The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-19

CALL HEADQUARTERS. SACRA-
MENTO, March 1S.-The efforts of the
railroad and Burns to finish the Sena-
e toriaI contest in a midnight session of
the joint convention were defeated to-
day in one of the hardest and closest
battles ever fought in the Legislature
of California. In opposition to the
scheme the Grant men, aided by the
= Democrats and stalwart friends Of the
people in the camps of Barnes and
Scott, lined UP and won a splendid vic
tory. The result of the days contest is
the defeat of Burns aspirations for the
Senatorship and the overthrow of the
political regime of the Southern Pacific
Company in this State.
The chief fight of Dibble, leading the
Burns contingent, was to obtain a re-
cess until 4 o'clock in the afternoon and
then at the approach of darkness be-
gin the work of manipulation. The Call
this morning apprised the members of
the Legislature of the dangers lurking
behind a dark session and the good ana
true men were on their guard
The first changes to-day We're regis
tered on the fourth ballot Immediately
after Dibble's motion for a recess had
been defeated. On this ballot Assem-
blyman COsper went from the Scott
camp TO Burns and Assemblyman Mar
win went out of the Grant camp to the
corral of the colonel. Assemblyman
Meserve, a Democrat, voted for Grant,
which enabled the San Diego states
man to hold his own numerically.
At the close of the seventh ballot
Senator Cutter introduced a resolution
to take twelve ballots and then adjourn
the convention sine die if no choice had
been reached. The resolution was
adODted: ayes 81, noes 81. On the sec
of closing
twelve Assemblyman Muenter left the
Barnes camp and voted for Van X.
Paterson. on the next ballot Senator
TayIOr Joined Muenter IN voting Tor
Paterson. On the ballot toAoWlng La
Raree left Scott and voted for Pater-
Son. On the tenth ballot of the series
of twelve Assemblyman Miller OF Los
Angeles deserted Barnes and went TO
Burns No other changes were record
ed. An hour before Miller IeIt the
Barnes camp it was known to Senator
RuIIa and Assemblyman Valentine tnat
he was going and they endeaVoreo 70
r,ravent the change, not Inal lhey
feared the result, but they slhceTsSly
desired hat Miller should not clouu 'hls
future by such a step z .Lt.
evening as a significant fact that the
three staked-out Burns men were
drawn from three separate camps
Coener came from Scotts camp. Mar
vim from Grants and Miller 1lolii inc
camp of General Barnes
cat1eraI efforts were made during the
of+ernoon to reconsider the Cutter res
oIItion. but the Grant men were on
tba alert and the Democrats were VIII
liant At the conclusion OF the @ lllIr-
+eenth ballot points OF order Wele
-ojcad Dibble raised the point LhdI
+ba adjournment of the joint conVen-
lion sine die could not be hXed py res
olution as a Federal statute governed
+be proceedings. Senator tllnt' pre-
siding. sustained Dibble in so Iar as
the resolution applied toFslne ule au
Iournment but when the nnal ueledI
of the motion to rescind the resolution
1-ee announced he declared the JOINT
convention adjourned on the approval
of the journal of it's proceedings.
During the session Of six hours. from
noon until o'clock, the ar Oh the coii1 .
vention was filled with ugly rumors OF
The 1se and the promise or money to In
Nuence the course of Legislators. Ihe
Burns followers were thick on the Hoor
and in the lobby of the Assembly
chamber They raised great uproar
~ lien Of applause when Cosper and
Marvin entered the corral. When Mr.
Miller of Los Angeles changed from
General Barnes to Burns there was
tumuItuous uproar The noise old not
alarm any one as no signs or stam-
oada we're observed Men rejected
pha+ a night session would be if legis-
1ators were in joint convention voting
for a Senator. The thoughts OF many
reverted to Moses when the lights went
out
The Senatorial candidates tonight
have but little to say. General Barnes
said he was glad the contest was over
and that he was satisfied with the re-
suit. u. S. Grant had nothing to say
on the subject beyond remarking that
he would not be called upon to wear
the Senatorial toga. Irving M. Scott
went out of the fight with four votes,
two more than he had when he went
in. General Barnes had eighteen sup
porters when the last ballot was taken.
new element of danger was sus-
pected tonight when Dibble's resolu-
ton was adopted to extend the Legis-
Iative session until II a. m. tomorrow
Assurance was given to the Assembly
that no effort would be made to take
another ballot for Senator. When Dib-
Bile gave that assurance Caminetti
asked if he spoke for the Republican
majority, and the Republicans were
appealed to If any one questioned Dib-
bIe's right to speak for the majority.