The record-union., 1891-02-06
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES.
What Was Done at Some of Last
Nights Sessions.
The Riverside and San Jacinto New
County Measures-The Folsom
Prison Dam-Etc.

ton OF the County of Riverside The
original bill provided that the new county
should embrace an area of some 900
square miles, but an amendmenth has been
proposed adding thereto some $500 square
miles of San Diego County, embracing
the other proposed County Of San Jacinto,
and classed as desert land.
One of the gentlemen who addressed
the committee in support of the proposed
division said the Riverside people had only
asked to take from San Diego s7,OO0,C00 of
her Sl9,0OO,000 of property, but would be
willing to accept the additional territory
from San Diego and leave the matter TO a
vote of two-thirds of the voters of the
territory thus embraced.
f. w. Holmes said that nine-tenths of
the people in the territory of the proposed
new County of Riverside favored the new
county. They complained of unequal
taxation, owing to the negligence and
incompetency of county officials. River
side produces fifteen-six teenths OF the
orange output OF San Bernardino, and is
used to boom the rest of the county.
f. \. Miller, of Riverside, said the peo-
pie OF the old County Of San Bernardino
complained that the Riverside people
wanted TO take away the most valuable
| y u
fact it was proposed to leave ST., 600, coo
taxable property in the old county. Even
the portion spoken OF as desert is valued
at more than S2,e0o,000, and more than
the entire valuation of San Bernardino
ten years ago. In the proposed San ia
clnto County there are not IL sufficient
number of people to form Il county by it,
SELF. If two-thirds of the people should
not favor the proposed division, the peo-
pie would not ask it.
Mr.. Carlson, of Elsinore, San Diego
County, owns property in what would
be the three Counties of San Diego,
San Jaclnto and Riverside, if the latter
two should be formed. He wanted the
western portion of the proposed San ia
cinto County merged in thae of River
side, but the eastern desert country
should be left in San Diego, as il belongs
to the desert territory. San Jacinto Val
ley, adjoining the western boundary of
the proposed Riverside County, should
be in the latter. The desert country be-
hind is traversed by railroads, and San
Diego should not be deprived of that tax
able property, as the revenue therefrom
IS about all she gets out Of that country
some so, 9G0 n year.
The committee was then addressed by
Assemblyman Lynch and other residents
OF San Bernardino County against the
proposed division of the county. The
arguments heard and testimony taken
were OF the same character as those quoted
several days ago when the anti-division-
lists presented their side of the question
before the Senate committee.
ARGUMENTS ON INSURANCE BILLS.
The attendance at the meeting of the
Assembly Committee on Corporations
last evening was large, the quorum of
members being supplemented by a
numerous audience attracted by the
promised consideration by the committee
OF the valued policies''-insurance
bills Nos. 2s9, 80 and 29l, introduced by
ALLEN" insurance bill No. BAL, intro
duced by MIR. Clark of Yolo The intor-
est in the bills themselves, around which
the halo of the ''cinch'' has been as
sumed to circle, was enhanced by the
fact that Sam Shortridge, the eloquent
as representative of the insurance COM
panies of the State of California in oppo-
sition to the bills.
MIR. Beecher introduced as his repre-
sentative Mr.. Levinsky, of Stock ton. who
proceeded to explain the valued policy
bills. The gentleman disavowed, on the
part OF the author OF the bill, any desire
or intention to ''cinch" any citizen of the
State, and claimed that the bills were
drawn purely in the interest of the peo-
pie at large. He argued that there were
virtually no valued" policies issued
that is, that no holder is absolutely as
sured that he will receive the face value
of his policy; that they are really open
policies, subject to reduction, upon vari-
Gus preteSts, in ease payment is required,
while the holder pays a premium upon
the full value of the policy. The bills in
question provide that companies shall
issue no open policies, but shall pay, in
case OF total loss, the full sum guaranteed.
Mr.. Shortridge's reply was q strong
argument in support of the law as '.it
now exists" He defined the theory of
insurance as Indemnity for actual loss, ;,
not promise TO pay a certain specified
sum in case of fire or accident. He
claimed, also, that it is possible for any
one to procure from any company either
an open OF a valued policy as he may
choose. But his strongest point was
made against valued policies. He cited
the history. of legislation against open
policies in the State, beginning with the
Legislature OF 1881, and showing how
it had been killed again and again
at each session since then. He quoted
the experience of the four States which
have adopted valued policies and the
opinions of their prominent citizens, all
of which tended to show that such poll
cies absolutely increase the measure of
arson and incendiarism by protecting
those crimes and offering a premium
upon them. Mr.. Shortridge also made |
vigorous protest against the bills as work. |
ing a hardship to the insurance COM
panies of the State, who should. he
claimed, be protected by legislation as
well as other citizens.
Notwithstanding Mr. Shortridge argu-
ment, the committee, in executive ses.
sion, voted to report the bills back with |
recommendation that they do not pass.
Mr.. Clark, OF Yolo, read to the COM
mittee his bill, known as the ''alien' in |
surance bill, which provides that all in
surance companies, organized under the
laws OF foreign countries doing business
in California, shall deposit 100000 with |
the State Treasurer, as security for the |
payment of just debts and liabilities.
MIR. Clark made vigorous protection |
speech in behalf of his bill, and appealed |
to Republican members to remember the |
Platform upon which they were elected. |
and apply its principles to their action.
Mr.. Shortridge again replied on behalf |
of the foreign insurance companies doing
business in the State, claiming that the |
people were already protected, and that it |
would be bad commercial policy to drive |
out foreign companies, He cited sta |
The committee voted to report Mr.. |
Clark's bill back with recommendation
that 1t do not pass.
OTHER CoMMITTEEs.
There was no session last night of the |
Assembly Investigating committee on the |
electric railway scandal. 1t was reported |
that the lobbyist whose name MIR. Cam
ron, of Oakland, was expected to divulce |
had lett the city.
The Assembly Prison Committee agreed |
to report favorably the bill appropriating
some 5000 to pay for the skilled labor |
performed on the American River dam |
at the Folsom Prison.
The same committee will to-day renort /
adversely on the bill providing home
for discharged convicts.