The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-15

the State Central Committee. and that they
unite with the chairman of the said commit
tee in the request contained in the above COM
munication.
Beshaw to-day introduced bill appro-
prating $4,000. The measure contains
this explanatory introduction:
Section L. Whereas, there is now pending
in the Circuit Court of the United States for
the Northern District of California suit
wherein the Southern Pacific Company is
plaintiff and the Board of Railroad Commits
sioners of the State OF California is defendan T.,
which suit involves the question whether the
condition of the said Southern Pacific Com
pany and the various lines of road controlled
by IL is such as to justify substantial reduc-
tion of the rates of freight and fares charged
on said line; and whereas, the question in
wolves an examinatio ion into all the operations
OF the numerous roads for series of years and
the careful investigation of their accounts |;
which are voluminous and complicated and
whereas, said work can be performed satisfac-
torily only by experts OF skill and experience
in railroad affairs and of known probity I;
and whereas, 1t is to the interest CT the people
of California that the real condition OF the
said railroads should be made known and
proved in the said suit; and whereas, the
other costs and expenses of said litigation
provided for,
Sec 2. Now, therefore, the sum of $50 900
| is hereby appropriated out of any money in
the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated
for the employment of experts and for the
purpose aforesaid, payable under the direc-
ton and approval of the State Board of Ex-
aminers, and for the purposes aforesaid the
Controller is hereby directed to draw his war
rants payable to the order of the president Of
~.
as may be directed by said State Board of Ex-
am liners, not exceeding in all the sum hereby
appropriated.
Sec. 8. Nothing in this act shall be construed
as recognizing the lawfulness of the combina-
ton of roads controlled by the said Southern
Pacific Company or the existence OF said COM
pany as a railroad corporation, or its right to
control or operate any of the railroads consti-
tuting said combination.
The foregoing bill is not ALL The State
Board of Examiners has recommended
| the Legislature to pay w. W. Foote, Rob-
ert Y. Hayne and J. G. Daily $25, 900 for
assisting the Attorney General in argu-
ing the railroad case In the United States
Circuit Court. Mr.. Guy, chairman of the
| Ways and Means Comm ittee, introd uced
the bill. Attached to the measure is a
statement from the State Board of Exam
liners, including transcript of testimony.
A number OF lawyers went before the
board and testified that the charge for
legal service was reasonable, and Cover
nor Budd, Secretary of State Brown and
Attorney General Fitzgerald certify that
this charge is correct.
How the Republican members of the
Assembly are going to square themselves
for permitting $4,000 to be drawn from
their contingent fund to organize the
house is something that remains to be
told. The amount involved is only drop
in the bucket compared with the big jobs
already concocted, but the effrontery of
the proceeding creates scandal.
Controller Colgan has issxed his war
rants for the amounts appropriated.
There was no other course open to him.
The Assembly has absolute control of its
contingent fund. Junkets can be ordered