The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-02
A WARM TIME OVER
HARBOR INVESTIGATION

CALL HEADQUARTERS, sACRA-
MENTO, March There was considera-
bic damage done to the dignity of the
Senate this morning during the discussion
of the report of the Committee on At
taches and Mileage.
The report dealt with the report of the
investiga ing committee appointed by the
last Senate to inquire into public instftu-
tions. 1t had been referred to the Com
mittee on Attaches and Mileage and had
been cut down less than 500. AS soon as
the report came up there was trouble,
and it continued until the adjournment
for joint ballot.
Senator Dickinson, who was chairman
Of the Investigating committee, broke
the Ice with an explanation of the items
in the expense account Then the pro-
testants had a chance. There were two
items against which their eloquence was
particularly directed. One of these was
S4507 20 for stenographers fees, and an
other was $4460 for expert architects.
Both of these items were bitterly at
tackled, and finally La Rue submitted an
amendment cutting out all stenographers'
fees for the ferry depot investigation. and
also all fees for expert architects.
1t was mainly a question of politics that
lent bitterness to the debate, for the
Democratic members declared they never
wanted the committee, and that it ney er
should have been appointed, anyway.
Bulla called attention to the resolution
under which the committee had been ap-
pointed, and showed how 1t gave the COM
mlttee power to incur all necessary ex-
penses. He believed the account should
be paid; it was large, he thought, but
there was. nothing to, do but pay. for he
believed it was a debt the Senate could
not well and honorably escape.
Frick declared that the resolution gave
full power to contract all necessary ex-
and he thOnQhf II in
taste for the Senate TO nullify its former
action and the powers it had gwen.
formed services should be paid, but he
thought the committee should be repri-
manded for going TO such an expense.
Then it was Braunhart S turn. He pro-
ceeded to attack Dickinson at once, say
ing he was the self-elected chairman of
the investigating committee, but he was
him Dickinson had been elected by a vote
of the members of the committee, and
that they had made a very good choice. :.
Braunhart had just fairly launched
himself on his speech and was beginning
to get down to the political aspect of
the case when his ten minutes expired and
he was called to order. A motion was
made to allow him to. proceed. but Boyce
objected, and as it takes unanimous con-
sent in such cases, Braunhart had to
subside.
Boyce was next on the floor, and he
sively to Senator Braunhart. He had got
at the remarks of the Senator from San
Francisco. when he considered their
source Seeming danger ahead, Braun
hart warned Boyce to be guarded IN his
remarks, for he would be called to &C
count for them, but Boyce went right
ahead and delivered a scorching criti-
sued. Braunhart had severely criticized
Reid, the architect, for, as he said, hang
ing around the newspaper offices to re-
port the plans of the committee and the
progress of its work Boyce denied Reid
had dope work of that kind, and pro-
ceeded so compare Braunhart to Reid.
also described the luckless. Senator from
San Francisco as sitting in the Senate
two years ago on sufferance, as he then
held position in the employ of the Har-
Dor Commission of San Francisco, and he
also spoke of Braunhart as hanging
around the investigating committee, wait
attacked and trying to hold it off.
Senator Doty tried to smooth matters
by calling attention to the fact that the
Senate was getting very angry and was
losing it's dignity. He was one of those
who opposed the appointment of the COM
mittee two years ago and he, said he still
work had been done and he believed it
should be paid for. Let us, pay like little
men and stop this discussion" was the
The amendment then went to a vote
and was defeated by % to IL, and then
the report of the Committee on Attaches
anu a TSSOlullOl the pay VI
the items was passed by vote Of "a
to 8.
Braunhart had a chance after the vote
was announced and he proceeded to take
advantage of it. He did so by referring
to 1.-The gratuitous, insolent and premedf-
tated insults of the Senator from Santa
Barbara and saying he made no reply
and he would make no reply because he
considered the source from which they
emanated beneath his contempt. Having
given this little slap Braunhart sat down
and a hatred deep and dark was on be-
tween him and Boyce when the Senate
went over for joint ballot.
But when the joint ballot had been COM
pleted and the Senate was back in its
own chamber Boyce rose and apologized
What he had said had been said in the
heat of debate, he declared. and~he meant
nothing by it, Braunhart responded with
an apology Of his own and the breach was
healed.