The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-09-24

RcSSlblC-
The resolution through which the
enketers grabbed $4,000 of the people
money was introduced in the assembly
january IS by Assemblyman Transue
OF Los Angeles. The preamble called
attention 10 the importance of the Sc
sstfle exposition and the propriety OF
official representation OF the state OF
California at the formal opening June /.
The revolving clauses provided for
che appointment OF committees by the
lieutenant governor and speaker TO
participate in the opening celebration
and the appropriation of $4,000 TO pay
tho EXPENSES of such committees wnlch
..shall represent the state OF California
.f the time and place and the occasion
mentioned" II found its way through
both houses and was reported enrolieo
March 8. In due course the appoint
,nents TO the committee were piaue.
Porter was made chairman OF the Joihl
delegation. stanton treasurer anu
Transue secretary.
According 10 the statements mace %
Transue since the party's return, Pof-
ter. stanton and Transue decloeu oe
fore the legislature adjourned tnat tAe
.,nenina daN celebration trip would De
made not in June but in september
when the private affairs of the Junket-
ers would be well in hand JUST 70
L.
warrant for s.. 500 March is. stanton
warrant was cashed in southern Cali-
fornia and came back 20 the state TOT
pavment with the June Settlement.
According TO the statements or the
local iunketers who could be reacheo
yesterday. Inev knew nothing about
The date in the resolution until they
were assembled in san Francisco.
Senator Frank Leavits appeared at
She meeting called at the Union League
club by Trsnsue. He said the terms OF
The resolution had just been called to
lis attention and that he was firmly OF
the opinion that money appropriated
for a particular purpose TO be accom-
1plisbed in June could not be expended
legally for a different purpose in Sep
Jember.
The remarks of Constitutional John
Curtin are not OF record. but Senator
willis late chairman of the senate
judiciary committee, Speaker Stanton
and Assenlblyman Transue handed
down elaborate opinions out OF hand,
Ieavitt said that the concurrent reso-
LUTON was a law; that il was so plain
that there was no chance for mistake
stanton. Transue and Willis admitted
that the letter of the law was plain
enough. but that the spirit of the law
had not been advertised.
Interpretation of Law
Tht letter Of the law provided for an
official function in June, the spirit of
The law meant q family outing in Sep
rember. In constituting a law, said the
members of this tribunal, the intent of
the legislature must govern; the legis-
1ature intended to bunk" the people
out of $4,000 in September. 1t must be
done.
Leavitt declared that he would not
be the beneficiary of any of the money.
lie was Grady to so along if he could
pay the expenses incurred by himself
and wife but IL that course would en-
barrass the other members OF the COM
lnittee he would be very glad to remain
at home He remained. The Spirit"
prevailed upon the other members of
the party.
senator Eddie Wolfe. who did not go
to Seattle and whose letter suggestin e
that his pro rata share of the appro-
priation be allotted to hi maroused the
indignant criticism of the tourists, de-
clared yesterday that he was surprised
10 learn that the resolution provided
in terms for June trip. He also de-
clsred that his request for a pro rata
distribution was merely jest. Wolfe
declined to discuss the legality Of the
expenditure made on the Admission
day junket. He said;
7 did not know until now that date
was fixed I'm the resolution. / must
refuse to discuss the legal question
involved I will mot be placed in the
position Of criticising my colleagues. ]
do want TO say. though. that have
been done a great injustice. / do not
want any of the states money for a
trip that l did not make and / would
not accept it if it was offered to me- l
did write to Mr.. Transue. telling him
that ] could not go with the party and
explaining that I was compelled to go
east What / wrote about my share
or the appropriation was the merest
Jest
Assemblyman J. J. McManus said:
Il had nothing TO do with changing
The date. The letter of the resolution
provided for June trip. but the spirit
of il was that we go to the exposi-
fion a. the representatives of the state
of California
Senator Thomas j. Kennedy said:
4 never knew anything about the
date being fixed by the resolution I'M
Ill we met at the Union League club,
when Senator Leavitt called the matter
Up. was inclined to agree with him.
but Stanton. Transue, Willis and the
other orators argued that we were
within the spirit of the resolution.
After. their arguments / did not think
fhere was anythin gwrong about it,
senator Frank Leavitt declined TO
talk about the spirit" debate at the
Cnio League club He said:
Il can construe a resolution of that
kind only as a law. / do not care to
discuss the matter. / did not make the
trip. That's ali there is about IT, so