The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1917-02-02
VOLUME Fl.
Capital Correspondence

more amusing and in consequence
plays to congested floors and crowd
ed galleries. The House is always
funnier than the Senate which is
probably owing to different temper
aments Of their respective speakers.
The Senate is grave and serious and
seems to be impressed with the
gravity of the responsibilities rest
ing on it. The House, with Moody
and MCGOWAN as ring masters, re-
sembles a circus and is correspond
ingly entertaining.
A bill has been introduced to linn
it the legislative department of the
state to one House consisting of 81
members and the question naturally
arises, Why not? The two houses
are relics of past ages and do not
meet the requirements of modern
legislation. Then if this single
House could be non-partisan but
wholly devoted to the best interests
of the whole people what could it
not accomplish!
The following incident illustrates
what we mean by non-partisan
members: The majority few days
ago introduced resolution to ad-
nit visitors to the floor of the
House by card only. That seemed
a very simple matter. But the mi
nority jumped on it with both feet
and an amendment was moved.
Then followed an amendment to the
amendment and the discussion be-
gan. The amendment to the a.
mendment was lost. Then followed
the previous question" which shut
off debate. The roll call was de-
manded and it was so ordered.
The call showed 35 ayes, % noes, a
strict party vote. And the visitors
will be admitted on "the next legls-
lative day by card only" But the
next day is women's club day and it
takes time to print $3.50 cards, the
number ordered. A motion to
change the order to take effect one
day later finally passed without op-
position. The regular order of bus
mess was about to be resumed when
MCGOWAN of Latah discovered that
the action conflicted with House
rule No. 81 which declares that no
rule of the House can be rescinded
or amended except by two thirds
vote and he demanded a roll call.
The speaker ruled that the vote on
the change being unanimous the de-
mand for roll call was out of or
der; then MCGOWAN tragically
shouted,
"Ours not to make reply,
Ours but to do Moody and die"
The above is a true statement of
facts as they occurred and the ques-
tion naturally arises, Why should
the House divide along strict party
lines on a question of that kind? ?
Why these dilatory tactics and this
waste of precious time? The House
is composed of men, full grown,
and yet many of their actions are
boyish in the extreme. A Legisla.
ture composed of 81 non-partisan
membership then that day will
usher in the millennium and we once
more lose faith in "the people,
After a stormy session of the
House a committee was appointed
to inquire into conditions at tn.
Boise Barracks where the soldier
are quartered. For week this ha
been the talk of the town.
The Committee from the Senat
conferred with the officers in com
mand at the Barracks and wa
shown every courtesy. The repor
of the Committee consisted of te
specifications. The seventh says
"We find that sanitary condition
at the Barracks are as good as ca
be expected Eighth: We fin
that the rations supplied to tn
troops are ample in quantity an
of quality better than that of an
o4Io,. nrrou Of tho urnrld >,