GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS
Yanckwich, Leon
Good and Faithful Servants What the California Legislature of 1911 Accomplished By LEON YANCKWICH THE THIRTY-NINTH SESSION of the California Legislature is no more. After being in session for 85...
...The candidates of both parties ran on platforms which demanded the abolition of Southern Pacific and corporate influence in the government of the state, and the enactment of a series of political and economic reforms that would restore the government to the people...
...2. The Initiative, Referendum and Recall bills, giving counties, and cities of the sixth class Direct egislation...
...6. The New Railroad Law, increasing the power of the railroad commission, and giving it power to regulate rates...
...Similar to federal law, and giving the state power to enforce that law...
...Papers which supported him now have little to say in praise of him, because he has done his duty by the people so well...
...10...
...After being in session for 85 days, the Legislature adjourned sine die on Monday night, March 27...
...Has the mandate of the people been obeyed...
...I predict that when Governor Johnson comes up for re-election, the progressives of all parties will support him, and the work commenced by this Leg]islature...
...This is by far one of the most important pieces of legislation enacted anywhere in the United States...
...The Governor did not boss nor drive the Legislature, but he led it, and the Legislature was willing to follow and assist him...
...The 5/6th jury amendment was defeated, on account of the opposition of the labor element...
...No partisan spirit was noticeable...
...But, it was the people's Legislature, just as good as the people who elected it, with instructions that it purify the political atmosphere of the state...
...7. Public Utilities Amendments...
...It was the original intention of the Legislature to create a public service commission, but it was thought that the constitutional limitations were so great that it were better first to amend the constitution before creating any such commmission...
...Even the Call, which supported Hiram Johnson, has used this opprobrious name...
...A Remarkable Achievement FOLLOWING is a partial list of the reform measures passed at the session just ended: 1. The Initiative, Referendum and Recall amendments to the constitution: There was little opposition to these amendments, but on the Recall there was a contest on the question of inclusion of the judiciary...
...These are a few of the most important reform measures passed by the Legislature...
...Great credit is due to Governor Johnson for signing this bill, in spite of all protests and in spite of the fact that many of the leaders of the administration, and personal friends of the Governor opposed the passage of the bill...
...The Williams Railroad Sixteen-hour Law, limiting hours of labor of railroad employes to sixteen...
...The Full Crew Law, compelling railroads to man their trains better...
...It was a model Legislature...
...It also provides for non-partisan election of judicial and school officers...
...It is one of the strongest liability laws in the country, and was passed notwithstanding the opposition of the author of the general liability bill, Senator Roseberry...
...Ratified the Income Tax, and petitioned Congress to submit amendment for election of United States Senators by the people, and, 22...
...8. The Conservation Measures, limiting the life of appropriations of water for power purposes, regulating the methods of appropriation, and creating a conservation commission to further investigate these matters...
...The Governor promised to clean the state government of the relics of the Southern Pacific and he did...
...Strict Child Labor Laws, raising school age to 15, and prohibiting night employment of children under 18...
...The teachers' pension bill...
...Local Option Bill, permitting incorporated cities and inhabitants of supervisorial units to abolish the liquor traffic...
...It would be idle to attempt to outline in a short article the work of this Legislature...
...3. The Australian Bal-lot This restores the original Australian ballot, and abolishes the party circle which encouraged unintelligent voting...
...The Oregon plan of electing United States Senators is introduced...
...The old primary law is amended so as to make it less onerous...
...The Legislature refused to exclude the judges...
...The Associated Villainies have already commenced a campaign of abuse against the Governor...
...The most important of these amendments is the Boynton amendment denying reversals on technical grounds...
...Convict Labor Law, making prisons self-sustaining by permitting the manufacture of articles to be used by state institutions only, so that the products would not come in competition with free labor...
...9. The Short Ballot, Printer and Clerk of the Supreme Court appointive...
...The Railroad Liability Law, modelled after the federal law, and applicable to common carriers...
...The County Charter Amendment, giving counties home rule...
...The Irrigation Law, bringing relief to the irrigated areas, and 23...
...5. The Woman's Suffrage Amendment...
...Many people will find fault with the work of this body, and the newspapers championing the interests have already called it "a freak Legislature...
...also the non-partisan nomination of judicial and school officers...
...The Board of Control Law systematizing the accounts of the state, and introducing business principles in the management of the state's business...
...The Roseberry Liability Law, abolishing the doctrines of assumption of risk, and the fellow servant rule, and establishing an automatic system of compensation...
...4. The New Primary Law...
...A similar law was killed at the last session...
...The Griffin Eight-Hour Law: one of the greatest economic reforms passed by any Legislature...
...The present administration was elected on a reform platform...
...Reform of Criminal Procedure, making convictions more certain...
...The amendments are so framed that if once adopted by the people, no additional legislation is required to carry them into effect, so that the exercise of these powers does not depend on the action of any furture legislature...
...This bill passed the legislature two years ago, but was vetoed by Governor Gillette...
...But this will not be of any avail...
...All progressives worked together and helped the Governor carry out the promises made during the campaign...
...giving the people an opportunity to vote on this question...
...This was done, and constitutional amendments were adopted increasing the powers of the railroad Commission, increasing its membership to five making it appointive, and giving it jurisdiction over all public uses and utilities...
...While it must be admitted that there were many members who were strictly political reformers, and would give no aid to economic reforms, a majority of the members, and the Governor of the State, fathered reforms both political and economic...
...Measures that years ago received little consideration at the hands of the Legislature, received the sanction of the 39th session...
Vol. 3 • April 1911 • No. 16
