The San Francisco call., 1903-01-04


n RAMENTO, Jan. 3.-Tbere were
81 several members of the Ala
~ media County Assembly defega-
ton who were talking of the
use of money in both the
Speakership and Senatorial fights at the
attempted caucus of that delegation last
night. but to-day not a single member
could be found who would admit that he
ever said anything of the kind or knew
anything about money or Doodle.
In the cold light of the morning and the
cold light of the types of the morning
newspapers those words assumed a much
harsher aspect than they did in the ex-
citement of the caucus But while the
delegation had apparently decided that
silence was the best under the circum-
stances and refused to discuss the mat
ter, still the statements were made in the
caucus. just as The Call announced. Ask
all Alameda County legislator the mar
ket price of votes, even in Jest and he
Immediately takes to tall timber. If the
Alameda delegation was not famous be e
fore. it is now, for it has furnished the
most sensational incident of the session
up TO the present.
The participants in the exciting at
tempted caucus are to-day afraid to talk.
While they breathed fiery words last
night, to-day they avoided the inter-
viewer and, when cornered, they talked
about the t'sanctity of the caucus" and
the pledges. expressed or implied. that
surrounded a conference. The only mem
Der of the lower house from Alameda
County who would venture a statement
was Walsh of the Forty-eighth, who
said
You must have had a shorthand man
around to have got that stuff"
That was the only confirmation that
any member was willing to give.
But while they would not confirm they
did not deny, and the best that those
who made the startling statements can
now say for themselves is that they ''had
heard it said'' that there was money be-
ing used. The heat had died away re-
pentance had come and with it an effort
to find the easiest way out of what had
become very embarrassing position.
Much of the trouble in the caucus grew
out. of the feeling that exists between As
semblyman Mott of the Forty-ninth and
Assemblyman Walsh of the Forty-eighth.
This is one of the surprises in the dele
cation. for until this session the repre-
sentatives of these two districts have al
ways worked together. Those have aI-
ways been known as the railroad dis
tricts and that Mott should have broken
away from the element that has always
the principal cause of the row in the at
tempted caucus. This breakaway has
caused some personal feeling between the
two young Assemblymen, so that each
took the remarks of the other to be per
sonal and each attempted to retaIiate
Mott and Walsh, the two principals in
the caucus row, are in Sacramento to-
mild as they were fiery before. Here is
what Mott says:
"I should have said that 1 had heard
these statements of the use of money.
do not care to discuss the matter any
more
Walsh is Just as brief:
81 have nothing to say about the
meeting last night. Caucus matters
should never be discussed in public
But Walsh added that there must have
been a stenographer within hearing. The
other members of the delegation are
even more reticent and there is an effort
being made to let the matter die of-its
will
The Alameda delegation still stands
Mattos, Bates, Bliss and Walsh for
Fisk. and Foster and Mott unpledged but
inclined toward Dunlap.
@ O
MENTO, Jan $50 lively has been the
contest over the Speakership of the As
sembly that but little attention has been
paid to the matter of organizing the
Senate. In the upper house there is
only one contest, and that Is for the
largely honorary position of President
pro tenn. There are two candidates for
this place. but neither of the aspirants
is putting forth anything like the effort
which is being made in the Assembly.
Senator Thomas Flint Jr.. who for sew
rel Tr.-I<4
siding officer of the Senate in the absence
ofethe Lieutenant Governor, Is opposed
this time by Senator Robert Devlin Of