The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 10, 1897, Page 3

e U e THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1897. 3 GOVERNOR BUDD VETOES THE BILL Refuses to Approve the Appropriation for State Printing. Dec'ares That His Attempt to Secure Economy in the 0.fice Failed. Republican Assemblymen Do Not Listen Patiently and Refuse to Hear All of It Read. SACRAMENTO, CaL., Feb. 9. —The House was in committee of the whole dis- cussing the labor bill to-day when a mes- sage was received from the Several amendments had been made to the bill, the most important being that the term of office of the Labor Commis- sioner was shortened to two years instead of four years. North of Alameda said the amendment should prevailif for no other reason than it was a Republican amendment. ‘This experiment may be a failure, added, “‘and we may want to discontinue it two years hence. I admit that the gen- tleman now in the office is a competent man, but he is a Democrat, and that is ) for us. We are willing that the Governor may appoint him for two years, but we want to have the privilege of abol- ishing the office and appointing some one else two years hence.” enou Just after this amendment had been adopted Private Secretary McCabe and Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Williara 1 hrey appeared in the announced, he informed the Hoase that the approval Leavitt’s Assembly biil 263, ap- propriating $7 in the Siate Printing Office. The Goy- | Priation of $200.000, or 1 ernor also submitted & message on the ect, which was handed up to the desk, was not read, such a proceeding not being atlowsble in committee of the No further notice was taken of the veto le rose and reported that it had 4 to recommit the labor bill to the committee, thus blocking the progress of what is understood to be the Governor’s dec his action was taken by the House in | jif 1d Clerk Duckworth proceeded to read the message. Wben he had got half way through further reading wus dis- pensed with, and Leavitt of Alameda oved to make the message the special order for next Thursday afternoon at 2 oclock. In the meantime he said the members would have ample oppor- tunity to read the report, which would ap- p arin to-morrow’s journal Dennery raised a laugh by asking whether there was sufficient meney in the S:ate printing fund to print the message of the Governor. He tbought that it might be well to adopt the Governor's suggestion and have the message let out by private coniract to the lowest respon- sible bidder. Caminetti then took up the fight of the minority and asked for the appointment of a committee or to instruct the proper committee 10 bring back areport upon the discrepancies in the State Printer’s office as alieced in the Governor's message The speaksr was about 10 explain som thing 1 connection with the Governo:'s atlitude, when he was called to order by Leavitt. Dennery of San Francisco took the floor on a question of personal privilege. “The geatleman from Awmador has made the stateruent that he 18 not afraid to meet the issue, he said. I will sav 10 him that he will have ample opportunity to meet the issue next Thursday afternoon at2 o'clock.’” Governor. | | | HUNTINGTON WANTS TO COMPROMISE. FR ANKFORT, K .—The Southern Pacific Railroad has been awakenea by the contemplated suit of Attorney-General Taylor and has requested a conference with the Attorney-General, who has prepa; H untington has engaged Messr=, Humph in Kentuck munieation with him by wire. safe to say will offer compromise payment They want a conference with General Tayl They arranged for conference to-morrow, and it is red a suit which it his intention to file. rey end Davie, two of the most able lawyers , and to-day held a com- of taxes to the State. T will be refused unless the road agrees to come up to the letter and spirit of the law, and it now looks es if suit will be brought; and unless the road conforms to tha law a recommendation extra session of the Legislature. for the repeal of the char:er of the big company will be asked and contemplated by an board, asked for nor obtained the authority consent of the board required by the acts of 3 and 1895, above citea. Assembly bill No. 263, if it received my av- proval, would not amend or repeal these acts, nor d claims or indebteduesses atlempted to bé con- tracted in violation of them would not be pay avle out of the proposed appropriation, nor would future indebtedness sttempted fo be incurred be so payab e until the requirements o: the acts of 1893 and 1895 had been met. 1f it s proposed to exempt the Superintendent of State Prin ting from the provis.ons of ih scts, 10 relieve him from his present iega ligaiion to obtain the written cousentof the entire Board of Examiners before he shall in- cur a deficiency, 10 relieve him from the per- sanal liability provided for in the act of 1895, and to attempt to validate the indebtedness incurred in violation of these acts, then the proposed act is subject to the fatal constitu- tional objection jthat it embraces more than “one subject, which subject shall be ex- pressed in its title.” it )8 to meet a deficiency in an approvria- tion, if itis to serve as a relief bill for the Superintendent of State Printing, and if it attempts to validate indebiedness which the law states shall be iuvalid, it unquestionably relates to more ihan one subject to which proper expression is not given and which is not wise legislation. 