Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-28
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.
EXTRA sEss;oN-FIFrH DAY.
SENATE.

day read aud approved.
QUESTIONS OF PRIyILEGE-AN EXCITING SCENE.
Boone rose to a question of privilege. He said
that on coming into the Senate chamber ne
looked upon his desk for copy of the preced-
ing evenings edition of the san Francisco Post,
and found none, ner had he been abe &c ind
copy on the desk of any other Senator. How
ever he had succeeded in obtaining one, and
greatly to his surprise he had found therein an
article which he desired to read to the Senate.
Following is tae article referred to;
1.-THE truth of words spoken in apparent jest
was never better exemplifed than in the re-
marks of Senator Cross of Nevada on the no
ton for adjournment made in the Senate last
Thursday Said the learned and incOrrupVihle
Senator trom the hydraulic district; 1t IS my
experience that the greater part OF legislation
is done outside of the House and l move thai
we give the connubiators chance TO do their
work in San Francisco, where they will be less
open 70 observations than in the confined cor
ridogs OF the State Capitol The adjournment
was granted. a wild rush was made Tor san
Francisco, and this morning the work OF the
Hard Cash Riparian Lobby is as apparent us
Though every dishonest legislator wore upon
his back and brow legend setting forth his
price and the name of the man who paid II.
The Hard CASH Lobby, corruption band,
which is composed of Il riparian lawyer, a san
francisco Republican boss, and a rabid anti
railroad Democrat, have improved the shining
hours of the long recess to such advantage that
already they are boasting that they have more
than enough Senators secured to defeat any
constitutional amendments that may be pro-
posed. These open and confessed brfbers and
corruptioGists are Boosting that they have the
game in their hands, and have been so lndiS-
Greet as TO show the list of senatorial cattle
which they claim will be seen to bear the brand
of Miller & Lux when the final rodeo is made
OF course, it is impossible to say whether or not
the boasts of the Hard Cash Lobby have any
basis of fact, or whether the superserv
iceable Senators have been bought,
are expected to be bought, or will
vote as the Hard Cash Lobby wants from
Il
by Miller * Lux men has leaked and 1t Will
interest the public to know who the men are
whom the Tiparianists claim 10 have got on
their side. Here is the list ID. J. Creighton OF
San Francisco, Boone, Cox (who is an original
| riparianistl Chandler, Cross, Dougherty,
Dfumm, Martin, Kelly, Kellogg. Langford,
Wallis, Whitney and Knight Cox of Sacra
mento has riparian interests Spencer of Napa
has been virtually instructed by his constlt-
uents, who are all riparian owners, and the
others, it is claimed, have been convinced by
| the arguments of the Hard Cash Lobby, ex-
cept Whitney, who is the father of a compiled
| ted scheme, and Will have none other unless
| that is adopted. 1t will be interesting to
watch and see how many mistakes the ripa-
riau lobby has made Two of the ab0Ye-named
| have openly declared themselves They are
hardy and impenitent in the enunclatlon OF the
doctrine that to the banks OF the river belongs
all the water that flows or that will flow down
| the stream and they make no secret of their mo-
tives. Buckley cuts q big figure in the calcula-
| ton of the Hard Cash Lobby, and II is Claimed
| that he has agreed to turn traitor to his party
| and traitor to the principles OF irrigation,
| which, up to date, he confessedly favors."
| Resum,ng his remarks, Mr. Boone said he
/ found himself and other honorable Senators
| charged with corrupIion-with having sold
| their votes for coin. He disclaimed every word
| and insinuatiOn contained i'll the article con-
| corning himself and had no doubt the other
Senators included were prepared to do the same
| for themselves. In view OF the extraordinary
character of the publication referred to, he de-
sired to offer the following preamble and reSo-
| luton:
| WHEREAS. The Ere1liHq Post of San Francisco,
has published an article libelous in character,
| charging Senators with having sold their votes;
| therefore,
Res7locd, That the Sergeant-at-Arms be in
| strucred TO remove from the floor of the Senate
| the representative of that paper, and see that
no representative for that paper be allowed on
this floor during the session.
Dougherty next spoke against the publication
referred to. He thought that any person that
would write such an article should not be al
lowed on the floor of the Senate but instead
| lamppost. The Senator expressed it as his
opinion that the newspapers generally were not
above compatibility in the matter of selling the
influence of their columns.
