The record-union., 1899-03-19
IN THE ASSEMBLY.
Doings of the Day Which Closed
the Thirty-Third Session.

when the gavel fell yesterday morning
for the opening of the longest day of
the session.
During the correction of the journal
and during time when there was a
good bit of confusion, Johnson arose,
and, addressing the Speaker, asked to
be protected from a man at his side,
who, he claimed, persisted in talking
to him against his expressed wish He
desired to have the Sergeant alarms
order the stranger from the floor of
the House, as he was a persistent lob
byist. A tall figure clothed in a neat
gray suit arose at Johnson's chair and
raising his hand in legislative fashion
addressed the Speaker, or attempted to,
in his own behalf. claiming the
right of an American citizen" to
speak. His voice was promptly
drowned by the hub bub, and members
crowded around with the evident idea
of protecting Johnson if necessary. No
Sergeant being at hand the
man, who was a Mr.. Coward of Oak
land, was escorted from the floor by
two or three members and left without
any trouble. He is man whose mind
is believed to have been somewhat af-
Iected Dy business cares.
Under the head Of Committee Re-
ports, Valentine of Ways and Means,
submitted that committees
FINAL REPORT:
Sacramento, March 1S, 1899.
Mr.. Speaker: Your Committee on
Ways and Means beg leave to submit
this their final report for the thirty
third session of the Legislature:
Three hundred and sixty-two bills,
carrying appropriations to the amount
of 50, ,75O, ,5S7.17, have been referred to
and considered by this committee. OF
these, appropriations amounting to S.
273, ,39999 were reported favorably.
S575, ,332 adversely, $40S, ,S45 referred to
other committees, SS73, ,6S5.97 reported
back with the recommendation that
they be withdrawn, and reductions by
amendment were made from the origi-
nal sums asked for in those bills report
ed favorably to the amount of S526,-
O93-S1. This, briefly stated, shows the
labor performed by the committee, and
the result of their work, only SO far as
relates to special appropriations.
In addition to the labor and care re-
quired for the proper consideration Of
the foregoing bills, with their heavy
appropriations there devolves upon this
committee the responsible and arduous
duty of preparing the general appro
priation bill, which provides for the
support and maintenance of the vari
Gus branches of the State Govern
ment, State officers, institutions, boards
and commissions. The committee were
greatly handicapped in obtaining the
necessary data upon which to base
their estimates, particularly for the
various State institutions, such as hos
pitals, asylums, prisons and reforma-
tory schools, by reason of the reports
of those institutions not being printed
during the last year, and We're forced to
obtain the required information by ex-
tensive correspondence, and also from
the various committees of the Assem-
bly, appointed to visit said institutions
The utmost care has been taken in the
preparation of the bill, to the end that
no department of the State whether
great or small, should be hampered by
insufficient appropriation. At the same
time equal care was observed that no
appropriation of money
should be made, and the fact that the
BILL as introduced, has passed both
branches of the Legislature with very
little change in the original figures,
and that. as finally passed, it promptly
received the approval of the Governor
and became a law without the veto of
single item, indicates the care and
accuracy of the work expended upon
the bill. In this connection it might
not be aniss to say that this bill COM
pares most favorably with those of the
last two sessions of the Legislature
The general appropriation bill of 1898
when it reached the Governor for exec
utlve action carried appropriations to
the amount of $5,707 ,04006. The same
bill of 1897 reached the Governors
hands with appropriations amounting
to $5, ,343, 1876. The bill prepared and
by your committee, as it
reached the Governors hands and was
approved by him, carries appropriations
to the amount of S5,O56,944, being
$3.50, 0,096.O6 less than the amount ap-
in 1895, and $2S6, 234 O6
less than the appropriation for 1897. In
view of the fact that four years have
passed in the first instance and two
years in the second, and that new in
stitutions have since been created, and
other demands arisen calling for ap-
to the amount of at least
S12o,0 900 that were not then required.
your committee feel a just pride in pre-
senting the above comparison, and that
our labors have been fruitful of results
that will make a great saving to the
already heavily burdened taxpayers.
The tax levy bill, which is neeessar-
lily the companion of the general appro-
priation bill, has been prepared and in
troduced by your committee, passed the
Assembly and is now awaiting the ac-
ticn of the Senate. The office of this
bill is to authorize the State Board of
to raise by proper tax
levy the amount of money required for
the support and maintenance of the
State Government, its various institu-
items, boards and commissions; also
sinking fund and the fund for the sup
port of orphans, half-orphans and
abandoned children. The total amount
required for the first of the above pur-
poses, as hereinbefore stated, is Sc, ,O56,-
944; that required for the school fund.
81, ,S66,6SO (being an increase of $780,
762 over four years ago.; for the or
phans, half-orphans and abandoned
100000 (being an increase Of
S15O.000 over four years ago); interest
and sinking fund, S2S2.S70, making a
grand total to be raised under this bill
for State purposes of $4,000, ,494. The
increase of the school fund, and of the
fund for orphans f-orphans and
children is based upon the
Increase in the school census, and in
the number of unfortunate orphans.
and abandoned children
dependent upon the State for s11n,,nrf