The San Francisco call., 1907-01-21
Millions Asked for Rehabilitation
Change of Venue
Bill Is Doomed
Gouernor Will Veto Bill
Designed to Aid
Ruetites
CALL HEADQUARTERS,
1907 EIGHTH STREET.


SACRAMENTO, Jan 20.-Governor
Gillett will veto any bill that makes
an affidavit of prejudice all that is
necessary to compel trial Judge 70
turn over a pending case to some otner
jurist He made this plain today wnen
asked to give his opinion OF Assembly
man Grove Johnson's bill providing an
easy way TO get rid of Judge VINO
will not take programme. Johnson
bill might prove of benefit to Mayor
Schmitz and Abe Ruef at critical stages
Of the various criminal proceedings
against them, and 1t has been charged
that the measure was proposed In tnelI
interest.
Have you any objection to express
ing an opinion on the johnson Dill pro-
viding for a change of Judges! was
the question that was asked OF Cover
nor Gillett this evening.
The answer was not direct, but SILL
it was to the point IF you will LOOK
over the records" said the Governor
you will find that I opposed similar
bill that was introduced In the Leg1s-
lature OF 1897. AS / understand 1t the
measure offered prescribed that when
an affidavit OF prejudice Is hled the
Judge against whom it is directed must
call in some other Judge to try the
case. That Is the same thing l fought
0~--N~
Senate and on the floor Of the Senate
At that time, If I remember right, the
bill was supposed to be in the interest
of a mining company that had suits
in court and was anxious TO nave a
change of judges. There was hot
fight over the bill, but 1T was finally
beaten"
Following this statement the Cover
nor was asked:
'Have you changed your opinion
since 1872"
NO" he answered without hesita-
tion. 'T had good reasons to oppose
the bill then, and those reasons still
hold good"
There the matter stands. If the
measure, which is now commonly called
the Ruef-Schmitz bill. does not die in
committee 1t win sooner or later meet
violent death. A majority of both
Senators and Assemblymen object to
being put on record as supporters OF
such a measure, and the organization
blacksnake would have to be applied
with brutal force before they would
consent However, there is not even a
remote chance that the lash Will be
applied. Politicians who would have
been willing to engage in finish fight
to help their indicted friends now rea-
lize that the people of the State are
aroused. The additional knowledge that
the Governor is also opposed to their
scheme Is the last straw, and the gen.
eral opinion among legislators at the
present time is that the bill is doomed
All indications point to a quiet burial
in the rooms of the Assembly judiciary
committee. The country members OF
this committee are determined that the
bill shall never receive favorable re-
port, and their stand Is likely to cause
Johnson to forget that any such meas
ure was eveS introduced If he insists
on action IA for a lively battle
Assemblyrn. Leeds OF Los Angeles has
given warning that he has a blunder-
buss loaded with sIugs, and Assembly
man Cutten of Eureka, the home city
OF Governor Gillett. declares that he
will not only oppose the bill In COM
mittee, but If necessary will carry the
fight to the floor of the House.
As Leeds is a third degree program
mer and Cutten represents the senti-
ment OF what are known as the country
members, whatever chance Ruef and
Schmitz had of getting help from the
present Legislature seems to have
struck the open switch that leads to
nowhere. If there were ever any right
of way rush orders they have evidently
been revoked.