The herald., 1897-03-15

monument. and SO have two or three
asemblymen; but State Librarian w.
Dana Perkins, and Secretary Of State
Waite have only plain wooden board
with their names at the head Of their
graves. Possibly some future legisla-
ture may give them handsome tomb
stones ago. General George Wright has
a tomb near the state plot, adorned with
an eagle and fac SMILES Of his shoulder
straps, bearing the generals star. The
crocker family have several plots here,
all adorned with more or less elaborate
tombs, but none especially interesting.
One feature that struck me as being
particularly praiseworthy in the people
of Sacramento was the number OF graves
adorned with fresh flowers, evidently
placed there very recently, and in some
cases on the graves of people who had
been dead ten or more years. 1t showed
that Sacramentans haye better men,
ories than some of their fellow citizens
IN other parts of the country.
From graveyard to Legislature may
seem long stride, although In Sacra-
mento 1t is only about ten blocks, but
even from other points of view the dis
tance Is not very great. Legislatures
are always political graveyards The
few members of the last Legislature
who were returned this year is an evil
dence of that. do not think the re-
suit two years hence will be any more
encouraging. 1t takes a peculiar skill
to make a successful member of leg
islature. One does not want
to be too aggressive. Inactiv-
ity Is often virtue. There
is Senator Langford for instance.
who has been In the legislature for twen-
ty-six years. believe. He does not say
much, and he does less but he never has
any trouble to come back, even when all
the rest OF his ticket Is beaten. If, on
the other hand, man Is very conspicu-
ous, all his mistakes-and every man
makes some-are trumpeted abroad, and
he suffers In consequence. OF course
when a man Is a candidate for higher
office 1t Is not always easy for him to
tell what to do. General Dickinson, for
instance. wants to be governor. He
has an enormous bee In his bonnet, and
he has not made the mistake of Flint by
lodging too much. He has even man.
aged to get through two investigating
committees fairly we'll, which, as he
was chairman of the committees. is by
NO menas an east feat; but, with 1t all.
he has not succeeded in catching on"
nearly as we'll as some of hds colleagues,
probably because he is too cold, and has
too much the manner Of Knowing Il
ALL" which Is never popular with the
other fellow. Still think Dickinson
Is more likely to carry off the prize than
Flint. Senator Dennison does not want
to be governor; at least, II he does have
ambitions in that direction he has not
told anyone about them. But he has
other ambitions, and those, unfortunate
ly for him, do not seem to be any more
likely to be fulfilled than that he has
not He wants to be director of the
mint, but Editor Leach Of Oakland has
won the prize. Dennison, like his friend
the railroad, has been downed all along
the line this year. He fought Hilborn,
but Hilborn was nominated and elected
to congress. He opposed Blackburn for
sergeant-at-arms of the senate, bu:
Blackburn was elected notwithstanding
his conspicuous unfitness for the place
He was not for Perkins, yet Perkins
was unanimously chosen United States
senator. He wanted to be director of
the mint, but another fellow who never
asked for the place was chosen. No
wonder he Is sour and feels that there
Is very little satisfaction in dabbllng in
politics. Even his candidate for mayor
of Oakland was beaten, to add to his
other misfortunes.
Senator Jones is one of the unique
personalities of the senate. He comes
from Orange county, and his presence
in the senate Is constant and contin-
ual argument in favor Of women suf-
frage, because beside him sits all the
time his daughter, who is one of the
brightest women / have even SEEN She
keeps a record of every bill watches
every motion. and tells at least four
senators how to vote. She has re-
lieved not only her own father but SEN
ator Langford of all anxiety on that
point and they vote, believe, good
deal better under her guidance than
they would do alone. If woman suf-
fiage ever carries the people of Orange
want to send Miss Jones to the senate.
With all her success as a political
guide, too, she never fcrgets her re-
finement as woman and is a lady
in all that the name really means and
implies at all times.
Speaker Coombs, Notwithstanding his
unanimous Endorsement for the Japa-
rese mission by both houses. is very
doubtful of receiving the appointment.
He had quite given 1t up the other day,
when he saw that there were four other
candidates for similar positions, and
half a dozen for consulships; but later
news has revived his hopes of success
If not his anticipations. and he once
more reads the news from Japan with
interest
The trouble that has arisen over
Treacy's bill setting minimum rate of
So per day for laborers on public works
Is likely to be quite widespread before
long. 1t raises the wages for workers
on public roads, irrigation bitches, etc,
and Is an effectual barrier against pub
lie bodies giving any state, county or
municipal aid to the unemployed at
less than the newly established rate.
AS supplementary the Treacy bill here
is another measure, which / think will
be found of enough interest to be
quoted in full:
Section /. The board of supervisors of
each county in this state shall, at their first
regular meeting after the taking effect OF
this act by proper ordinance, provide that
each supervisoral district shall constitute
an employment district in such county, for
the purposes of this act, and they shall APP
point .workmaster for each Of said dis
labor expended. under the provisions OF
this act, on the public highways in such
employment district, under the supervision
and authority of the board Of supervisors.
for which service he shall receive such COM
pensation as may be fixed by said board,
not to exceed 50 per day Of actual service,
and be subject to removal from service al
any time, In the discretion Of said board.
Sec. 2. Any adult person, upon showing
to the satisfaction OF said workmaster, or
of supervisors, or of the superintendent of
the county farm, that he is homeless and
without means of support and in tmmedt-
ate need of the necessaries Of life, shall be
employed by such officers, according to
their respective authority. to labor on the
county farm or the public highways In said
county, under direction Of the superintend-
ent of said farm or of the workmaster. as
herein provided for which service he shall
receive his lodging and three. meals per
IS cents per day of eight hours labor for
each davis service. the same to be paid out