The record-union., 1899-01-18
Editor Leake and Manager Green
in New. Roles.
They Testify Concerning the Use and Abuse OF
Campaign Funds-ROutine
Business.

The 1abors of the Investigation Com
mittee appointed to inquire into the
charges made by the San Francisco
Cali against Speaker Wright and
against U. s. Grant, candidate for Unit
ed States Senator, and his agent, Milton
S. Green, are very much increased by
the circumstances under which the two
first meetings. have been held.
Not only does the committee suffer,
but the witnesses, the attorneys and the
accredited members of the press are
made to suffer intolerable inconvenience
and discomfort. Yesterday afternoon
after subpenas had been issued for a
dozen witnesses or more, no better
place was available, apparently, for
the meeting of the committee than NO.
73, one of the smallest rooms on the
fourth floor Of the Capitol. 1t was
impossible to accommodate those who
had the best right to be there. to say
nothing Of the spectators attracted by
the investigation. The little den proved
a, Black Hole of Calcutta for the heat
and foul air, and when the one window
and the one door were open every soul
in the room was in a draught and
every one coughed.
All efforts to get better place proved
unavailing until the Sergeant-at-Arms
Of the Senate chamber offered the use
of that apartment and the crowd took
Its, way thither. Then, as well as last
evening, the committee, for soma rea-
son best known to itself, or for no
reason at all, gathered itself closely in
a far corner of the chamber, leaving
the assembled witnesses, attorneys and
press people to place themselves where
they could. 1t was impossible for the
reporters to hear. it was hard for the
committee to hear, and Chairman Cos
per, who had contended for the execu-
tive session, virtually had one, since he
did not raise his own voice above
conversational tone in questioning the
witnesses, while their voices We're even
more indistinct
The crowd, which might have been
easily accommodated had the commit
tee taken the middle Of the chamber,
pressed and pushed and showed, cough
witness or any member of the commit
tee Is misrepresented in the newspaper
reports as to his language, the report
ers will have all-sufficient excuse. The
room, of which there are many in the
Capitol and if they have any rights as
legislators which others about the place
are bound to respect, they should arise
OF the press can stand it, but they
would, doubtless, be glad to know
whether they are being punished as a
body. or whether it is just joke.
SCHOOL BOOK REVOLVING FUND.
The Senate Finance Committee was
In session an hour and half yesterday
afternoon, most of which time was de-
voted to the. consideration Of S. B. 23O,
which provides for transferring from
the general fund to the State school
book fund the sum of $4,000.
When in the morning the bill was up
for consideration in the Senate, it met
with a determined opposition, and
nobody seemed to be able to explain
why the proposed transfer was neces-
sary. An effort to have it passed as
an emergency matter failed
Controller w. w. Douglas were before
the committee, and We're subjected to a
continuous cross-fre of questions.
Mr.. Johnston explained that the Leg
islature of 1893 transferred SIC, coo
from the State school book fund to
the general fund at time when the
money in the latter was at low water
mark, and that the money so trans
ferred. or loaned, had never been paid
back, and that it's absence crippled, to
a certain extent, the printing of State
school books, the revolving fund con-
sisting only of moneys derived from
such sales. He explained that the
money so taken in was expended in the
Issuance Of more books, and so became
a revolving fund, depending upon itself
and upon nothing. He further explained
that of the $4,000 transferred in 1893,
$4,000 was to be used by the State
Board of Education for the compilation
of new text books, and that the re-
manning $4,000 was used to print the
first edition of such new books. The
original cost of printing books, he said.
had always been borne by the State.
but that upon the edition being sold
the money came back into the revolv-
ing fund.
Senator Smith said that since the
State printing plant had been in oper-
alton $4,000 had been put in the re-
volv1ng fund, and he requested an ex-
PLANTATION respecting the use to which
1t had been put.
Mr.. Johnston explained that for each
new book printed an appropriation is
made to defray the original cost, after
which the money so expended comes
back from the sale of books. He said
If the State would transfer back to the
school book fund the money it had bor-
rowed there would be no need Of a
further appropriation until a new book
was ordered printed.
Deputy Controller Douglas. when
asked to enlighten the committee, ex-
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