The morning call., 1890-12-30
COOKED AND PRIMED.
The State Legislators Ready for
the Word to Fire.
Numerous Bills viii Be Discharged Point
Blank-Formation of Committees The
Fifty-Cent Limit.

to the fore in popular interest, and the
corridors of the downtown hotels are liter
ally alive with statesmen of all degrees OF
usefulness and ability from the ward striker
TO the candidate for the United States Sen
ate. =.
The whirr of hundred political grind.
stones grinding as many individual axes
may be heard on every hand, while Assem-
blymen and Senators from every section OF
the State group themselves in obscure cor
ners and consult in whispers, looking all
the while as wise and mysterious as it is
possible for them to do. The proverbial
owl never had the appearance of possessing
a greater degree Of wisdom than do these
embryotic statesmen, and from all appear
ances each carries upon his shoulders the
responsibility Of the entire welfare of the
State.
COMMITTEES BEING FORMED.
John b. Reddick. Lieutenant-Gov
elect, and Frank l.. Coomhs of Napa,
Speaker of the Assembly to be, remained
in their rooms at the Grand Hotel, and call
ers poured in upon them in large numbers.
Conferences were held as to the organize
ton OF the various committees, but thus far
little OF a definite nature has been decided
upon beyond that already printed in The
CALL.
Mr.. Reddick was seen in his room, and
when Intercepted as to his plans, said:
Beyond deciding upon two or three
names for chairman of as many committees
and roughly blocking ont the body OF few
more have done nothing of positive ma
ture. One reason for this is that the Senate
will in all probability reduce the number of
committees, and. in that event. il were to
decide upon the makeup Of the thirty six
committees now provided for, and should
find the number of committees reduced to
about twenty-five or. twenty-siX / should
have all my work TO go over again.
Il have not yet decided upon the Chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee, but
have two Senators in mind, one OF whom /
shall surely select, but which one have not
yet made up my mind, The Judiciary Cone
mitt ee, of course, will be composed of The
lawyers of the Senate. and l have decided
upon the Chairman, but the name do not
feel Mt liberty to make public. / shall con-
/ tinne to consult for several days with the
various members of the senate, and will put
things into shape as rapidly as possible"
Mr.. Ceombs, according to his own state
ment, Is acting with elaboration and has
not Yet completed his list of committeeman.
This he will probably not be able to do for
several days.
WORLDS FAIR APPROPRIATION.
A matter which is likely to engross the
attention of the Legislature at very early
contest is the question of the desired appro-
priatiOn OF $500, eco to meet the expenses of
State exhibit at the Worlds Fair. There
is general feeling that this extraordinary
expense could not be met at this time with
out necessitating the breaking of the so cent
pledge, and this the conservative element of
the party would not listen to for moment
In fact, the mere request has already pro-
voked loud clamOr of opposition, and one
prominent member Of the Senate said last
nigh. that be would oppose under any cir
cnmstances any appropriation Of more than
800. 0C0 for the purpose referred to.
ANY amount in the excess of that sum-"
he added, should, In my opinion, not be
appropriated other than by a direct vote Of
the people. AT all events the Republican
party cannot at this time afford to violate
the pledge Tor any cause, and you will find
large number OF members in both houses
who will fight any effort at extravaganza"
IMPORTANT MEASURES.
A new road law is also one of the things
under consideration, and is being backed by
the almost undivided sentiment of the
iarmera Of the State. Under the present
money appropriated goes out in the way of
salaries, instead Of being expended directly
upon the improvement of tine roads.
A bill for the introduction OF the Austria
liam ballot system has also been prepared,
and it is understood that Governor-elect
Markham Is favorable to such a plan, he
having repeatedly declared in his speeches
during the campaign that no harm could
result from giving 1t trial, and that If 1t is
found to be unsatisfactory some other
method OF voting could be substituted.
CANDIDATES spRINGING UP.
Candidates for the various minor positions
are multiplying at rapid rate, but the chief
interest seems to center in the fight for the
secretaryship of the Senate which is said to
be going on between Boruck aud Brandon,
The former has taken pains to deny that he
Is an aspirant for the place; but in this he
Is not credited with sincerity and the greater
number Of those directly interested are con-
fident In the opinion that he will be found
battling openly for it when the time comes.
Thomas Rodgers Of Kern County is
booked, 80 1t is said, for Sergeant-at-Hrms
OF the Senate. but his assistants have not
been decided upon.
A general move will be made In the direc-
ton Of Sacramento in two or three days and
Markham will be at the capital on Sunday
next