The record-union., 1891-02-25

Mr.. Shanahan moved to amend by
striking out all that part of the bill MAX
ing any appropriation for the support of
the Board of Railroad Commissioners,
| and in support of his motion said that he
believed this Commission to be of no use
to the people, and that it is generally re-
pudiated by them. If they should do
anything in the next two years they can
| be paid by means of a deficiency bill.
But he was averse to appropriating more
| than S39, GOO at this time to pay their salar-
les and expenses.
Mr.. Dibble thought the gentleman from
| Shasta was not serious in his opposition
to the commission, but was trying to
make little Democratic capital out of
| the question. The commission is eStab-
| lished by the Constitution, said Mr.. Dib-
| BILE, as also are all salaries and expense
| allowances. A constitutional amendment
| to eXtinguiSh the commission presented
to this House some days ago, had not
even secured a majority vote, and the
people of the State had elected the mem
| berS of the board ut the last election, so
| that they could not be ousted for two years,
at least, and it would be absured to con-
| tlnue the commission without providing
| for its expenses.
Mr.. Clark rose to speak to the question.
His chair has been vacant during his alb
Sence from illness for week, and when
1t was found that Richard of Yolo was
himself again, and the strength of his
voice in no wise impaired, he was received
with continuous applause. Mr.. Clark
said that Mr.. Shanahan's opposition to
the Railroad Commission seemed to be of
recent origin, as two years ago the gen.
| tleman from Shasta was Chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee which made
| the very same appropriation for that COM
mission as now asked for. Why didn't
he kill the board then, when he had a
Democratic majority to help him? Mr..
Clark did not believe the gentleman was
| serious.
Mr.. Shanahan disclaimed any insin-
cer1ty and said that two years was long
enough for considerable enlightenment
on any topic, and also for sensitive con-
science to get into active operation.
! Mr.. Marion moved to suspend action
upon Mr.. Shanahan's motion until the
| receipt of the report of the Committee on
Commissions, which is promised by that
committee to be presented Immediately.
Carried.
Mr.. Gould moved that the salary of the
Secretary of the Board of Railroad Com
missioners be reduced from S4,S00 to
s., 400, but the amendment was lost.
Mr.. Shanahan moved to strike out the
item appropriating 5000 for Office rent
for the Board of Railroad Commissioners.
! He claimed that the commission should
sit in the Capitol at Sacramento, where
! there is ample room belonging to the
State which will cost nothing. The
amendment was carried, but later in the
| discussion Mr.. Dibble moved for recon
sideration, having discovered that the
/ Constitution provides that the commission
shall sit in San Francisco. His motion
was carried, but the House rose from the
Committee of the Whole to sit again in
the afternoon.
During the discussion of the bill Mr.
Bledsoe offered an amendment striking
out the appropriation of $4,000 for the
| Board Of Forestry, supporting his motion
by claiming that the State might as well
put the amount in the sea, as nothing
could be more useless than this COM
mission.
Mr.. MatIock concurred in this belief,
and said that the Investigations of the
Committee on Corporations had revealed
the utter worthlessness of the commits
sion. Action on these amendments was
finally postponed until another session of
the Committee of the Whole, after which
the committee rose and reported progress
and the House took recess.
Afternoon Session.
The House assembled at O'Clock,
with Speaker pro tenn. Young in the
chair
The special order for this hour in
cluded s. B. 3S5, to authorize the State
Board of Prison Directors to pay for
labor in the construction of the dam and
canal at the Folsom Prison, which was
read the first time.
The new rule of taking up special file
of Senate bills at this time went into effect
to-day.
S. B. 176, to ascertain and express the
will of the people of the State of Califor-
mia upon the subject of election of United
States Senators, and S. B. 80, relating to
the payment of persons employed under
the provisions of Section 3245 were read
the second time.
S. J. r. 7, relative to coast defense OF
the city and county of San Francisco,
was adopted.
S. j. r. IL, memorializing Congress to
pass an Act forfeiting to the General Gov
ernment the lands granted to certain
railroads, because of noncompliance by
them with the Acts of Congress granting
said lands, was lost-ayes 2S, noes 36.
S. j. r. l, relative to United States SEN
ate Bill No S, ,l50, providing for the pay
ment by the Government of damages by
Indian depredations, was adopted by a
unanimous vote.
S. J. r. 4, relative to the abolishment OF
the duty on grain bags, burlaps, gunnies,
or gunny cloth, was adopted by vote OF
ayes 81, noes s.
S. J. r. 15, relative to the prevention OF
the importation of opium, was adopted.
The following Senate bills were passed:
S. B. II, to 1egalize certain acknowl-
edgements.
S. b. 13, relating to the crime of obtain
ing money or property under false pre-
lenses.
S. B. IA, relating to the fraudulent pre-
sentation of claims to public officers.
s. b. 20, in relation to the adoption of
| children.
THE VETERINARY SURGEONS.
The remainder of the afternoon was
spent in windy wrangle over A. B. 20l,
to regulate the practice of veterinary
medicine and surgery in the State of Cali
fornia, which had been made special
order for the afternoon, after a wordy
battle on Friday last. The original bill
was plastered with amendments, each of
which was in turn rejected, and among
which were efforts to get the provisions
of the bill confined to cities of 5000, $500.
5000 and 10000 inhabitants. In the midst
of the warfare the hour of recess ar
rived.
Evening Session.
The House assembled at Z o'clock. the
| Speaker pro tenn. in the chair