The San Francisco call., 1909-03-05
DREW PLEADS WITH
TEARS IN HIS EYES
Fresno Legislator DenOunces
the Southern Pacific
Domination
Fails TO Defeat Measure Af-
fecting Oil District
Lands

CALL HEADQUARTERS CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE BUILDING. SACRA-
MENTO. March with his voice
breaking with emotion and tears well
ing from his eyes. Assemblyman A. NJ.
Drew of Fresno this afternoon de-
nounoed the Southern Pacihc's domina-
tion Of the legislature.
Gentlemen, if you are Independent,
if YOU are opposed to machine politics
in this state. If you are opposed to this
damnable organization that has done
so much TO corrupt this state. I ask you
TO vote down this measure" said Drew
in concluding his speech against Web
ber's bill TO take about 1900 square
miles Of the oil. district of Fresno
county and add it to Kings county.
This is TIE fight that was waged so
bitterly two years ago between Drew
and Billy Mcguire Webber today sue
ceeded in having his bill passed with
a vote of 81 TO T.
CLAIMS MISREPRESENTATIO
During the forenoon Drew attempted
TO XIII Webber's bill by amending il so
that Fresno would give Kings county
IS square miles for l3 square miles in
Kings county along the river. Drew
attacked a letter that had been left on
each desk by Weber in favor of the
original bill Drew charged that the
letter was false and was issued for the
purpose Of Intentionally misrepresent-
ing facts. Speaker pro tempore Perine
remarked that the letter merely gave
figures as shown in the official returns.
On this amendment Drew succeeded in
mastering only 10 votes against so.
Cogswel, Flint. Holmquist, Johnson Of
Sacramento. Kehoe, Odom. Silver, Tel
Ter and Young joining with him.
When consideration Of the original
bill was taken up Drew attacked the
organization.
Il have been told by members and
by different persons that the minority
part OF the house and the organization
part had agreed TO line up and TO put
this bill through in order TO punish
Drew for his independence" said Drew,
and he became visibly affected as he
continued.
1T is true that / have stood for in
dependence in politics. 1t is true that
] have not been allied with what is
known as the organization Of this
state, and il is true that my county
has not done so. 1t is true that two
years ago the organization lined up for
Mr.. Mcguire and voted his bill through.
II is. true that the bargain was made at
Santa Cruz at the time Of the con-
VentiOn"
DREW ALMOST SOBBIN6
Webber here objected to the remarks
of Drew. but the latter was almost sob
bling as he continued by remarking
ha -nF
did not wish TO hear him. He then
charged that the minority had per
mittec themselves 10 be used by the
organization. He added that he had
been a republican all his life, but that
he would not stand for the domination
Of the organization.
You may beat me into insensibility
YOU may grind me and my county down
TO earth, but by the eternal. ] viii
leave as a heritage to my boys that
they fight that organization as long as
they live said Drew, who then said
that If the organization persisted in
its tactics the democratic minority
would become the democratic majority.
He concluded by asking the members to
east off the "damnable organization"
Juilliard and Wheelan denied that there
had been any lining up of the minority.
Leeds and Cattell Of the republican
side denied having received any in
structions from the organization. The
bill was then passed, Sc TO Z, those
opposing il being CogsWen, Drew,
Johnson Of San Diego, MendenhaI,
: Odom, Teller and Young.
Meadow Lark Wins
CALL HEADQUARTERs. CHAMBER
or COMMERCE BUILDING, SACRA-
MENTO March Senator Willis of
san Berna rdfno helped TO save the
is
per. Lewis Of Stockton was beaten in
his attempt to make an open season
for meadow larks. but WOrsted Willis
in debate Willis discontinue was
vastly enjoyed by the senate.
When ! was a boy declared Willis.
Il lived on a farm, lived there for
years. but i had TO grow up before /
ever heard that the meadow lark was
We're you considered bright boy
or otherwise when you We're young2'
The senator's howled while Wills
tried to frame suitable reply.
Il was considered a bright boy" VIII
lis finally answered. but 1 attribute
that TO my people"
"One OF the senators told me-" said
Lewis that his boy has a meadow
lark and q caterpillar and that he
would fight this bin % a finish And
the ladies are against IL. too. a COM
mittee Of them waited on me, led by a
sweet thing who had the bodies Of
three innocent birds on her hat
counted 80 birds on the hats Of thai
committee"
sPm the father Of the boy referred
to-" declared Curtin of Sonora. MY boy
IS only 10, but he has a wonderful
knowledge of birds and he watches
every days paper to see what has be-
come Of the meadow lark bill. I'm
going TO vote for my boy and the
meadow lark.
The meadow lark won out by a vote
of IL to y. Here are the senators who
voted in vain against the meadow
larks-
Burnett, Cartwright Hare, Hurd
Leavitt Lewis. Miller. Price. Sanford
Savage, Weed, Welch.
Aims at Text Book Ring
CALL HEADQUARTERS. CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE BUILDING. SACRA-
AfENTO, March Aiming a blow at
the textbook ring, T. ID. Johnston Of
Contra Costa today succeeded in pass
ing through the assembly his bill fixing
eight years instead of four years as the
period for which a textbook must be
adopted. Should the textbook commit
tee make any change during the eight
years IL shall provide the pupils with
the new books and pay for them with
money out OF the unappOrtioned county
school fund. Assemblyman George
Sackett, who is also secretary of the
state textbook committee. opposed the
bill. as did also {. G. Young. who based
HIS objection on the fact that the COM