The morning call., 1895-02-27
THE SOUTHERN
PACIFIC LOSES.
It's PET MEASURE DEALT A
CRUSHING BLOW IN
THE ASSEMBLY.
The ANTI-SCALPERS' BILL VIR-
TUALLY NULLIFIED BY AN
AMENDMENT.
SCENES OF EXCITEMENT. T.
OPPONENTS AND SUPPORTERS OF
THE MEASURE IN WARM
DEBATE.

| SACRAMENTO, Feb. pa vote was taken
in the Assembly to-day that gives evil
| dence of the weakness of the railroad COM
| pany. A number of men who are counted
as the faithful allies of the Southern
Pacific voted against that corporations in
terests. They are confronted with most
serious proposition = the anti scalpers'
bill, piece of legislation in no way of ad-
vantage to the people but intended to
greatly benefit the railroad company.
They were required to put themselves on
record and they did. The result was that
a number of amendments to the bill were
| adopted by vote of 4S to 20. The. fight was
bitter one and was waged with much
| feeling
! The proposed measure makes it crime
to buy or to sell a railroad ticket or por-
tion of one, that has not been used. Those
found guilty are made liable to fine of
| $1,000 and a years Imprisonment. This
bill passed the Senate some time ago.
When it came up for its third reading
this afternoon, Reid OF Trinity asked leave
| to introduce an amendment.
Thomas of Nevada then started the fight.
| Point of order, Mr. Speaker" !" he shouted
''This bill has been ordered for its third
reading and is not open for amendment" I"
| An uproar ensued. The Speaker finally
got quiet out of the chorus of objections by
vigorously pounding with his gavel. Then
| Barker of Santa Barbara introduced an
amendment. This made the fine not less
| than $500, and provided that half the
amount should go to tn e informer.
"These amendments are made merely to
| kill the BILL" Thomas asserted. "The bill
| is a good one and no dalliance should be
allowed
Bettman then moved the previous aues-
| ton. His motion was seconded by Thomas
and Devine. This raised another uproar
A perfect storm of "Rollcall, rolIcall .
arose from every side. The ayes and noes
were demanded, and the motion to sum-
marily put the bill on its passage was
beaten, only Is voting aye, while there
were 48 noes. 1t was decided then to take
up each of the amendments separately.
81 want to protest against this amend
ment," Thomas objected. ''It is intro
duced simply to kill this measure, which is
proper and good one."
Reid of Trinity urged that the law would
have no beneficial effect for the public at
never consent to it in its present form.
Bulla of Los Angeles was In favor of fix
ing minimum fine as well as maximum.
He was willing to vote for the first amend
ment, but he thought the encouraging of
informers contrary to good policy.
A vote was then taken on the amend
ments separately. The first was carried
by heavy majority, the second was lost
Osborn then introduced an amendment
to strike out the third section of the bill,
| making it a crime either to buy or sell
scalped ticket, and to so alter the fourth
section so as to make it read that 1.-the
railroad company shall redeem any ticket
or parts of tickets instead of cit shall be
their duty to provide for the redemption"
of them. Again a clamor arose, the
enemies of the bill evidently fearing they
might be outmaneuvered.
"You will keep order" Speaker Lynch
shouted above the noise, as he hammered
with his gavel. Gentlemen, there ought
| to be no temper shown. There will be
ample time given for all to express their
wishes"
Then rollcall was demanded. "I want
call of the house." called Boothby from
his desk. "Many of the members have
| left"
But these levanting members returned
in time to beat Osborn's bill by vote of 80
to Al. Those voting in the negative were
Bassford, Berry, Bettman, BrIsie, Butler,
| Cargill. Cutter, Davis, Dewitt, Devine, Dinkel-
SPIEL Dwyer, Gay, Glass, Guy, Hatfield Huber,
Keen, Kelsey, Kenyon, Laird, Lewis, Llewel-
lyn Meads, Mccarthy, Mcdonald, McKelvey,
| Dopl
ards, Staley, Stansell, Spencer, Swisler, Tib-
| bits, Thomas, Weyse, wilkins, Zocchi, Mr..
Speaker.
that he was in favor of one part of the
amendment and opposed to the other.
The result had hardly been announced
when Bledsoe had another amendment in.
He added to section 8, which makes it un-
lawful to buy tickets from one not author
lied to sell, the following:
Provided, that this act shall not prohibit any
| person who has purchased ticket from any
agent authorized by this act, with the bona
| fde intention of travelling upon the same, from
selling or giving any part of the same to any
other party.
Bledsoe arraigned those who had upheld
| the bill at past sessions in scathing terms.
'sThis bill has a history clinging to it." he
shouted, warningly. ''It has history
| that in the past years has tainted reputa-
tions and spung open the doors of the pen
itentiary. In saying this cast no refec-
| ton upon the members who may be urging
its passage now. speak of those who in
the past have fought for this measure of
that great corporation that to-day has the
State of California in its hands.
"Gentlemen," he cried, 'are you willing
to support this enormity? Think of it. A
citizen pays the railroad company in ad-
vance for his ticket, yet if he cannot use it,
if he sells it or gives it away he becomes a
criminal He then spoke as to the con-
stitutionality of his proposed amendment.
Reid of Trinity also told of decisions sup
porting the amendment. He was inter-