The morning call., 1891-02-21

CULVER, DIBBLE, Dow, HARLoE. HERsEY,
HUNEwILL, JOHNSON, KELLOGG, Lux, Ma
RIoN, MATLoCK, PHILLIPS. STELTz-1e.
ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE.
The requisite two-third majority had voted for
advancing the ballot-rerorm bills, but The
friends OF reform did not let we'll enough
alone. Anxious 10 put every member of The
Assembly on record call of the House was de.
manded and ordered before the vote had been
announced and while the Sergeant alarms was
looking for The absentees, many of whom, as it
subsequently appeared, were enemies of the
bill, Dibble and Bruner and Wentworth dis
played the greatest activity. Wentworth
changed Ills vote and tried to induce others
to do likewise. The absentees, including the
Speaker, came in and after an acrimonious de-
bate In which acting Speaker Phillips was boldly
accused Of unfair ruling and Speaker Coombs
was accused of leaving the chair In order that he
might not be put on record second vote was
taken resulting in the defeat OF Goud's motion.
FOR AND AGAINST.
Ayes Ames. Barnett OF Sonoma. Beecher,
Bert, Bledsoe. Brown, BIuse, Cargil Cunning
ham, Dennis, DOty, Dunn, Eakle, Esley. Fowler,
Freeman, Carver, Gould, Harloe, Hawley, Hook
Ing, jackson, Lacey, Lewis. Lynch, Marion, Mar
tin, Mathews. Mccall. Mordecai, Thurman, MUIR
ply, Renfro, Rice, Robertson, Shanahan, Smith
of Butte, Smith OF Orange, Stabler. SturteVant,
Noes ALEXANDER, BARNARD. BARNETT of
San Francisco. BAUGHMAN, BRUNER, BRYANT,
CARTER, CoFFEY, CRAM, CULVER, DIBBLE,
Dow, GALBRAITH, GLYNN, GORDON, HAIL,
HAYES, HERsEY, HUNEwILL, JOHNSON,
JONES, KELLOGG, LOWE, LUX, MATLoCK.
PHILLIPS. STELTz, FULLY, WENTWORTH.
CooMBS-3O.
II was regarded as test vote by all, bat when
Shanahan. Gould, Brusie, Beecher and Robert
son aad Brown had scored the Republican lead
ers and the San Francisco contingent for yiolat-
ing their pledges, and had prOphesied that the
next Legislature and the next Speaker would be
Democrats. Dibhle, Galbraiih. Matock and
others who had voted against the motion made
haste 10 get IN ont of the wet" They were all
and each of them In favor Of ballot reform, they
said, but they were opposed, oh. SO bitterly OPP
posed to taking up bills out OF order.
AN UNPLEASANT COMPARISON.
Gould reminded the LEADERS" that they were
playing lie part of Satan rebuking sin. for they
had advanced many bills on the file in the inter-
est OF private Individuals and corporations, and
il was not until measure favored by the people
sought advancement that they opposed such a
practice. He did not believe that Dibble favored
ballot REFORM for Dibble had introduced a bill
that If passed would make the system Of voting
worse Than IL is al present
\ motion to take up the ballot bills from their
place on the file and make them 2 special order
WAS iDluS uH GUutu duu opposed DIV many ineIH-
bers, among whom were several Republicans
who favored the bill. They declared that they
would not assist the Democrats in obStructlng
legislation.
POWERS OF THE MAJORITY.
Mr.. Shanghan alluded TO the three-foufths ma.
jorty on the Republican side and stated that If
they (the RsDublcanS) desired to take any bill
mp out Of order they had fun power, as only
two-thirds vote Is required 10 effect that purpose
He stated that unless special action is taken the
bill relating 10 ballot reform Will not be reached
during the few remaining days of The session !;
that falling TO pass a measure in response TO the
demand OF The people, The Republican party,
with its heavy majority in the legislature would
be held responsible. In reply 10 Mr. Bruner
who had said that an hour had been consumed
on the question, he said that if even the remain
ing days OF The session. outside OF the cousdera-
tion OF the Appropriation Bill. should be devoted
TO the consideration OF ballot reform measures
the people would be well satisfied. Then. with
gentle sarcasm, he spoke of the important de-
hclency bills, ranging In their appropriations
from few hundred to a few thousand dollars,
that had been placed on the special file by the
majority, TO the exclusion of such important
matters as ballot reform.
The CALL quotes the above report of the
proceedings in order that our citizens may
notice particularly what is taking place at
OdCIdlneulO. w { nave UNDERSTOOD from TIE
first that strong effort would be made to
defeat the passage of a bill which would
tend to deprive few men of the power to
prostitute conventions, selling positions.
THE CALL is in hopes the Legislature may
pass the bill, which proposes to give the
people the Australian system Of voting; but
it is not entirely sure of this, for tricks may
be resoTted to at the last moment TO defeat
it, THERE'S possibility, however, of sweep
ing out Of power the bosses in the event of
the Legislature failing to pass bill for
which both parties stand pledged. 1t is that
in this city an independent party may
be formed which will nominate candidates
for which enough persons will vote to
break boss rule. The CALL believes this
will be the result in the event of the Legis-
lature betraying the people. In the interior
of the State the Farmers Alliance viii be
quite sure TO Overturn the boss. business
Between the Farmers Alliance, the work
ingmen'S unions and other citizens the pub
lie will, in the event of a failure of the
Legislature to do its duty. still have the
means of breaking down a gang of men who
are sspping tsle foundation of the Govern
ment by debauehing the Judiciary, selling
positions, etc.