Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-25
DIRECT PRIMARY
TO BE DEBATED
BY LEGISLATURE
PROMINENT cALIFORNIANS TO
ATTEND HEARINGS
PROPOSED ELECTION LAWS WIG
oRoUsLY DEFENDED
Anti=Race Track and PooIroom Bills
to Come Up in Senate-Restric-
ton of Aliens Special
Feature
Especial to The Herald. /

OACRAMENTO Jan. 24.-A great
deal of the far-reaching work of
~ the California legislature is to be
accomplished this week.
Important committee meetings to be
held in the senate include those Of the
public morals committee, on the anti
race track bill on Wednesday evening.
and the election laws committee Thurs
day, on the direct primary bills. Both
of these hearings will be attended by
prominent men from all over the state
Senator Wright will make a siren
uous defense of his measure, which has
the Endorsement of the Direct Primary
league, and will be assisted by Paul
Bancroft of San Francisco, president
of the league.
The race track interests will have
an opportunity to defend Emeryville
and Arcadia.
Anti-PooIroom Bill
In the assembly the most important
hearings will be by the public morals
committee, probably on Tuesday, over
the Butler anti-pool room bill, and
several measures regarding the treat
ment of minors, introduced by Grove
l.. Johnson, and by the swamp and
over1owed lands committee, which is
to consider the 100000 Sacramento
drainage bill.
F. a. Drew'S famous measure pro-
hibiting aliens who are not citizens
owning land in the state was made a
special order of business in the assem-
bly, for Wednesday, and a conference
of assemblymen with the governor and
other state officials will be held Tues
day to determine if compromise may
be effected.
1t developed Saturday the national
authorities were willing for such a bill
to pass, if it did not discriminate
against Japanese, but as this would
defeat the purpose Of the author of
the measure, acQuieScence on his part
would be tantamount to giving up the
struggle.
Suffrage Amendment
The woman suffrage constitutional
amendment also was made a special
order for Wednesday, and a fight will
be waged over it, led by Grove L.
Johnson on the affirmative and John
w Preston of Ukiah on the negative
side. Preston claims he has already
taken a poll which shows more than
a two-thirds sentiment against the
amendment.
Some important measures are to be
AudIIOS "A. NOSSlSdnR,
secretary of the fish commission, is
here with a bill drawn up at the in
stance of the commission, covering the
entire field so far as the administra-
tion is interested in such legislation
The measure is similar to one in
troduced last week by Senator Willis.
but Vogelsang has asked Willis to
withdraw his draft on account of two
or three points of slight difference.
Commission on Licenses
The senator's bill proposes to give
county clerks commission of 10 per
cent on hunting licenses, while the
commission bill wants it made 10
cents.
AS the rate for licenses at present is
81 this indicates a determination on
the part Of the state officials to in
crease the amount.
Senator Caminetti will introduce to-
morrow a constitutional amendment
proposing state ownership of a system
Of steel highways, the state to provide
the roadbeds and rails and permit any
persons or corporations to run their
own trains over them under legislative
regulation Of time and safety appli-
ances.