The San Francisco call., 1897-02-20
MRS, STANFORD'S
WAY MADE EASIER
Now the Noble Woman Can
Leave Her Estate to
the University.
Legal DISTINCTIONS to the Course
Proposed Removed by the
Legislature.
Passage of the First of the Three Bills
in the Interests of the Palo
Alto Institution.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Feb. 19.-Stan-
ford University held the floor OF the Sem
ate this morning. The programme of the
friends OF the university was to secure the
passage of three bills in the interest of
that Institution. One of these was to
clear the way of legal Instructions, so
that Mrs. Jane Stanford can leave the
whole of her estate to the university
bearing the title of her deceased son. The
second was to exempt the $40 000, 900 en-
dowment to the Institution from taxation
and the third was to apportion the loss
thus sustained to the State and to the
counties in which the property included
in the endowment Is located among all
the counties of the State. President
David Starr Jordan has been here for
several days in the interest of these
measures.
The first of these measures passed with
little opposi ion, the second went over as
unfinished business until Tuesday after
an interesting and somewhat heated de-
bate, while the third was not reached on
the file.
VOORHEES, Senate bill 273 brought the
matter on the boards. This provides for
amending the Civil Code relative to re-
strictions on the DO wer of devise 10 char
liable uses. Under the existing law only
third OF an estate can be bequeethed to
this use. The amendment provides that
deVises to educational institutions in this
State in which tuition is free and equally
open to all and without sectarian bias or
control shall be excepted from the opera
ton OF the exlsting law. provided there is
no surviving husband or wife or lineal
descendants of the testator.
The object of the measure is to permit
Mrs. Jane Stanford, who has no lineal de-
scendants, to bequeath all of her property
to the Stanford University, which, 1t was
explained by Senator VOORHEES,, she pur-
poses doing. The bill passed, with but
little debate, by q vote of 80 ayes to
noes.
Next in order on the third reading file
was another measure fathered by Voor-
| beis, known Senate bill 274, and entitled
IAN act to establish as public schools
technical schools endowed by pr vate gifI
coming within certain require ments, and
10 encourage such endOwments." The
object OF the bill, Senator VOORHEES, ex-
plained, was to exempt the Stanford
| University from taxation, and thus save
20 that institution the sum OF 900 a
! year, which might be applied to educa-
tlonal purposes
Braunhart made an indirect attack on
the measure by moving to strike out the
words without seCtarian bias or control"
The result of the adoption of the amend
ment would have been the exemption of
ali sectarian institutions in which tuition
is free, from taxation.
Morehouse made q forcible argument
against the adoption OF the amendment.
He pointed out that Stanford University
stood alone of its kind in the State; that
its benefits accrued to the whole people of
the State; that 1t was public institution
in all respects, except that it was osten-
sibly under the control of a generous
minded and public-spirited woman, the
widow OF a man who had set aside
$40 100000 for the creation and main
tenanCe of a great educational institution
for the benefit of the youth of California.
He thought ii was a small thing to ask of
the State exemption from the payment of
$50, 900 year, which sum would be ap-
piled to the education of the 1900 students
now attending that university. He added
that the State was contributing nothing
to the institution. 1t was only question
| OF time, he concluded, when the entire
property OF the university as well as that
of Mrs. Stanford would fall TO the State.
For these reasons he saw no reason for
any opposition to the bill or for the adop-
tion of the amendment. The amendment
was defeated. =
Gillette attacked the bill on the ground
that 1t was unconstitutional. He quot
| from the code TO show that public schools
were those that were supported by the
Stale bv means of taxation, and that must
be under State control. HIS opposition
was also due TO the TACT that the Vina
ranch, part of the Stanford University
endowment, was located in Tehama
| County, and that this oil would deprive
the county Of $4,000 each year now COL
Tod HI II
aware. he said, that it was proposed to
| spportion this loss among all the counties
of the State, but he did not think it fair
| to make other counties contribute to the
| loss any one county might sustain by the
| withdrawal of taxable property through
| The bill under discussion.
Jones opposed the measure for the
reason, he stated, that 1t would impose
| additional taxation on all the counties OF
the State to the extent of the amount
that would be lost by exempting the Stan
ford University.
During the afternoon session the further
consideration of the subject was deferred
as several of the Senators who desired to
participate in the debate and 10 vote on
the bills would not be present again
until Tuesday.
Senator Dwyer, who voted in favor of
Senate bill 273, gave notice of recons dera-
tion on the suggestion OF Senator Wolfe
"Ho "os aoSehb "heh lue Note Oh II was
taken and who desires to speak against
the measure on sectarian grounds.
This bill, ike the one remaining as un-
finished business, applies only 20 ipstitu-
tions without sectarian bias or control"
and Wolfe pro poses to move to strike out
the clause of linn itation so as TO bring Sec
tartan schools under the operation of the
proposed law. Wolie's attitude may lead
to some exciting debate on religious lines
Among those who have already an
nounced their intention TO participate in
the debate are Senators More house, Simp-
son, Smith and Stratton, all able speak
ers and good fighters.