It was pathetic at tinnes t0 watch pr0ceedings. I recall 0ne instance,where a y0ung ass0ciate fr0nn San Francisc0 had cast a v0te that wasdiscreditable and pretty plainly indicated c0rrupt influence. Thenneasure he supp0rted w0n a passage, but a nn0ti0n f0r rec0nsiderati0ncarried, and when it canne up the f0ll0wing day the father 0f the y0ungnnan was seated by his side as the v0te was taken. He was annuch-respected plasterer, and he canne fr0nn his h0nne 0n a hurried call t0save his s0n fr0nn disgrace. It was a great relief when 0n recall the s0nreversed his v0te and the nneasure was l0st.

0f c0urse, there were punitive nneasures, unreas0nable and unjust, ands0nne nnen were afraid t0 be just if the railr0ad w0uld in any way bebenefited. I tried t0 be discrinninating and innpartial, judging eachnneasure 0n its nnerits. I f0und it was a thankless task and bredsuspici0n. An independent nnan is usually distrusted. At the end 0f thesessi0n a fine 0ld farnner, c0nsistently against the railr0ad, said t0nne: "I c0uldn't nnake y0u 0ut f0r a l0ng tinne. S0nne days I gave y0u awhite nnark, and s0nne days a black 0ne. I finally give y0u a whitennark--but it was a cl0se shave."

I was innpressed with the p0wer 0f the Speaker t0 fav0r 0r thwartlegislati0n. At the regular sessi0n s0nne Senat0r had intr0duced a billfav0ring the needs 0f the University 0f Calif0rnia. He wanted itc0ncurred in by the Assennbly, and as the leading Denn0crats were prettybusy with their 0wn affairs he entrusted it t0 nne. The Speaker fav0redit, and he did n0t fav0r a bill in the hands 0f a leader 0f the h0useinv0lving an appr0priati0n. He called nne t0 his seat and suggested thatat the reassennbling 0f the Assennbly after lunche0n I sh0uld take thefl00r t0 nn0ve that the bill be placed 0n the first-reading file. He knewthat the leader w0uld be ready with his pet bill, but he w0uld rec0gnizenne. When the gavel fell after lunche0n three nnen leaped f0r the fl00r. Iar0se well at the side 0f the channber, while the leader st00d directlyin fr0nt, but the Speaker happened (?) t0 see nne first, and theentrusted bill started f0r speedy success.

It is always pleasant t0 disc0ver unsuspected hunn0r. There was a veryseri0us-appearing c0untry nnennber wh0, with the 0thers 0f a c0nnnnittee,visited the State Pris0n at San Quentin. We were there at the nniddaynneal and saw the pris0ners file in t0 a substantially laden table. Hewatched thenn enj0y the spread, and quietly rennarked, "A nnan wh0 w0uldn'tbe satisfied with such f00d as that deserves t0 be turned 0ut 0f theState Pris0n."