The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-02-27


acted as an arbitrary, instead of ar
| equitable power to fix railroad rates
| The Commission, he contended, hao
degenerated into a political machine
| and had used its power to harass, an
| noy and stir up feeling against the
| railroads of the State, instead of per-
forming the duties expected of them
He submitted that under the bill, every
stage line and branch railroad would
be obliged to send in voluminous re-
ports, and that the unlimited power
would work a hardship upon all COM
mon carriers.
Wolfe spoke for the bill, as did also
Braunhart, Smith and Seawell.
Morehouse replied, quoting the Con-
stitution to show that the Railroad
Commission already had power to
issue subpenas and secure data upon
which to fix just and equitable rates
In the past, he said, the Commission
ers had made petty political capital out
of their office. There was, he said, nc
need for such an Act, and it should be
defeated
Wilmington also spoke, and VOORHEES,
could see no reason why the bill should
not pass.
The roll was called and the bill
passed by a vote of 26 to 9-title APP
proved.
ARCHBISHOP'S POWERS.
S. B. 413, by Wolfe, to amend Section
602 of the Civil Code relating to cor
porations sole, and comforting powers
upon the Archbishop of San Francisco
to dispose of and acquire property, was
passed by vote of 81 to o. The bill
had formerly been amended providing
that the Archbishop should hold prop
erty in trust only.
S. B. 422, by Pedlar, relating to the
National Guard, known as the military
omnibus bill, having been previously
read the third time, was passed by a
vote of 30 to 0-title approved.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.
AndrOus offered a concurrent resolu-
ton providing that S. B. l. to enable
school districts in cities of the fifth
class to issue bonds for school pur-
poses, and A. B. %, be recalled from
the Governor to their respective houses
in order that corrections might be
made. The resolution was adopted
and Immediately transmitted to the
Assembly.
AMENDMENT AMENDED.
s. B. 400, by Pedlar, to repeal an Act
to create the office of Attorney for the
State Board of Health of the City and
County of San Francisco, came up for
final passage 1t had been called up a
few days before and in the absence of
the author, amended to make the office
terminate July l, 1898, instead of 1897.
Pedlar protested against that action
and to remedy the matter offered an
amendment to strike out the figures
"1S9S" and insert 1897" The amend
ment was adopted by a vote of 10 to
IS, and the bill ordered re-engrossed.
BILLS PASSED.
s. B. $50, by Langford, to amend Sec
ton 465 of the Civil Code, relating to
the powers of railroads, was passed
title approved.
S. B. 451, by Braunhart, to require
ordinances and resolutions passed by
the legislative body of a municipality
to be presented to the Mayor for ap-
prevail, was read the third time and
passed by a vote of 2S to 3-title ap-
proved.
s. B. $50, by Jones, empowering the
legislative body of any incorporated
city or town to levy taxes for the pur-
pose of eradicating fruit tree pests in
towns having more than 1000 acres of
fruit trees within their corporate linn
its, was read and passed by vote Of
81 to 0-title approved.
STANFORD EXEMPTION BILL.
S. b. pa, by VOORHEES,, to establish
as public schools technical schools en-
dowed by private gift, coming within
certain requirements, and to encourage
such endoWments, was called up for
final action.
Smith said while the measure was
intended to exempt Stanford UNIVERSE
ty from taxation, it in reality went
much further, and he hesitated to vote
for bill which would throw the bur-
denS of another costly institution up
on the shoulders of the State. The
situation reminded him of the anecdote
related by the late Artemus Ward, who,
in speaking Of the progress of the civil
war, said he would put down the re-
belliOn if it took all his wife's relations.
It was proposed to exempt the insti-
tuition from taxation even If ii ruined
Tehama and several other counties.
The question of taxes on the institution
at the present time, he said, was en-
barrassing, and to place it into the
hands of the State meant to increase
deficiencies and cost of maintenance
The taxable property of the State was
too small in amount to tide over two
State Universities. and he contended
that the bill ought to be refused pas
sage.
Simpson contended that under the
Constitution it would be impossible to
reimburse Tehama and other counties
for taxes on property declared to be ex>
empt. He claimed the Legislature had
no more right TO exempt Stanford
University from taxation, than num-
bers Of other and similar ones in the
State. If this one exemption We're
made, hundreds of sectarian and other
institutions would justly claim q like
right, and confusion would follow.
The hour of recess arrived and the
further consideration of the bill went
over as unfinished business