The San Francisco call., 1899-03-10

CALL ftEADI1 0AfNl i Ems, SAUNA
MENTO, March 9.-This morning Dan
N. Burns called upon Ulysses S. Grant
Jr al his apartments in the Golden
Eagle Hotel and utterly repudiated the
action taken against Milton j. Green
yesterday in the Assembly by the
Burns forces under the leadership of
Frank Mclaughlin and Assemblymen
Dibble and Johnson.
This afternoon Assemblyman Dtbble,
always the leader of the Burns faction
on the floor. prefaced the usual order Of
business with a glittering eulogy of
Ulysses S. Grant and a resolution de
caring Mr.. Green purged of all the
charges that have been brought against
him. He spoke brilliantly to the reso-
luton and utterly refuted every argu-
ment he and his followers in the cause
of the Mexican made against an iden-
teal measure presented yesterday.
Dibble's remarkable change of front,
the transformation in the aspect of the
entire Burns camp, the spectacle of
Dan NJ Burns crawling on his knees at
the feet of their leader, were all 50
sudden, unexpected and without prece-
dent in their political experience, that
the Grant people are still agape and
wondering at the true significance of
the whole raw performance. But at the
same time they are lined up more
sOlidly than ever against any under
hand scheme that the Mexican may be
medtating.
1t was evident that the sympathy of
every member in the House was with
Dibble in the distasteful plight in
which his masters orders placed him.
Only yesterday, in speaking against a
motion 10 purge Green Of contempt, he
said: 1t is simply a question of
whether we are to disgrace this House
or whether we are not" To-day he
made the selfsame motion that he yes
terday branded as disgrace, and in
speaking to it said: L have never ac-
cused the gentleman whose name has
been most mentioned in this affair of
wrongdoing in having extended assist
ance to candidates TO this Legislature.
It has been an immemorial practice,
and there has never been any law
against it. It is high time we lifted
these charges"
Even his usual co-Worker in things
pertaining to the Burns camp, Grove L.
johnson, refused to stand by the
father through the House. At the first
intimation of what vas to come Mr..
Johnson escaped from the chamber and
did not return until Dibble's motion
had been carried. Then he explained
that he had a committee meeting to at
tend and to his regret was forced to be
absent for the first time when matters
of Importance were being voted upon
Jilson also declined to stand for the
scheme and threw his vote against it.
The Grant people gave no thanks for
this act Of magnanimity on the part OF
the Burns crowd toward the San
Diegans political manager Though
they did not know just what it all
meant it was patent to them that the
Mexican had an AK or so to grind, and
come what may they determined not
to turn the stone. The scene was di-
rect antithesis to that of yesterday.
The speeches made were those of Dib-
BILE, Fairweatler, Belshaw, Feliz and
Burnett. The Grant people kept their
seats, sullen and silent, but just as
angry as yesterday, and it was evident
that Burns had lost rather than gained
by his latest raw maneuver. Only one
Of them got up to speak, and that was
Huber. His speech was of no length,
but it voiced the unanimous sentiment
of the Grant camp. He said he would
come to no compromise with Dan Burns
and would vote against Green S relief
If necessary rather than do So He
counseled every one of Grants people
to take the same stand, and If consist
ency permitted they would have done
so. AS it was there were a number of
were CargiH Radcliff, Blood, Raub,
Bliss and Clark. EX-Speaker Wright
was present in the chamber, but de-
clined to vote. That little $3.50 transac-
ton Of his with Mr.. Green was too
fresh in his memory to warrant his
mingling in a matter that struck SO
close home.
Dibble's speech, upon presenting his
resolution, was a remarkable effort 1t
demonstrated not only the speaker 6
eloquence but his remarkable versatil-
ity in being compelled to speak as con-
vincingly upon one side of question
as upon the other and with only a
~ scant twenty-four hours intervening.
Just before he began Mr.. Foley brought
in a message from the Governor an
nouncing that Mr.. Dibbles bill making
1t felony for any Senatorial aspirant
TO assist legislative candidates with
money had been signed with a great
deal of pleasure by the Executive, and
referring to this Dibble said:
1T seems to me that this is an OPP
perfume time to pass such a resolution
as have just sent to the desk and ter
inmate these proceedings that have
dragged along for weeks and weeks
and done much to prevent the election
Of a United States Senator
1T has been known by every mem
Der of the House that certain practices
have been pursued by Senatorial candi-
dates to assist candidates to this Legis-
lature in their election. In this connec-
ton I want to say that l do not believe
or have ever said that any law has
been broken in doing so or any wrong
done. 1t has been a practice from time
immemorial for any one who had an
: interest in the party to assist legisIa-
: tive candidates. 1t is to be regretted
that such practice has existed. but il
; has. and it has become political Gus
torn.
But now I think new era has
dawned in politics. We have lust re-
ceived word that the Executive has ap-
proved my BILL which will make the
giving of such assistance a felony. we
can hope to see this practice abolished
with the going out of this Legislature
and J think the time has come to get
rid Of these proceedings and leave the