The San Francisco call., 1909-03-20
Three Hours of Vigorous De-
bate Takes on a Personal
Character
FiIibustering Tactics Means
Unnecessary Expense of
$4,000 a Day
By George A. Van Smith
Especial Dispatch to The Call

Z
slider finally the assembly amendments
to the direct primary bill until another
effort was made to secure the attend
ance of the fortieth senator.
The vote, which showed the ranks
of both sides TO be intact, was not
taken until after nearly three hours of
vigorous debate, which took on a more
! personal character than even the SEN
ate of California is accustomed to in
dulge itself in. Realizing that with the
absence of Senator Black tie vote
that could be decided by Porter was
impossible, and that with their ranks
standing up the motion to reconsider
must fail, the proponents of noncon-
currence made a desperate effort to
force the vote, while the majority
made equally determined efforts TO
postpone action until tomorrow aft
ernoon.
SERVES ONE GOOD PURPOSE
The long drawn out debate served at
least one useful purpose in that it oc-
cupied the attention of the senate to
exclusion of possibility of passing any
more of the especially putrid bills
which have hung over to the last hours
of the session, and which some of the
senators who are prepared to bleed and
die for the right are afraid to vote
1 against when they are called up.
The bright particular feature of the
debate was a grilling of Senator Stet-
son by Wolfe, with consistency as the
basis or the San Franciscans few
feeting remarks. While Wright was
speaking for postponement Stetson Sc
cured the floor to put a question. He
demanded that Wright tell the senate
who were the friends of the direct pri-
mary bill-the men who were fighting
with Wright for concurrence or those
who were fighting against concurrence
The question was particularly personal
and when il was followed shortly by a
second speech by Stetson, in which he
narrated the history Of the direct pri
mary fight, he got the expected rise
out Of Wolfe, who obtained Wrights
permission to close the debate.
Wolfe told the senate that when the
primary bill was in committee
Stetson wanted a percentage scheme
and stated that If the minority of the
I committee would place the percentage
at % per cent or something reasonably
above that he would stand with Wolfe
and the majority of the committee on
elections for a percentage scheme with
/ convention alternative. Wolfe said that
when he and the senators who orig
Hnally fought the inclusion of any vote
! for United States senators in the pro-
visions of the bill were beaten they
1 quit, promising the senate and the state
/ OF the bin for its passage as he wanted
/ it
In Stetson's first speech against
/ postponement of the main question I'M
! til tomorrow afternoon he served pub
/ lie notice, as he had previously served
! personal notice on Porter, that if the
question were not decided tonight he
would ask the senate for a renewal
OF his leave, and if that renewal was
refused he would consult his own
/ wishes.
STICK TO THE JOB
Willis called attention to the fact
that he had been brought into the
senate in the absence of Stetson in a
/ hysterical condition, and that sick or
well he would stick to the job until
all the senators were in their seats
and had cast their votes for or against
the district plan.
Miller. always conservative, pleaded
/ for final vote. He said that the ma
| jority had been licked and he called
upon it to take its medicine dose
/ which he knew ii would not have to
/ take If all the senators could be got
on the floor at one time.
Wolfe replied that the reason for
/ the senate's refusal to concur in the
amendments did not lie in the dis
/ approval of those amendments by the
! AAdJDllNy VI lllt SCildlt, UuI III the lacI
/ that several senators who did believe
in the district plan felt themselves
bound to vote against what they really
wanted, because OF the action Of the
! Independent conference to which they
We're parties.
The showdown roll call on the cues
i tion of postponement showed that
neither side had weakened. The pro-
/ ponents of nonconcurrence who gave it
/ .4l.~
that there never would be 40 senators
on the floor again this session had
their IS, in which the only change was
the presence OF Stetson and the absence
of Black
BLACK HAS PINKEYE
Sergeant at Arms Lou Martin re-
ported yesterday morning that Black
was suffering from pinkeye at his
| Palo Alto home, and he was granted
leave until tomorrow, when all leaves
| viii again be revoked If Stetson keeps
| his promise or threat about going
! home, Black can return without en-
dangering the fight OF the minority,
which is costing the state 50, 600 a day
! for attaches salaries and printing office
/ expenses. If Stetson returns or is
forced to return, anything from mumps
TO smallpox can be made to serve as
an explanation for the absence OF an
OAMCI DEll4tOls dnQ luc DeEI the ma
jority can do is lock the senate up un-
der call or continue it's postpone
ments until the epidemic is over Mean
while the state is paying the freight
at the rate OF 1000 a day. The work
of the legislature, except the enact
ment OF a direct primary law, is fin-
ished Had 1T not been for the run
4 out on the vote 10 concur the direct
primary fight would have been over
and the legislature could have adj
sourned tomorrow noon.' The assembly
has adopted a resolution calling for
adjournment on Monday.
The resolution is slumbering in the
senate finance committee and must
slumber there until the primary bill is
4 passed. If the proponents OF non
concurrence in the district plan should
win there will be another fight in the
assembly, which would probably throw
the bin into conference and from con-
ference into a free conference, where
Y Curtin says he wants 1t to go and
where Il could be mutilated at the
pleasure Of the conferees, whose work
would be accepted or the whole subject
matter defeated.
If Black is able to come to Sacra-
mento tomorrow and no other insur-
gent gets away the fight will be over
before adjournment tomorrow night: