The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-07

lures of the "Pacific Railroads, that they have
ane, through the means and for the purposes mere
inabove specified, have built up the fortunes OF
some ana DESTROYED the business and the cTeols VI
o1sners; ana tnat, in these various ways snu
through other methods, impossible to enurnerate,
tney nave reached and have vitiated our poEsie'i
anu social lie and practices.
(e) That, through the means and for the pur-
poses nerelnaoove specified, they have reacneo anu
corruptly and fraudulentiy, and through illegiti-
mate influence and combinations, used them for
mon interests Of the public
% That, through the means and for the pur-
poses nerelnaDoVe specified, they have repeateoIg
overrldden the law and taken possession OF alleged
franchises and of public property, rights and ease
ments, and invaded the rights of municipalities
anu OF private citizens, and sequestrated ana con-
fscated property, public and private, and acted as
II they were and that they have in fact been above
the law.
90 That, by reason OF the premises, they have
uSurped and held an unnatural and illegal posltlon
in this State, and have dominated the State and it's
tnhapltants and practically suspended ana over
ridden the constitution and the laws, and have pre-
vented Immigration and industrial enterprise ana
development, ana have held the people III a thrall-
dom, which has become unendurable; therefore
be it
mia, The Senate concurring That joint commit
tee, TO be composed of four members OF the Assem-
bly, and three members of the Senate selected by
those bodies respectively in open session, be ana
the same hereby is created to constitute special
Joint committee of the said Senate and the said
Assembly, with all the authority and power requ1-
site for its efficient action and to investigate each
ana every the premises and all definite accusations
OF FRAUD, Drlbery, corruption, undue lnnuence ana
wrongful combinations made against the corpora
tions hereinabove specified and referred TO. and
each Of them, their and each of their officers stock
holders employees, agents, servants and interme-
DIARIES and each Of them, and against each and
every State officer, executive and judicial, and
against each and every officer of the courts of this
State. and against iuries, bailiffs and clerks, and
each OF them. and against each and every person.
firm, corporation or organization of every kind
whatsoever, connected with or who or which has
participated in any fraud bribery, corruption, I'M
before expressed and implied and to prosecute its
inquiries in each and every direction, proper and
necessary to enable it to obtain and to report the
information required by these Joint resolutions.
ResotUed further, That In the prosecution of the
investigation and inquiries aforesaid the said Joint
committee shall have, and it is hereby granted, full
power and authority to sit during the interval be-
tween the adjournment of the present session of
the Legislature and the commencement or
the next session at the cities of Sacramento, San
Francisco and Los Angeles, in this State, and TO
hold open sessions, accessible 10 the public and
to the representatives of the press, and to send for
and before the said joint committee by subpoena or
otherwise, as it may deem expedient, call and ex-
act the attendance Of persons and the production
OF books, papers and documents, and to administer
oaths and affirmations and fully to take the test
mony of all witnesses produced or brought before
it, and to do any and all things lawful and essential
to be done to obtain full, complete and accurate
information in the premises.
Rescued further, That in the prosecution of the
investigation and inquiries aforesaid, the said Joint
committee shall have, and it is hereby granted,
full power and authority to employ shorthand
writers, clerks and other requisite assistants; TO
and his deputies, and all District Attorneys and
their deputies throughout the State; TO procure
suitable rooms or halls for its sessions, and also
supplies of stationery and other necessary supplies
and service; to compel full disclosures of all rele
want facts and to record and preserve all the in
formation and testimony, to be so collected as
aforesaid.
RESOLVED further That the .sergeant-at-arms of
the Assembly shall attend the joint committee
aforesaid and perform all necessary service for
said committee as its bailif.
Resolved further, That at any and all times dur
existence m inVqgtiOa-
ton and inquiries aforesaid, the joint committee
has ascertained that there is probable cause to be-
lieve that there is a foundation for criminal or
civil prosecutions OF any person or persons, under
the laws of the State it shall furnish definite and
OF the State to any District Attorney or to any
Grand Jury in existence in any county or city and
county within the State, may be appropriate.
ReSotued further, The joint committee aforesaid
be- and hereby is, empowered, authorized and in
structed in the premises and within the limits of
these Joint resolutions TO receive and act upon such
inform alton as may be furnished by the committee
OF eleven appointed at a mass-meetfng held in
Metropolitan Temple, San Francisco, on Saturday
January H. A. d. 1895 and by the Civic Fedora
ton, and By other bodies and organizations within
the State, aiming atsthe just and equal admnstra-
tion Of the law and of the executive and judicial
departments of the State government and to per-
NIT the said committee Of eleven and the said
Civic Federation and the other bodies aforesaid to
be represented at its sessions by the counsel OF
their own selection, and to participate, through
such counsel in the examination Of witnesses be-
fore said Joint committee.
ResotUed further, That the Joint committee afore
fore and its conclusions thereon, and file said
port with the Secretary Of State before the
hrst Monday in October, A. %. 1896.
The proposed joint resolution closes with
provision forthe appropriation of S25, 900
to defray the expenses of the investigation
and is followed by the proposed act.
The proposed law authorizes the joint
committees to work between the sessions
of the Legislature and file their reports
with the Secretary of State. They are
crixr hyrt q a. m onoI fnr
and papers, to issue subpenas and other
appropriate process, framed by the Secre-
tary of State, and cause service thereof to
be made, to compel the attendance of wit
nesses and the production of books, papers
and documents; to administer oaths to all
witnesses who may come or be brought be-
fore such joint committees for eXamina-
ton and to compel witnesses in attendance
to testify.
Subpenas to secure the attendance of
witnesses and the production of papers
and documents before the committees are
to be served without cost or expense to the
State by Sheriffs and their deputies.
Section of the act provides that everyper-
son who appears before the joint commit
tees may be compelled to testify, and shall
not be excused from answering any ques-
ton held to be relevant material and COM
petent by any such joint committee upon
the ground that such testimony or answer
might tend to prove, or might prove, him
guilty of any criminal offense, or because
such testimony or answer might or would
compel him to be a witness against himself.
All witnesses testifying before the joint
committees shall testify under the pains
and penalties of perjury as prescribed by
the Penal Code of the State, but no testi-
mony or answer so given shall be used in
any prosecution or other proceeding, civil
or criminal, against the witness so testify
ing. and no witness SO testifying shall be
liable thereafter to Indictment, presenta-
ton, information or complaint, nor to
prosecution or punishment in any of the
courts or before any of the judicial officers
in the State, for the offense in relation to
which his testimony was given.
Witnesses who refuse to testify or pro-
duce books or papers are to be reported to