Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-26

ADJOURNED SINE DIE.
The Legislative Session at
Sacramento Ended.
A Raid on the Treasury in the
Closing Hours.
Extra Pay Wanted for Electing .
United States Senator.
The Boodlers Afraid to Have the Waste
Basket inquiry Go Farther.
Glazing Scenea.
Associated Press Dispatches..

OAVoAHB SSc"CSs
Associated Press Dispatches.
SACRAMENTO, March 25.-The senate
TODAY spent considerable time on q reso-
lution introduced BY Preston, ofNevada,
to refer the waste paper affair to the
Sacramento county grand jury.
Mahoney, Carpenter and Sewall thought
the senate had discharged its duty in the
matter. 1t had investigated the charges,
and nothing touching the honor Of the
senate had been revealed. - ss
Preston made a strong appeal for the
adoption OF his resolution, and said that
this legislature will go down to posterity
as Doodle legislature. If his name were
mixed up az some legislators had been
in the waste basket scandal, he would
demand searching investigation. He
would not allow his name to go down to
posterity with such stain upon it. For
his own good name and the good name
of his fellow-legislators. he demanded
that the investigation continue. Let it
be discovered what was contained in the
money strips found in the basket, and
who was concerned. He came here TO
represent the Republican party and good
government, and demanded an investi-
CATION in the name of both.
Sewall-Let me ask the gentleman
from Nevada: Is there anything in the
report that duplicates any senator?
Preston said there was not, yet there
is an implication in the report that can
only be wiped out by thorough inves-
tigation. By the report, as it stands,
the press and public will say, if nothing
further be done, that we are charged
with bribery and corruption.
Carpenter trusted he was as much in
terested in good government as the SEN
ator from Nevada. If there was an i'm
plication against any. assemblyman, it
was for the house to attend to it. He
moved to refer the resolution to the ju-
dietary committee.
Preston and MCGOWAN demanded the
roll call on the motion.
Preston said they did not need the adj
whether the matter required further
investigation. The effectof Carpenters
motion would be to kill the motion.
Sprague, chairman of the judiciary
committee, said that the committee
would report the resolution back, and
after some more debate the senate took
q recess to enable the committee to con-
slider the matter.
After the recess Sprague, from the
judiciary committee, reported back
Preston Is resolution, so amended as to
provide that the whole matter be sub
mitted to the attorney general, to take
such action as he may deem advisable,
and that the governor be requested to
turn over to him all papers in his pos
session bearing on the subject.
McGowan moved to amend the report
by adding that the attorney general
shall resort to and exhaust all lawful
means to the end that justice may done.
He spoke at considerable length on the
amendment, urging that the senate had
a right to instruct the attorney general.
There was no desire to cast any reaec.
tion on the attorney generals ability or
honesty.
Preston said the amendment was in
the line of the attorney generals desire.
Carpenter said the amendment was on
the face reflection on the honesty or
ability of the attorney general. He
thought the attorney general could
be trusted to do his duty
without such coercive resolu-
tion. The amendment conveyed
the idea that some senator had been
guilty of dereliction of duty. Not q
scintilla OF evidence supported such an
idea. 1t is not the duty of the senate to
20 upon the warpatn and tell the at
torney-general to punish the guilty
when no one has been found guilty; that
is q step beyond the province OF the
senate. The attorney-general is better
acquainted with the facts of the case
than the senate, and it should be left to
his honor and sense OF duty to proceed
as he sees fit.
Goucher said if the attorney-general
wanted to know what the wish of the
senate is, the resolution as re-
turned by the judiciary COM
mittee would tell him in plain language
that he cannot misunderstood. The
resolution tells him to take the matter
fresh from the hands Of the investigat'
ing committee and pursue his. duty as 9
sworn officer of the state. His duty il
not mapped out for him. Why should
it be-? He knows it himself. The
speaker trusted that the attorney gen
eral would uncover all infamous and
odious things that are assumed to have
been committed, and prosecute the
offenders, if offenders there be.
Sewall thought the report Of the ju
dietary committoe fair and just. Tht
attorney general ought to know hi!
duty better than the senate could tel
him. The amendment by McGowar
would give the governor no additional
powers.
Crandall thought there was no harm
in adding the words submitted by
MCGOWAN. If the attorney general il
made jealous by the amendment &c
much the better. 1t may not be so dig
nified as the original resolution, but i
is proper that as much light as possible
be shed on the subject under investiga
stion.
The amendment was lost-ayes, -
noes, %.