The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1910-09-01
(PAID ADVERTISEMENT


1t has been brought to my atten-
ton that r. A. Thayer is industri-
ously endeavoring to place me in
what he calls a true light before the
people, using for his argument, the
history of a certain drainage bill,
which he claims failed to pass be-
cause | introduced it, and that du-
plicate bill which he introduced did
pass because it bore his name. There
fore, if 1 may be permitted to do so,
since Thayer has invited the compar-
ison, l will take up the matter of the
drainage bill.
The bill was introduced in the leg
islature in the extraordinary session
when the senate was sitting as a
court of impeachment and was not
called for the purpose of legislation,
and the senate was very much oppos-
ed to taking up any legislation at
all, while the house had during all
that time, nothing to do but meet
and adjourn from day to day in order
that the records should show that the
legislature was in session.
The consequence was that the
house passed a flood Of bills which
the senate found very little time to
act upon for the reason that it was
sitting as a Court of Impeachment
from 10 o'clock in the morning till
) o'clock in the evening. This was
a trying duty as the senator's could
do nothing but listen to evidence
with no voice or vote till the end, ex-
actly as jury, though they were
free to move about, or even absent
themselves for short periods.
Of this privilege during the tedi-
Gus trial, many senator's awaited
themselves, usually remaining in the
lobby or in the cloakrooms.
At the morning session of the 10th
day l moved that the rules be sus
pended, senate bill No. II be read the
third time, and placed on final pass
age.
This only requires viva voce vote
and the motion carried.
l saw that there were not enough
senators on hand to make the consti
| tutional majority, but naturally pre-
sumed that 1 would find them in thu
| lobby and cloak rooms, and left tn
senate chamber to find sufficient o
them to make up the number. first
however, took the precaution to re
quest one of the senator's (Mr. Bry
an in the event that l did not ge
enough senators in, in time to vote
to vote mo" upon my bill and the
move to reconsider the bill at an
other time.
l only found three senator's in tn
lobby, which, with those at first i
the chamber only made a total of
voting for the bill, while there wer
Just II absent members. But it
not true that the bill was lost for
was alive and on the calendar for II
} consideration.
There were eight votes against tt
measure, and it is possibly quite tru
that these were friends of Mr.. Thayt
and enemies of mine and vote
through this influence instead of tt
merits of the bill, and I beg here
submit that voting personalities il
, stead of the merits of proposed legi
lation is very edifying trait and
I would be we'll for the people to ser
ously consider this in selecting the
} legislators.
g also desire to submit the nam
= of those voting against the bi
which are as follows: Senators Arr
smith, Bryan, Eastman, Hutchinso
: Kline, Minkler, Whitney and Rut
: all of whom except the first two, '
o ought hope will never again hold {
o flee through the sufference of the pc
pie.
Senator Bryan's vote, may W
- necessary in order to move for
r consideration, as according to ps
], liaemntary usage, bill can only
n considered upon motion of one "
voted on the losing side.
For the above record of senate
u No. II see Senate Journal Extra
l. binary Session, page 1874.
y On August 18th the house pass
It house bill No. 8. duplicate Dill
4 g B. No. IL and it was transmit
:, TO the senate. (See senate jour-
: page 145), but there was no opp
'e tunity to pass any legislation IN
senate till August 18th, and on
pust 18th I moved that house bill
- Q be made a special order for
O'Clock. which was done. (See p'