Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-20

There was quite a change i'll the attitude of
Senators on the final disposition of the Branch
Normal School bill. The vote by which the bill,
as amended, was refused third reading, on
motion of Senator Taylor. was yesterday recon-
sidered and the bill ordered engroSsed and to
a third reading. and placed on the special file
for to-day. At the morning hour the question
was on the final passage OF the bill, when it was
opposed by Senator Kellogg, who had heretofore
warmly supported the Foster amendment for
Northern California he being from the Chico
district. On yesterday Parker of Solano. former
ly of Red Bluff, and who had perslstently sup
ported Fosters amendment. voted against re-
consideration. Senator Taylor earnestly advo-
Gated the bin as amended. and called upon the
friends of northern California to support It But
at the suggestion of some friends OF the bill he
had it made the special order for to-day in coz
sequence of the absence Of several of its friends.
Several more bills were introduced yesterday
in the Assembly, among them being one by
Buhert to regulate telegraphic rates and pre-
vent eXtortion by telegraph companies, and
another by Mcdonald to provide for the APP
point ment Of weighers of hay for Incorporated
cities.
The railroad tax question was pretty thor
oughly debated i'll the Assembly yesterday.
Heath's constitutional amendment, providing
Tor tax OF two and one-half per cent. on the
gross incomes of railroads, in lieu OF a property
tax, was passed by vote of 81 ayes to 10 noes.
a synopsis of the debate thereon appears in our
Legislative report Munday's bill. providing
for the assessment of the capital stock. outstand-
ing bonds, etc of railroad companies was
afterwards accorded first reading by a vote of
80 ayes to - noes; but, as the object of the bill
is the very opposite of that Of Heath 5. it would
seem that the Assembly allowed the bill to go
to first reading more out of courtesy TO its
author than anything else, as the vote i'll favor
of the income tax proposition indicates that it
is regarded as happy medium between pre-
vious conflicting views and that as such it
viii undoubtedly pass the Senate also by very
large vote.
The constitutional amendment providing for
legislative sessions Of 100 days, instead of sixty
as at present, was read the second time in the
Assembly yesterday without opposition. and
will, from present appearances, be adopted
Now that the bills and committee reports are
nearly all in, the Assembly is enabled to give
more attention to work on its file. Many of the
bills thereon have been read first and second
time, several are Withdrawn each day, and the
tweve-hour session will in q few days enable
that bOJy TO clean up much of its work, pro
vidcd the Senate does not send in big patches of
bills which ii is not likely to do.
The Mccarthy Investigating Committee has
held several meetings, and made arrangements
for its expert and clerk to go ahead with the
work OF investigating the accounts of the SUI
preme Court Clerk. Subpenas have been issued
for several witnesses, and the records of the
branch offices will be brought here for eXamina-
ton. The Senate committee TO investigate the
affairs of Secretary of State Thompson is also
prepared to enter upon its duties.