membership of the house struggling
on the floor tor recognition to take part
in a lively legislative fight. made the
day one Of the most remarkable in the
history of the house,
Caused Wild Scramble.
On viva voce vote Speaker Hare de-
clared that the Dix railroad commits
sion bill had been indefinitely postponed
by the house.
Immediately commission men from
all parts of the house leaped to their
feet and shouted their objections. Amid
the turmoil Roth, of Whatcom, called
out motion to adjourn. Speaker Hare
put it and declared it carried.
Lewis, Jones, Field, Ranck. Dickson,
Lindsey, Dilling, Cole and a score of
Others were on their feet at the time,
endeavoring to attract the attention of
the speaker, while the railroad forces
added to the din by their chorus of
votes as the speaker put the motions.
AS soon as the motion to adjourn had
been declared carried crowd of COM
mission men rushed toward the speak
er's desk.
Speaker Hare had laid down his CAV
ell as he declared the house adjourned,
taken off his glasses and was about to
descend from the platform upon which
his desk is located, when crowd of
commission men, headed by Lewis, of
King, rushed up at him. Lewis forced
his way bv the reading clerk desk and
shook his fist in the speakers face,
while from behind him Jones, Cole,
Dilling, Field and half dozen others
were gesticulating and calling to the
speaker.
"There was a motion to make that
bill special ORDER" cried Lewis.
"There wasn't any second to it," the
speaker calmly replied.
seconded that notion" Lewis insisted,
as his face paled with anger.
81 did not hear any second" the
speaker replied quietly.
"You did hear it, or you didn't want
to hear it," cried Lewis passionately,
and his fist waved dangerously near the
speakers face.
81 tell you heard no second to that
notion" the speaker insisted. "The
trouble with you is that so long as |
am with you, I'm all right, but as soon
as fail to make ruling you like then
you denounce me
There was considerable more of the
same kind, Lewis being the principal
speaker fer the commission men.
In the meantime the railroad forces
were shouting with laughter over the
situation, though a sufficient number
had gathered near the speaker to pro-
tect him in case any disturbance oc-
Cured. Finally the commission men
walked away, muttering their disap-
prevail of the speakers ruling.
The end came at IL 80, after a morn
ing full of incident. The earlier rul-
ings of the speaker bad all been against
the railroad forces and the commission
men were forcing the railroad hill