The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-18
WRIGHT WILL
HAVE LITTLE
OPPOSITION
Assured of Election as
Speaker.
RECORD AS A LEGISLATOR
AUTHOR OF TEE UNIVERSITY
TAX BILL.
Many Promises of Support Received
From Men of Influence in
All Parts of the
State.
AUTHOR OF TIE UNIVERSITY
TAX BILL.

Reports received from various parts
Of the State indicate a general feellng
of satisfaction over the news that the
lower house of the next Legislature
will in all probability be presided over
by Assemblyman Howard E. Wright of
Berkeley. Since the announcement of
his candidacy Mr.. Wright's strength
has been growing daily, until it is now
well assured that he will be elected
Speaker by the entire Republican vote
of the Assembly.
Past sessions of the Legislature have
been so prolific of scandals that there
is a general feeling throughout the
State that at the coming session there
should be at the hea of affairs in the
lower house a man who can be depend
ed on to guide the new members over
and around the pitfalls that will be
dug, or can be dug, by an unscrupu-
louS lobby or members who have a
greater regard for personal advance
ment than they have for the welfare
or the State. Those who entertain such
a feeling do not pretend to criticize the
acts or the gentlemen who have served
IN the capacity of Speaker during past
sessions, but they realize that much
depends on the man who holds in his
hands the appointment of committees
and the regulation of all of the bust
ness or this, the most important
oranch, IN many respects, of the State
IaWmaking body.
The leaders of the Republican party
are also vitality interested in the selec
llon Oh a Speaker, as they realize that
any scandal or any pernicious legisIa-
tlon would work great injury in the
minds of the people to the party in
+
pledge made during the campaign shall
De carried out in the spirit as we'll as
the letter, and they also realize that
many powerful influences will be
brought to bear to hinder such a re-
suit. This being so they desire that
none put honest and capable men shall
nave the immediate direction of the
business of the session, to the end that
the influence of unprincipled politicians
ana corporation lobbyists may be re-
duced to a minimum.
. Ii is perhaps due as much to his per-
sonar popularity as to his eminent fit
ness to perform the duties attached to
the position to which he aspires that
Mr.. Wright's candidacy has met with
such instant and widespread approval
HIS experience as a legislator has given
MIN an intimate knowledge of the du-
ties that are required of Speaker, and
the fact that he will have the conf
dence and respect of the men over
whose deliberations he will preside will
serve to lend additional weight to his
authority.
Mr.. Wright's work during the last
session of the Legislature in connection
with the introduction and passage of
the university tax bill won for him the
gratitude of every person in the State
who has the interests of higher educa-
ton at heart. AS the author of the bill
Mr.. Wright worked early and late in
its interest and it was largely due to
his individual efforts that it finally Sc
cured passage and became a law. By
its provisions the law puts at the dis
posal of every child, rich or poor, in the
State an education such as is obtain
able only in a few institutions in the
civilized world. His work in this con-
neetion was particularly noteworthy
and was of a nature to commend him
to the gratitude of the whole people,