The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21
CLOSING SCENES
IN THE SENATE
Report of the Tax Levy
Conference at Last
Submitted.
Lieut.. Governor Jeter Thanked
and Presented With
Siiverware.
President Pro Tenn Flint Also Com.
pim.nted for His Fairness
and Courtesy.

Everywhere about tn Capitol for the past
TWO days have been signs OF the coming
tdissolu ion of the Legislature. Senators
and Assemblymen have been busy desk
cleaning. getting their codes files. ETC.,
ready for packing. and strewing the hoor
with discarded bills, reports and DINER
documents, until the carpet was literally
buried under the flood. In every aisle
were boxes and wastebaskets, with porters
and pages stutfing into them every article
OF usefulness they could lay their hands
upon, and. in many instances any old
thing. Each ones ambition seemed to be
to get his box or basket filled.
In the Senate matters droned along this
morning in the consideration OF Assembly
amendments to Senate bills. The clock
had been stopped at 11:25 P. NJ. as the
hour for adjournment had been fixed at
I'm. At 12:40,P. NJ. Bulla moved that q
recess be taken nor two hours until 11:45
A. NJ, and this was agreed to, the hope
beln tha: by that time the Assembly
would have agreed to the Senate's amend
ments to the tax-levy bill and would send
it to the Governor.
But the Assembly refused to concur and
free conference committee had to be
appointed to adjust the differences. Wuen
the Senate reconvened at about 3
O'CLOCK in the afternoon the confer
ence committee was still In hot
debate, and the afternoon was
spent in passing constitutional amend
ments and joint resolutions. This went
on for two hours and hall, and at $3.50
p. NJ VOORHEES, moved to take q recess un-
lii 80 A. NJ The motion carried and the
chair ruled that this meant P. NJ.
Shortly after reconvening the report OF
the. Tax-levy Conference Committee was
submitted. It provides for the raising of
$40, 020, 600 and means tax levy OF 4lA
cents. exclusive OF the cent tax for, the
State University. This is $4,000 more
than provided in the bill as originally in
troduced in the Assembly on the Gov
ernor's recommendation, and with the
81. $4,000 surplus in the treasury will give
$11 ,270, 600 for maintaining the State Gov
ernment in all its departments for the
next two years, beginning July. 1897. In
this form the bill was passed.
Senator Bulla introduced . resolution
extending the thanks of the Senate to
President Jeter for his uniformly cour-
fair and impartial rulings. Bulla added
few words of eulogv TO the resolution, and
with Senator Dickinson in the chair it was
adopted with Q rising vote, Dickinson put
ting the question ihthfs wav: "Ail in IA
vor of the resolution will riss;s those op-
posed will keep their seats" n ss
Meanwhile there had been placed on a
green baize-covered table in front of the
bar of the House handsome sterling
silver service OF eight pieces. comprising
teapot, coffee-pot, ever, mtik-pitcner,
sugar bowl, spoon holder. lovingcu and
tray. On the latter was inscribed: From
the Senate of California to the President,
Lieutenant Governor w T. Jeter, March
20, 1897"
Senator Smith on behalf OF his fellow
members made the presentation speech.
and acquitted himself with dignity and
honor. Though notified but few mo-
ments before OF the pleasant duty that
wss to devolve upon him, his address was
excellentlv feIicitous and met with the
hearty applause of his colleagues and
the large audience that was present to
witness the closing scenes. While Smith
was delivering this presentation speech
President Jeter occupied seat in front
and to the left of the bar OF the Senate.
When Smith concluded Jeter responded
in well-chosen and appropriate words.
President pro tenn. Flint was thanked by
resolution Tor his courtesy and fairness
while in the chair and the same compli-
ment was extended TO Senator Smith for
his services as chairman of the County
Government Committee.
On behalf OF a numbe OF attaches Sena-
tor Dickinson presented handsome cane
to Senator Gillette.
At this point recess was taken to give
the Committee on Enrolment time to
make its final report.
Singing by a negro quartet partly filled
the wait. During the frequent recesses
the stad Senators joined with the frolic-
some pages in AN indiscriminate fusiilade
of paper wads and documents, SO me going
into the galleries and from there precipi-
tating showers of paper on the unwary
and unsuspecting people below.
Senator Seawell offered q yesolution of
thanks to Chairman Wilmington of the
Committee on Rules and Revision, which
was adopted by a rising vote. In the
course of his remarks Eeaweli paid q
tribute to the Republican majority for its
kind consideration of the Democratic
minority during tho session. Senator
Wi hington responded in appropriate
language.
Senator Smith submitted similar reso-
luton with reference 10 Frank ]. Bran
don, the efficient sect etary of the Senate,
and it was adopted by unanimous vote.
After the committee which had been ap-
pointed to wait on the Assembly and Gov
ernor, respectively, reported that neither
had any further Communication to make
to the Senate, q resolution OF thanks 10
Sergeant-at-Arms Blackburn for his faith
ful services was adopted.
Senator Morehouse moved to adjourn
sine die, and after few feeling parttn &
remarks by President Jeter the motion
was adopted at 1:20 A. N. Sunday morn
ing, though, technically, noon on Satur-
DAY.