The Art of the Political Stall

There has been some talk among members of the council about the reference of bills to committees. Mr. Gabel, Mr. White, and Mr. Gowey are of the opinion that bills should be referred not to the committee which a member may prefer, but to the appropriate committee, taking into consideration the subject matter of the bill. There have been several remarkable departures from this practice. Mr. Sharpstein's bill fixing railroad freight rates was referred to the printing committee, and that committee reported the bill. It, however, after the circus business over it one day last week, was referred to the judiciary committee, the committee to which all bills should be referred in the construction of which legal questions are involved. In order to avoid this, a rule will probably be adopted after the holiday recess authorizing the president to refer bills in about this way: 'If no objections are heard the bill will be referred to the judiciary,' or such other committee as may be appropriate. Whenever the president is in doubt he can submit the matter to the council. It is thought business will thus be expedited, and yet no state of legislation be departed from. The railroad lobby that far has done its work at a distance, at least, the men who are busying themselves with the hot debates are in the grasp of those who prefer to remain in the boundless contiguity of the offices of the Northern Pacific in Tacoma. There has been a tentative effort in the direction of steering some legislation which would not have proved unsatisfactory to the Northern Pacific. The big fight will be fired later on.