1f my contention is true, and the proposed act is intended to effect & deficiency appropriation it will fail o accom- p-ish its purpose of paying deficiencies air incurred, or which wiil Le incurred, unti sions of existing laws relating es are complied with by the officer at e it was passed. 1 it is not in- tended as a deficieney within the meaning of the acts of 1893 and 1895, or if it is intended 10 exempt tbe Superintendent of S ate Print- ing and the indebtedness contracted by him from the provisions of these scts, this can only be accomplished by their amendment or re- | veal, which is no: effected or attempted. In middle aisle, | be and after McCabe's presence had been | Governor had returned without his | §rounds. 000 to rieet the deficiency | I thought at that time that the annual aporo either case the funds attempted to be appro- priated by this bill would not be available for the purpose intended. This is not a merely technical objection, but goes to the very integrity of our fiuancial safe- guards. If the Superiniendent of State Prin ing shull be exempted from the operation of laws which experience has evolved and which have proven wiss and economic, who shall be d by them? Why discriminate beiween e diffarent departments of the State Govern- ent? But I object to this bill on other than legal Tiwo years ago an effort was made to pay off all exist our institutions and affairs upon a cash basis. would be suff State t two fiscal years. 1 was aware of the practice of superintendents to ap- piy for _deficiencies during legisiative years, when it was almost impossible to refuse them 1t for the support of Office for the ne | when they have exhausted their appropria- tion, and I sent for the Superintendent of Stat Printicg, and upon his jersonal sssurance e message until the committee of | proposed avpropriation, that he wou that | | 1 \ i 1 Melick seconded the motion to lay over | the matter until Thursd By that time the committee would be able to tell whether or not there was any money in the State printing fund and also would be aple to make an estimate as to how much money would be needed. nesses, including the Governor, had been subpenaed before the committee, but did come. Caminetti returned to the charge and moved that the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to make an investi- gation isto the apparent discrepancies meationed in the Governor's veto mes- sage and to have its report on the same ready by next Thursday morning. Emmons (Fusionist) seconded the nomi- nation. At this juncture Guy ot San Diego thought that it would be more appro- vriate to refer that matter to the Com- mittee on Public Printing. The Com- mittee on Ways and Means had already reported favorably on the appropriation and had given their reasons in full. Dibble ended the matter by moving to lay Caminetti’s motion on the table, and it was so ordered by n vote of 39 to 24. The matter was thereupon made the spe- cial order for Thursdav afternoon. Appended is Governor Budd’s message complet To_the Honorable Assembly of the State of Cali- v approsaland with tions thereto. The title of the pro- making an appropriaiion EMEN: 1 return herewith Assem- | Several wit- | or the sup State Printing Office for the forty-eighth fiscal year,” while it 15 in- tended that it shail serve the purpose ot a defi- ciency appropriation. Under the provisions of the act of March 23, 1893 (Statutes of 1893, | puge . “No officer or employe 1n the serv- ice of ate shall heve power 1o create any | deficency in excess of any appropriation made br law cpt in case of actual necessi y, and only then uvon t taised > written authority first ob- the Governor, Secretary of State and ey-General, and any indebtedness at- tmpted 10 ve created against the State in violation of the provisious of thisact shall be aosolutely nuil and void and shall not be al- lowed by the State Board of Examiners.” Section 5 of the genersl appropriation act of 1895 (Statutes 1895, page 289) is more com- prebensive, and provides that no such at- tempted indebtedness shall