Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-03
PRESCOTT SPEAKER OF HOUSE
AND LLOYD CHIEF CLERK
WRANeLE OVER PATRONAGE
II Is Finally Agaeed to Allow Twenty
Dollars Per Day for Senators
and Ten Dollars for
AssembIymen
By a Staff Correspondent

RSfhCiN<ANiiSANL W. yam - AS 'ii''
victory of the legislative session was
scored by the Southern California
members OF the lower house today,
when General Frank c. Prescott of
Redlands was unanimously elected
speaker and Clio Lloyd chief clerk.
Coming as it does, when the south is
laying claim to United States SEN
atorship this action is regarded as
most important victory. 1t had been
conceded for several days that General
Prescott would be the successful can
didate for speaker, but strong pressure
was brought to bear on the part of the
north to defeat Lloyd and give the
chief clerkship to Jacob Steppacher of
San Francisco. Up to a late hour last
night no choice had been made, the
Republican state committee and the
machine men being unable to get to-
gether. But through the perseverance
of Jack Harrington, the Republican
boss of Santa Barbara county, the tide
soon changed in Lloyd's favor and
early in the day it was announced that
Steppacher had withdrawn from the
contest
The election of General Prescott as
speaker will be a great advantage to
Southern California, as it is already
practically assured that he will ap
point two Los Angeles county men,
bers, Stanton and Houser, chairmen of
the ways and means and judiciary
committees, respectively. These are
by far the most important legislative
committees, so that the south will not
go begging when it comes to a ques-
ton of wanting something.
Appointments for South
1t was stated tonight on good au-
thority that Assemblyman Miguel
Estudillo of Riverside and Assembly
man w. A. Johnstone of San Dimas
viii be appointed by, Speaker Pres
colt as chairman of the committee on
irrigation and roads and highways re-
spectively This will be regarded in
the light of another victory for the
south as these committees are next
important to the judiciary and ways
and means.
tioch will probably be appointed chair
man of the finance committee, and
William G. Ralston of Melones chair
man of the committee on mining.
Until after the organization of the
legislature the senatorial contest stood
in the background. 1t was promptly
resurrected, however, later in the day.
counting noses. The Flint people claim
enough votes to win on the first bal
lot, while the Bard, OXnard, Knight
and, Fisk supporters decline to make a
statement regarding their comparative
strength.
N The entrance of Fisk into the fight,
as announced in todays Herald, is re-
garded as a boomerang to the Flint
claims, and it is now predicted that the
contest Will be an open one. In this
event it is possible that some dark
horse" may land the toga, although
the probability is that the successful
candidate will be either Flint or Bard.
At any rate the legislators are divided
on the question, and nothing short of a
hard fought battle will settle it,
When the two legislative bodies con-
vened today there was a big wrangle
over the question of patronage. Cau-
cuses were held, and after much dis
cussion it was agreed to allow $40 a
day for senators and $40 for assembly,
men, The expense will be much
greater this session, as there are a
number of new members. Each sena-
tor will have four or five clerkships
at his disposal. Under each assembly,
man there will be two or three clerk
ships.
There are four members in each house
who won't be found on the fence when
balloting commences January 10 on
the senatorship. They represent the
minority and have determined to give
a complimentary vote TO Theodore Bell
of Napa. who was elected to congress
two years ago from the Second district
on the Democratic ticket. A caucus
was held today and the Democratic
members were unanimous for Bell.
Senatorial Contest
The different senatorial asplrants are
making all sorts Of claims, but the
question is about as far from a solu-
tion as ever Up to midnight the Flint
managers claimed that forty-five legis-
lators are willing to caucus. with about
thirty-five of this number pledged. The
Bard people say they have thirty-four
votes pledged. but it is not believed
they can safely count on more than
twenty. knight has about ten votes
tand claims that he has succeeded in
winning two Bard votes over tonight.
Oxnard supporters decline to give out
any figures and the Fisk people say
they will have at least twenty-one votes
on the first ballot. 1t is not believed,
however that Fisk has more than four
on fiye votes tied up at present.
There are between thirty and forty
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