The record-union., 1895-02-07

'ho support OF The State Insane ASy-
lum at Stockton.
=. ID. 40, making an appropriation to
pay the deficiency in the appropriation
ior tne transportation of prisoners.
=, =. %. oz', making an appropriation for
elevator attendants salary for last four
months OF forty-sixth fiscal year.
Then 5. Z. A. 2, by McGowan, to pro-
pose to the people of the State an amend
ment to the Constitution of the State.
amending Section | of Article II. thereof
relative to the right of suffrage, was read
ana the roIl-call upon its adoption COM
menced. In the first dozen names called,
however, there was scarcely vote re-
corded, and Senator McGowan hastily
arose and asked that the resolution be
passed on hle for the present. 1t was 50
ordered by the Chair.
). c. a. S, by MCGOWAN, to propose
| to the people of California an amend dment
| TO the Constitution of the State, amending
section D OF Article II. thereof, relative
TO the manner OF voting, and 5. G. A. 3,
| Dy smith. to propose To the people of
California an amendment to Article XIII.
Oh The Constitution, Section l, relative 10
revenue ana taxation, were read and
adopted by unanimous votes.
Then ). Z. y. II, by VOORHEES,, to pro-
/ pose to the people an amendment to the
constitution, relative to polI-taX, came
up. A battle royal was expected over
the adoption or refusal Of the proposed
amendment, as it had thrice at previous
sessions been introduc ed in the Senate,
ana as many times defeated, and the ex-
pectatlon was realized.
senator Noorheis took the floor in de-
tense OF the amendment and urged its
adoption on the ground that it was a
poor mans measure. Only the poor
men were required 10 pay the tax in his
sectlon OF tho State, and great hardship
| nlTr
! the poIl-t2X collector 10 visit the super
| lntendentS of the different mines. get a
list OF employees and levy upon their
| wages for The tax. The law, he said, was
| UNJUST and the poor man who paid the
| lax should be allowed to express an
opinion upon the matter.
Senator Earl led the opposition to the
amendment. The tax in question was a
! school tax, and as such should be consid-
cred by all thinking men as essential to
the welfare of the people OF the whole
State. lie opposed it's going before the
| people for lear lncOnsiderate voters might
cause It's adoption. In San Francisco
alone the sum of S65,000 was raised an
hually, most of which came from Chi
nese' VINO would otherwise escape with
out being taxed at all, and it would be in
expedient to do away with the only law
| That could and did reach the foreign ele-
menf, partIcu larly the Chinese.
senator GeSiord denounced the present
law as being unamerican. 1t was q tax
| upon mans head-a head tax, Such a
TAX was unnecessary to maintain the pub
nc scno0l system, and should not be re-
tanned IN the Constitution because there
happened to be a few Chinese in the
state whom by its provision were Obliged
10 dIsgorge. 1t worked hardship amOng
the poor people in his community. and
me COLLECTOR, instead of going personally
TO The payer Of the tax, went directly TO
The proprietor of the factory whare ha
was employed and there collected the tax
money which IN most cases was abso-
lutely necessary for the support of the
IaInlly OF the man so taxed. He had no
hesltancy in submitting the question to
those ''Inconsiderate voters" mentioned
by Senator Earl, for he believed them to
De entirely capable Of rendering a lust
verdict upon the matter.
Senator Seawell was willing to leojs-
late Tor the protection of the laboring
man. lie was willing to force his en-
p1oyer to pay his just wages promptly
and willing to vote Tor a measure to cut
ms working hours down to ten q day
DuL he said the only tax the majority OF
these same Worklngnen paid was this
Poll-taX, which Went to the support of
the public school system of the State. and
ne believed Its repeal would prove vic
lous measure. He should accord with
any scheme Tor protection to the laboring
man, but dld not believe that he wished
to be exempt from the school poll-tax.
Senator seymour said that in his county
S2.oOO was collected yearly for poll-tax
and turned into the States school fund.
be was poor man himself and believed
that the WorkIngman did not demand or
advocate repeal of the law. He there
fore opposed the amendment.
Senator Burke favored the law as it ex-
listed. Phe people were hard pressed to
meet the demands made by the public
schools as matters now stood, and he De-
lleYed no Iaboring man would hesitate
10 pay the tax cheeriully, once they un-
derstood Tor what purpose it was in
tended. BESIDES, the present tax was
the only mode we had OF reaching the
vast number OF aliens in the State.
Senator Wilmington said the present
law brought the poor man into sympathy
and toucn with one of the grandesG insti-
tutlons IN the world, and one which laid
nearest to his heart. he did not believe
with Senator Earl that its defeat could be
accomplished al the polls. The laboring
men thoroughly understood the PROPOSE
ton, and. he believed, did not wish for a
change. Aliens, he asserted, resort to
every known manner TO escape from pay
ing any tax, and should the present State
poll-tax be abolished they would escaDe
entirely.
Senator Hart favored the amendment
Two years ago he had introduced a SIM
liar amendment, which had been voted
down. He had introduced it in behalf of
the laborlng men OF Sacramento, who
wished the repeal of the present system,
Why should not the people be allowed to
express an opinion on the subject? Why
not submit 1t TO vote? 1.-THE people do
not wish the abolition of the law thev
will vote 1t down, buC il they do wish its
repeal, they should De allowed to say so
1t was an undue and unwarraated pro-
ceedlng 10 make the men who are poor
and own no properly pay the tax, when
il should properly come from their en-
plOyers, from the wealthy property-own-
ers, aud from those who are well-to-do.
and able To pay for the maintenance of the
pubic school system. tie, as far as any
man, desired to make the public school
system of the State the equal of any in
the world, but did not favor wringing a
tax Tor that purpose from the laboring
man. 1t was unnecessary, ana the pe0-
pie were too loyal 10 the school system to
allow its efficiency TO be impaired. The
people demanded a vote upon the subject
aud he heartily hoped they would be
granted that privilege.
Senator Earl arose TO explain what he
meant by inconsiderate voters 1t was
in the nature OF all men to pay no taxes
when they could possibly keep from SD
doing, and they would inconsiderately
vote down any tax regardless OF what it
was for because it was tax. He did not
ref1ect upon any citizen or any poor man,
but it was the nature OF all to shirk their
responsibility to the Government. and
| escape from the payment of taxes.
Senator Smith said that while the Con-
| stitution required that only one poll-tax
| be collected. the Board OF supervisors bv
virtue OF authority vested in them ALWAYS
| put on two extra poll-taxes, one for
roads, the other for hospitals He be-
! lieved that the school tax was paid more