The record-union., 1897-01-05

Presidents stand, handed in their ere
dentials to the Secretary, raised their
right hands in a body, and after the
Lieutenant Governor had read the oath
of office, nodded their heads and We're
duly declared entitled to the seats to
which their constituents had elected
them.
TEMPORARY RULES.
Then General Dickinson, one of the
San Francisco new members, took the
floor. Everybody knew that he would
present a resolution providing for the
adoption of temporary rules. He had
been Chairman of the Committee on
Rules appointed by the Republican
Senate caucus. Everybody. too. knew
that in the resolution would be en-
bodied a rule providing that all COM
mittees should be appointed by the
Senate instead of by the Lieutenant
Governor, as is usual
General Dickinson made no attempt
at oratory. He merely said that it was
customary to adopt temporary rules
and that he had embodied a set of
proposed rules in a resolution. Many
of the rules embodied were precisely
similar to those governing the actions
of the last session, and those he did not
desire read A number of amend
ments to the rules had, however, been
embodied in the resolution, and he re-
quested that they be read.
There was not the shadow of an OBJ
lection. In the face of the Lieutenant
Governor there was not the slightest
perceptible change. He merely ordered
the proposed amendments read. The
proposed amendments were as follows:
Rule /. The sessions of the Senate
shall be daily (Sundays excepted), be-
ginning at 10 o'clock a. m. Until
Monday, January %, 1897, adjournment
shall be taken at 1870 o'clock p. M,
and after that date a recess shall be
taken at said hour to 2 o'clock p. m.,
| unless otherwise ordered by the Sen
ate.
| Rule 16 applies to the number Of
| members which shall compose the sew
eral committees of the Senate, and
several were amended as follows:
Committee on Retrenchment and
| Public Expenditures to consist of seven
members shall be appointed.
The Committee on County and Town
| ship Organization to be reduced from
eleven to nine members.
The Committee ON Finance to be re-
| duced from eleven to nine members.
The Committee on Public Buildings
| other than Prison Buildings to be re-
duced from thirteen to eleven mem
| bers.
The appointment of new Commit
tee on Executive Nominations and An
nouncements to consist of five members.
In this connection it is provided that
when nominations shall be sent by the
Governor to the Senate for confirma-
/ ton, the same shall be referred to the
new committee.
THE APPOINTING POWER.
| Rule II was amended to read: "All
| standing committees shall be appointed
| by the Senate
| This was the rule by which the ap-
| po1ntive power of the Lieutenant-G Gov
ernor was stricken down. Still there
was no move of dissent. 1t began to
| be plain that some tacit understanding
was had, and that while Jeter felt Sc
| cure in his place, the Republicans knew
no objection would be raised to the
appointing power being left unques-
| toned with them.
| Rule 1S was amended so that the
| Chairman of each committee shall have
power to appoint clerk without the
permission of the Senate, excepting the
Chairman of the Committee on Execu-
tive Nominations and Announcements,
| who shall be allowed one clerk.
| Rule 3d. relating to suspending and
| changing rules, was stricken out.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
| Then General Dickinson once more
rose and moved the adoption of the
| resolution. The motion received a
second from Voorhies of Amador and
| the Lieutenant Governor ordered a roll
call.
| Then the mystery pertaining to the
| milk in the cocoanut became obvious
Every Democrat in the Senate voted
with the majority The resolution was
adopted by a unanimous vote, and the
Republicans hold the appointing power,
while Jeter will preside.
| OFFICERS ELECTED.
| From this point the sailing was
| smooth. There was no question but
what the organization would be COM
pleted before adjournment There re-
manned little to do except to elect the
necessary working force, and the Re-
publican members had settled who that
| force would consist of in the caucus
held earlier in the day.
Nominations for President pro tenn
| of the Senate being in order, Senator
| Morehouse in few complimentary
| phrases, named Thomas Flint of San
! Benito for the position.
The Democrats had settled among
| themselves to give a complimentary
vote to Langford of San Joaquin, and
| he was placed in nomination by Seawell
of Mendocino.
| The vote stood: Flint %, Langford
| II. Flint and Langford exchanged
courtesies by voting each for the other
and Flint having received a majority
of the votes cast was declared duly
elected.
THE FIRST LAUGH.
| After the result had been announced
Langford rose in his place and said:
| do 1 understand, Mr.. President,
that have been defeated?'
You certainly have been defeated, >"
| returned the Lieutenant-Go Governor.
| Langford gazed about him for an in
slant and then threw up his arms with
| a gesture of despair as he sank back
| in his seat. This bit of pantomime
was effective in creating the first laugh
of the session.
| Franck of Santa Clara named Frank
J. Brandon for Secretary of the Senate.
| The Democrats showed their apprecia-
| ton of the candidate by casting their
votes for him, and he was elected
| unanimously
! Senator Holloway named D. E. Nc
| Kinlay. and Flint named George w.