The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03
MAY REFUSE
TO CAUCUS
Continued from First Page.

Frank L. Coon bs of Napa. Mr.. Coombs in
formed him that be desired the speaker
ship for the purpose of helping him along
in his laudable am mbition to be appointed
United States Minister to Japan. Mr..
Kenyon tkereupon graciously agreed to
withdraw, and in return for this favor Mr..
Coombs and his friends Will advocate Mr..
Kenyon for the temporary peakership.
There does not appear to be any danger
Gus opposition to either of them.
County Clerk Curry, Colonel Eddy and
Mike Smith of San Francisco were among
tho early arrivals to-day. and they lost no
time in getting into the thick of the con-
fict, for Mr.. Smith has many friends who
are saying good words for him in his
aspirations for the appointment as SER
geant. alarms of the Senate. He and his
friends are very confident of winning,
while on the other hand the friends of
Leslie Blackburn are claiming that they
have the battle won already. Thomas
Martin, the remaining candidate, lis equally
confident that be will be the winner.
Thlrty-nine Republican membe of the
Assembly went into caucus in the Golden
Eagle Hotel tonight and considered the
question of patronage. A harmonious
understanding was had, to the effect that
there should be an equal division of the
patronage among the Republican Assem-
blymen. In order to bring this about a
committee of seven was appointed to in
vestigate and report upon the mum Der OF
alta ches and their salaries, with view of
recommending an equitable division.
The matter of the employment of women
as clerks of committees came up in the
shape of protest from several mem bers,
who thought that the women, who had 70
votes, were crowding to the wall the men.
who had votes; but the protest was laid
on the table and the fairer sex will be rep
resented as usual in the halls of legisla-
ton.
The Senators will caucus tomorrow
afternoon on the subject of organization,
and there will undoubtedly be a good
attendance.
Senator Perkins friends are very much
surprised to find so determined an opposi-
tion 10 his reelection. 1t is now stated
that more than twenty Republican MEM
bers will decline to go into caucus, and
that the reason for their declination is
their unwillingness to vote for him. 1t is
being developed, also, that the mum ber of
legislators actually pledged to support the
Senator is much smaller than was gen.
orally believed. Many of tho~e believed
to have been pledged were not pledged by
the Assembly districts by which they were
placed in nomination, and they consider
themselves as free as air with reference to
their action on the Senatorship.
In some mysterious manner Perkins
strength appears to be ooZing away every
hour. Every train that arrives tonight
brings legislators and workers who will
not be for him. They say that they will
make an effort to postpone organization
until after Monday, which win retard the
election of United States Senator for
another week. This is the first step CT the
opposition. 1t Will hardly be difficult
task, because the contest for sergeant-at-
arms in both houses will be very spirited.
Charles M. Shortridge, Colonel Isaac
Trumbo and a large delegation arrived
from San Francisco by the last train this
evening. They are renewing old ac-
quaintances in the lobby and talking
everything but politics.