Year: 1872

the conclusion of the session, bills are hurried
through. and often bad measures receive the
sanction of men who under other circumstances
would not lend their influence to their passage
Another thing is now observable, that men "no
have bad measures, or at least ones OF doup'iu "
propriety. do not introduce or urge them uh'Li
the very last moment, when in haste the auN9'
Gates ask the rules to be suspended and the reau,
inc dispensed WITH and the bill put upon its fnai
massage There ought to be a constitutions
remedy provided for this very case. NO piii
ought to become law unless it has been READ;
II it is not of importance enough to nave II le""
it is not of sufficient interest to become law


PUBLICATION OF CODE.


The Revision Commission is to be increased
by one more member and then they, by an Act
passed this last week, are to index and prepare
and publish the General Code, to-wit: the Po-
itical Penal, Civil and Civil Procedure. In adj
dtion to this the Commission is empowered to
select arrange and publish all the statutes that
are not repealed or superseded by the Code, III
separate volume. Thus we will have all the laws
of the State in five volumes, at five dollars each
The law was urged because the Commission took
lively interest i'll having their work wen done'
and were the persons most capable OF lhdeAhG
the work They take pride in this matter and
therefore will do it we'll


ELECTION LAW.


The election law of the Code, by an Act, Is
put in force before the next general election.
The great body of the Code does not come INTO
operation until January, A. d. 1873, which Is
after the election. This election law gives uni
form ballot. The ballots must all be of the same
size thickness and length, and must not contain
on it any mark or devise by which 1T can be
known The paper is supplied by the County
Clerk-the ballot is twelve inches long by four
inches wide and is to be the same size, be there
many or few names on it. 1t is folded four tunes
and pressed fiat, making it threefourths OF an
inch by four inches No person can show his
ticket within 100 feet of the polls, nor can any
one give a ticket within that distance, nor solicit
votes There is a penalty attached for the viola
ton of any of these provisions.


POLICE BILL.


A bill was introduced into the Senate upon the
subject of political interference Of the policemen
of San Francisco. 1t does not allow n police
man, on the day of election, to talk politics, or,
while engaged IN his official duty to electloneer
for any one


STATE PRINTING,


Mr. Luttrell, of the Assembly, was the lucky
one in reference to the subject Of State printing
A number of bills were placed ON the file for ac-
ton on the same day, in the Senate, but his,
having passed the House, was the one adopted
by the Senate. 1t authorized the Governor to
appoint q Superintendent of state Printing. 1t
provides for the procurement OF n suitable house
and suitable materials to do all the work now
done by the State Printer. 1t creates nm expert
to examine the quality and quantity of the work,
and the Board of Examiners IRE to follow after
the expert The law doc not 90 into effect until
July 1879, after the pres mt Slate Printer = term
Of Office has expired, and after another Leglsla-
ture shall have met, acted and adjourned; and
therefore / predict this bill will be repealed,


DIsTmcTGSG THE STATE.


There have three bills passed the Assembly
relating to this subject, one in reference to the
Congressional districts, and two in reference to
Senatorial and Assembly distrcting. These bills
arc made the special order for tomorrow ut two
o'clock, and the Legislature may, even at this
late hour, come to some conclusion OH this i'm
portant matter. do not think .hey will agree
1t is strange that SO important measure should
have been put off till the last days of the session.
and so much trivial legislation adopted.


MILITIA BILL


A bill from the Assembly came up in the Sen
ate the other day, in reference to the militia of
our State Geuerul Evans, by common consent
and by virtue of being chairman of the Military
Committee, has had this matter on his shoulders
The bill reduces the companies from 60 to 49,
but increases the taxes from y cents to cents
upon the 500. This will raise about $4,000
under the new royenue law.


DONATION TO SAN FRANCISCO.


A lively debate, and withal somewhat bitter
one, was inaugurated on the bill granting au-
thority to the city of San Francisco to vacate
certain streets and market places and donate the
same, and other tde-lands belonging to the
State, to the city for commercial purposes, and
other matters relating thereto This bill simply
asks the State to grant about 103 acres of land
now used for public purposes to the city that
the C ity may donate the same to the railroad
company for depot and other commercial con-
veniences. In other words, it is to give the
| railroad about one and a half million of dollars
if the company will not make its terminus at
Goat Island, but at and in the city of san Fran
cisco. Tompkins not fighting for the State
nor against the railroad but for Oakland He
said much truth, and said it We'll though he
is not anything but railroad tool. Irwin added
an amendment which does away with some of
the objectionable features of the bill. The
amendment provides that if the land donated is
ever used for any other purposes than those
specified IN the grant that it reverts back to the
State, Yet, when we think of the power of the
road, they will laugh at amendments and provi-
| sions when once they get hold of the land.


MAMMOTH PROJECT.


Harvey, of Sacramento, has the credit of in
Producing into the Assembly an Act to provide
for the funding of the Indebtedness of the re-
clamaton and levee districts of the State. Under
this bill land can be taxed from SO to SIS an
acre. 1t is said there will be bonds. for which
the lands are hound, issued to the amount of
80 ,OOO,OOO or $4,000, 600 1t is feared that
many poor man will find his home eaten up by
the levees of these districts and the interest Of
these bonds. 1t is magnificent scheme. and
VIII fall into the hands of the few The hard
working, thrifty farmer will have to give place to
the scheming and willy Spectator. This bill
smells to ME with bad odor do not like it.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS,


The Code takes away all the fees connected
with the collecting of delinquent taxes, but the
legislature has provided amply for these officers
III the raising of their Sa1ariee In {locor b;e