East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-01-04

y
met here today with the prospect OF
sensational contests over the anti
race track gambling bill and the di-
rect primary measure as the result
Of the efforts Of the reform element
TO end the domination of state poll
tics by the Southern Pacific rairload
machine. Numerous other matters of
vital interest make the session one OF
the most important in many years.
Among the other prominent mat
ters to be taken up are the consid-
Grafton of measures curtailing the
privileges now accorded japanese
the passage Of acts almost COM
pletely revising the criminal laws Of
California and the election Of a Unit
ed States Senator.
Fight senator Perkins.
A vigorous fight is to be made
against Senator George c. Perkins,
but 1t Is generally believed that the
organization has decided 10 send him
back TO CongdeSs and that when it
comes to the final vote the Republi-
cons in the upper house will stand
almost unanimously for him.
Lincoln Roosevelt League adher-
ents desire the direct primary act
drawn by the executive committee of
the reform party adopted in its pres
ent form. Organization Republicans,
OF oil
the bill to be submitted by the League
and will epdeaYor to amend the
measure 10 conform with their own
direct primary ideas.
Direct Primary Law.
The Legislature will enact a direct
primary law, but the anti-organiza-
ton members are somewhat dubious
as to the character Of the measure
That will be passed.
While It is certain there will be
strenuous times on the floos Of
both houses and in committee when
the anti-race-track bill is under con-
sideration the general impression
here is that California horse racing
is doomed.
Senator Frank W. Levitt, of AL
ameda. who holds the program priv
ileges at Emeryville. and who has
charge Of the fight the allied racing
interests are making against the
measure. is determined to win out
and is making the race track issue
his main fight
The anti-Japanese proposition
will cause much dispute. Indications
are that Assemblyman Drew Of
Fresno. and johnson of Sacramen-
to. proponents of anti-alien bills. will
encounter considerable opposition.
Drew will most likely introduce a
measure exactly the same as the one
fathered by him two years ago pro-
hibiting the acquisition of land by
japanese.
But for the Intervention of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, Drew's bill would
have been passed by the Assembly
In 1907. Whether the Drew Act will
receive the support it did during the
thirty-seventh session remains to be
seen. There are strong opponents to
anti-Japanese legislation in both
houses.
Drastic Measures.
Johnston proposes legislation
against the Japanese that is more
drastic than that desired by the Fres-
no man. He has prepared bills and
says he will introduce them. making
it unlawful for japanese to be d.
rectors in a corporation, and exclud-
ing japanese from schools attended
by white pupils, He has also drawn
up a measure allowing municipalities
to place theor japanese population in
a certain fixed locality.
1t is expected practically every at
torney sitting in the Assembly and the
Senate will have some amendment
to the criminal laws Of California to
present. That the laws in question
are in need of general revision is
the consensus Of opinion among legis-
lators and there will be amendments
innumerable, many Of them Of minor
importance: some revolutionary in
character. It is proposed to permit
eight men on jury in a criminal
case TO bring in a verdict. This, II Is
declared by those who favor the
change. will help put an end to judy
bribing. Another amendment thai
will be offered provides that a per.
son or persons under investigation by
a grand jury shall have the right tc
appear personally before the inquis'
torial body. either alone or with
counsel, and listen TO and participate
in the deliberations Of the grand jur'
ors. It is put forth in defense Of this
proposed alteration that grand judy
frequently indicts an individual or
corcumstancial evidence not su. .ci'
cient to warrant a conviction in Su.
perior Court and thereby blast his
reputation and does him irreparablc
injudy
Many Amendments.
Numerous other amendments vii
BE- introduced and the Senate and AS
sembly committees on the Revision
and Reform Of the Laws will have
their hands full.
Another Job laid out for the Legis-
l5ture this year in the passage Of a
new set Of laws governing banking in
this State. At the special session Of
the Legislature held during the finan.
cial depression in 1907, a Joint com
mittee from both houses was ap-
pointed 10 investigate with view tc
ascertain what revision Of the Cali.
fornia banking laws was needed.
The committee held several meet.
ings throughout the State and has