Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-06
ASSEMBLYMEN In
FIGHT FOR LEAD
IN BODY MONDAY
Merriam Leads in South
and ROsenshine for
North Counties
Richardson to Take Oath
of Office Tuesday
Afternoon
by United Press Leased Wire

SACRAMENTO, Jan. G.-The
stage is set for the grand opening
Of the Forty Fifth Legislature SEES
sion.
With the crack of the first gavel
will come action i'll the way Of q
bitter fight. 1t will be a tussle be-
tween rcactionary and progressive
forces, with the control Of the state
at stake.
First will develop the fight for
speakership of the assembly. Sup
porters of Frank Merriam, Long
Beach. have been reported exceed
ingy busy. They were the FIRST to
arrive.
"It's worse than the old King
Bill fight said Van Bernard, of
Butte City.
Merriam s opponent for the speak
ership, Al Rosenshine, San Francis
go. arrived today. While Merriam
was claiming 50 votes Rosenshine
kept his peace. But as the hours
wear on until Monday morning, it
will become more apparent that the
contest will be bigger than Of sec
tionalism between the north and the
south. between the advocates reap
portonment and its opponents, or
between individuals.
Rosenshine Claims Victory
Friends of Rosenshine claim that
indications point to Il victory for
Ein, pointing out that - Merriamists
are making feverish onslaughts - on
every asscmblyman.
After the speakership fight IS
over and Friend w. Richardson is
inaugurated as governor, the reap
portiOnment fight will develop. Po-
litical observers assert that the
farmers will join hands with the San
Francisco forces to prevent action,
which under the proposed bill would
give control of the state over to
the counties south of tn eTehachapi.
Undoubtedly the biggest fight of
the entire session will develop after
January 81. when the governor pre-
sentS the state budget. Right now
the board of control is locked in,
working over the budgets of the
various departments.
Intimation that the slashes in
state expenses, promised by Rich
ardson in his election campaign will
be surprising is said in comment of
Gilbert Daniels, chairman Of the
board of control.
Cutting Heart Out
81 had no idea the slashes woulG
be so big. We're cutting the heart
of things, but it has to be done. "
"Then will come the administra-
tons reorganization bills now be-
ing prepared by Mrs. Nellie Pierce
of Los Angeles, to be appointed to
the board of control by Richardson.
Another fight will be on the fire
insurance legislation. Insurance com
pany lobbyists are reported already
in the field.
A matter that promises to be Civ
en- considerable attention is the Nor
walk oil field, on which is situated
the insane asylum near Whittier and
which is owned by the state. II is
said 30 to 80 millions of dollars
worth of oil is in the section How
the state should sell, lease or de-
velop it, is to be the issue.
A tug of war between southern
branch of the University of Cali
fornia and the mother institution is
contemplated. Assemblyman Charles
Lyon, of Venice, is here with plans
to "put the southern branch on alb
solute equal footing with the Berk-
eley institution.
The legislature begins Monday
noon with the speakership fight.
Then comes organization of both
houses. Richardson will be imaug-
urated Tuesday afternoon or eve
ming.