Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-10
STATE LAWMAKERS.
The Railroad Commission is
a Fixture.
Mr.. Shannahan's Resolution to
Abolish 1t Defeated.
The Farmers Threaten to Knock 1t
Out Two Years Hence. ]
A Modification of the San Francisco
Fire Board = Many New Bills
Introduced. ,is<s5

Associated Press Dispatches
4 SACRAMENTO, Feb. 9.-The legislatur,
tmet at 2 o'clock this Afternoon.
I In the assembly Shannahan's resolu
tion to abolish the railroad commissions
caused lively debate, lasting an hos&r
Dibble led the opposition, and sa{y
that the Democrats were urging th'
abolition OF the commission. It womb
be well to give the Republican boar
now in Office chance to show wha
they could do.
| Clark, of Yolo, read newspaper re
4 ports to show that the railroad commits
sioners are obtaining CONCESSIONS fol
shippers in the way of better transports
ton facilities.
Bruner, OF Sacramento, spoke at con
siderable length. He said, it is easiei
to tear down than to build up. What
would take the place of the railroad
commission? He reviewed the history
OF the legislation prior to the creation OF
the railroad commission, to show that
most of the time of the legislators was
| spent in discussing fares and freight and
| without success. B
Doty, Democratic member from
| Sacramento, threatened fiercely that Il
the present legislature did not settle the
question of the railroad commission, the
representatives of farming classes would
do so two years hence on the floor OF the
assembly.
The prophetic warnings OF the power
of the Farmers Alliance stirred bD
Clarke, and he made vigorous defefso
OF the railroad commission, speakingh ~
q producer and taxpayer.
Gould of Merced, another Democrats
member, argued that the people can ~
trusted to vote on their own interea39. I.
If not, the republican form of goveiSS
ment is failure. fxT
On roll call the resolution was defd
ed-39 to IS. Shannahan changed Hle
vote, and gave notice of reconsideration.
THE SANE FATE IN THE SENATE.
In the senate the same question was
discussed. it having come up ON special
order. The debate was less animated,
however, than in the house. =
Mead favored the resolution, and was
followed In the same strain BY Laugford
and Ostrom.
Goucher differed from his Democratic
colleagues, and thought the commission
should not be abolished at this time. If
a proper amendment were offered he
would vote for it.
Dray, of Sacramento, wanted to amend
the resolution by abolishing the COM
mission after January, 1895.
Heacock, Of Santa Barbara, opposed
the amendment. If the commission
is dishonest and incompetent it ought
to be abolished at once if not, it should
be retained.
Sprague, Of Yolo, and Campbell of
Solano, agreed with Heacock's view.
Draws amendment Was 1ost-27 to Z.
The roll was then called ON the adop-
ton of Berry's resolution, and it was de-
feated-7 to 80. The seven who voted
for the resolution were Berry, Langford,
Mead, Ostron, McGowan, Crandall and
George II Williams.
Wentworth presented the report of
the committeeon municipal lcorporations
on belongs and Bruner's bills. Both
were reported without Recommendation.
THE SAN DRANcrsCo' FIRE BOARD.
In the assembly this afternoon Bert
moved the appointment of special
committee to amend Bruner's bill relat-
ing to the ean Francisco fire depart
ment; also to have the matter made the
special order for Wednesday. BY gen.
eral consent the bill was made the
special order as desired.
The amendments offered by Bert are
that two OF the commissioners OF the
first board appointed under the act shall
hold office for two years, and two for
four wears. The fifth commissioners
shall be the mayor OF San Francisco,
and ex-ofaeiO president of the board.
The other four commissioners are to be
appointed by the governor. Under the
original bill introduced by Bruner, the
| present governor would virtually con-
| troll the board for seven years, as three
of the commissioners would be reap
pointed one year before the expiration
of his term. The succeeding governor
would therefore be powerless to change
the board for three years. This pro-
vision was 30 strongly opposed that it
was deemed better to change it. The
addition of the mayor to the board of
commissioners was the first point won
by the San Francisco delegation.
MANY BILLS INTRODUCED.
New bills keep piling in, and. have
| 1cuCucN OO0 AAA G4sO 5Cu0tcs fAuOl& tAlOS0
presented today were the following:
By De Long-Authorizing the state
prison directors to work convicts on the
roads between San Quentin and Point
| TiburOn.
BY Mead-Amending the police PEN
sion fund act by a provision that in case
any officer die within one year after
March 9, 1889, his beneficiaries shall be
deemed entitled to all benefits; further
that all contributors shall receive equi-
table relief. 1t is also provided that an
officer who dies in his twelfth year oi
service shall be deemed to have served
twelve years.
BY MISUNDERSTANDING the Office ol
official stenographic reporter of the SUI
perior courts of the state, and creating q
commission of two supreme judges and
supreme court official stenographic re-
porter, to examine all applicants ia
/ practice short hand in the courts of the
state. The test shall be 176 words pei
4 minute. Commissioned reporters are
to receive IS 4 dav. and ten cents pei
folio.
/ BY Broderick Providing that cities o
5000 inhabitants shall have two health