A Mock Legislature and a Midnight Meltdown in Olympia

OLYMPIA, March 9.—[Special.]—The legislature worked through its last day and far past midnight. In the senate, Senator Claypool presented Lieut. Gov. Luce with a diamond pin and watch charm in tribute to his impartial presiding. Luce thanked the senators, saying the courtesy had made his trying duties "a most pleasant task."

In the house the main fight was over the Anderson railroad bill. The senate had amended the conference report to reduce freight rates by $1 a ton for farmers of the Palouse. Neergaard urged the house to concur, saying, "We are working for results, not simply to fix the responsibility for the failure of certain legislation anywhere." Baker of Pierce objected that the house should stand by its majority report. The house adopted the minority report, then later concurred in the senate amendments by a vote of 61 to 2.

The general appropriation bill and the Whatcom Normal School appropriation were settled at $30,000. A proposal to create a harbor line commission caused the wildest scene. Gilman pleaded for the bill, warning it might save an extra session. Opponents became violent. "The uproar was great in violence," the correspondent wrote. The speaker finally ruled it would be illegal to pass any more bills, and legislation ended. At 1:30 a.m. the hands of the clock still pointed to 11:30. While waiting for messages from the house, the pages held a mock legislature and, amid laughter, tried to elect a United States senator; the attempt ended in the usual deadlock. The session closed with singing, "We are going home tomorrow."