be paid ont of any State appropriations, and that tne officer who crentes any such indebtedness without procur. ing the proper writien conscnt shall be 1iable therefor upon his officisl bond. “The superintendent of State printing has ot compiied with the provisions of either of the above acts; has not made to the State Jioard of Exsminers the required showing of “actual necessity.” nor has he obtained a cer- tificate “in writing, duly signed by every member of said bosrd, of the unavoidable ne- cessity of such cxpenditure’”’ By letter to this office of date February 3, 1897, Mr. John- sion, the superintendent, intimates that after January 18, 1897, a deficiency existed in th appropriation for the support of his office, his languuge being: *I desire to say that up to 18th day of January there was no defi- Ciency iu the_appropriation for the printing office, and therefore there could be 1o appli- ) made to the Board of Examincrs except ontemplated deficiency, which might or ot occur, although in all probabiiiiy 1t of work that would devoive upon by reason of the Legislature being session would require the expenditurs of more money than would be avaiiavle.” Notwithstanding this statement, long prior 1o the date of this letter, Mr. Johnston had made a written npplication to tne State Board of Examiners for a written recommendation 1o the Legisiature for the appropriation of £75,000 asked for in the bill under discussion. n 1 sent for Mr. Johnston, requesting that he should come before the board and be qes- tioned us 10 the necessity for the appropria tion, on_January 11, he withdrew his applica- | practice | the that he wou'd operate his office within the either liow nor create & deficiency, and with the derstanding that 1 would hot approve one, 1 made no objection to the allowsnce of $250, 000 for the support of his office and gave it my reluctent approval, it te:ng only the sec o when such a sum had been aliowed for the support of that institution in the forty-seventh fiscal year 1 be- e impressed 7ith the ides that extra: agance exisied in the managementand duct of the State Printing Office, which it was my duty to ecdeavor to reduce or prevent. Thelaw explicitly requires the Superintendent of State Printing to purchase only paper b contract, leaving & large number of srticles and supplies to be purchased by him as be mey see fit. A comparison of the prices he was paying for such les and supplies witn the prices paid by other departments of the which were purchased under contract, and also with bis different prices to different dealers, showed that he was paying in many instances a consiaerably higher price than was peid by the persous purchasing by contract. February 26, 1895, the State Board of Exam- iners unanimousiy authorized m to appoint A printing expert undensection 679 of the Po- litical Code, the Attornes-ueneral. Secratary of State aud the Governor being present. and in the July followine, learning that the farce of the printing office had been largely ii- creased, 1 appoinied Fred A Severy us such expert. The salary of this (flice was bu per month, its duties then doubtful, a d M. Severy resigned as expert und accepted & posi- sion under Mr. Johaston. The increasecon- tinued until the payroll for the last two weeks of October amounted to about $I000 as against less than £4000 for the highest payrol of the June precedine. Immediately after the city election of 1595 it decrcased rapidly, the number o1 employes being reduced from 150 on the last payroll in October to 71on the | first payroil in December. After this date the roli increased gradually untii just prior to the end of the forty-sevenih fiscal vear. In July, 1896, the State Board of Examiners, on the usual afiidavit, allowed a payroll, cov- ering July 1 10 Juiy 18, and learning later that during a portion of that time the State Printing Office hind been closed, and that the employes had performed no Service. at the meeting of the board held July 23, 1896, Mr. Markeley and the Governor being we considered the matter, and following the resolution of February 26, 1895, C. M. Harri- son was elected as & printing expert. At tached to the claim which the Supcrintendent of State Printing presented for the dates from July 1 to Julv 18, was & siatement that items constituting the claims herein were curred in the mauner and on the dates above shown, and that the services hercin mentioned were actually rendercd.” This statement was signed and sworn to, At the next meeting of the board the Super- intendent of State Printing, on Inyitation, ap- peared before the board and admitted 'the closing of the State Printing Office for abont twelve days during the time between July 1 and 18, and gave as his reason for the_presen: tation of