The record-union., 1897-02-23
Up TO DATE.
How the Work in theLegH-
latureStan& To-Day,
And What is Still to be Done
Or Left UndOne.
What Effect the 5O-Cent Limit is Hay
ing On Important Bills
The Senate and House ReaSembIe To-Day,
With Much to be Accom-
plEhed.

Work in both branches of the Legis-
latura is much more advanced than was
that of the session of 1895 at a corre-
spending date, but when that is said
much remains to be done. The Legis-
lature is rushing things, but whether
1T will adjourn sine die on the Ath day
Of March lis an open question.
ABOUT ADJOURNMENT.
The question of an early adjournment
is one which will probably create a
peck of trouble before the week is out
1t rs we'll known that many members OF
both houses are disinclined to fnger
after the statutory sixty days have
elapsed, and pdtulantly assert that the
will OF the people must be respected
AT the polls it was empha tically am
nounced that sixty days was a sutfi-
ctently long period for one session, and
that decision, it is commended, is enough
to cause any self-respecting member to
pack his grip and shake the dust OF
Sacramento from his linen when the
statutory limit has been reached.
SENATE RESUME.
On the 22d day of January VOORHEES,
offered a concurrent resolution, which
was adopted by the Senate, providing
that when the Senate adjourn Thurs
day, March 4th, lit do so sine die. The
resolution, however, still fingers in the
Assembly, and even in the Senate it is
not ironclad Being a concurrent reso-
luton no rule was amended by its
adoption, and il may at amy time be re-
scinded by a majority vote. The ques-
tiUu soon to be determined is, VIII it?''
OF the 40 bills that have been intro
duced in THE Senate, 30 have been
passed and transmitted to the Assem-
bly,. t approved by the Governor, ) We
toed by the Governor, 81 withdrawn,
- reported adversely, S refused pas
sage, > refused third reading, , re-
ported unconstitutional, l refused sec
ond reading, and 13 reported back with
out recommendation, leaving 400 bills
either favod'albly recommended for pas
sage or still in the hands Of commit
tees.
Besides this there remains to be con-
sidered during the last twelve days of
the session Qand there are now but nine
left) forty proposed constitutional
amendments and if the files are to be
cleared in the nine remaining legisla-
tion days, short shift will be given
more than one pct measure.
OUT OF THE WAY.
OF the many bills that have been
transmitted to the Assembly from the
Senate no single one has taken up as
much time as that commonly known as
the county government bin. 1t will, IT
is thought, be passed by the Assembly
without amendment as the Joint COM
nnitteeS of the two houses considered IT
section by section and agreed that it
was, If not good, at least what was de-
sired
IMPORTANT BILLS TIED UP.
The Senate Finance Committee is
struggling with the general appropria-
ton bill, and the struggle seems to have
tied up a number of measures which
Langford would nominate good bills,
and which are really worthy of being
made matters of urgency and passed
under a suspension of the rules. II is
generally understood that the commit
tee is attempting to strike a happy med
ium and keep within the % cent limit
so as to keep the Governors knife out
of the vitals of the bill, and that the
members are exercising their judgment
as to what shall and what shall not bt
cut down. Among the bills tied up
which should have been on the files and
passed three weeks ago. is the one ap.
propriating S300,0 900 for the purchase
and operation Of a dredger to deeper
and rectify the channel of the Sacra
mento River so as TO permit of ships o
large tonnage reaching the rich upper
valleys. and incidentally to reclaim the
hundreds OF thousands of acres Of over
flow lands, now practically worthless
but which, when once reclaimed. will il
a few years doubly reimburse the State
by taxes paid into the treasury, for th'
amount asked for and actually required
for such redemption
SEAWALL BILL
Braunhart's bill to provide for the is
suance and sale of State bonds to create
q fund for the construction and exten
sion by the Board of State Harbor Com
missioners of the sewall Of the harbor o
San Francisco is we'll up on the secont
reading file and viii probably be ad
vanced to a third reading to-day. 1t Il
thought doubtful whether the bill cal
be passed. as the opposition is said to b.
gaining strength daily.