Ole Hanson Declares War on the Senate—and the Race Tracks
Blocked by a two-thirds rule, the fiery legislator vows lawsuits, subpoenas and a statewide hunt for betting losses until the senate bends.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
(Times Special Service.)
OLYMPIA, Feb. 4 — Ole Hanson is off the reservation and running amuck. Entirely reckless of political consequences, he has a half dozen schemes for bringing the senate to time and incidentally getting at the race track business. Hanson, as chairman of the house banking committee, served notice on one or two senators interested in banks to look out for him, and they did to the extent of voting to bring his bill out from the judiciary committee.
The senate rule requiring a two-thirds vote beat him out of the emergency clause, but Ole is never without resources. His latest plan is to bring suit against the King County Fair association to have its charter revoked on the ground that it is a common nuisance and does an illegal business. Then he proposes to advertise in the papers of the state for proof of any money lost at the track. He will himself engage lawyers to bring suit against the stockholders of the Meadows for the restitution of twice the sums lost.
Whether or not he can win any of these suits, Hanson doesn't care a rip. He can stir up enough trouble for the Meadows stockholders that they will be glad to let his bill go through and be done with the matter.
"You just watch the Norwegian" was his defiance to the senate when they jobbed him on his emergency clause. In two minutes he had concocted his plan to bring suit and within a day or so he'll have a dozen others. In the meantime he is laying down hard on three members of the senate. Conference committee or no conference committee, it takes a two-thirds vote to pass the emergency clause and at present he is three votes shy.
“"You just watch the Norwegian."”
Ole Hanson's blend of legislative brinkmanship and public shaming feels familiar: a lawmaker stymied by procedure, then threatening lawsuits and investigations until opponents relent. The fight over race-track gambling also previewed today's battles over how Washington regulates vice, money and special interests.
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