The San Francisco call., 1907-01-29
Permits Direct Primary
: Law to Go Over, Though
Time Is Now Propitious
VOTE on MEASURE
SET FOR TO-DAY
Attendance is Not Likely
to Be So Large and Two
Thirds Of House Needed
BY George A. Van Smith

- ~-'- -<-N = - Jo--' 80
Afraid Of the junket mileage
grafters. who strained every point
to secure a reconsideration of the
vote by which their grab was lost,
Assemblyman Held permitted the
direct primary amendment reso-
luton to go over today. He did.
however, manage to secure a spe-
cial order for the consideration of
the resolution Immediately upon
completion of the reading of the
journal tomorrow morning. and
unless a minority of virtually
one-third of the membership Of
the Assembly is willing to repu-
date. its party pledges the whole
questi5s OF direct primary legislation.
SO far as ii affects amendment OF the
oonstitf' 'tion. wiz be mp to the Senate
eora=asttee on election in the aftsra00n.
Early this morning Held was on the
scene % e1ecutive endeavor. aligning
hiss forces with the avoWed Intention Of
calling mp his resolution for final ac-
tion. upon the presentation Of the COM
nittees unanimously favorable report
lie got on nicely until he ran afoul or
the san Francisco delegation and then,
for reasons De diplomatically declined
10 make public he decided suddenly
that the season was not favorable TO
the consideration OF his measure. when
he arrived at this decision there were
sIxty-hvc votes present. He needed
hfty-four or two-thirds OF the elected
membership. TO pass his resolution.
MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY
At the same time the San Francisco
deiegation was busy framing up re-
consideration Of the vote by which its
attempt to help al the grabbers charge
the state mileage for the pleasure
sunkets among the State institutions
had been frustrated. The San Fran
cisco delegation. counting on McKeon,
who voted later TO lay the motion to
reconsider on the table. mustered four
teen votes-enougb TO prevent the
passage Of the resolution.
That they would have voted against
the neld amendment is not proved.
That Held thought they would was
painfully apparent and he voted with
them against the motion to table. BY
lying down, the Ukiah man took a
greater chance Of ultimate defeat for
his resolution than he would have in
curred by pressing it to a final vote to-
dav. Grove J.. Johnson advised strong
ly against the delay and for immediate
action. and johnson was right.
Today was the right time 70 put the
Assembly on record as to its willing
ness TO permit the people to have voice
IN the conduct OF partisan affairs.
Before the special order was decided
upon there were sixty seven votes
present That gave the resolution lee
U-av 10 the extent Of thirteen adverse
votes. with enough left 10 get through.
II is unlikely that there viii be more
than sixty-seven members present
when the journal is read tomorrow
morning and 81 is not at all improbable
that several members. not caring 10 go
on record either on the amendment or
IN the matter Of the mileage grab. viii
6nd IL convenient to absent themselves.
GILLETT WANTS ECONOMY
il is more than probable that the ef-
forts of Governor Gilett viii result in
defeat for the attempted mileage grab.
Gillett deprecates the necessity OF eau
fioDing the Legislature repeatedly. He
aislfl1es TO appear in the role Of die
tator or to lay himself open TO a charge
NJ interference with the legislative
branch OF the government. He declines
10 make public what ne has done in this
matter or 10 admit that he has taken
any hand in it, But he has. 7 know
on the authority OF men whom he has
called in that he is using every means
81 his command. save possibly the ex-
kraordinary resource OF a message on
BE subject TO protect the Assembly
AGAINST it's own greed and the treasury
from its loot lust He has called the