St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-08-18
A BILL IN The BOX.
Story of a Legislative Prank In
the New York Assembly.
DILEMMA OF A TIMID MEMBER.
Though His Name Was Signed to the
Measure He Was Not Its Author and
When Ordered to Withdraw IL What
Little Courage He Had Failed Him.

Measure He Was Not It's Author and
J When Ordered to Withdraw IL Wha.
Little Courage He Had Failed Him.
There was a fake bill introduced in
the assembly of New York state dur
Ing the session of 1902 that really be
came a famous piece of legislation be-
fore it arrived at its formal fms, al
though it 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.
1t was drawn up in the regular form,
beginning with the necessary verbiage,
1.-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,
put together in such a way that only a
technician in legislative matters could
have discerned the joke.
The assembly bill box is a receptacle
placed for the measures of the legisla-
tors who may wish to have them In
trOduced at the next regular daily ses-
sion subsequent to their deposit. The
box is only used between times" for
when the assembly is in session the
bill may be handed up to the clerk for
reading. Bills are introduced in dupli-
cate and must bear, of course, the in
PRODUCERS name.
The jokers dropped the fake bill into
the box on a 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 a machine man and had lit
tie initiative or individuality. He
never waited over for Friday morning
sessions, as they lasted but few min
utes, and it 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. 1t was referred to it's prop
er committee and ordered printed. It's
purpose was made very plain At
every crossroad throughout the state
of New York there must be placed at
once by the state engineer and sur
veyor a signpOst with sign of ex-
actly described dimensions, and letter
ing measured to a 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 to
the proper placing of the sign.
No sooner was the title of the bill
read than the afternoon newspaper
representatives at Albany pricked up
their ears. They were on the alert
always for New York city legislation,
but here was a bill making it manda-
tory to erect signposts throughout the
state, and essentially of rural benefit.
Yet a member from a congested New
York district had introduced it. Some
thing strange. They searched around
for the alleged introducer. He was in
New York They took no chances,
however. and telegraphed a column to
their papers telling of the attempt to
signpost the state by an east side leg
islator.
The morning papers took it up. Re
porters hunted up the assemblyman at
his home. He roared out his denial
But nobody believed him. He got a
hurry telephone call from his district
leader, to whom he swore he had in
troduced no such bill. He was ordered
to ask for the privilege of the floor at
Monday nights session and compel the
withdrawal of the bill. He had stage
fright over the idea. He was almost
too bashful to raise his voice when vot-
ing at roll call. Meanwhile the news
of the bill spread. and from all quar-
tiers of the city the luckless assembly
men received telephone messages ask
ing to be "let in on the signpOst graft"
The following Monday night the al
legged introducer arrived in Albany al
most in a state of collapse All during
the ensuing week he was ordered to
the withdrawal of the bill, but
would not rise in his seat and ask it.
Finally member in the secret told the
facts to Speaker Nixon. The speaker
called the assemblyman to his desk
and questioned him He was satisfied
that the legislator was altogether too
timid to introduce such a radical bill
and exOnerated him.
But the bill had been printed. When
it was supposed that it had been killed
In committee the first thing known was
a request for hearing on it by some
good roads workers, who saw in it a
blessing and who sent the alleged in
a congratulatOry letter for his
public spirited act. The bill of course
died in committee, bit its memory
chung to the east side legislator for
many years-New York Sun.
A Puzzle.
Some differences are very pulling"