Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-23
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP.

was receiving double pay. On this point
| there is practically but one voice to expires
sion about the Capitol.
! There is at least one wit in the Senate, and
his name is Neumann. As an example OF the
brilliant replies of the Senator, it may be re-
lated that as he sat cogitating the other Gay
! over an editorial of the RECORD MON on
The Sack of Lima" brother Senator
asked him what had become OF certain Well
known lobbyist who has been conspicuous
recently bv his absence. OF course, re-
nlied the Senator. "your have read about the
sack of Lima 2" g On, yes, responded his
interrogation. "Well, said the Senator, bal
ancing his leg on a chair back, " he has gone
to look for that sack.
1t is said the Kenheld committee OF IN
vestigation is ready to report, and gossip
hints very broadly as to what the report will
contain 1t is said the committee will report
the facts only as instructed to do, and THAI 1t
fnda that the Controller for his wife drew
her salary in April and thereafter to Octo-
her and that from April to October, six
,oontbq she did no work of any kind
about Office business The exposure Of the
matter was first made in October, 1t will be
remembered. That the salary is S133 per
month. 1t is understood the committee will
say there is work enough IN the office Tor
tbree clerks, but that Mr.. Kenfeld has forced
ty,,o to earn the salary which he drew in the
name of his wife. 1t is well known now that
be drew it himself and that his wife was
never in the Treasurer's office to draw the
salary. 1t is understood that the Democrats
on the committee finding the facts strictly in
accordance with the published statement,
and fearing that their report to that effect
would be criticised as actuated by political
opposition, and because OF their being Of
different political faith. proposed TO Mr..
Kenfeld that if he would exhibit any work
of his wifes done about the Office between
April and October, even a square inch of
of it. they would give him clean bill of
health. The Controller, however, utterly
failed to do so. The report, it is understood,
will find that there is no evidence oil any
work done by the wife until after the ex-
posture, 1t is also understood to be the I'M
qualified opinion of the members of the COM
mittee that the charge was true in every par
ticular. The Controllers only defense is said
to be that he is Controller, and the sole and
only party to Judge of the work of his clerks.
1t leaks out in this connection that the work
in the Controllers Office is very much behind
hand, and the clerks are much behind in their
work, and large amount of back work
ssls to be brought up.
or rather of the committee of Sacra-
mento citizens to the Capitol the other
day, to urge the passage of resolu-
ton to direct the Attorney-General to
enioin the hydraulic miners in the name of
the People, is still talked of. 1t is considered
to be square confession of the utter failure
of the proposition to force this city to bring
the suit, andi an acknowledgment that the
correction of the mining debris evil is State
duty The proposition suggesting that the
Attorney General should or might employ
counsel to assist him in such cases, is looked
upon by the great mass as anything but COM
plimentary to the Attorney General, and the
remark has been open and frequent that it
simply meant that the Attorney General
should employ Hon. George Cadwalader. 1t
is said by those who know General Hart best
that he is not the man to receive such a prop
osition kindly, and that if action is taken he
is. every one says, competent to bring and
handle the case, and that there is small need
to expend State money for special counsel !;
that the State has, in Short had quite
enough Of special counsel expense already.
Concerning this matter Acknowledgement
Hart yesterday stated that, in his opinion,
hydraulic mining, il to be enjoined, can be
under the present law, hut it was wise to
amend the possible defects in the law that
if any citizen laid before him o complaint,
showing anyone is committing a public
nuisance by fouling and filling up the rivers
of the State. he should feel bound to CON
sent to the use of the name of the State rot
the abatement of the nuisance. In that
case, he would do his duty as Attorney. Cen
eral and did not need to be told it by legsl
resolution. He had given his opinion already
as a citizen, that hydraulic mining results are
evil to the rivers and valley, and the now OF
the matter into the rivers ought TO De MADE a
felony. and the law so made ought to be en-
| forced. He nod plainly told people and legis-
| lators urging the resolutions referred to that
/ if they passed he must be understood as not
! pledged to employ any one to aid him-eyen
If he deemed it necessary to employ any
one-who had originated such a resolution
and sought to urge it upon the Legislature.
To employ such would, in his view, be mani
| testify improper. The General is evidently a
strong believer in the doctrine that by action
of Court the miaers can be successfully re-
strained from flowing hydraulic washings of
the mines into the rivers. 1t appears clearly
| to any one who eonverses with him
that he does not consider the resolutions
as necessary, and that he can act on proper
showing made just as well without as with
| them. The General says in so many words
that he informed gentlemen urging the re.
peal of the Drainage Act, and the passage OF
the resolutions concerning special counsel,
| that there is, in his opinion, no difference in
using State money to prevent nuisance and
using State money to abate . nuisance.
There is much satisfaction expressed over
the success thus far of the apportionment
bill in the Senate. It is understood that Sen.
! ator johnson and the Committee on Appor-
! tionmentwere not in harmony with someof the
party leaders about that measure. The Con
stitution requires the numbering of districts
| to proceed from the north line Of the State,
and the districts shall be composed of con-
! tiouous tarritnrv As+ha Sapa+orr 10 he chosen
| from the even-numbered districts will hold four
and those from odd-numbered districts but
two years, the political managers wanted to
/ so number the districts as to@make it likely
| that all the even-numbered ones would en-
brace territory believed to be Republican in
vote, and thus give the Republicans most Of
| the hold-overs. To this end they began, in
! their plan, at the north, but ran down the
/ coast and skipped about to accomplish the
| end sought and yet kept within the technical
| pale of the law. The committee on THE
| other hand resolved to begin at the north and
number down and across as nearly as posi-
! BILE in strict compliance with the Constitu.
| ton and hence the row which it is under
stood at one time threatened to rock on its
! foundations Senator Johnson's political resi-
| dence, as well as the party domiciles of the
! other Republican members of the committee
| The State Library fight being ended, it i.
! generally CONCEDED tnat MT. w allls won, ano
! that in the new Board he will receive foul
out of five of the votes So far as getting al
expression out of the Trustees, however, on
! this subject, there is little success, they de
claring they are not pledged for State Lii
brarian, that they don't take office for yea
yet, and that there is plenty of time in which
| to form judgment.
| There is a general remark made which doe
| Sacramento credit and awakens local pride
and it is in accord with the evident truth tina
the Assembly has never had more faithful
and efficient Sergeant than 1t ha
found in Sergeant Walters, whose admins
tration is the subject of complimentary re
mark even from his bitterest political oppo
nents. So, too, as to Clerk McStay. 1t i
certain the House has not in many years hae
a better Clerk, and this fact, while the occa
! sion OF such expression by the many, is veri
fed by reporters and old representatives., wht
have had good opportunity to make compare
sons. While speaking of legislative officers
it comes in order to notice the fact that tbs
new Secretary of the Senate wears well. The
| Senate goes along just as easily in It's bust
ness as can be desired by any. and Mr.. Orr L
found to be clear reader, prompt Clerk, al
intelligent and efficient officer in very try
| ing position calling for rare good qualities.
| NoTARIES The following Notaries Publ,