The San Francisco call., 1897-02-24

with much vehemence that two years ago
the country members had been bu nkoed
"The Niger in this BILL" he added, sis
that Sacramento wants to say we have
no district fair appropriation, and we
ought o have one for State fair At the
last session the country mem bers were
hoodwinked into voting for the State
Fair approp opriations when the Sacramento
members knew that the Governor was
going to veto those for the district fairs"
Shanahan denied that any of the dis
trict fair appropriations were used for
horseracing. On the contrary, such use
was prohibited by law. All the money
appropriated went back to the farmers in
the way of premiums for fruit and the
like. He saw no reason why the House
should insist on Sacramento taking some.
thing that she did not want.
Melick thought that at this time, when
the people were crying out for actual
economy, to appropriate a large sum of
money for such purposes among the diff
ierent counties was an extravaganza that
should be stopped. District fairs were
County," he continued, I'VE know that
we can raise better products than in any
other part of the world, and we dom t
need to bring them together"
Affairs were getting very warm about
that time and Price moved that the bill be
referred to the Ways and Means Com
nittee with Instructions to report an
amendment containing such amounts as
may be considered best for the several
agricultural districts.
1t is expected that the Asse m bly, will on
tomorrow evening proceed to consider
Melick's AssemDly bill 654 res sulating pub
ications by State officers and commits
sioners, common councils, boards OF
writer's or Supervisors in counties, cities,
cities and counties, or towns; and Melick' s
Assem bly, bill 655 on the law of libel,
allowing newspapers to justify by publish
ing u retraction of libe!ous statements
made without malice.
These bills are of more than ordinary
interest to newspaper publishers and the
public generally. No. 654 defines news
paper of general circulation as a newspa-
per which publishes general and local
news 1t was passed at the last session,
but the Governor vetoed it becouse it pro-
v:ded that such a newspaper should con-
tain news transmitted by telegraph. AS
many of the country papers cannot afford
To pay for wired words the bill was objec-
tionable to the Governor. The word ''tel-
egraphic'' has b9en omitted in the present
bill, but an effort is being made in the
lobby in the interest of lawyers TO insert
the word illegal in the bill. Should this
be done official advertising may be in
serted IN Jaw journals which by copying a
fe W items OF foreign ana local news from
the morning papers may claim 10 be
classed ds newspapers of general circula-
tion.
When Senate bill 80 came up for third
reading and final passage this afternoon
Dlbble of San Francisco made an urgent
plea for its passage. He explained that
the object of the bill was to do away with
ar bitrary assessments by Assessors
throughout the State, and enabling As
sessors to obtain statements from owners
of real and personal property as 10 the
quantity and value of their assessa bic
properly. Supervisors are prohibited from
changing assessments. ut will place on
the assessment roll" continued Mr.. Dib-
Dle, thirty or forty millions of property
that has been escaping taxation for the
past twenty years"
The bill was carried before the Speaker
had announced the result of the rollcall,
but several members who had come in
during the rollcall and who had voted
aye on Dinble's statement that it was a
bill to tax millionaires, changed their
votes from aye TO no when they saw
on inspecting the file that Braunhart was
the author. Malcolm. Gutter, Bettman,
Belshaw, Leavitt, North of Alameda,
Arnerlch, Robinson and Dennery were
the first to change their votes. The bill
was refused final passage by Is ayes and
80 noes.
Sports will be pleased to learn that the
Senate bills of Mahoney and Pedlar pro-
hibiting glove contests were denied final
passage in the Assem- bly,. The vote was
almost unanimous. Toland gave notice
of motion to reconsider, but that's all
the good it will do him.
The vote finally passing Senate bill Is,
allowing Chief of Police Crowley 10 retire
on pension, was grand compliment TO
the ChieI. There were 81 ayes and no
noes.