a claim for services which had not been rendered, thatan equal amount of ser- vice had been performed by the persons on the roll during the legis ative session oi 1893, in working overtime, for which they had not been paid. The payrolls of 1895, being pro- duced, showed that some of the persons whose names appeared upon this roil had slready Leen paid for overtime in 1895, and that one of them was not on the payroll during the said legiSiative session. In explanatioa of this latter circums ance, the Superintendent said, in effect, that those persons would have to work it out in overtime during the coming Legislature. At the same meeting, but at later hour, Mr. Johnston offered u_furcher ex- planat aying that the claim was put in to cover the time 0f a vacation which it was the to ailow his resular employes, al- though all of the persons whose name ap- peared upon the objected-to roll were em- ployed by the day. Before the selection of Mr. Harrison as print- ing expert, the Attorney-Genera: had given his written opiaion to the Controier in Seavery’s case, that such appointment w tment th legal. Immediately upon bis appoi question was raised as to his powers and dutie wnd 1 commuuicated with the Attorney- General, saying, amoug other things, the following: “Lam nuwilling in the future to pass on_the claims of the State Printer untii they have been referred to some person for a thorough nvestigation as to their correctness, or evidence be taken independentof the ordinary affidavit. Our Secretary, not being a printer, cannot examine these matters properly. It was for this reason tuat 1 wrote asking your views as to the expert’s duties, but have re- ceived no answer thereto. 1f, in your judg- ment, his duties hzve been abolished, 1 will accept the situatiou; but, unless we have the right to appoiut an expert, both should urge sext Legis'ature Lo provide for one. On August19,at s meeting of the State Board of Examiners, Mr. Harr.son appearcd belore it and requested permission to examine the pay- roll of toe State Printing Office; the permission was denied, and he made 10 further effort to perform th duifesof printing expert. Since that time the members of the Boatd of Examiners other than myself huve approved the claims or payrolls of the Superintendent of State Printing. Not having a technical knowl. edge of the detatls of such an institution, and beiug convinced that unnecessary extra gance existed 1n the managementof certain depariments of the oflice, I have been unw ing to assume the responsibility of sanction- ing the same. The Atiorney-General and the Secretary of State bave always been willing 10 join in a personal examination of the State Printing Offtice, and 10 this arrangement Mr. Johnston has readily agreed. As no member of the board nor the Secreifry possesses any special or technical knowledge sufficient togive other than a superficial ar impericet examination of this office I bave deferred action until the meeting of your honorsble body, hoping for & chanee in the laws regulating the State's printing, I have no personal feeling in the matter, and in my recent message to the Assembly and Senate recommended that changes be made in our system of public printing, (o take effect at the “expiration of the lerm of the in- cumbent. In view of the occurrences since the assembling of the Legislature, I urge that some change take place at once.’ Wnile the tion und has not eince appeared before the | Legislaiure was considering my message I es it attempe In words to do so, and | w0 de- | ng indebtedness and to pluce | Printing | present, | deemed it for the best interests of all parties and the State that but sufficient money to pay | for State printing during the present session of the Legisinture should be appropriated. I | am now moze strongly of that opinion. Prior to January 11 last'the Superintendent | of State Print aminers Lis appiication for a recommendation to the Legisiature for an appropriation of | $75,000." At the meeting of January 11, 1897, | he was sent for that he might make the show | ing required by the acts above mentloned, | and be examined as to the necessity for such deficiency, whereupon he appesred, offered no proof, but_withdrew his apolication, and | the next'any the bill under coasideration was introduced. My information is that Mr. Johnston claims that the work entailed upon him by the new- 1y created Bureau of Highways, the State Dairy Burean, the Code Commission ana the litigation of the Railroad Commissioners, was responsible for the exhaustion of his funds, and necessitated the deficiency from which he seeks relief. His recent official report to me, dated September 15, 1896, shows that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, he had ex- pended