House in which they originated, he stated that motions for their
reconsideration were not made. The Senate Journal of March 22, however,
pages 23 and 26, shows that these motions were made, and in all three
cases defeated.



Chapter XVIII.

Defeat of the Local Option Bill.

Peculiar Arrangement by Which the Bill Was Sidetracked in the Assembly -
Stanton Promised That It Should Pass the Lower House If It Passed the
Senate - How It Was Smothered in the Upper House.



Because there is no particular reason why California should not have a
Local Option law, in the face of popular demand for it, a large number
of very worthy citizens assumed that one would be passed. The fact seems
to have been lost sight of that the tenderloin element opposes such
legislation, and that the management of the so-called liquor interests
organized as the "Royal Arch," takes a shortsighted view of Local Option
provisions. The machine was thus interested. Its representatives in
Senate and Assembly did not propose that any Local Option bill should
pass. So the Local Option bill was smothered. The smothering process
most suggestively indicates how such things can be done.

The measure was introduced in the Assembly by Wyllie and in the Senate
by Estudillo. In the face of the popular demand for the passage of such