The San Francisco call., 1909-01-08
MACHINE GAG RULES
REJECTED IN HOUSE
Organization Gets Drubbing in
Assembly When Committee
Makes Report

CALL HEADQUARTERS, CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE BUILDING, sACRA-
MENTO Jan. "A drubbing was
given the organization in the assembly
this afternoon when the committee's 8
report on rules and regulations was
considered. Those who are hopeful of
securing anti-racetrack and other leg
islation which they thought would not
meet with the approval of the organi-
zation discovered changes had been
MADE in the rules and regulations in
effect last session. They saw where
these changes would enable the organi-
zatlon to block legislation by smother
ing Objectionable measures in commit
tee. When the report was voted upon
the machine forces lost ii to 32
Grove L. Johnson. Dominick Beban,
}. p Transue. E. n. Baxter and Phil
stanton were the members named by
stanton as the committee. They re-
vised the rules of last session by max
ing several changes which at once
aroused suspicion. When the adoption
OF the rules came up this afternoon A
NJ. Drew of Fresno moved to substitute
the rules of last session for those sub
mitted in the report. That started the
attack on the work of the committee
with no direct accusation, but just
enough innuendo TO Indicate a suspi-
cion OF Sharp practice.
Drew asserted that the changes pro-
posed by the committee would put into
a few hands the power to control the
business of the house. He referred to
the fact that the clause had been
stricken out which compelled commit
tees to report out bills in 10 days and
that another section would not allow
debate on motion to refer or recall
bill from a committee.
Assemblyman Preston of Ukiah at
tackled the attempt to make it necessary
to secure the vote of two-thirds of the
elected members instead of two thirds
of the members present on third read
ing to suspend the rules.
John w. Mott of Oakland was the
first to take the floor as an apologist
for the committee. He said he thought
the proposed rules would expedite bust
ness and he added that he had every
confidence in the members of the com
mittee r. L. Beardslee made an i'm
passioned appeal in behalf of the COM
mittee and told why their integrity
should not be doubted.
Transue denied any intention on the
part of the committee to bottle up
legislation and asserted that the
changes would expedite business. T.
D. Johnston of Richmond thought the
committee should be trusted.
John r. Cronin of Benicia made an
able and entertaining argument against
the committees report He did not be-
lieve in parting with an old friend and
taking up new friend he did not
know. Callan, Young. Stuckenbruck
Sackett Irwin, Cattell and Juilliard IA
vored Drew's proposition.
Here is the rollcall that shows how
the organization lost out in the first
real clash on the floor:
For Drew's substitute-BIack Bob
nett. Callan, Cattel1. Cogswell Collum.
Costar, Cronin, Drew, Flint, Gibbons,
Hammon Hanlon. Hayes, Hewitt Hin
kle, Hopkins, Irwin. Johnson of Placer.
Juilliard, Lightner. Maher Melrose.
Mendenhall, Odon, Otis, O'Neill. Polls
ley. Preston. Rech. Rutherford. Sackett.
Silver Stuckenbruck Teller. Wagner
Webber. Wheelan, Whitney, Wilson.
Young-41.
Noes-Barndollar Beardslee, Beban.
Coghlan, Collier. Cullen, Dean. Feeley.
Flavelle. Fleisher Gerdes Greer. Grif-
fiths. Hans. Hawk. Holmquist. Johnson
of Sacramento, Johnson of San Diego.
Johnston of Contra Costa. Leeds. Mac
kinley, Mcclellan, McManus, Moore
Mott. Nelson. Perine, Pugh. Pulcifer
Schmitt, Transue, Stanton-32.