of the appropriation for the support of his office $146,000 59, or much more than oue-haif of his total appropriation. JIn ad- dition he had us:d of stock on hand | 12,085 79, making a total expenditure for taat yeur of $158,086 35. When it is remembered that the legislative | printing required for that year for the 1 first session amounted to over $7890 7 tnatit was ot the year upon whica the nial reports of the State officers and institu- | tious were printed, the fact 1s sufficient to put the most indifferent upon inquiry. Mr. John- ton’s explanation that it was the printing for | the new bodies which causes the deficiency ioses all its force when we find that the chas for printing during that time for the Code Comumission, the Bureau of Highways and ihe Dairy Bureal azgregated-iess than $550. The y expenditure for the jorty-seventh fiscal sear made the deficiency in the forty-eighth &lmost unayoidable. Section 53] of the Political Code requires the Superiutendent of State Printing to make yearly report to the Governor, in writing, ‘embracing a record of the complete transac- tions of his office for the precediug fiscal vear, which report skail show in d>tail all the item’s of expense of the office, iuciuding repairs and the purchase of materia s of all kinds.” Un- | der section 6 of article V of the constitution | the Governor is authorized ‘o require infor- mation in writing from the officers of the ex- ecutive department, upon any subject relut- ing 10 the duties of their respective vflices.” | When apylication was made to the Board of Examiners for a recommendation to the Leg- | islature for an aporopriation, end later, aiter such application had been withdrawn, and the | bill nnder discussion had beea introduced 1in the Assembly, I endeavored by every means to secure a statement from the Superintendent | of State Printing, or & proper showing of the necessity for the deficiency, or of the ressons why this bill should bacome a law. His report 1s incomplete and ancatisfactory Atiwo meetings of the board succeeding the introduction of Assembly bill 263 Johnston was notified of such meetings aud requested 1o uppear and he failed to do so. 1 csused let- ters 10 be written to Johnston soliciting infor- mation bearing upon this matter and not o | tained in hisreportand I failed to secure what | was required, the excuse being lack of time. On February 2, 1897, I personally communi- cated with him, askiog for his reasons for not complying with the requirements of the act of | 1893 and why the pending bili shoula become & iuw. Ihave exhausted my legal and consti tutional rights in an endeayor tosccure the fncts necessary 1o enable me 1o act upon this matter with the proper degree of knowledge and, not_veing met by the explanation, I re- urn the bill to you, with my objzctions there- to, for further action,and 1 append the cor- respondence between Mr. Johnston and this office. 1 ask your attention to the reportsof the Superintendent of State Printing, where we would expect to find a proper and thorough account of the cxpenditures of the funds for the support of his oflice. For the forty-sixth fiscal year Mr. Johnston and cnarges himself with $162,370.13, made up of puy of empioyes, the purchase of material, permanent improvements and like items, and again-t this sum he credits himself 'with printing to a like amount, his accounis for ihat year balancing. (Pages5, 10, 11 and 14, report 1895.) The report for the forty-seventh year shows a very different state of facts. This was a non- legisiative year, and Mr. Johnston expended for employes, materia's, improvements and Iike purposes 146,000 59, and credits himsel{ | with onl; $82,257 82 of printing done for all the departments of the State government. | 1f to this we add the ¥4558 20 cnarged for lithographing, which may not be included in the charges for printing against the depari- ments, and the 7590 75 for legislative print- ing, which both Teports say is chargeable to the preceding year, the total credit amounts t0 594,706 45. Th.s leaves a balance of % 3 84 unaccounted for. If we credit Mr. Jounston - with repairs, improvements and permanent materiai, which would not be ac- cording 1o his system (pages 5. 