The San Francisco call., 1906-05-17
urges STATE
BOND ISSUE
Judge Short of Fresno Ar
CUES Against Raising
Of Tax Rate.
POStefity Should Bear a
Share Of the Cost OF
Construction.

Argument against the raising Of the
present State rate was made yester-
day morning by Judge Frank H. Short
before the joint committee on call for
special session Of the Legislature. The
speaker said that the present rate Of
81 cents on every 500 was sufficiently
high, and that an increase would
keep foreign capital and corporations
out Of California. AS way Of raising
funds to fill the State treasury's cof-
fers Judge Short suggested that the
Legislature be called upon to amend
the constitution, so that bond issue
Of many millions Of dollars may be
made to repair and finance all State
buildings and machinery in the
stricken cities
Judge Short maintained that the fu-
ture generations which will receive
the benefits Of the improvements
brought about by the expenditure Of
the money should bear their share In
the payment. In this way, with the
first payment to fall due at the end
of a decade Of years, San Francisco
and other cities can be rebuilt and the
present generation have some share In
bearing the expense.
The suggestions of Judge Short were
received with favor by members Of
the committee and he was requested
to draft an amendment for adoption bv
the Legislature and submit It to the
committee.
Representatives from San Jose,
headed by Attorney John e. Richards,
said that the principal need of San
Jose was money for the repair Of
schools, f1rehouses and public buildings.
He said that 1t was necessary to OBJ
tain s4o0, 900 for this work, which could
be done by charter amendment. Ac-
cording to law, it will take sixty-f1ve
days before amendments to the char
ter of San Jose can be made. In view
of this, Richards asked that the COM
mitee urge the special session after 1t
takes up the urgent relief legislation,
to adjourn for q short time. SO that
when the sixty-f1ve days have elapsed
the charter amendments may be con-
sidered.
A representative from the State At
torney Generals off1ce briefly ex-
planned the reason for a proposed
change IN the banking law. giving the
Bank Commission power to appoint a
receiver directly instead of obtaining
one through the courts for an insolvent
bank. 1t was explained that In many
dfssipated before receiver could be
appointed by the courts.
Another advantage, 1t was asserted,
will be the power conferred on the
banking commission to take charge of
Esthe- affairs OF an embarrassed bank
for six months, and II at the end of
that time the affairs Of the institution
are stratghtened out the bank may
again be returned to itss directors.
Should the bank fall to recover from
the effects of the disaster at the end
of six months the Bank Commission
ers will notify the Attorney General.
The subcommittee on municipal de-
partments and police is still receiving
reports from the various departments
regarding their needs in the way of
legislation. Garret McEnerney reports
that the index of the Hall OF Records
has been saved, and that parts Of the
great aggregation of deeds on file have
been rescued from destruction.
Request for the recommendation to
the general committee that the de-
stroyed records acts Of Illinois and of
Congress be. printed-in pamphlet for
use Of the committee and the Legisla-
ture was granted.
Chairman TREY L.. Ford announced
before adjournment that tomorrow
morning the joint committee will go
into executive session, at which meet
ing Governor Pardee and the repre-
sentatives Of other stricken cities will
be present, and that thereafter the
joint committee will meet continuously
until It's work Is finished. The COM
mittee will meet today at 10 o'clock