Political Patronage and the Janitor's Broom
The state legislature navigated a delicate political situation by dismissing a Tacoma man's manual-publishing contract, only to pacify him with a janitorial appointment for his brother.
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.
While both branches of the legislature have come to the conclusion that they will no longer tolerate the biennial 'legislative manual' bunco, they are nevertheless willing that the state should help pay the freight. They turned down the Tacoma colored man who made a specialty of getting out these manuals, and then to make the turndown nice and gentle the house promptly created the position of janitor for the colored man's brother. And the house never cracked a smile at the transition from author of a book selling at about $25 a volume, to the cleansing of cuspidors. Representative Fancher of Spokane got through a resolution adding five members to the house staff of employees and among them was Mr. Ryan's brother. Ryan will get his $4 a day now, together with a half dozen other janitors who spend most of their time shining shoes at 10 cents per shine and drawing their pay from the state.
“And the house never cracked a smile at the transition from author of a book selling at about $25 a volume, to the cleansing of cuspidors.”
This article highlights the stark, casual racism of 1909 political discourse while documenting the realities of 'hustle' culture and political patronage in Olympia, which still shapes state employment and contracting today.
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