The herald., 1897-01-17

| gaan stable of political corruption. We
will soon know what the Investigation
amounts to, and meanwhile let us hope
for satisfactory results.
UNLIMITED LEGISLATION.
An almost immeasurable quantity OF
legislation Is in prospect during the ses-
| eion. Bills, petitions, amendments to
the constitution. etc, etc, almost with
out number, are incubating or already
Matched. and should they all be enacted
into law, Heaven knows what would be-
come OF the people of California. Many
of these propositions are intended to con-
fer some special privilege on some per-
son or class of persons, to the inevitable
cetriment of everybody else-which fact
alone constitutes sufficient reason for
their rejection. Some of them, how
ever, are unquestionably wise, just,
and In the line of progress. 1t remains
to be seen whether the legislature will
properly separate the wheat and the
chaff, and thereby promote the welfare
of the state.
TAX REFORM AMENDMENT
The much talked of tax reform
amendment will soon be in evidence be-
fore the legislature. The Herald has
heretofore. in its editorial columns, ex-
plained that the proposed amendment is
intended to give future legislatures pow-
er over the subject of taxation and rev.
enue-a power which up to the present
time is denied to that body by the IRON
clad restrictions Of the old sand lot"
constitution of 1879. 1t is a ncS-par-
tlsan movement, and therefore is re-
ceiving support from men of each and
every part OF the state. 1t is intended to
benefit all classes of people engaged in
any industrial enterprise. In short, 1t
Will be "a boon to everybody but the
speculator. Should the people in No
vember, 1898, ratify the amendment the
way will then be open for legislation in
the interest of wealth production, where
as under existing tax laws the production
OF wealth in any form Is treated as
crime.
Business men in San Francisco, Ala
media county, and In fact throughout the
state, are interesting themselves in this
much needed reform. The San Francisco
Manufacturers and Producers associa-
tion has taken hold of the movement
with earnestness and vigor. The amend
ment desired has been prepared in
proper legal form by careful lawyers,
and q copy made for presentation in
each house. 1t will be presented prob
ably early next week. Hon. r. N. Bulla
of Los Angeles, one of the most infiu-
entail members of the senate is a warm
advocate of the amendment and he will
probably offer it in that body. A prom
lHeHI OeHiOcTdt VIII perform q similar
duty in the assembly. The Los Angeles
delegation in both branches are prac-
tically unit in its favor. The same is
true of the San Francisco members. SEN
ator Stratton of Alameda and several
other members from that county are
also known to favor the proposition. 1t
looks as II the amendment would go
through both houses, and If so, there will
be a campaign of education in this state
on the subject OF taxation and revenue,
lasting from the first of next March till
the November election of 1898.
HARD TIMES AND ROOMS
Among the numerous evidences of hard
times is the fact that members of the
legislature now here are indulging in
less luxuries than have been customary
heretofore. A man who has spent every
winter at the state capital almost from
time immemorial, and who is a close OBJ
server of such matters, tells me that
never before did so large proportion of
legislators select modest, cheap rooms in
the city, instead Of the average 1uxuries
o. hotel life. And yet people who here
offer rooming accommodations to Wis
itors seem to imagine that Sacramento
is blessed with a tropical climate, where
artificial heat, even in mid-winter, is a
superfiuity. They expect roomers to pay
good round prices for the blessed priv
ilege of sleeping and eating in refriger-
ators, warming themselves, IL at all, by