The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-21

.. CALL HEADQUARTERS. SACRA-
AENTO, Jan. 20.-To-day the sun was
Shining. a really notable circumstance. It
early drove away the tule fog and attend
ed to business until it went down. How
ever there are some here to whom the
ein does not seem to shine. People pass
ing through the rotunda of the Capitol
Hooked as never before at the beautiful
group Of statuary IN the center. There
Sgas great Indignation at the act OF some
yandal in breaking two fingers from one
OF the figures Of the group. Probably the
bTeakage was an accident 1t is hard to
:imagine anybody mean enough to do it
deliberately, yet there are people who
write anonymous letters.
Milton Green did not appear at the bar
Of. the Assembly, for he was sick, and the
certificate of his physician was all the
lobby got a chance to enjoy in connection
with the matter. He was granted until
Monday afternoon. and then must, ac-
.cording to plrns, answer questions or be
In contempt, a condition involving great
discomforts. Aside from the professional
standing Of the physician. have no doubt
that Green is i'll, for he has for days been
subject to a terrific strain, and the muir
Inurs OF disbelief were both groundless
and unkind.
Preliminary to the non-arrival of the
.
had a verbal scrap, for which both were
called to order. as they deserved. Melnck
has been worked hard in connection with
important committee duties, and If his
nerves are not in the best condition, no
wonder. Caminetu does not seem TO have
nerves, yet there is no occasion to apollo
gize for either of them, and such episodes
relieve the tedium.
There was no meeting of the investiga-
ton committee to-day. The excuse was
given that there was not a room avail
able. and the morning was largely con-
sumed in debating whether to enlarge the
committee. The honor of place on this
body is not eagerly sought, and the gen
tlemen already there wish there had been
opened TO them some other way of serv-
ing their country. While the matter was
being considered verbal bouquets were fly
ing. and Johnson received a shower OF
them. He must have felt that he was
being pelted with flowers. The additions
were not made. and perhaps II IS as well.
IN my opinion, the committee has reached
the end OF its usefulness ana lost such
enthusiasm as il may have had from the
start. That the accusation brought
COsper was disconCerting there Is
no doubt; but one would think that for
his own protection he would desire the
affair followed out to finish
%. 1t was through the exposure of Speaker
Nright's double dealing and his confess
sion to having received money that the IN
.yeStigatiOn was started In order that mat
'ters of common knowledge might become
matters Of record, and a proper penalty
meted out. So far as Wright was con-
Cerned the evidence was so direct ana
Overwhelming that even had the commit
tee been unfair and incllned 10 shleIQ MIN
no biased verdict cOuIu nave SdNeu MS
: But the scope Of the committee is broad.
1t has the powers OF a court ana It's quty
under the resolution is to be thorough IN
each instance of suspected corruption Yet
I detect languishing OF purpose TOO
many seem likely TO be drawn In, too
fr,-t qI h
. TO digress for moment, | am sorry
that Wright has enmeShed himself in
'suCh a web of falsehoOd Perhaps had he
frankly acknowledged his course, that 1t
was a mistake and expressed regret, he
could have retained some measure of re-
spect. Instead of doing this, he avoided
the truth with marvellous deXterlty, mis-
statement Of the cost of the. primaries not
being even suggestive OF fact. He told
bf bOnfires and bands, yet the fires had
never blazed save in his imagination ana
rre bands had played only in his mind. If
the man is not utterly discredited so that
a shadow Will be over him while he Is in
politics then politicians not only are dis
honest. but don't care who knows il.
= The committee ought to subpoena Gunst,
who is Police Commissioner for Dan
Burns, by courtesy Of Governor Gage,
and ask him what he knows Of campaign
expenses Colonel E. f. Preston could
also throw light where light is needed.
:SUmebody has said that Burns had spent
SIC 600 Of his own money on the campaign
"zsthis does not include $4,000 of railroad
.i9onev Editor de Young stated in his pa
per that Burns had eXpended-and de-
... This remark is attributed to Gunst, and
TO hear him repeat ii on the stand would
be instructive, and so would be a denial
from him. II is understood that II Gunst
has forgotten Colonel Preston could jog
his memory Yet the investigation pauses
when there are many with information.
Just because there was chance Tor Mr.;
de Young and Mr.. Spreckels to be called
does not strike me as adequate reason Tor
calling proceedings off and If Mr.. Herrin
.COuld add TO the testimony ne would De
TO with much interest and giad
10 promote the cause Of Hurity. 1t Is not
probable any of these will be summoned,
and the tales they might tell will be as
-JlnkiSsed kisses. I believe the committee
feels already the burden Of more informa-
t0n than is pleasing, and that It intends
Ito unload and cease accommodating Be
sides this some friction has arisen and
the members have to exert themselves
'delicately and strenuously to keep their
In connection with the investigation the
Burns people have been doing some
shrewd politics, which is understood to
BE what they are here for. They eS-
.caped beng represented in the body. so
that they could watch the show without
seeming to participate. They cheered IT
on while the tendency was 10 nesmlrch
the Grant management, but now that
they find that they must do turn on
the stage they want the curtain rung
down.
. The investigation was begun in good
faith so far as the instigators Of ii were
concerned. 1t was not aimed at Wright,
nor at any particular candidate or legis-
lator. If stopped now the purpose will
have been subverted, and honesty once
more not only beaten but used as a club
whereby to administer the beating This
is sharp. but the picking of the pocket
or the blowing Of a safe requires skill
and yet does not thereby become respec-
table.
g. There were the two regular ballots at
noon and no changes. That to take more
ballots would have been q waste of time
was so apparent that no effort was made
to go on. The motion TO adjourn was
carried according to the ruling of the
president pro tenn. This was a COM
Tnendable action on his part although to
me the chorus of noes was fully as
loud as the ''ayes." However. the place
was so close that everybody was glad to
Opinions gathered from conversation
with members indicate that the forces
will remain as now, at least until the
investigation committee has made it's re-
port and relieved some statesmen so they
will be able again to draw a long breath.
I do not think IL will come then. A glance
at the votes shows that Grant and Burns
are the only ones whose foliowings are
large enough to control the situation. and
that they would have to do ii by COM
bining and gather in a few scattering
votes besides Both forces disclaim in
dignantly the remotest possibility Of de-