The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1913-02-27
DUNNINC TO THE HERALD.
State House. Feb. "a, 1913.
Editor Bellingham Herald,
Rellineham Wash

800
Bellingham, Wash.
Dear Sir:-An editorial which
appeared in your issue Of February
18th has been brought to my notice
and to those who are really famil.
lar with the affairs which you com.
mented upon, the editorial is known
to be extremely unjust and unfair
Your comment upon the tilt which
occurred between Speaker Taylor
and myself was the second that
has been published in your paper
The first account of the tilt" was
An article that you published some
time ago, and which was such a
twisted, garbled and false account
that upon reading 1t, was about
to write scathing answer, when
your reporter. here at Olympia
promised me to send you an &C.
count of the tilt" which would
right matters. and further promis-
ed that he would show me the &C.
count SO that l could put my 20
X" on it before 1t was published
Well, strange to say, the reporter
never came around with the prom
ised article. SO the wrong was not
righted. Now right after this first
Misrepresentation Of yours. comes
an editorial containing the second
unjust comment on the tilt" aAd
an equally unjust comment on
what occurred during an hour In
which l acted as Speaker of the
House.
Your first account was unfair in
that 1t represented me as trying to
talk on a bill after the debate was
closed. and becoming provoked be-
cause l was ruled out of order
But the alleged tilt" came when
was asking for ruling in regard
to when the vote on the bill could
be reconsidered. and Gear Taylor
replied: Il will not rule at all un-
til something comes up" This
ruling, or rather refusal to rule
provoked me but the statement that
l said anything discourteous to the
Speaker is absolutely false. And
furthermore, l have never at any
time, said anything discourteOus tc
the Speaker on the floor of the
House, although his rulings and
rsfusals to rule, at times, would
make old Joe Cannon blush.
Now, in regard to the hour dur.
ing which I acted as Speaker. 1
will say first. that the only time
House rule 49," which prohibits
smoking on the floor Of the House
has been enforced this session, waa
while was in the chair. After
/ had instructed the Sergeant-At-
forced. a motion was made to sus.
pend House rule 49," l refused
TO put the motion. stating that te
even bring such a motion to a vote
would be "a discourtesy to the two
lady Representatives. Does that
indicate that was very much
chastened in spirit" AZ your edi.
torial would have It? 1t Is true
that the House did indulge in some
parliamentary drill. while l was In
the chair. We had agreed on q
certain time for adjournment. and
as We had some spare time on ou,
hands, we used it in becoming ac.
quainted with the Rules of the
House. could have leaned back
in my chair, as Gear Taylor does
and not seen anyone or anything
but recognized that the House
wanted some parliamentary drill
and l gave everyone chance.
Now. Mr.. Editor. I know that II
Is against the policy of your paper
representing the Special Interests in
general. and the Fish Trust in par.
ticular. as 1t does, to give anyone
who is fighting those Interests. Z
square deal. But l am hoping that
your own sense Of justice, which
Is an inherent quality of the aver.
age American citizen. will cause you
to publish this letter in full and
give it the same prominence that
you did the articles which 1t seeks
to correct.
Sincerely yours,
CIV II DVYNNyVNy(S