The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-03-30
"A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE
DISHONEST, GRATING SENATE
Senator Ben Johnson Declares the Rules Committee Appointed
VI by Lieut-Gov Hart Dominated the Legislature

lyon, chairman; French, Croft and
Jones.
Sees Hand of Special Interests
To a perfectly unsuspicious mind,
the lieutenant governor may appear
blameless in these strategic arrange
ments, but to even tenderfoot SEN
ator it looked like a carefully planned
organization for both offensive and
defensive purposes of the power and
fractions interests. The veterans
frankly gave the credit for the gen.
eralship to Senator Taylor.
The appropriations committee can
be skillfully used to give or Withhold
rewards to wavering senators whose
districts want appropriations. Their
decision was practically final, for be-
fore any senator outside the COM
mittee ever saw the general appropri-
alton bill carrying some $12,000,000,
a member of the committee secured
signed agreement from % senators to
permit no amendments not approved
by the appropriations committee. The
capitol building scheme was a pet
project of Mark Reed, one of the
triumvirate that controlled the house,
and was part of the inter-organiza-
tion plan.
AS result of our insurrection, Sen
ators Phipps and Mcmillan were
added to the rules committee, but
this left the power and traction crowd
in control with five out of nine of
the committee.
All efforts were bent, as usual, to
hold the important legislation, es-
pecially appropriations measures, un-
til the last 10 days of the session,
when there was a great congestion,
and in the mad scramble the power
of the organization was apparent. A
member of the rules committee Sc
cured signed agreement by % SEN
ators not to vote to put any bills on
the calendar which the rules commit
tee withheld. Some of the senators
signed this agreement upon the rep
resentation that the rules committee
had requested it, but Senators Phipps
and Mcmillan, members of that COM
mittee, disclaimed all knowledge of
any such request. Previous to the
obtaining of this agreement any men,
ber of this committee, taking his
turn could bring out any bill he de-
sired to go on the calendar.
After that the majority rule was
applied whenever deemed expedient.
This was particularly apparent when
they threw down Senator Phipps, a
member of the committee, by refus-
ing to permit the drugless healer
bill and the physicians and surgeons
bill to be placed on the calendar to
be passed over the governors veto,
unless Phipps and other supporters
of these bills would also secure the
votes to pass the power and trac-
tion interests bill to put the jitney
buses under the public service COM
mission. These men Indignantly
spurned the proposition and allowed
their bills to die in the committee
rather than be the tools of those in
terests.
Organization Influence Sinister
The extravaganza and inefficiency
of the last session are largely due
to the sinister influence behind the
organization. If man who voted
with them wanted an appropriation
he got it. If such a man wanted a
job for his retainer, it was created
if necessary. If such man wanted
bill through to override city gov
ernments, it went through to the sac
rifce of local self-government. If
such man wanted some pet bill of
his of minor public interest, it went
on the calendar, while important bills
of general public interest slumbered
in committee.
Much time was consumed on a dog
license bill in the closing hours, while
the bill extending the Mothers Pen
sion Act" to aid mothers deserted by
their husbands, and the bill to relieve
rural voters of unnecessary burdens
of the present registration law, and
the bill to recognize bonds of fed
eral land banks, and other important
bills, died in the rules committee.
Truly, special interest control of
legislative organization is expensive
to the public.
With the initiative and referendum
in existence, there is no excuse for
two-house legislature. Ability, ex-
perience and deliberation are neces-
sary to make good laws, and small
body of men devoting all the time