The San Francisco call., 1905-03-03
Senate Passes Bill
Which Aims at
Reform
CURTAILS THE LIST
Evil Grows to Vast
Proportions in
Legislature.
Special Dispatch to IN. call

SACRAMENTO, March .:2-H the
present Legislature passes a constitu-
tional amendment under which the
abuses OF patronage now practiced by
the States body Of lawmakers every
TWO years may be corrected it win have
. accomplished something that may TO
some extent lessen the bad odor 1t is
sure to leave behind it because of its
own sins against the treasury. Nothing
could better illustrate the need Of a
radical constitutional restriction than
the reckless patronage methods of the
Legislature that is now struggling to
frame restrictions that viii keep future
sessions within bounds.
Not only is the number of attaches
far greater than there is any need for
but the old-time. practice of many of
the employees remaining away from the
capital and having. their money collect
ed and sent to them by brokers has
prevailed. throughout the session. There
is no rollcall of attaches in either
house. though the Senate started out
with weak attempt at holding one,
and consequently it is hard. TO tell ex-.
aefly how many of those who are
drawing. salaries: for services they are
supposed to perform for the State do
not even reside in Sacramento during
the session. bat it is safe to. place the
number at one-fourth Of all appointed
The bulk of the sealping business of
this term is in control Of c.. W. Haubi
bookkeeper. to the sergeant -at-arfns of
the Assembly, and W. w Martin, an
assistant -sergeant-a at%arms of the Sen
ate. Two. outside scalpers. manage to
do some business, but their rivals IN
Office have the inside track. The pro-
fessional scaIper is driven to the wall
at the Legislature. The two who are
doing some Of the business for those
attaches who cannot wait for payday
to come around or who DO not like the
climate Of Sacramento are Emile Stein
man and Jake Ginsberg, well known in
their line of endeaYor.
There are 4S5 employees Of the present
Legisla lature. OF these is2 are statutory
officers connected with both houses.
The others are paid from the contin-
gent fund and are known as attaches.
OF these there are 1sS on the Senate
and lS5 on the Assembly roll. The most
numerous are committee clerks, as
sistant ergeants-at-erns, sergeants-
alarms to- committees, bill hlers,
stenographers and bill clerks There
are other sorts of jobs, but the classi-
1cations mentioned have the longest
lists. ~.
The figures in the Controllers Of
fee showing the number Of practically
term" powers Of attorney are interest
ing, however. and: # is probable that
many Of those giving these have not
visited Sacramento more than once
during the session. OF these docu-
ments Haub has the most, his business
acumen having brought him sixty-nine
clients. OF these twenty are statutory
and forty-ni contingent. Martin is
next with 32-eleven statutory, twenty
one contingent. Steinman and Gins
berg have evidently not been able to
compete against the odds The former
has thirteen contingent and three statu-
tory employees on. his list and the lat
ter four statutory and eight contingent
. The bill designed 20 prevent the
abuses set forth finally passed the Sen
ate tonight and was: sent to the AS
sembly- This bill provides in part, as
follows:
Il shall be the duty Of the Committee on
Attaches and Employees 10 examine the arSuit-
cants Tor any and ali: positions necessary to be
'nlled 10 perform the work OF the Senate and
10 recommend TO the Senate the names. OF per-
sons tQr each Of the positions to be filed and
&c person shall be appointed by the presiding
oIncers secretary, sergeant-at-arTns or elected
py the senate, and no money shall be paid out
OF the contingent expense account Of the SEN
ate for any labor or work performed unless
the perscn to be paid shall first have. had the
Recommendation of 6. majority of. the Commit
=. tee on Attaches and Employees before appoint
nent or election.
The COMMITTEES on Attaches and Frnpjov.,
snsll employ secretary Immediately or their
ofEanization at g salary OF IS per diem which
secretary shall hold during the sessi6r, oe fla
lister. OF all attaches and employees OF the Se1
ate, and It shall u the duty OF each a+tscbe
ana ernploye 20 lWpcrt daily to said secreta ~
Ann oe recorded present appearing and
qualifying on that day TO perform the dufiss
OF bis position, and for any day any sttache
or employe falls 70 report for duty Is above
they shall receive no pay, unless excused nv
the Senate IN open session by a tvo-thirss
vote OF the mernbers-elect.
The Committee op Attaches and Enploves
shall have the power to surnnnar1ly dismiss
any attache or employe who is found by them
TO be incompetent. unable TO perform, The
duties OF the Office TO whfok he has been an.
pointed or OF any attache or empioye who
neglects or fails to report Tor enrolment with
the secretary Of the COMMITTEES daily or 10 ner-
form the duties Of his position and II shan
be their duty to submit TO the Senate the
name Of substitute for the person so ais
missed. and the Senate shall thereunoS. Sv
riEa.voce vote confirm said substitution and
appointment.