Cross offered as a substitute to the Tesolu-
ton, one providing that the present reporter of
| the Post be excluded from the floor during the
rest of the session of the Senate. He regarded
| the journal in question as one of the great
newspapers of the State, and was 10th to be
| lieve that its proprietors knowingly had in
suited the dignity of the Senate. The present
reporter was doubtless a new importation from
some part of the world where the corrupt
| practices about which he writes so glibly are in
vogue. From lack of training and association
with gentlemen doubtless comes his method of
| reporting legislative proceedings Newspapers
desiring to keep their readers informed as to the
proceedings OF the Legislature should send
| gentlemen to report the same. Those that pur-
| sue different course Will find their proper
| reward. He was in favor of not at this time eX-
| Guiding the paper itself from the Senate; but,
| should the Post send another representative of
| the same kind it should not only be excluded,
| but such reporter should be treated in the same
| manner.
Boone said that if the Post be a great paper it
| should not have published such an article Its
proprietorS, when they accepted that article for
| publication, committed the paper to the senti-
ments contained therein. 1t is not the reporter
| alone who is responsible. Possibly the proprie
/ tors were miSed into stating an untruth and
| If this were proved to be the case perhaps the
| best thing the Senate could do would be to eX-
| clude only the reporter. He therefore accepted
| The substitute offered by the Senator from
| Nevada.
Taylor believed the time had come when for
| bearance ceased to be a virtue. Too many news
| papers were disposed to impugn the motives of
/ public men. He hoped the original resolution
| would prevail, as he belieyed the paper should
| be held responsible for the character of the
| article. He was one of those whom il classes
i as Senatorial cattle" All such trash as the
/
| the floor of the Senate. The best positions in
| the Senate chamber are accorded the repre-
sentatives of the press, and it is unbearable for
senators to be abused as they had been. To ac-
cept the substitute offered would be to humiliate
| themselves. No excuse existed for a great
journal to thus traduce the peoples representa-
| tives 1t is only men who are themselves ready
| to be bought and sold that think others stand in
| the same category. He favored the original
resolution excluding the Post from the Senate.
| Cox was astonished that any paper should
/ hn honorable mar +I,a
| action of the one in question was beneath con-
| tempt.
Spencer of Napa proceeded to criticise the
| article in the Post There are good men he
said, all over the land who have lost their repu.
| tations at the hands of mean and contemplate
people. If there were corrupt practices on the
hoor OF the senate, there Is means Of investi-
eating them, and let it be applied. He desired
/ TO defend the dignity of the Senate and to pre-
| serve that sanetity which body of this kind
| should have: No press representative had Il
| right to publish such an article impugning the
| motive of Senators, and the latter should take
some steps to protect their dignity. If q reporter
| knew OF the facts alleged, he should have gone
| to some Senator and asked for an investigation
and if met with a refusal on the part of such
| member, the latter would be unworthy the
name of a Senator of this State.
| Taylor offered an amendment to the substitute
\ of Senator Cross (which had taken the place of
| the original resolution), instructing the Ser
geant-at-Ar to remove the representative of
| the Post and to see that said journal be not
again allowed ii the Senate chamber.
Chandler said that even the Senators not at
| tackled should feel in danger. Therefore, he
favored the resolution of exclusion.
Del Vale said tine article impugns not only
certain men, but the entire Senate. The charge
that members are subject TO corruption is a
grave one. and any man that makes it should
be made to produce his proof. Representatives
OF the people are selected to enact laws; they
are not men taken promiscuously, but for their
wisdom, honor, intelligence and integrity-to
legislate for the people. Amy attack upon one
and bribery be used, the Constitution and laws
provide remedy. Such charges should be
presented, and the law says the culprit shall be
imprisoned and dishonored. If any substantial
ground exists for the charges already made, he
invited any gentleman to present the matter to
any Senator, who would be in duty bound to
lay it before the Senate. He was in favor of the
resolution, and hoped that representatives of
the press, would, from this on, remember that
principles might be aSsailed. but men must not
be thus treated without good cause.
frooman said that he had been pretty TouCdly
abused by the press, but in the last p years he
had never read any article utterly indefensi-
Bile as this. Here are men whose regulations
are absolutely above reproach, assailed as the
most corrupt. If the author of the offensive
article should go among the constituents
of certain Senators naming theml, he
would find no one to indOrse or submit to such
accusations against their representatives. No
test vote has yet been taken to show how Sena-
tors stand on the questions before the Legisla-
ture; and yet, in advance of any such test it is
openly charged that certain members have sold
out ior com. What must be the feelings of the
wives and children of these Senators when they
take up the papers at their homes and read that
their husbands and fathers had sold out their