Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1915-07-20
A BILL IN THE BOX
Story of a Legislative Prank In
the New York Assembly.
DILEMMA OF A TlMlD MEMBER.

OiGG""E w ~ iiNtp WCWDCns
Though His Name Was Signed to the
Measure He Was Not lite Author and
When Ordered to Withdraw Il What
Little Courage He Had Failed Him.
There was II fake bill introduced In
the assembly OF New York state dur
ing the session or 1902 that really be
came famous piece OF legislation be
fore II arrived at It's formal fins. al
though II has never until the present
time been chronicled In print
The act was placed IN the assembly
bill box by TWO jokers OF the assembly
II was drawn up IN the regular form
beginning with the necessary yerbiage.
The people OF the state OF New York
IN senate and assembly represented.
etc The provisions OF the first TWO or
three sections were also very plausible
aud. in fact. the entire measure was
put together In such way thai only
technician In legislative matters could
have discerued the Joke
The assembly bill box Is receptacle
placed for the measures OF the legisia
tors who may wish to have them In
troduced at the next regular daily SEES
sion subsequent 10 their deposit The
box Is only used between times " for
when the assembly Is Ia session the
ma IL. m 4 IA oil ron
reading Bills are introduced Ia dupll
cate and must bear. VI course, the In
PRODUCERS name
The jokers dropped the fake bill into
the box ON Thursday night They
attached a members name whose dis
trict was IN the crowded east side sec
ton OF New York He was what was
known as machine man and had III
tie initiative or Individuality lie
never waited over for Friday morning
utes. and II was easier TO take the
train to New York Thursday night. re
turning after recess the following
Monday night
The fake bill with the east side
members name was duly taken out
OF the box Friday morning and its
title read II was referred to its prop
er committee aud ordered printed Its
purpose was made very plain Al
every crossroad throughout the state
OF New York there must be placed at
once by the state engineer and sur
veyor signpost with sigu OF ex-
actly described dimensions. and letter
ing measured to dot. directing trav
elers to the nearest place for enter
tainment Of man and beast. The
angles OF the crossroads were specified
In their exact degrees with respect t.
the proper placing OF the sign
No sooner was the title OF the bill
read than the afternoon newspaper
representatives at Albany pricked W
their ears. They were on the alert
always for New York city legislation
but here was bill making 1t manda
tory to erect signposts throughout th'
state, and essentially of rural benefit
Yet a member from congested New
York district had introduced IT, Some
thing strange. They searched AROUND
for the alleged Introducer He was ii
New York. They took no chances
however. and telegraphed a column &
their papers telling of the attempt t
signpost the state by an east side leg
islator
The morning papers took It up Re
porters hunted up the assemblyman a
his home He roared out his denial
But nobody believed him. He got
hurry telephone call from his distric
leader. to whom he swore he had In
troduced no such bill. He was ordere'
TO ask for the privilege of the door a
Monday nights session and compel tn
withdrawal OF the bill. He had stag
fright over the idea. He was almos
too bashful to raise his voice when vol
ing at roll call Meanwhile the new
Of the bin spread. and from all quar-
ters OF the city the luckless assembly
men received telephone messages ASK
ing TO be Get in on the signpost graft
The following Monday night the q
legged introducer arrived in Albany a
most in state of collapse. All durin
the ensuing week he was ordered
demand the withdrawal of the bill, bu
would not rise in his seat and ask
Finally n member In the secret told u
facts to Speaker Nixon The speak'
called the assemblyman TO his des
and questioned him He was satisne
that the legislator was altogether @
umid TO Introduce such a radical 81
and exonerated him.
But the bill had been printed. VINE
It was supposed that 1t had been kill'
in committee the first thing known WI
request for a hearing on II by son
good roads workers who saw In u
blessing aud who sent the alleged !
troducer a congratulatory letter for D
public spirited act The bill OF cour
died IN committee, but Its memo
chung TO the east side legislator
many years.-New YORK Sun