The San Francisco call., 1905-03-01
Senate Votes Against Re-
port on the MCKOWel
Matter.
Recommendations Of CCm-
mittee Do Not Suit the
Upper House.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SACRAMENTO, Feb 2s.-After de-
bate extending over several hours the
Senate this morning buried the report
OF the special committee that investi-
gated the system Of finances prevailing
at the University of California and re-
ported in favor Of holding the regents
Of the college liable for the entire
amount Of the defalcation of former
Secretary w. A. McKowen. Carter
moved the adoption of the report and
this raised the storm
Senator Shortridge took the floor and
said that he opposed the report; that
it was an effort to hold men that had
done their full duty responsible for the
wrongs Of another and he did not be-
lieve this 70 be good policy. Curtin
then offered an amendment to the re-
port, striking out all Of that portion
directing that action be taken against
the Board Of Regents to recover the
amount Of McKowen's defalcation.
Lul1ens objected strongly to the
amendment, saying:
y see no reason why the report
should not be adopted as il stands.
viii admit that this is a case where
the heart strongly contends with the
intellect. but the fact stands, neverthe-
less, that the committee report is the
collective opinion Of the committee.
reached after careful deliberation."
Senator Shortridge here interrupted
the speaker and moved that the resolu-
tion be laid on the table. He was
overruled, however, and Lukens con-
tinued:
BY his fair and open statements
President Wheeler made a very favor
able impression with US, as did all the
regents. and il was this very fairness
on their part that made it so plain to
us that negligence was responsible for
the loss to the university. II was plain
TO US that the regents erred sadly in
the performance of their duties. though
no one believes for a moment that any
OF them was guilty of willful careless
ness. Unquestionably, however, they
were guilty Of neglect and ii was this
fact that caused this committee TO
recommend that they be held liable for
the amount of the defalcation.''
LEAVITT APOLOGIES.
Leavitt took exception to Shortridge's
action in moving that the report be
laid on the table, saying that in his
opinion the Senator from Santa Clara
had shown great discourtesy toward
the committee. Shortridge answered
LeaVitt. every sentence cracking like
whip. The end of this incident was
marked by Leavitt apologizing for his
action.
Senator Carter, chairman of the
special committee that filed the report,
here entered the debate. He said he
would venture TO say that very few
members of the Senate had even read
the report and this being his view he
doubted. that they were competent to
discuss IT.
Il know one thing to be certain he
continued. land that is that no one can
dispute the facts as set forth in the
report. In no way do we accuse any.
member of the Board of Regents of
the University of California with lack
OF Integrity; far from It; hut the report
cites many instances that VIII appeal
70 any fair-minded man as con-
clnsiveIy esta blIshing the fact that
they were guilty of great negligence. "
The vote was then taken on Cur
tins amendment to the report and it
was carried by vote of twenty-five
to seven. The vote on the entire re-.
port, however, resulted in its defeat by
a vote of fourteen TO twelve. Iukens
voting mo- for the purpose OF moving
for a reconsideration