Amador ledger., 1903-03-20
SACRAMENTO LETTER.

first time in the history of the state
it is possible to say that the legis-
lature met and adjourned without
any scandal. 1t marks new era in
the politics of California, an era
which every well-wisher of the com
mopwealth will hail with Joy, One
of the most evident results of the
change has been the very handsome
way in which the visiting ladies
have been entertained by the local
ladies of Sacramento. Formerly
there were so many females of a
doubtful character floating around
that it was a very risky business to
invite any one to party or a re-
ception because it was a question
whether Mrs. X was really Mrs. X
or was only Mrs. x pro tempore.
Under those circumstances it is not
surprising that the ladies of the
capital city hesitated to invite to
their homes women of whose past,
not to say present, they knew
nothing, and doubted much. But
this year there was no doubt that
the women present were what they
should be, and one round of visits,
receptions, etc., has resulted. 1t
is understood that the next session
will be marked by dinner from the
men of Sacramento to the visitors,
and that in future Sacramento will
endeavor to become as famous for
her hospitality as she has been
infamous for her inhospitality in the
past. The result is, as 1 have said,
subject for legitimate rejoicing all
over the state.
The legislature being less oc-
cupied with frivolity, has been able
to attend more carefully to business,
and as a result it has passed nearly
five hundred bills, nearly 20 per
cent more than its predecessor. If
it had not been for the railroad dis
cussion the last week, and especially
the last two days, many more bills
would have gone TO the governor,
but as it is he will have plenty to do,
so he need not at least complain.
The Curtin irrigation law, the board
of correction and charities, and
other measures that are now before
him, are to be argued pro and con
by their friends and enemies, and
that will take up several days.
Among the new laws of general in
terest is one allowing the sheriffs
compensation for arresting criminals
in their own counties. That measure
is one they argued very strongly,
and Assemblyman Grove L. Johnson
estimates that it will cost counties
at least from $50 to $500 more a
month. The legislature abolished
the bank commission, though an
other took it's place, the barber COM
mission, the horticultural COM
mission, only one commissioner being
provided for in future, one code
commissioner instead of three, and
other reforms that will save the
state much money. The high school
tax is placed at one and a half cents
on the one hundred dollars. To
benefit by that regulation there
must be more than 20 pupils, the
school must be open at least 12O
days in each year, and must employ
at least two accredited teachers.
II Amador is to benefit by the regu-
lation she must be stirring herself
Superintendent Kirk promised As
semblyman McKenney that he would
arrange to have the Academy al
lone come in under the provisions ot
the law if the trustees of that insti.
tuition took action to convert it into
a high school at once.
The governor has before him.
among the bills on his table, a bill
to appropriate money for the library
at the Preston School of Industry
Another bill before him provides for
the purchase of furniture and sup.
plies. Of course it is impossible to
say whether he will sign them OF
not, as he will not take up the ap.
preparation bills until next week. Il
he is satisfied with the condition ot
the school he will probably sign the
bills, but Pardee is going to be very
particular about the management o.
public institutions, and he is going
to continue the investigation of then
all as begun by the legislature. In
making his appoin tments so far he
has shown that the men he will Sc.
lect to manage the institutions oi
the state are not the men whom his
predecessor would have chosen, anC
there are rumors of changes at the
Home of the Feeble Minded, and the
state prisons, and possibly at the
reform schools too.
The final hours of the session in
the assembly were made interesting
by severe battle over the Western
Pacific Railroad bills. No one
knows who or what that road is, but
of course the cry that it would give
an independent line from San Fran
cisco east, rallied to its support a
majority of the legislature, and if it
had not been too late to pass the
bills without a suspension of the
constitution which took a two-third
vote, they would have gone through.
1t is a good thing that they did not
however, as it will give the com
pany two years to show that it
means business, and that it really
intends to build a road, then if a
terminal is necessary it can be
granted the road.
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