The record-union., 1891-02-06
LEGISLATURE 2sTH SESSION.
The Senate Passes a Bill that is
Rough on Migrants.
Klamath River Bone of Contention
Between Miners and Grangers--
Proceedings in the Assembly.
SENATE.
sAcRAMENro. Thursdav. Feb. 5. ISL.

SACRAMENTO, Thursday, Feb. ), 1891.
The Senate met at IL oclockA. NJ, Lieu
tenant Governor Reddick in the chair.
Roll called and quorum present Prayer
by Rev. a. T. Needham. Journal read
ana approved.
Several committees sent in reports, the
more important of which have already
been mentioned.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
y By Mr.. Maher-To provide for the reg
istration of Chinese residents.
By Mr.. Simpson-To extend the juris-
diction of the San Francisco Harbor
Commissioners.
y BY Mr.. DEMONSTRATING for the or
ganization of districts to cut through
ridges to facilitate the flow of water to
rivers.
By Mr.. Campbell of Solano-Relating
to mortgages and leases.
Wy Mr.. Ostrom-To declare the bridge
across the Feather River at Marysyilie
free.
=, Also, relating to Swamp Land District
No. 20, in Suffer County.
MEMORIALS TO CONGRESS.
S. J. r. II. asking Congress to declare
forfeited lands granted TO certain railroad
law. Adopted.
Sd. r. I, memorializing Congress to
provide adequate consciousness. Adopted.
CONCERNING MIGRANTS.
Mr.. belong moved to have the consti-
tutional provision suspended and S. b.
Al, relating TO the crime of vagrancy,
taken up, the bill declared one Of ur-
gency, read three times and passed.
7 The motion was opposed by Messrs.
Simpson and Berry. The latter said that
under such a law as the one proposed the
Constables would swamp their counties
in debt by arreSting every unemployed
man that comes along.
Mr.. Ostrom favored Mr.. De Longs
motion. The country, be said, is over
run by tranps, and the people should
have immediate relief.
Mr.. Campbell of SislSiyou raised the
point of order that the motion to suspend
the rules should have bcenmade immedi-
ately after the reading Of the Journal
The chair ruled the point of order well
taken.
Mr.. belong then offered resolution
covering the same ground.
The resolution was adopted and the bill
taken up, read three times and placed on
its passage.
Mr.. Berry again spoke against the bill.
He said that it would be subject to a great
deal of abuse. In the San Joaquin Valley
there are often great many unemployed
men wandering about. These men are
gathered in by local Constables, induced
to plead guilty, and allowed to leave
town, only to be rearrested at the next
station. In one case man was logged
about from town to town i'll his county,
pleaded guilty in each place and allowed
to go. Expense bills amounting to
hundreds of dollars monthly, are sent in
to Boards of Supervisors, and the only
persons punished are the Taxpayers.
Under this bill, if a man should be
thrown out of employment to-day he
could be arrested tomorrow as 8 vagrant
Mr.. Heacock said the present law was
subject to the same abuses as that pro-
posed. The remedy would be 10 provide
that in certain counties Constabies should
receive no mileage in crimiiia4 cases.
Mr.. Wilson was opposed 20 the bill. He
said that in 1880 every man in the, state
was Q tramp. All those Known as tramps
to-day, are not, bad men, and he would
rather feed fifty traInps than have one
honest man punished.
MIR. belong spoke in support of his
bill. Heidi not think it would work a
hardship on any man who really wanted
to work, There is q class who viii ask
for food, but who viii refuse to work for
it, relying on the fact that ne may have
done some labor within ten days to es-
cape conviction for .yagrancy. It was
this class that he wanted to reach.
The roll was called, and the bill was
pasSed-ayes p. noes 10.
Recess till 100 p. VI.