The San Francisco call., 1897-02-02

an attache named A. Campbell $25 for a
power of attorney to draw $2S. He found
that Campbell had buncoed him, his name
not being on the roll. Parmenter COM
planned to R. r. Duckworth about it and
R. R.; who is a brother of the chief clerk.
said that Campbell's name would be on
the:lst. =
C. B.Brown and Frank Ryan told about
the chief clerk contending that he had
done nothing wrong in making the ap
pointments and remarking that two years
hence, if the law stood as it does now, he
would exhaust the contingent fund even
If he had to employ thousand attaches
/. to do so,
The committee will meet again to- NOR
row afternoon and will absorb some more
wisdom from Assem- bly, men who piled on
the temporary roll all that the traffic
would bear.
Pending this never-ending investigation
the pruning knife may be used on the
permanent roll, and the shylocks who
have discounted warrants ahead may be
Jeff in the lurch, which is a consoling
thought. Speaker Coombs told a CALL
reporter this evening that he did not be-
lieve any attaches were on the permanent
roll who did not have right to be there.
But the feeling wag that there were more
than were necessary to do the business of
the House, and if that should be found TO
be the case the super1uous attaches would
be cut off in the interest of retrenchment.
= This afternoon Speaker Coombs, yield
ing the chair to Dibble made motion
on tn floor OF the House for the appoint
.ment by the Speaker of a committee OF
three TO investigate the payroll of the
" Assent bly, and to recommend the necessary
reforms.
There is no question in my mind,
said Coon bs, .'that the payroll is too
large but l don't believe a reduction can
be made in it unless it is investigated in
scientific manner. l would rather have
the committee of three also take into con-
! siderauCn any appointments in which L
myself may be specially interested and if
needs De have them stricken from the roll.
Ifthere is any member here charged with
more appointments than he is entitled to,
or his constituency is en- titled to, he ought
to: stand in and consent to the sacrifice.
=; The only way TO get at it is by the ap
pointment OF a committee. II there is any
one employed who is not here or not
actually engaged in service, his position
should be forfeited. This committee
should strike off the list all those attaches
that-are not absolutely needed"
The resolution was adopted unani-
mously, and Dibble in the chair appointed
Coombs, Valentine and Bridgford.
r.. Speaker Coombs asked to be excused
from serving on The committee, al am
Speaker now, said D bile, land l decline
IN eYpusa SDeaEar -
Bridgiord asked to be let off, but Dibble
raped him down with the gavel.
~ occupy the same position as Judge
Bridgford, u began Valentine, but the gavel
cut him short. .
81 decline to excuse anybody at pres
ent, "said Dbble.
" Valentine was red with indignation. 1t
@ has been his bad luck this session to be al
ways. misunderstood. Il was not going
to ask 10 be excused" he said, "but 1 was
going to say that the Speaker should not
. be excused nor anybody else"
- Chief Clerk Duckworth has not vet
= come out from his room. 1t is expected
that he will do so when all the so-called
evidence for the prosecution shall have
been put in