The record-union., 1897-01-05
THE SENATE ORGANIZED.
Republicans Will Appoint Committees
and Jeter Will Preside.

All kinds of faces lined lobby and
gallery in the Senate Chamber yester =
day long before the hour of convening
arrived. Side by side with the placid,
though curious casual observer was to
be seen the drawn face of the man who
wanted an easy berth, and whose
chances of obtaining the same looked
small fry. Then the new members of
| the Senate dropped in and did their
best to look unconcerned and keep
down the stage fright which had taken
a strong hold on them. They were
nervous and fidgety, but the dignity
of their positions was to be maintained
at all hazard, and they did as we'll as
might have been expected.
Here, too, was the hold-over Serfa tor.
fumbling with papers ON his desk and
taking things as matters of course
Lieutenant Governor Jeter was on the
| floor of the house early and while he
presented a placid exterior, it was OBJ
served that dark circles had gathered
under his eyes. He was not alt ali
nervous and chatted pleasantly with
| those about him.
| Frank j. Brandon, the Secretary. was
at his old desk doing the courteous to
| old associates and new members, but
he was all business. Many of the at
| taches of the last session of the Senate
were scattered about the chamber. and
| gay bonnetS and brave plumes nodded
and quiv cred in different parts of the
chamber. giving a touch of color to the
somber chamber and more sonber. Sen
ators. The faces of many of the Ia
| dies were familiar to those who at
tended the last session of the Legisla-
ture, and We're at all posted concerning
members of the Third House.
| The Republican members who had
been in caucus determining who should
and who should not receive a share OF
patronage from the body, struggled in
a few minutes before noon. and as the
hands of the clock neared the figures
Indicating meridian, Lieutenant Gov
ernor Jeter quietly ascended to the
Presidents desk. glanced around and
picked up the gavel.
BEGINNING OF THE TROUBLE.
| Watches were held against the clock
which ground out the seconds with per-
sistent regularity, and every motion Of
the Leutenant-Go was watched
by the crowd that overfiowed from lob
| by and gallery. The crowd could find
no fault Jeter was all right He did
not even so much as turn an eye1ash
and when the hands of the clock indi-
Gated the hour of noon the suspende1
gaVel came down with a clang and the
/ Thirty second session of the California
Legislature was in session.
The Senate of the Thirty-secon
California Legislature will come to or
der, announced the Lieutenant Gov
ernor, and after comparative quiet had
been obtained. continued: THE Sec
retary will call the roll of hold-over
! Senator'S.
That was all. Jeter had nothing more
| to say. He offered no suggestion and
made no comment He did not even in
trcduce himself except by diving at
once into the mass of business in an
attempt to set the wheels of legislation
grinding. Probably he reeded no other
introduction. His voice was good. and
while pitched in conversational key.
it reached the remote corners of the
/ chamber.
Then Brandon's voice rang out.
strong and clear as it had been of yora,
and the hold-over Senators answered
here with all the sang froid tina
comes from experience. They We're all
present, those hold-overs, and time had
| been kind TO most of them From
! Gleaves of Shasta to Wilmington Of San
Diego. all were on deck, and when the
roll call had been finished the Lieuten-
ant-Governor ordered the roll call of
new members. Here, too, all We're pres
/ ent, and after the Secretary had an
nounced quorum present the Lieu
tenant Governor said:
| THE OATH ADMINISTERED.
The new members will come for
ward. present their credentials and
take the oath of Office"
| Then there was a stir on the floor