The record-union., 1891-01-30

measure on the subject.
Mr.. Dibble-What is called for by the
resolution is impossible of performance.
The committee desire to hear argument
and consider several other bills on the
subject at the same time. / therefore
move that the resolution be laid on the
table. Lost.
Mr.. Shanahan-I think there should be
an opportunity given the committee to
report the bill back. If they have not
time to meet and consider anything, they
might report back without recommended
ton and give the House chance for con-
sideration. 1t may be the duties of the
committee are so arduous, the members
| being on so many other committees that
they have. not an opportunity to meet
| and consider anything with reference to
election laws; if SO, they should report
back without recommendation. l be-
lieve the bill referred to in the resolution
a merltorious one, which the peo-
pie will approve of if it becomes
law. By reason Of the action proposed to
be taken by it, if it becomes a law, am
certain the people will express themselves
decidedly III favor of the principles of the
bill. l think it should be reported back,
so that the House can reach it without
fail before the end OF the session. tits
an important measure, a very important
one, inasmuch as it is proposed by it to
ascertain directly the sentiments of the
people with reference to the election of
United States Senators by a direct vote of
| the electors.
Mr. Gould-It is not that bill at all. 1t
is the Australian ballot bill.
Mr.. Shanahan-O! You can't get that
back. Merriment.1
Mr.. Could desire to inform the gen
tleman from Shasta
The Speaker Gnterrupting)-I cannot
allow this. 1t is all out of order.
| mol ay, Tto
| sion, so far as my part of it is concerned.
| see am i'll error as to the bill the gen
tleman from MERGED desires to get back
| from the committee. / understand now
| that it is his bill for the adoption OF the
Australian ballot system. With relation
to that matter | hardly know; rather
! think the committee will have to have
| little more time on it.
| Mr.. Could understand that the in
| formation which | proposed to give the
! gentleman from Shasta he has obtained,
therefore, yield the floor.
! Mr.. Dibble-The resolution offered is
! entirely unfair. There are three or four
| bills pending before the committee, and
| it would be utterly unfair to direct them
| to report upon the particular one intro
| duced by the gentleman from MERGED. L
nave been IN attendance on this House
every day since the session began, and
have worked daily more than eighteen
hours on an average. There has been
only one night when | have not been in
attendance upon some committee until as
late as ii O'Clock. l have an important
! measure myself before the Committee on
Election Laws, with reference TO the
| ballot system, which [ wish to be heard
upon; and | say it is absolutely unfair to
| direct that committee to report back a
particular bill without having considered
all the bills before it upon the same sub
| Ject. Everyone knows how the members
OF this House have been worked, in SeS-
! sion and in committee, and how unavoid-
able delay has often been. | move rs an
amendment to the resolution that the
committee be directed to report back all
! bills before them bearing on election laws
as soon as they can, which is fair mo-
| ton.
Mr.. Gould-I have no desire to infiict
any hardship upon the members OF the
committee, or upon the gentleman from
| San Francisco, nor to ask anything that
IS unfair and unjust But do say that if
committee appointed by this House for
one specific purpose has not had in three,
aye, nearly four weeks of the session,
time TO hold single meeting to consider
! i've or six of the most important bills
now before the Legislature, / want to
hear from the Chairman or the gentlemen
of the committee to know why. That is
the reason l introduced the resolution
Mr.. Arms-I consider the wording of
| the amendment very indefinite. There
| have been three or four bills before this
committee since January It'll, relating to
reform OF our election laws. Now, if
| there is any matter before this House
! which is more in the interest of the peo-
pie than another, it is the ballot reform
| bill. There is not another measure pro-
posed so important as this l hope the
| amendment Of the gentleman from San
Francisco will not prevail, but that the
committee will receive positive instruc-
tons to report back the bills before them.
l have been to the Chairman of the COM
mittee and done all in my power to have
him call the committee together to con-
slider the bills, but received no satislac-
| ton. The committee have not even had
a meeting. Now, suppose the Committee
on Corporations, or any other important
committee of this House, had not held a
meeting up to this date, what would have
| been the action of members here? Why,
they would have taken the floor and de-
manded that such committee should meet
and consider the measures referred to
them. The people of this State have
spokeni in unmistakable terms; they have
said that they want these ballot measures
considered at this session. So / hope the
amendment will not prevail.
| Mr.. Bledsoe-So far as my constituents
are concerned, they are looking to this
Legislature to afford some reform in the
State ballot law, and / think the commit
tee ought to report all the bills back; but
| I believe they should not have an indef-
| mite time in which to do it. Only few
days ago the Committee on Elections was
severely chided because it had not
reported the Campbell VS. Eakle contest.
| and I do not remember of the learned
| gentleman from San Francisco on that
occasion making any motion to grant an
indefinite time. l move, as substitute
| for the whole matter, that the Committee
| on Election Laws be granted until Febru-
airy 9th to make their report upon all
bills bearing upon election reform now
| before them.
The substitute was accepted by Mr..
Dibble and Mr.. Gould and adopted.
STATE TEXT-BooRs.
! Mr.. Galbraith--I ask leave to offer a
| resolution out OF order.
| The resolution was read for inforlna-
ton and its consideration objected to
because not the regular order of business.
| Mr.. Galbraith moved that the rules be
suspended that the resolution might be
considered at once, but the House
| refused.
PoSToFFICE HOURS.
Mr.. Bert offered resolution instructing
the mail carrier to remain in charge of the
Assembly postoffice until $50 p. ~, and
| to then take the mail to the late evening
| train. Adopted.
l. REPORT.
By Mr.. Culver, from the Committee on
ules-Recommending that the resolu-
ton limiting debate to five minutes be