Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-20
LEGISLATORS
ARE ACCUSED
OF BAD FAITH
TRICKERY CHARGED BY TWO
REPUBLICAN FACTIONS
State Senate Again Delays Action on
Direct Primary Bill-Splrited
Battles Mark Sessions of
Both Houses
IBy Associated Press. ]

~ berv were made tonight by two
factions of the Republican majority
and by the solid Democratic minority
in the senate before that body de-
cided again to postpone consideration
of the direct primary bill untll
o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
The senate chamber was crowded
with auditors From the packed gall
lery loud APPLAUSE marked the telllng
points made by the speakers, ana
Lieutenant Governor Porter with dlt-
ffculty restrained the senators from
supplementary procedure through
out the session.
1.-THE senate will concur in the as
sembly amendemnts to the direct
primary bill,' said Senator Leroy A.
Wright it's author, this morning. al
any rate, we shall stay here until
Christmas, if necessary, to pass q az
rect primary measure. l am deter
mined to stand pat on these amend
ments. If the senate should refuse TO
concur the bill would go back to the
assembly. The lower house would re-
fuse to recede, a conference committee
would be appointed and there Is no
telling what would happen to it.
Sergeant -at-arms Louis Martin tele-
phoned this morning from Palo Alto
that Senator Marshall Black, whose
presence is necessary to break the
deadlock on the bill, was too i'll to
come 70 Sacramento.
Wright Starts Debate
The debate was on a motion by
Senator Wright author of the bill,
and leader of the fight for the district
vote plan, to postpone consideration
until tomorrow afternoon.
Senator Stetson, whose absence from
his seat on account of illness, caused
the first deadlock, on Tuesday, and
who returned yesterday, was the first
to speak He said he was still i'll and
if the matter were put off again he
would cease to consult the senate and
ask his physician whether he should
remain.
Henry N. Willis of San Bernardino
chided Stetson for making this state
ment. declaring he himself would stay
in his seat when an important matter
was under consideration, no matter
how seriously ill he might be-
Senator Miller, Democrat, said the
senate was making spectacle OF It
self in the eyes of the whole state by
so many postponements. He advised
the proponents of the amendment to be
good losers
Change Not in Senate
several weeks ago this body passed
the direct primary bill with twenty
seven affirmative votes" he said. THE
changes III lllt SlldelbiOAi N1tN 10
wrought here, but in the assembly.
Now you cannot get the required num-
her of votes to concur-why don't you
take your medicine and give the people
a good direct primary law?"
Senator Wolfe of San Francisco, who
favored postponement, replied that
eighteen Republicans and two Demo-
Gratis were for the amendment, and
thirteen Republicans and seven Demo-
Gratis were against it. If the seven
Democrats would release the Repub-
licans from the caucus agreement, ne
said, the Republicans would vote for
the district plan.
Senator Miller declared if those Re
publicans wanted to be released he,
for one, would be willing. But, he
said. they had not asked for such re-
lease.
Wright asked Miller if such a re-
quest had not been made.
mot by the Republicans who were
in the caucus" was the reply.
Senator Boynton then asked if it We're
not fact that those Republicans had,
on the other hand, asked the Demo-
Rcrats themselves to stand pat.
Stands Behind Author
Senator Leavitt of Alameda spoke
in favor of standing behind the author
of the bill in all that he asked for
concerning MS own uledSuIG
J, B. Sanford of Ukiah, Democratic
floor leader, advocated non-concur-
renee in the amendment on the ground
that enough votes probably could be
changed in the assembly to put the
bill where it stood when it first left
the senate.
Senator Wright said his dearest wish
was to give the people the best prim-
airy law, and he was willing to remain
90, n; oil If
do it. He challenged any senator on
the floor to give good reasons why the
amendment should not be concurred in.
II believe that all political conven-
tions of this day are corrupt, and that's
why I introduced this direct primary
BILL" he said. LAS to the amendment,
I say that there are too many impor-
taut questions concerning the tariff,
now pending in congress, to take any
chances on sending a Democrat to the
United States senate as CALIFORNIA;
representative.
ut was not the senatorial clause that
gave the bill q votes in this senate; it
was the proposition of doing away with
conventions"
Wolfe Closes Debate
Senator Wolfe closed the debate.
'"This talk about reform amounts to
nothing" he said 1.-THE real fight is
between TWO IdCLlOllS III the IltpuDlltdll
party, as to which shall elect a United
States senator. That's all it amounts
to-"
Addressing Senator Caminetti, he an
nounced that when the latter pressed
to a vote his constitutional amendment
calling for direct election of United
States senators at large he would vote
for it, because he believed that was the
only feasible plan. The opposition to
the district plan in the Wright bill, he
said was the result of political plot
The motion prevailed by a vote of 20
to 10, the same that started the dead
lock Tuesday.
Sergeant at-Arms Martin said tonight
that there was little likelihood that
Senator Black would be able to return
from Palo Alto tomorrow to make the
vote 20 to 20 and give the lieutenant
governor the deciding vote.
Both Sides Firm
Both sides are firm, and rather than
give in, say they leaders on both sides,
fhey will keep the legislature in session
another week or as long as is neces-
sary.
The senate refused to recede from an
amendment to Assemblyman Perrine's
national guard bill providing that
when the governor declares a city or
county to be in state OF insurrection
a1l local peace and sanitary officers,
policemen and sheriffs shall be con-
trolled by the militia officer in charge
of the situation.
This provision was incorporated III
the original bill passed by the assem-
hly. the senate amended the measure
by striking it out, the assembly refus-
ing to concur.
A guess was hazarded by Senator