The San Francisco call., 1897-02-28

induced to stand for the Senatorship in
his district by the persistent demands of
his friends.
Three men OF higher standing or purer
reputation on whom to cast its venom the
Examiner could not have selected from
the entire list of forty Senators. And it is
this fact that has aroused the Senate and
permeated the hearts of all with sense
of outraged decency and justice.
This feeling will find expression on
Monday in movement looking to COM
plete and thorough investigation of the
matter with the purpose of inflicting such
chastisement on the guilty persons as is in
the power of the Senate and as their con-
duct deserves. Among the methods pro-
possd to be adopted is the exclusion from
the floor of the Senate of the entire staff of
the Examiner.
Senator Morehouse will take the lead in
the matter of the investigation. He is de-
termined to leave no stone unturned to
b ing his traducers to time and to demon
strate TO the world at large the falsity of
the imputed charges. In an interview
this afternoon he said:
"All that l know of the measure is that
there were two similar ones before the
Judiciary Committee of the Senate which
were strongly recommended by the Dis
trict Attorney of MADEIRA County. Judge
Conlan of MADEIRA County felt that they
were personal attacks on him, therefore in
the Judiciary Com mittee l took strong
action against both measures and they
were not reported favorably by the Ju-
dietary Com mmittee. Afterward, here upon
the floor of the Senate, the bill from the
Assembly known as the Caminetti bill
came up on second reading, and moved
to strike out the fourth clause and ad-
dressed the Senate in opposition to the
measure.
when it came up on third reading
Senator Langford of San Joaquin came to
me and said if l had no personal interest
in the bill he wished L would vote for it,
as II was q matter OF great moment to
him. / informed him had no interest in
the measure one way or the other, and
while l did not believe personally in such
legislation I could not see that serious in
jury would result in passing the bill,
| therefore l would accom- m odate him and
vote for it. About the same time 1 re-
ceived dispatch from personal friend
| saying that if had no special interest in
the bill it would be a matter of favor to
him if [ would support it, and not having
any interest in it one way or other cast
my vote for the measure.
but in reading the article in the Ex-
aminer this morning the only inference to
be drawn is that all persons who voted for
the bill, and particularly myself, Senators
Franck, Chapman, Pedlar. Prisk and
Dwyer, had received money for their votes
from one of the parties interested in some
litigation in San Francisco.
''As for myself nothing was ever said to
me at any time concerning the matter
spoken of in the Examiner, and knew of
no motive other than I have heretofore
stated for the bill. Ihave only had one am
bition in life and that was to reach public
honors and so conduct myself in public
positions as to leave a reputation to my
wife and children that would be an honor
to them and credit TO the State, and 1
hold this dearer than life itself.
II feel that this is an unwarranted at
| tack, and was intended 10 iniure and de-
| fame me and other gentlemen of the Sem
ate. But if my associates will stand by
me / will have this matter probed to the
bottom and find out the source of this in
form alton, and, having found it out, L will
take such means to rectify it as the law
will permit, and if the law does not per-
nit, L shall take such means as God AL
mighty gave me the right to exercise.
This Senate from the beginning has
been one of credit to the State. and so far
as know, every mem Der of it has sought
to do his duty and to maintain a reputa-
tion for personal honor and integrity that
would be above reproach. Senator Franck,
the other Senator from my county, is a
man of unim peachable integrity, of large
| wealth, and whose honesty no man can
question.
'The other Senators I am not so well
| acquainted with as I am with Senator
Franck, but 1 am satisfied that they are
absolutely innocent and that this is pure
| joke, gotten up for the purpose of casting
slur on the reputation of reputa bic men,
bers and probably for political effect, ow-
ing to the fact that a majority of the Sen.
ators are Republicans.
"If this is to be Democratic politics the
sooner the Republican members of the
Senate discover the fact the better.
At any rate the time has arrived in the
history of this State when fake journalism
and lying correspondents should be taught
a lesson.
81 have no fear of any large newspaper
or its attacks upon me, IS my whole life
has been one of toll and struggle, and /
have never in my life been guilty of dis
honorable act, therefore there is nothing
in my personal record why should fear
the public press, and l know that ny in
tegrity is proof against false attacks. 1
am sorry that this occurred so late in the
| session, as else 1 would prepare and in
troduce a measure which, if the Legisla-
ture would pass, would prevent future
attacks of this kind made on public
men,"
Senator Franck concurred in all that
his colleague said and stated that he
would heartily cooperate with Morehouse
IN any effort to run the false report 10
earth and punish the offenders. Senator
Linder is one Of the legislators who voted
for the bill. After hearing what Senator
MorehouKe had to say he remarked:
81 heartily indorse and concur in Sem
ator Morehouse' statement and IN addi-
| ton to that had a personal reason for
oting for that measure. had building
| contract some four years ago aad a con-
tract on which the contractor fell short or
appropriated the money to his own use