Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-31

Whether it is just earelessness or
something worse we do not pretend to
say, but it is evident that something
is the matter with the senate and its
committees. There has been but few if
any bills, memorials, resolutions or any
thing else passed the senate this ses-
sion that have not had to be referred, re-
referred, recalled or something else done
to them. bill goes through the hands
of two or three committees there, then
to the governor from whom it has to be
recalled in order to correct some ms
take that is sticking out all over it as
prominent as the warts on a dill pickle.
Maybe it is the approaching doom of
old John Barleycorn and his grand
child, Two quarts or Halfpeck that
makes the senators absentminded, aud
fcIgetful.
A day or two ago George Palmer Put
nam, who as private secretary to Use
gov emor has some queer stunts coming
his way, had one of an entirely new
kind. Circuit Judge Duffy of the Twen-
ty FIRST district visited the legislature,
his better half accompanying him and
the six months old heir and pride of the
family coming along as the guest of the
two. Mrs. Duffy, by arrangement with
the Judge, left the baby in the executive
cffice and under the especial care of the
private secretary who promised to keep
an eye or two on it until the judge call
ed for it, which he would do in lew
moments. The judge was interested in
something up in the senate and forgot
the baby. Mrs. Duffy supposing the
youngster was being taken judicial care
OF, went about her little calls on a
friend or two and Putnam was the sole
person on the job. BY and by the baby
got hungry as babies will, and as it
could not talk called attention to the
fact that its little backbone was about
to cut a hole right where the man in
the almanac has flap let down show
ing his internal construction, and all be-
cause there was no natural padding be-
tween the said backbone. as the Judge
would put it, and the frontiSpiece. 1t
grew restless, then it whmpered Just
n little plaintiVe suggestion that there
was somebody 5 baby that needed some
thing more or less than house bill No.
100 to satisfy its thirst and hunger
both at the same time. Putnam got as
uneasy as the baby. He knew what it
wanted, but circumstances over which
he had no control prevented him max
ing good on the prospective job. He
went out to hunt the judge forgetful of
the fact that so far as this especial
occasion was concerned the Judge had
10 jurisdiction. Then Putnam went back
to the executive chamber and into a
committee of the whole but the situa-
tion was "bone dry" He rushed over
to the house and consulted Joe Singer,
hut Joe couldn Il help him, nor could
Colonel Mercer. The private secretary
sized up some of the pretty stenograph-
ers, but realized there was no help for
the situation from that direction. He
went back to the executive office and
his heart gave great throb of relief,
for Mrs. Duffy was there and she knew
baby talk and the whole matter had
been explained to her by Judge Duffy
junior when. Putnam arrived, and was
being amieably settled out of court.
Now what is puzzling the newsboys who
got wise to the little comedy is what
Putnam was trying to get the judge
for.