Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-04
MANY DRASTIC
BILLS DEFEATED
IN LEGISLATURE
ANTI-SL0T MACHINE MEASURE
REJECTED
FOES OF oRlENTALS TRY AGAIN
TO GET EXCLUSION
Violent Attempts Made to Bar Japan
ese from Schools-Amendmen to
Constitution Favored by
Committee

Especial to The Hera!d1
| G GACRAMENTO, March 3.-The dras-
IN tic slot machine bill introduced by
~ Baxter of Yosemite valley and sew
eral similarly stringent measures were
adversely reported TO the assembly this
morning by the committee on pubic
morals. The latter body believed the
slot measure, in particular, too severe
1t prohibits any person having in his
possession any automatic slot machine,
making the penalty for violation a fine
| of $100 to 500 or Imprisonment for sixty
to ninety days.
| Another violent attempt was made
by the anti-Japanese element in the as
| sembly to exclude Japanese from the
public schools. An unimportant school
bill by Sackett of Ventura was called
up for final passage when Polsley of
Red Bluff offered an amendment bar
ring not only Chinese and japanese,
but all Asiatics The amendment was
quickly voted down.
The assembly committee on constitu-
| tional amendments went on record to-
day as favoring convention to amend
the state constitution. A bill drawn by
John w. Preston Democrat of Ukiah,
and Nathan C. Coghlan, Republican
! Union Labor of San Francisco, was rec
commended for adoption by the house.
The measure will receive considerable
support in the senate If 1t ever reaches
that body.
Fight Over Leeds Bill
There was another hard fight over the
bill introduced by Walter Leeds of Los
Angeles, confining the jurisdiction of
justices of the peace to their own town
ships. This is an amendment to the
code which permits d justice of ore
township to try case originating in
another section of the county and under
which the county attorney of Los An
geles has been securing many convic-
tions of persons accunsed of operating
blind pigs"
The debate was upon motion of Mr.
Leeds to reconsider the vote by which
the bill was refused passage yesterday
and the Los Angeles assemblyman sue
ceeded in getting the matter reconsid-
cred after call of the house and a
close vote. But fearing to trust 1t to a
vote of the house on final passage with
Nso many members absent. Mr.. Leeds
asked that 1t be put over as unfinished
business.
The constitutional amendment of Mr.
Polsley. providing for a split session Of
the legislature, was defeated.
Governor Gillett was surprised to
learn this morning of the narrow escape
from emasculation of his state highway
bill which calls for an $1S,000,000 bond
amendment by the senate, although
Senator Caminetti of Amador had sue
ceeded in having the measure almost
killed before the maneuver was exposed.
Senate Undoes Work
The senator offered and the senate
adopted an amendment making 1t man
datory to connect all county seats with
the main highway.
Then Senator Martinelli realized what
had been DONE, moved at once to re-
consider, explaining why, and the
senate hastily undid it's work.
Senator Wolfe introduced today
Joint resolution providing that the
legislature adjourn sine die on March
13. The resolution was referred to the
committee on finance.
Senator Stetson's constitutional
amendment, giving Oakland, Berkeley,
Fruitvale, Alameda, Emeryville and
Piedmont the right to consolidate was
rejected by vote of II to 21. Senator'S
Stetson, Leavitt and Hurd made the
principal speeches for the measure
while Senators Strobridge and Lewis
offered the most strenuous objections.
BY vote of 23 to Is the bill by SEN
ator Holchan of Watsonville, removing
the party circle from the ballot was
passed by the senate
An attempt by Senator Curtin TO
withdraw the senate constitutional
amendment drawn by commission apS.
pointed by the legislature of 1905 to pro-
vide for the separation of state from
county and municipal taxes, followed a
four-hour debate during which amend
ments were offered and adopted which,
in the opinion of its sponsor, prac-
tically destroyed the effectiveness of the
measure.
Ten Amendments Adopted
Ten amendments of minor Importance
not affecting its vitality were adopted,
but a fierce struggle developed over the
eleventh, which sought TO increase the
bank tax from six-tenths, as embodied
in the document, to three-fourths of
per cent, as advocated by the minority
of the commission represented by SEN
ator Curtin.
Senator Willis of Santa Barbara led
the fight against this increase, declar-
ing that II adopted it would line up all
the bankers in the state against the
proposition when 1t was submitted to
a vote Of the people. Three-fourths
proposition was voted down after two
calls of the senate.
Senator Curtis then offered an amend
ment increasing the number of votes
by which the measure might be adopted
by the legislature from two-thirds to
three -fourths. This was carried.
The amendment that caused Curtin to
ask unanimous consent to withdraw the
whole matter and to make a statement
declaring that If his demand were not
needed he would fight 1t not only in the
Legislature. but on the stumn prior to
election, was offered by Senator Boyn-
ton of Oroville. This provided that the
annual amounts paid to municipalities
by street and interurban railroads for
franchise rights should be deducted
from the municipal taxes of those cor
porations.
Curtin Fights Desperately
Senator Curtin fought desperately
against this movement. but received
support on the floor from none except
Senator Burnett of Snr Francisco
Senators Cartwright. Cutten and Wolfe
declared the proposition to charge street
railways for their franchises and tax
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