The record-union., 1899-01-02
GATHERING
OF THE CLANS.
Burns, Barnes, Bulla and Grant
All Here.
Thirty-third Session Opens at High Noon
Both Houses Organize To-day
Work Begins.

Things wore much of their old-time
aspect at the sign of the Golden Eagle
yesterday and, if the political pot did
not really burst into boiling until even
ing, it certainly dubbed and simmered
with considerable animation all the aft
ternoon. The midday train brought ac-
cessions to the numbers already here
and the office, lobby and billiard room
or the far-famed political hosiery We're
comfortably filled with a motley crowd
or Senators, Assemblymen, newspaper
men, clerks that are to be or hope to
be, attaches in future and members of
the third house.
The fain that came down outside and
the wind that blew in savage, biting
little gusts had no depressing effect;
on the contrary, everybody rejoiced
that this was the real thing and no
foolish little shower-the New Year
golden gift to California Senatorial
togaS were represented mainly by
mackintoshes and overcoats, while eff
fusive takers punctuated their remarks
by jabbing the points of their umbrel-
las into the unresponsive marble
floors.
There were many familiar faces
old-timers who know the ropes and
whose expression and bearing show the
SAVIOR faire born of usage. The new
ones wore certain air of unWonted-
ness and betrayed themselves by their
bewilderment at the Babel about them.
Throughout the day the persistent
constituents who imagined that soft
snaps" were due them for services rem
dered, were active. They cornered
members of both houses and poured into
their ears the same old story, and did
all in their power to make it clear that
the thirty-third session of the Legis-
lature would not prove a bowling sue
cess unless they were provided for.
And there are those who believe the
camp followers will be taken care of,
even in. the teeth of the Belshaw Act,
which utterly wiped out of existence
nearly e-fourths of the lucrative
positions which in former sessions oiled
the springs and filed the stomachs Of
the chronic hangers-on. The Belshaw
Act, in many instances, cut the finan-
cial consideration connected with the
places in two in the middle.
Places, however, may be created by
resolution, provided the necessary
forthcoming.
the sober thinking ones do not believe
that possible, though if the door be
thrown open for a dozen necessary
appointments, nobody cares to venture
guess as to when it will be closed
again.
But the army of place-hunters is not
as numerous as it used to be- Many
of the small fry are not here. They are
probably aware that under the new
law, rear porters and clock winders are
limited as to number and that sine
cure position such as porters and Ser
geants-at-Arms for committee rooms
are things of the past The same old
faces are among the seekers for place
faces seen in the lobby as regularly
as the Legislature assemblies, and
careful observers cannot but wonder
whether the old gang feeds heartily
enough while the feast lasts to warrant
their alternating until the regular BIZ
ennial banquet hobs up again.
LEADING LEGISLATORS.
Senator Thomas Flint, Jr., who has
no opponent in his race for President
pro tenn. of the Senate, will, it is I'M
derStood, assist the Lieutenant Gov
ernor in selecting his committees. Sem
ator Flint was President pro tenn. of
the upper house in 1895, and again in
1897, and as result of the compromise
by which Lieutenant Governor Jeter
was permitted to preside over the des-
TIMES of the Senate, to him fell the lot
of forming the committees in the last
named year
Howard E. Wright, Speaker be of
the Assembly, was sought after on
every hand, and his dignified and cour-
teous demeanor made favorable i'm
preston. His earnestness. backed by
his experience in the last session.
makes promising equipment for the
Speakers chair, notwithstanding the
fact that he is young for such an
honor. In a brief conversation with a
Record-Union" representative, Mr.
sponsibility which accompanies the
Wright seemed fully to realize the re-
honor. The thirty-third session prom
ises to be one of more than common i'm
portance; the Republican majority is
large and somewhat unwieldy, and the
very first bridge the Speaker has to
cross, the arrangement of committees
and the assignment of chairmanships
taxes his judgment, tact and temper as
iii"Ni., UouotiNS>, as any WHICH inlay
follow. Mr.. Wright claimed that he
had made no SLATE" as yet, but that
he should announce his committees as
soon as possible after organization.
Assemblyman William H. Cobb
Chairman Of the San Francisco delega-
ton, was another very busy man yes
terday afternoon. In a short talk with
the reporter he confirmed Mr.. Wright's
assertion that the organization of the
Assembly viii be pushed through to
completion to-day. The San Francisco