Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-28
ASSEMBLY,.

The Assembly convened at 10 4. N. yesterday
After calling Of the roll and prayer by the Chap
lain, the House settled down to business.
Weaver introduced a resolution, which was
adopted requiring the Secretary Of the State to
furnish members with copies ot the debates of the
Constitutional Convention, the same TO be returned
to the Secretary Of the State at the close Of the
sion.
stephens OF San Joaquin introduced the follow
ing
Resolved by the Assembly of the state Of Cali
fOrnia now in extra session assembled, That COM
mittee Of five members o. whom shall be elected
by the committee Chairman thereof be appointed
by the Speaker Of the Assembly, and shall consti-
tute what shall be known 5 a railroad Investiga-
tiou Committee, and it shall be the duty Of said
committee 10 ascertain
l. Whether there are any railroad COMPARES, do.
ing business in California, which are not conducted
according to the codes and statute laws Of the
state.
.. To ascertain what amount Of capital there is
invested in the railroad corporations of the State
and what amount OF said tpita has been furnished
by the State. and what amount by any county
thereof and what amount thereof was furnished by
private individuals for the construction of said
roads.
g. To ascertain what amount of money has been
drawn from the State Treasury by any and all rail
road companies il the State, and for wh,t purpose
drawn.
4 such committee shall have full power to organ.
ize by electing a Chairman from among ils mem.
ber, and power 10 send for persona and papers, and
empowered TO serve the writs, subpenas, and other
processes Of said committee, and shall receive the
same compe sation therefor they receive for ike
servicel IN any Court of record IN this state, the
to be paid out OF the contingent fund of this
Assembly
s. Such committee may in their judgment employ
a shorthand reporter, at per diem not to exceed
$40 per day.
g. said committee shall examine into all contracts
made by the State with any railroad company or
other corporation thereof, aud II they find that any
contract has been entered into between the State or
any county thereof, and any railroad company or
other corporation, they shall endeavOr to ascertain
whether such contracts have been complied with
either in whole or in part oy the said companies
corporations.
T. Nothing in this investigation shall be psrti-
san, unjus., or Unfair, but it shall be conducted
justly and honoraby by all parties concern Sd and
oil such corporations and railroad companies shall
have full power, through the committee to compel
the attendance of witnesses in their behalf. The
committee shall have all the powers usually granted
such committees, in addition to those prescribed
herein, incluGing the authority to administer oahs
to witnesses, etc and after itJ deliberations shall
report the result thereof to this Assembly within
twenty days from the date hereof OF sooner if pr.c
ticabe.
Referred to the Committee on Corporations.
Wallace offered the following:
WHEREAS Certain railroads in this State now
operated by railroad corporatiO created by tie
State, were notoriously constructed, equipped and
put in operation, not by private or capital OF
sa4u OF means OF capital OF any
OF the private promoters thereof or stockholders
therein, but were built constructed, equ'pped aud
put in operation almost wholly by the direct or in
direct use Of the moneys Of the people, collected
from the people by taxation imposed upou them for
that purpose, and by subsidies money received
from the public treA sury, and By the OF lands
taken from private citizens through the exercise by
said railway corporations OF the sovereign powers of
the eminent domain las agents Of the Stae) whereby
private persons, citizens Of the State were by the.
laws OF the State enacted for that purpose, corr
PEELED to surrender their private pos sessions and
estates to said railway corporations as and for
public use and, whereas, the recognized principles
underlying the political system of t6is State and all
other States denominated free, absolutely 70 old
the exercise of either the great powers OF taxation
and the eminent domain except for public purposes;
therefore,
Resolved, That said railway corporations, having
received into their hands the sail moneys aud lands
OF the people only and for public use and not as
their private property the said railways constructed
by the use Of said lands and moneys DO not IN law
or fact constitute the private property Of said rail-
wsy corporations butare affected with puslic use
and the beneficial ownership of said railway belongs
to the people and said railways are possessed and
managed by said corporations as were public agen-
cies charged by law with the duty of managing and
conducting them, not for mere corporate gain or
emolument bu, for the benefit Of the Ssa;e and the