The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-31

eHouBH WITH MS own nSnL without ShOul-
| dering troubles Of others and predicted
that though he had not consented to fol-
low his masters advice he would do so
| after whole night of hard thinking
He did not come in person to the cham.
Der this morning. Instead he was repre-
sented by the letter Of resignation which
Speaker pro TEN. Anderson found on his
desk when he called the Assembly to or
der. The regular prayer of the chaplain
was allowed to proceed and the reading
of the journal of yesterdays business
was begun before the prearranged pro-
gramme demonstrated its existence.
| Clerk Kyle had scarce begun the usual
| morning droning of the minutes when
| Dlbbie arose to move that the
reading of the journal be dis
pensed with. Then Mr.. Anderson an
nounced a communication, and Wright's
message of self effacement was taken up
and read. 1t was painfully evident that it
was hurried affair. Confession has not
been one of the deposed Speakers weak
nsses, but there was a strong element of it
in his note of withdrawal. His reason for
| resigning, he said, was not that he was
guilty of the things that have been alleged
| against him; II was not that he wished
to rid his Neutrality-suspicious. from the dis
grace that would be theirs so long as ne
| persisted in the chair; on the contrary,
IL was SIMPLY IHdI lie COIlSlu6r6u ludI the
committee had done him an injustice in
not basing their findings on the facts
adduced. To every one of the facts
brought out during ADMINISTRATION he
pleaded guilty. He acknowledged that he
had admitted it, but he claimed that all
the mass of evidence that proved his null
titudinouS crookedness did not warrant
the rather lenient findings that had been
laid before the House He was quitting
his high estate solely because his ideas Of
good taste and fairness had been outraged
and for no other reason.
His rambling SCreed, however, brought
out no comments: 1t simply ushered in
the second number on the programme.
Dibble again took the floor and said: Il
understand that this resignation will be
accepted, but l think we had better put
further consideration of it off until this
afternoon. Should we accept 1t now this
house would be without Speaker and in
disorganized condition. BY this after
noon we can have caucused and selected
another Speaker; then the acceptance of
the resignation will be in order.
There was no voice of dissent and it
was so ordered. The matter was dropped
for a time and the regular order of bust
ness was taken up, but interest was who'll
ly given over to the paramount matter.
The word went out several days ago that
Speaker pro tenn Anderson would succeed
to the Speakers chair should Wright be
ousted from it, and Anderson did succeed
to it, though with by no means so little
opposition as had been counted upon.
Two opponents, and strong ones, devel-
Costa County and Valentine of Los Ange-
les.
Valentine was the first choice of the
Burns faction. Ever since the Los An
gees delegation insisted upon having the
Craftsmanship of the Ways and Means
Committee, which is held by Valentine,
the Mexican forces have been filled with
envy. Before they came to Sacramento
Assemblyman Cobb. Chairman of the San
Francisco delegation, had been lined up
for that particular job, and disappoint-
OnY1t L. H.
1t. Burns is still after it, and an oppor-
tunity came to get it when .Wright's en-
forced resignation was decided upon. AS
they had planned it Valentine would be
urged to accept the speakership' and no
trouble was anticipated IN prevailing upon
him to take 1t. His acceptance would of
course leave the coveted vacancy in the
Ways and Means Committee and Cobb
would fall heir to it.
The scheme worked all right up to the
point where Valentine was brought into
pleased at the proffer that he found diff
Guilty in finding fit expression, and would
be delighted and all that, but he felt that
his duty forbade that he resign the chair
manshfp at time when so many matters
of Importance were before the committee
and as a matter of conscience he must
decline the alleged greater honor and re-
main where he was He stood firmly TO
his decision, despite all cajolerles and
threats, and the Burns people finally with
drew and sought out a new candidate
Ihey tound one In Alden Anderson, and it
was Judge Dibble who placed him in
nomination before the caucus this after
noon.
The Grant people had some little politics
to do as well. There is not one in the San
Diegan's camp who does not consider the
demise of Bullas Senatorial hopes an i'm
mediate possibility, and they are all work
ing hard on those of Bulla's thirteen votes
that they do not feel sure Of Southern
influence they consider strong enough to
swing his southern strength, and their
hardest work is being done on those adj
herents the southern Senatorial impossi-
bility has gathered up here in the north.
Belshaw is their bright, particular hope.
and Belshaw, it is said. was won over as
a second choice possibility.
AT any rate the Contra Costan was
given the nomination in nice
speech by young Mr.. Works of San Diego
and was also given the assurance that the
Grant people were strong enough to carry
him through almost anything So they
would have been but for a quick and
characteristic bit of Burns politics that
was sprung at just the right moment
The first ballot gave Belshaw IS votes
and Anderson e. Atherton of Marin
County. who had thrown his vote to the
Contra Costan, asked permission to
change his vote from BelshaW to Ander