Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-27
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.
xxvIIrH sEss1oN-FIFry-FIRsT DAY
SENATE.

SLNAIE
SACRAMENTO, February &C. 1889.
The Senate met at 10 A. NJ, President pro TEN.
S. N. White in the chair.
COMMUNICATIONS.
The Chair presented telegram from the
passage of the so-called street contractors BILL
Also, communication from the Butchers
protective Union, rendering the Senate a vote of
thanks for appropriating $500 for sending
counsel to Washington to defend the Scott Ex-
clusion Act.
THE ENGRossING CLERK.
Roth introduced a resolution resembling the
order of last night giving Hamill Chairman of
vestigate the Engrossing Clerks office, and dis
charge any one found to be incompetent and
appointing q committee of three to perform that
duty.
The resolution brought out long discussion
during which Roth charged that HamiiI in
tended TO discharge the Engrossing Clerk and
put in his place one Of his pets
Hamlll was not present, and Williams moved
that the matter be postponed until he was pres
ent.
Ro h. Goucher, caminetti and Meany urged
the ADOPTION OF Rotn's resolution, while Yell
aud Britt opposed it.
The matter was temporarily postponed.
On motion of Boggs, A. B. AS to amend an Act
creating Board Of Bank Commissioners and
prescribing their duties and powers, i was re re-
ferred to the Co nmittee on Banks and Banking
Darg presented a petition from the San
Francisco Typographical Union and employees
OF the Type Founders Association, favoring the
purchase of California-made type and printing
material tor the State Printing Office when the
same can be had st the same price and of equal
quality.
Campbell, from the special committee ap-
pointed to investigate the Chico Normal School,
made a report to the effect that the Board of
Trustees were actuated by a desire to give to the
State building that would be monument to
their skill and honesty, and they deserved the
thanks of the people of the State; but in their
zeal TO have it done cheaply, they had violated
the Constitution and the statute by recurring
men to work ten hours a day instead of eight
The committee recommended that those who
had worked ten hours per day be paid for the
extra time.
Senator Jones has already introduced a bill to
that effect.
THE GOVERNORS INVESTIGATION.
A. B. 613, appropriatiug 5000 for the purpose
OF enabling the Governor to investigate the
affairs OF the State Prison, came in from the AS
semhly. The Chair announced that the Goy-
ernor desired the bill made case of urgency
and passed at once
Moffitt offered O resolution dispensing with
the constitutional provision and suspending the
rules for that purpose.
Caminetti said there was no reason for max
ing the bill case of urgency Such an ipvesri-
CATION had been carried on by Governor Stone
man and he had not asked for any money
Each House of the Legislature was already car
rying on an investigation OF the same subject
and taking all OF the testimony
AOu1tt sdlQ INA. the Governor wanted to
vestigate the State Prison and to commence on
Saturday. He had already subpenaed witnesses
for that time.
A call of the Senate was had aud several
Senators were brought in and great deal OF
fun was had at their expense.
Goucher spoke against Moffitts resolution.
Investigations were pending before both the
Senate and Assembly Committees Both inyesti-
gstions were being conducted at great expense
to the State. Witnesses are being sent for and
brought here from distance. and the investi-
CATION promised to be as full as any the Gov
ernor might make or control. There was abso-
lutely no need OF this appropriation. If there
were no investigations in progress before the
Legislature it might be seriously considered, but
under the circumstances it was nothing more
than waste of public money. If the Senate
had desired to do anything of this kind it
should have stopped these legislative investi-
cations and stopped the outlay of public money
incident to them. The proposition to have
three investigations running at the same time
was absurd
Crandall urged that the investigation could
not be completed by the legislative committees
during the short time left them TO act. The
Governor should be placed in position to con-
tinue the investigation or else special commit
tee should be appointed by the Legislature to
continue it after the session.
Goucher said that nobody was able to say that
the Senate committee would not be able to COM
plete the investigation. Governor Stoneman
had conducted similar investigation and paid
for 1t out of his secret service fund, whicn was
appropriated for just such purposes.
Wilson said that the investigation would ex-
terd over months of time. A Judge of the Su-
perior Court would be called upon to preside
over the investigation, and it would not only
cover the conduct of the prisoners for the past
two years bet for several years back.
Bowers said that when the matter came up
Tor investigation by the Senate committee he
did not see any use in proceeding with it when
tde Assembly committee was investigating the
same subject, but If there was any use il pro-
ceeding with second investigation by the sem
a;e committee there was the same reason for
allowing the Governor TO go on with another one.
CamiDetti said that the Governor had the
night TO go on with his investigation if he
wished to- Let him proceed with it as Governor
stoneman had done, and 1t more money was
needed 1t would be appropriated at the proper
time. There was no need of rushing the thing
through in this way under suspension of the
Constitution. All of the testimony before the
two committees would be in writiI 2 ard after
that YVES before the Governor he could take
further testimony if he was not satisfied
Sprague urged the adoption of the resolution.
Ihe Governor was the proper party to investi-
gate. He asked Caminetti If he knew the con-
dit1on OF the secret service fund.
Camnettl replied that he cid not. He had
read something about its condition about year
ago, but did not know what was in the fund
now.
Preston held that as the Governor was the
appointing power, he ought to be the one to in
yestigate charges against those he had ap-
pointed and had the power to remove.
Dray thought that so near the close of the
Legislature neither of the committees could fin
ish the Investigation properly. The investiga-
ton would extend over months of time. The
objection to passing the bill showed bad faith.
Wilson hoped the matter would not be con-
sidered a party question. The secret service
fund was not in a condition to pay for this in
vestigation- The Governor had asked for SO 600,
and the Assembly had cut it down to IS, 900, and
thought the bill ought to be passed
:, Boggs said that there was no doubt but that
the Senate and Assembly committees would
make the investigation as full as they could,
put ne beileyed that the Governor ought to be
allowed to follow up the investigation.
Mead said that there was no objection to the
passage of the bill, but theie was objection to
rushing It through under a suspension of the
rules and of the Constitution.
Goucher commenced speaking again on the
subject when Sprsgue moved to extend the
hour OF recess until the matter was disposed of.
Jones spoke against extending the honr of
recess, and talked until the Chair declared the
recess under the rule.
Afternoon Session.
The Senate re-assembled at 1:3O p. NJ. the
President pro tern. in the chair.
Goucher resumed the argument on the resolu-