The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-23
DEFEATS MARKS
ATTACK UPON
OTIS MEASURE
Grove L. johnson Leads OppO.
nentS of Anti=Racetrack
Gambling in Assembly
Attack on Public Morals Com
mittee and Judges Fails to
Secure Reconsideration
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

OF. COMMERCE BUILDING. SAcRA-
MENrO Jan 22.-Grove L. Johnson OF
sacramento led the opponents OF the
,otis anti rscetrack gambling bin 10
another decisive defeat today. Invok-
ing invective and resorting TO all the
parliamentary articles for which he is
noted he inveighed against the integ-
rity of the members OF the public
morals committee. poured forth his
usual venom against the newspapers
and correspondents and even went 10
such lengths as to hurl his sarcastic
shafts al Judges Dunno and Lawlor.
ATTACK on JUDGES
IT ask TO submit the Otis bill to
any judge in the state. even Judge
Dunno or Judge Iawlor OF san Fran
cisco. and the Lord knows they viii DO
what The Call and Bulletin ask them
10 DO" cried johnson in insisting that
any Judge in the state would hold the
Otis biu unconstitutional. But plead
and ridicule as he would he could not
turn the reformers Of the assembly
from their purpose and they voted
down his motion to reconsider yester-
days vote by 81 to -
Ut was while Johnson was beginning
his speech in favor OF reconsidering the
vote Of yesterday that Costar OF Chico
sought the floor 10 move the previous
question and thus save the assembly
the ordeal OF sitting through a long
20
recognize him fer that purpose and
johnson decried the effort 10 prevent
the discussion Of the bill He contend
ed that the bin had not been properly
considered before il was voted on yes
terday and he objected TO gag tactics.
sCoLDING FOR NEWSPAPERS
In the next breath he was in a happy
Noodle was attacking the newspa-
pers. a feature OF nearly every argu-
uent be makes against a moral move
ment He snapped out that when the
subsidies were cut of from the news
papers they became reformers, and then
branded the campaign against race
track gambling as q confscatory move
ment IN the midst OF his scolding he
ceased speaking, an expression Of pain
came TO MS face and he sank to his
seat The other members became So
licitous as to his condition and Sergeant
~ Arms Jack Stafford hurried TO his
desk.
i don't want any waterfall I want
IS heart" was his remark as he re-
fused Stafford's assistance and re-
sumed his standing posture.
JOHNSON AGAINST EVIL
Johnson continued by asserting that
racetrack gambling was an evil and al
years he had voted against il. After
saving he had never been inside the
Enclosure at Emeryville, he resumed
his attack on the Otis bill, declaring
that il would not accomplish the pur-
pose FOR which il was intended. He
then hurled his insult at San Fran
ciscos two judges
Another reason FOR his activity
gainst the bill was then given by
Johnson-the bill had never been re-
ferred TO the judiciary committee, and
o. which he was chairman. He said the
assembly was going TO violate the
law by not referring the bid to the
Judiciary committee and he employed
his time honored 4 don't care to
make II appear that the matter was
really or no interest to him.
NEWsPAPERMEN NAMED
But he was wandering from his
subject and he returned with renewed
Eigor to his attack on the press by
saying that whenever he had followed
the advice OF the newspaper he had
gone wrong and that when he had not
The Lord had smiled on him. He spoke
8f the difficulty OF cOnvicting under
The Otis BILL but remarked sarcastic
ally that George B. Anderson OF the
peoples lobby. Chester II. Rowell and
this blatherskite from the Examiner
I'd Hamilton. might be able TO do the
necessary guplsiloe work to gather the
evidence" He closed by bitterly de-
nouncfng the assembly for resorting TO
gag rules to prevent a discussion OF
the biB before St had been passed.
II -. Johnston OF Contra Costa fol-
lowed by asserting that the Otis bill
should have been referred 10 the jul
dietary committee after having been
reported out by the public morals COM
mittee lie believed the Otis bill had
been introduced for the purpose OF
making political capital
COsTAR EXPLAINS NOTION
Mr. johnson Of Sacramento knows
FUN wei my reason for trying to move
the previous question today. 1t was
solely 10 save time" said costar The
anti-racetrack FLY is coming under
the wire II lengths ahead and you
can't head her off with q 80 horse
power six cylinder automobile
John AlcManus OF San Francisco
spoke IN terms OF highest praise OF
his constituents. but said they had not
pledged him TO fight the racetracks.
The whole state knows Senator
Wolfe is the attorney for the race
track" announced McManus In com.
menting on the fact that Wolfe had re-
ceived a majority Of 100 in that pari
OF his senatorial district which Me-
Manus represented in the assembly
He rallied against gag rule
McMANUs HURLS DEFIANCE
The Otis-Waller bill is the bill
fathered by The Call and the Bulletin
and the bill they are trying 10 put
down our throats.y asserted McManus
with fine defiance.
Johnny Mott, whose duty il was, Il
block the Otis bill also deplored The
haste with which the Otis bill had beer
passed in the assembly He felt rea'
sure that il would not hold water.
There is something else behind this
besides morality. I believe I'm as clear
and honest as any man in California.
bar no man." said Mott
OTIS DEFENDS MEASURE
This BIZ was prepared long before