The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-02
CAN'T START A LEXOW
Senator's Oppose Any Such
Proposition.
WILL DEFEAT THIS BILL.
Enough Legislators Express Their
Hostility.
MUNICIPAL HOME RULE THE CRY.
4 Star Chamber InqniSitiOn With EX.
traOrdinary Powers Not Wanted
in California.
WILL DEFEAT THIS BILL.
MUNICIPAL HOME RULE THE CRY.

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 1.-The Lexow inqusi-
ton bill is killed at its introduction.
Enough Senators have pronounced squarely
against the measure to insure its defeat in
the upper house, and the sentiment in
the Assembly seems equally strong against
State intermeddling in municipal affairs.
The Attorney-General has no concern as
to the fate of the bill He merely drafted
it by request The San Francisco delega-
ton opposes it as well as the leading legis
lators from other counties.
These were some of the opinions which
were expressed to-day:
81 am radically opposed to any measure
that seeks to investigate the local affairs
of the city and county of San Francisco at
the expense of the State" said Senator
MCGOWAN. 1.-The citizens in that city
ought TO be compelled to discharge all the
obligations of local self-government, and
have now all the requisite legal machinery
grand juries and District Attorney-by
which all the alleged official wrongs may
be properly investigated. If the citizens
of the city and county of San Francisco are
unable to take care of their own affairs and
are so dependent that they require outside
aid they are simply abandoning local gov
eminent. This do not believe, but know
that the city has many loyal citizens who
desire good government and who are thor
oughly competent to rid their local govern
ment of all impostors. As to the investi-
CATION of matters in San Francisco, where
the State is interested because of the viola
ton of State laws and the setting aside of
the will of the people of the State, think
"a
State. But l do not indorse the idea of
non-partisan investigation, particularly
when the adverse party has a clear major
ity against the party alleged to have been
defrauded. This L suppose would place
me in opposition to the Attorney Generals
bill"
81 haven't examined the bill yet" said
Speaker Lynch, ''but 1 believe in home
rule for municipalities. see very little
prospect of the bill passing"
Il am opposed to comforting such extra
ordinary powers on a commission. AS l
look at the bill, it would convert the pro-
posed commission into a sort of inquisi-
ton, whose proceedings would be of a star
chamber sort. Persons accused would not
have proper protection. [ am opposed to
a commission of the sort provided for in
the Hni,' said Senator Hart, "just as I
am opposed to grand juries. Men accused
are indicted without an opportunity to
present their defense to grand jury, and,
often on the most one-sided testimony,
stigmatized for life. l am against star
chambers and secret tribunals. The mu-
inequalities have the machinery to right
wrongs and publish wrongdoers, and if
they have not legislative enactments can
supplement what is lacking. The State
should attend to its own affairs
"If San Francisco cannot attend to its
municipal affairs, the State cannot do the
work which belongs properly to the city,"
said Senator Shine. ''What good would
the commission accomplish 1 am op-
posed to the commission bill"
81 am opposed to it, was Senator Deni-
sons emphatic comment.
az have not examined the bill yet" said
Senator Henderson, ''but do not think 1
should favor it. see no result which
could come from these Lexow PROPOSE
tons"
Senator Smith said he had not examined
the bill yet, but as general proposition he
was not inclined to favor it.
ST am opposed to it, said Senator Hollo-
way. 81 do not believe in the State med
ding with municipal affairs"
cit would be wiser for the Legislature to
amend the election laws, so as to prevent
frauds, than to begin general Lexow of
the State" said Senator Hoyt.
"The cities are able to take care of their
own affairs" said Senator Franck. 81
think something should be done to pre-
vent election frauds in the future, but do
not favor the State investigating the city,"