The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-01-19
Hay is Some
Big Pumpkins

OLYMPIA, Jan. 17.-(Special Corre-
ndence)-Lieutenant Governor M.
E. Hay, against whom there was some
thing of an unfriend,y feeling before
he qualified for office, has developed
into the surprise of the present ses-
sion, and has impressed himself upon
the legislators as the most cOnpicu-
Gus chit in Olympia.
Without noise or bluster he has ta-
ken hold. knowing what he wants, and
going after it with a vigor which has
startled the old school politicians. He
has smashed precedents, overridden
useless formalities, and made new rules
of executive and legislative conduct.
Old-line politicians who have run
counter to him have already discOv-
cred that he can not be Swerved.
His first demonstration was given to
the senators from King county. When
he reached Seattle last week those
senators 'demanded' two places on the
committee on appropriations. with the
intmation from one that if the COM
mittee assignments were not to their
liking they would organize filibuster-
ing movement against confirmation
and decline to confirm those assign
ments Mr.. Hay replied that not hav
| ing been chosen by the senate he did
not propose to be dictated to by 1t.
That announcement put an end to de
mands." King county was finally CIV
en- two members on the committee in
question, but the members were Sc
lected by Mr.. Hay and not by the dele
cation.
Mr.. Hay encountered opposition
when he announced that he intended
| to give the committee on public NOR
ais to the local option forces. Only
one precedent is recalled for this ac-
tion. that Of Lieutenant Governor
Henry Mcbride in 1901 in naming
| railroad committee consisting almost
entirely of railroad commission advo-
Gates.
When he first came to Olympia, the
representatives of ex-Lieutenant Gov
ernor Coon proposed to Mr.. Hay that
| neither man preside over the state SEN
ate during the tendency of the Coon
| Hay contest. He rejected the proposal
But when Mr.. Coon proposed peace
able truce he readily accepted the sug-
gestiOn.
Mr.. Hay has at no time evinced any
desire to take advantage of the pres
ent uncertain situation and assume the
duties of governor during the absence
| from the state of Governor-elect COS
grove. But he has made it plain that
| if he is called upon to be governor he
| will be governor.
| The new lieutenant governor smash
ed a precedent when he announced his
committees four days earlier than
Speaker Meigs announced those in the
| house He struck a fatal blow at an
| other one when he insisted on the
adoption of a senate rue that lobby
| ing would not be permitted upon the
floor of the chamber He abolished the
''tea room maintained in the lieuten-
ant governors office in the interests
| of the liquor lobby.
Mr. Hay has taken as his chief ad-
visors the strong members of the SEN
ate, such as Paulhamus of Pierce coun-
ty. Falconer of Snohomish county, Bas-
sett of Adams county, Poison of Che
halls. Graves of Spokane county and
Cotterill of King county. While these
men may, on many matters of minor
Legislation, find themselves in the NIL
nority from time to time during the
i session, on matters of larger and more
vital import. and especially of legisla-
ton to elevate the standard of public
morals they will dominate. And. un-
less all signs fail, the leader of this
powerful influence for better laws and
cleaner politics will be the new lieu
tenant governor.