The record-union., 1899-03-17

Kindly present this matter to the Sen
ase and Assembly at once and oblige
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES b. DEVINE,
Corporation Counsel.
The sections restored to the statute
by the bill provide that all municipal
bonds issued under the Act in question
shall be of the character known as
serials; shall be forty-year bonds, with
interest and one-fortieth of the principle
payable each year; also providing for
the levy and collection of the necessary
annual tax for such payments.
AT $3.50, under suspension of rules,
this bill was read second and third
times and passed, and at once trans
mitted to the Senate.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Carninetti offered a joint resolution
calling for the appointment Of joint
committee of three Senators and three
Assembymen to prepare full state
ment of all Constitutional amendments
adopted by the Legislature this term
and to report before the adjournment
sine die. Adopted and at once trans
mitted to the Senate.
A. B. 1UUO.
This is Radcliff's bill for the creation
of Department of Public Works to
comprehend many of the kindred COM
missions now existing and to place
them under one administering officer,
to be called Secretary of Public Works,
who must be a proficient civil engineer.
1t has been given in synopsis in the
Record Union Radchff spoke in
support of the measure claiming that
it would effect a. saving in salaries
alone of $4,000. He also spoke of the
satisfactory working of a similar de-
partment, the Board of Control. in
New York
The bill was passed and at once trans
mitted to the Senate
COUNTY DIVISION LOST.
Burnett's A. B. 567, providing for
the formation of new counties was
brought up and found opposition.
knowland of Alameda, made a spirited
attack upon it, He had no objection
to San Luis Obispo dividing if it deemed
that wise but he objected to a general
bill which should keep counties in
ferment to divide on the slightest pro-
vocation.
Burnett and Cosper spoke fer the bin
and Valentine against it. The measure
was refused passage and Burnett gave
notice of motion to reconsider.
THESE WE'RE ADOPTED.
A c. A. %, Brown-Relative to the
expression by ballot by the people of
their preference for the office Of United
States Senator.
s. c. A 8, Cutter-Relative to the
compensation Of Supreme and Superior
Court Judges
S. c. A 4, Stratton-Proposing to the
people of the State of California an
amendment to the Constitution of the
State by adding a new section to be
known and designated as Section olb
Article II. thereof, concerning primary
elections.
RELATING TO LIBEL.
Warehouses; S. 3. $50, which provides
that any newspaper writer who with
pre-determination and malice afore-
thought sits down to write a ibelous
article must sign it with his own name
that if he neglects it and some one
finds it out and tells" the informer
and the State Treasury shall divide
$1,000 of the Offenders money between
them, came up on third reading
Melick offered an amendment provid-
ing that all the fine should be paid into
the treasury of the State.
Melick spoke in support of the amend
ment. He claimed that the bill was
calculated to harass the country pa
pers. while it would be but a slight
check on the large metropolitan papers
which had been the Offenders.
Are you going to harass $50 country
newspapers whose proprietors have not
offended because Senator Morehouse
wants to catch Hearst?'' asked Meiick.
Valentine considered the bill a good
one 1t does not curtail liberty, but
1t reStrainS AcenSe-a license of which
We have seen too much at this term Of
the Legislature. He thought that too
evident to need argument
There We're too many safeguards
around the press, Valentine thought
and it is time for the public to arise
and suppress the excess of the metro
politan journals. He believed in the
division of the fine; he thought it right
and proper to hold out inducements for
the correction of such misdemeanors,
and the bill ought to pass without
amendment.
Caminetti supported the amendment
He said he was against the informer,
no matter what the circumstances. 1t
was a relic of the feudaI ages. The Of
fering Of fifty per cent. to the inforlner
was a premium ON the harassment of
small papers. 1t was wrong in prin-
ciple and the amendment should be
adopted.
Feliz spoke for the press. 1t un-
doubtedly commits errors but it also
extends the lash to i'll ooers The COM
munity can we'll afford to sacrifice a
few men for the work done in support
of law and order. Felz wished to
amend by striking out the enacting
clause, but was out of order.
Melick's amendment was lest and the
further consideration of the bill laid
over until afternoon, when after a
speech against the bill by Sanford and
in support of it by Johnson, it was
passed, by a vote of 40 ayes to 20
noes.
STATE PRISONS.
Atherton, for the Committee on State
Prisons and Reformatories, handed in
a final report, which included Preston
School and San Quentin and Folsom
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