St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1915-07-16
A BILL IN The BOX
Story Of a Legislative Prank In
the New York Assembly.
DILEMMA OF A TlMID MEMBER.

Though His Name Was signed TO tho
Measure Hs Was Not Its Author and
Whom Ordered 20 Withdraw II What
Little Courage He Had Failed Him.
There was 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 DO.
fore Il arrived at It's formal nnis. al.
though Il has never until tho 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 verbiage,
"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.
and. In fact. the entire measure MAS
put together In such way that only a
technician In Legislative matters could
have discerncd the Joke.
The assembly bill boz In a receptacle
placed for the measures OF the legisla'
tors who may wish 90 have them In.
uoduced az the next regular daily SEES
sion subsequent TO their deposit The
box Il only used between times." for
when the assembly Is In session tho
bill may be handed up 20 tho clerk for
reading Bills are introduced In dupli-
cate and must bear. OF course. the In.
PRODUCERS name.
The jokes 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. lie was what was
known as a machine man and had nc.
tie initiative OF individuality. lie
never waited over for Friday morning
sessions, as they lasted but a few min
utes. and Il was easier 20 take tho
train 10 New York Thursday night 10
turning after recess the following
Monday night
The fake bill with the east side
members name was duly taken out
OF the boI Friday morning and It's
title read IL was referred To It's prop
or committee and ordered printed. Its
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
yeyor signpost with a sign Of ex-
actly described dimensions, and letter
ing measured TO a dot. directing trav-
elers 10 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
at Albany pricked up
their ears. They We're ON the alert |
always for New York city legislation. |
but here was a bin making II manda.
tory 10 erect signposts throughout the |
state. and essentially OF rural benefit |
Yet a member from congested New |
York district had introduced H. Some /
hing strange. They searched around |
FOR the alleged introdcer. He was In /
New York, They took no chances.
however, and telegraphed column 20
heir papers telling OF the attempt 20
'ignpost the state BY an east side les'
slator
The morning papers took II up Re
,orters hunted up the assemblyman at
iis home. He roared out his denial
But nobody believed him. He got a
hurry telephone call from his district
eader, 10 whom he swore he had In
reduced no such bill. He was ordered
o ask for the privilege OF the door at
Monday nights session and compel the
OF the bill lie had stage
right over the idea. He was almost
90 bashful 20 raise his voice when vot-
ng at roll call Meanwhile the news
4 the bill spread. and from all quar-
ers OF the city the luckless assembly
nen received telephone messages ask
ng 20 be '1et In on the signpost graft"
The following Monday night the al
eyed introducer arrived IN Albany al
most In a state OF collapse All during
he ensuing week he was ordered 20
lemand the withdrawal OF the bill. but
would not rise In his seat and ask Il.
iinsnx aemhsr In ths ssansf tod the