The San Francisco call., 1907-03-10
BELsHAW ACCUSED OF
ACTING IN BAD FAITH
Wolfe DenounceS Him as
Insincere Regarding
Primary Law
RUMPUS IN SENATE
Stetson's Hybrid Bill Is De.
feated After Heated
Argument
By George A. Van Smith
CALL HEADQUARTERS,
1907 EIGHTH STREET

SACRAMENTO, March S.-An accusa-
tion OF bad faith on the whole sub
Sect OF direct primary legislation, flung
at Senator Charles NJ. Belshsw by Sen
ator Edward J. Wolfe of San Francisco,
was the one startling incident Of the
drawn-out and for the most part un-
Instructive debate that preceded the
defeat of the Stetson bill I'm the Sen
ate this afternoon
Ry & vote OF 21 to il the Senate re-
fused today to accept fragmentsry
edition Of the Illinois system in lieu or
the direct primary election law that
the next Legislature viii be called
upon TO enact and for which a consti-
tutional amendment has been adopted.
u the Assembly sustains the adverse
report OF it's committee on constttu-
fional amendments, thereby eliminst-
ing the Commonwealth Clubs pro
posed amendment the whole question
OF direct primary legislation viii go
10 the people in a single constitutional
amendment, simple and direct, which
when adopted. will confer ample au-
thority for the enactment OF a proper
and comprehensive direct primary
measure by the Legislature Of 1903.
BELsHAw BUSIEs HIMSELF
The fate Of the Stetson bill was seal
ed long in advance of its passage by
the Assembly. In fact, fl was not orig
Inally the intention Of the Senate lead
ers 10 permit il to get out OF the cleo
tions committee, but Senator Belshsw,
g member OF that committee, interested
himself in the measure and got II re-
ported out The Democrats of the SEN
ate. taking cognizance of the inevitable
defeat Of the measure, seized upon II as
g splendid well from which to draw
some political capital, and BelshaW
turned the leadership OF the fight over
to Sanford. Debate from the Repubh-
can standpoint was entirefy--unneces
sary. as q poll OF the whole member
ship OF the Senate showed twenty-siX
adverse votes and fourteen for the
measure. That the final vote was
smaller than that was solely because
Of absentees The lineup was solid
for several days. Acting, however, on
their Well-dehned policy against any
thing like an appearance OF gag rule
the Republican leaders permitted the
debate 70 be prolonged, with the not
altogether unusual result-Republicans
said unpleasant things about Repub-
licans.
sanford advocated the hopeiessly in
telIigible bill as the best thing that
could be gotten under existing restric-
tions with equal inaccuracy the
Democratic orator said the Stetson
bill was a direct primary measure and
would serve to redeem In part the
pledges Of the Republican and Demo
cratic parties.
FRAMED FOR PARDEE
Willis. in a characteristically clever
speech said the enactment Of the Stet-
son bill would leave the Legislature IN
the position Of the small boy astrioe
& broomstick, possessed with the idea
that he was riding prancing steeo-
He admitted that in it's provisions Tor
the nomination Of United States Sen
ator il was clear enough, but other
wise opaque.
The interiection OF a little party
politics by Curtin brought Leavitt into
action. He denounced the bill as being
in the interest of nothing but the
personal ambition OF one man, the first
but not the last reference indirectly to
Ex-Governor George C. Pardee, in
whose interests, IL is claimed with
some show OF probability, the bill was
framed.
Belshaw claimed that the people Of
California wanted that anomalous
thing which he described as a direct
primary law with the Intervention Of
delegates" He said the Stetson bill
would give relief from the bosses and
sdverted to the special session Of 1890
and the election OF Bard which he
ssid was a peoples victory.
and the election of Bard was too much
for Wolfe. who denied that that was q
peoples victory and denounced what he
termed the dirty politics Of the men
who posed as reformers and whom he
accused OF managing the rump conven-
tion. Hoarse with indignation, Wolfe
leveled his finger at Belshaw and
shouted:
You talk about clean politics. about
boss-ridden Senators. BAH I very
much doubt that the Senator from Con-
ira Costa is today in sober good faith
in favor Of a direct primary law. After
we here passed a constitutional amend
ment that would enable the next Legis-
lature to pass real direct primary
law, an amendment that is satisfactory
10 the people. he insisted passing
another that could only serve 70 cloud
the issue, TO confuse the voter. Now
he comes and asks US TO adopt this
mOngrel"
DIssECTs sTETsON BILL
The speech of Senator Leroy Wright.
Senate sponsor for the Held Wright
amendment that VIII go TO the people
and leader OF the opposition to all
subsequent attempts TO bury the ques-
tiOn under other enactments was the
only one directed to the real lack OF
merit in the Stetson bill, which he
pitilessiy dissected. He denied that
the measure was q direct primary bill.
He claimed that aside from the Sena-
toriai feature IL amounted to no more
than petition and said that Il was so
crudeiy drawn that he would be
ashamed to go back 10 his people and
admit that he had voted for it. It's
crudity and glaring Inconsistencies.
which he pointed out one after another
for nearly twenty minutes. he said con-
WINGED him OF the truth of the report
that Stetson was not in fact the author
OF the measure.
After the formaiity of a rollcau San
ford gave notice OF a motion for re-
consideration. but the lineup is such
that there can scarcely be the slightest
hone that the bill viii ever receive
more than fourteen votes. Assembly
man Stetson says he did not expect his
bin 70 pass and that II was introduced
for the purpose of setting in motion an
Intelligent discussion and investigation
OF direct primary systems
STANDARD POLICY FORM
sACHAMENTO March s.--The stand