The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-07-15
A BILL IN The BOX
Story Of a Legislative Prank In
the New York Assembly.
DILEMMA OF A TIMlD 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.

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 tinis. al.
though II has never until the. present
time been cbronicled in print.
| The act was placed In the assembly
bill box by two jokers of the assembly.
Il was drawn up In the regular form.
beginning with the necessary verb!age,
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 was
put together In such way that only a
technician In legislative matters could
have discerned the joke.
The assembly bill box IL 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" Tor
when the assembly Is In session ths
bill may be handed up to the clerk for
reading. Bills are introduced In dupli-
cate and must bear. OF course. tho In.
troducer's name.
Tho jokers dropped the fake bill into
tho box on a Thursday night They
attached n members name whose dis-
trict was In the crowded east side scc-
tion of New York. He was what was
known a. machine man and had lit
Ito initiative or individuality. He
never waited over for Friday morning
sessions, as they lasted but a few min
utcs, and II was easier to take tho
train to New York Thursday night, 10
turning after recess tho following
Monday night
The fake bin with the east side
members name was duly tnken out
Of the box Fridny morning and its
title read. II was referred TO It's prop
or committee and ordered printed Is
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 signpost with a sign 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 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 ezra. They were on the alert
always for New York city legislation.
but here was bin making II manda-
tory to erect signposts throughout tho
state. and essentially OF rural benefit
Yet a member from u congestcd New
York district had introduced IT, Some
thing strange. They searched around
for the alleged introducer. He wss In
New York. They took no chances.
however. and telegraphed column TO
their papers telling OF the attempt to
signpost the state by an east side leg-
lslator.
The morning papers took II up. Re
porters hunted up the assemblyman ut
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
withdra wal 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 Mer nwhile the news
OF the bill spread. AL from all quar-
ters OF the city the lckless assembly
men received telephone messages ask
Ing to be ''let In on the signpost graft"
The following MOI, ny night the al
legged introducer arrived In Albany al
most In state OF collapse. All during
the ensuing week he was ordered 70
demand the withdrawal OF the bill. but
would not rise In his seat and ask II.
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 radical bill
and exoneraied him.
But the bill had been printed. When
II was supposed that II had been killed
In committee the frst thing known was
a request for a hearing on II by some
good roads workers. who saw in II a
blessing and who sent the alleged In
troducer a congratulatory letter for his
public spirited act The bill OF course
died IN committee. but Its memory
clung TO the east side legislator for
many years.-New York Sun.