The San Francisco call., 1908-07-04

thlng and they eXonerated him in the
Legislature. There was one of the mem
bers of the legislature from Santa
Clara county-our county-and 1 guess
he will tell the truth now-it has been
so long ago-wished to be bribed by
me so that he would support me in the
Legislature. AS the legislature pro-
ceeded to try me in accordance with or
ders from Mr. Huntington I made pub
lie the request of this assemblyman.
Q.-What assent mblyman?
MAN WITH HAND OUT
IS INDICATED
At is a democratic assemblyman.
Johnson, 1 guess 1t was-yes, John
son, W. F. Johnson-and forced that
legislature to take UP Mr.. Johnson's
case. l had the positive proof upon
Mr.. Johnson; but he was vindicated by
the legislature, and they afterward
took up my case of impeachment in
the Legislature for incompetency and
dereliction of duty. In that examina-
tion of me for incompetency by a lot
of assemblymen some of whom couldn't
probably write their own names, a
shorthand reporter took down my evi-
dence. and in that evidence 1 men
toned the reassessment bill which was
before the legislature and stated that
a majority of that legislature was cor
rupt and would pass that corrupt
measure. Not word about the reas-
sessment bill was in that report-in
fact, there was nothing in that report
which was intelligiple; it was, marked
and cut all to pieces.
Q.-Who did that?
A.-Why, that was evidently done
by the shorthand reporter.
Q.--At whose behest?
AT the behest of the political
bosses representing the Southern Pa
cific railroad, and at that time under
the orders of the venal press.
Q.-Then the public has never been
informed concerning the true inward
ness of the reassessment bill2
'cEvERY vENAL SENATOR
WAS GETTING $4,000"
Alt never was at all. The case
came before the senate; and in that
session of the legislature, as there had
been in a number of others previous,
every senator that was paid was
getting $4,000 to vote against all posi-
tive legislation-that is, it was known
among the senators that they were to
/ get SIS 900 for negative legislation,
which was to defeat any legislation
against the railroad company. OF course
/ If the railroad put any positive legisla-
lation through. why, they were to get
I paid extra for that. 1 had two friends
in the senate who had spent part of
their money and they came to me and
/ told me that if l would furnish the
money they would throw it upon the
/ table. Then they went to Mr. Vroo-
man and told him what they were go-
/ ing to do, and it scared him so that he
/ sent for me and promised to defeat my
| impeachment in the senate IL I would
not expose them. After l got his word
why, we compromised upon that basis
and my reputation was saved and
was not impeached But it outlined
1 this position, showing that a public
official, as / was at the time, could not
honestly exercise the functions of his
Office without the risk of his honor
4 being ruined by these corrupt and self
! ish influences whose interests must be
served regardless of every other con-
sideration.
PAPERS ARE SILENT
ON STINGING SPEECH
The Carpenter reassessment bill was
| introduced in the senate by Hunting
ton as a skirmish bill TO determine the
measure that would be finally settled