The San Francisco call., 1899-01-03

CALL HEADQUARTERS, SACRA-
MENTO, Jan. 2-Something very near
ly approaching a row marked the pro-
ceedings by which the temporary or
ganizatiOn of the Assembly was ef-
fected this afternoon. 1t was all caused
by an effort on the part of Chief Clerk
Duckworth to read the members a
lecture on the errors of their imme-
diate predecessors. As many of the
members of the present Assembly were
also members Of the last session they
did not take kindly to the curtain lee
ture by their former chief clerk and
whirlWind of protests was the result.
At one stage of the proceedings there
was conveyed TO Mr.. DuckWorth
strong intimatiOn that unless he re-
strained his apparent desire to deliver
a roast he would be removed from his
place in the Speakers stand by force.
Circumstances did not make it neces-
sary for the makers of the threat to
show their good faith and the lowering
storm passed off as quickly as it had
arisen.
Assemblyman Howard Z. Wright of
Berkeley was elected Speaker, the mi
nority nominee being William Meade of
Los Angeles. Assemblyman Alden An
dersOn of Solano County was elected to
the position of Speaker pro tenn.
BY statutory provision the Chief
Clerk Of the precehing Assembly must
call the new Assembly 10 order and act
as presiding officer until a Speaker has
been elected. Ii, was while acting as
presiding officer that Mr. DuckwCrth
undertook to deliver his lecture to the
members. He took for his subject the
investigation to which he was sub
jected at the last session in connection
with the number and the manner Of
their appointment of the temporary at
taches Of the Assembly. Duckworth
. has always contended that all of the
men he appointed at that time were
appointed at the request of various
members Of the Assembly. and that
they and not he were responsible if the
State suffered. He started in to-day
to explain the situation tC, the members
Of the present Assembly and incident
ally to seek to place the blame where
he contended it belonged. 1t was this
fixing Of the blame that got him into
trouble and created the uproar.
Many of the men whom Duckworth
holds responsible are members at the
present session and they did not pro-
pose TO sit idly by and listen to a lee
ture on their alleged misdeeds They
protested vigorously, but DuckWorth
declared them all out of order, and
even went So far as to call upon the
temporary sergeant-at-arms to keep
the indignant members in their seats
lie was not allowed TO finish, however
for when the protests assumed the ma
ture Of threats of personal violence he
bowed to the iHevitable and allowed
the members to proceed with the bust
ness Of organization He declared that
his purpose had been accomplished, as
he had called the attention of the public
to the matter and he was willing to
allow the public to judge of the merits
of the case.
Aside from this incident Mr. Duck
worth performed the duties devolving
upon him in a most exemplary manner,
and the promptness with which he dis
patched the business before him robbed
the proceedings of half OF their mo-
notony.
It was just noon when a sounding tat
too from the gavel welded by Chief Clerk
Duckworth called for order in the Assem-
bly, chamber, and commanding silence for
what he had TO say, Duckworth rose from
the chair of the Speaker and in the same
crisp, clear voice that closed in his de-
fense the session of 81 he began his
opening address. He said:
LAS chief clerk of the last Assembly it
becomes my duty under and by virtue of
the authority in me vested by the consti-
tuition and statutes of the State of Cali
fornia to request at this time that the As
sembly, California Legislature, thirty
third session, will come to order. The min
ute clerk will note that, in conformity
with law, the following officers are pres
ent; S. j. Duckworth, chief clerk; r. @.
Wickham, minute clerk; W. o. Banks
sergeant at arms.
Gentlemen, in it's zeal to force economy
upon its successors, the last Legislature
refused to make provision for a chaplain
TO invoke divine blessing upon the Iabors
of this House at this time. ! will there
fore request that for the next two min
utes there should be preserved the most
complete order while the members and Off
GERS of the Assembly, each in his own way
and according to the dictates of his own
conscience, address the throne of grace
in humble supplication for rNe wisdom re-
uuired to properly and acceptabIy dis
charge the duties of their respective po-
sitions."
Duckworth was as good as his word.
For precisely two minutes he allowed the
aggregate conscience TO wander TO which,
ever ends its various possessors best saw
iii Then another rattle of the Duck
worth gavel, which, significantly enough
was an ordinary hammer, the common
product of the hardware sho~ brought
silence enough for Duckworth to announce
that the order OF business was the swear
ing in of the memOers.
K resolution by Dibble. which was
adopted. facilitated that essential step. 1t
suggested that each member take the seat
assigned by the Secretary of State. 1t was
adopted unanimously and then Duckworth