10 1o 14 of the report of 1895), a balance ot $39,295 26 yet re- mains to be accounted for. Even if he claims a credit for sums ex- pended in permanent improvements and ma- terials, which he has not done in previous re- ports, and the cost of which he has charged up to the printing done, he used duriug this year $12,000 worth of stock with which he should be charged. We therefore have, port, & balance of $51,2: from his appropriation, which, with the 12,085 76 of stock used, makes a total of $63/379 60, for which no account is mad: | the Superintendent’s report. I have no doubt | that Mr. Johnson will be able to satisfaciorily according to his own re- 293 84 unaccounted for | explain this matter, but as yet he has not | done so. In this connection I would point out that the Legislature printing for the forty-:eventh fiscal year amounted to 0,148 while against th work W narged $100,898 15 paid for pay of employes a tha material or supplies used. ne, or $10,7 9 50 more charged for wages the entire work done, not counting the Even at these fig- | ures, in which the amount charged for print- | ing does not nearly equal the cost of it, I am convinced that such charges are excessive and | tast if the work done was charged a* the rate at which it could be procured from private concerns, the disproportion would be much greater. The incressed business and larger number of documents required for different offices nave caused Insome instances san in- crease in their priating expenses. Having no positive information in other cases, I have taken my own office as an example, and if the | charges in other departments are as excessive as tuey have been in this instance, the charges made for work—not to speak of the cost of the | work—is out of all proporiion to what the same class of work couid be done for by private con- | tract or incividual enterprise. The work I have had done includes the | binding of # complete set of the reports of all of tne officers and institutions o} the State from tne beginning of its history. This s an invaluable collection and remains for the permanent use of the Governor's office. The | remaining work done for this office hassbeen in my judgment necessary. I submitted a statement ol the work done for my office, not | fucluding the binding of the books mbove | mentioned, for which | was charged $4625 85 | by the Siate Printing Office, (0 au expert rinter connected with one of ihe leading San Tancisco printing establishments. The ex- | pert_ was employed by Mr. James H. Barry of the Star, and he was furnished with the neces- | sary description and samples for making an estimate of the cost of the work. He was fur- nished no information as to the prices charged | by the Superintendent of State Printing, and where no sample of the work was suppiied I have allowed Mr. Johnston's prices. For the work upon which I asked for estimntes Mr. | Johnston had charged me $4625 85; ¢ amount at which the San Francisco printer estimated it could be done was $2013 30—or consiaerable less than one-half of the State office charge. 1will not attempt to locute the reason for such excessive cos.. That abuse exists, there can be no question, On June 10, 1895, the State Board of Educa- tion passed aTesolution directing the Super- intendent of State Printing o print no more copies of a certain grammar until the furtber order of the board. The State Board of Educa- tion is & sevarate coustitutional body, with full power and authorily to adopt such reso- lution, and the Superintendent was in law bound by it. The reason of the resolution con- cerned only the board, and the respousibility restec exclusively with it. But notwithstand. ing this resolution, by which he should have been legatly bound. and in violation of it, 10,000 copies of the grammer were printed aiter September, 1895 A new grammar has since been issued; but few of the old gram- mars e being cailed for, ana there was on hand February 1, 1897, 7619 copies of this book, necording 10 the ‘official report of the Superintendent of State Printing for the mouth of January, 1897. During the time from November, 1894, to December, 1896, coal of the character and grade used at the State Printing Oftice was be- ing purchased under contract for the use of the engincer's department at the Capitol building, at prices ranging from $9 25 to £9 35 per ton. During this time the ~uperin- tendent of Siate Printing was purchasing coal ig_filed with the Board o Ex- | | certified 1o without quali | | | of inexpert pi of no greater value in open market at prices rancing from $10 to 11 per ton. In May, 1896, the Bosrd of Examiners insisted that the Superintendent shou'd aavertise for coal, in addition to other supplies. Bids were re- ceived and opeaed in his office June 12, 1896. he being present and acting with the board, to award the contract, he being a member of it for that purpose. The contract was awarded the nextduy, to teke eflect July 1. The per- son from whom the coal had previously been purchased did Dot get the contrect, it being awarded to another party at $9 04 per ton. The day the bids were opened Mr. Jonnston ordered seveniy-five tons of coal irom the pacty with whom he had been dealing. The coal was delivered, but before it could be con- sumed the Superintendent had placed in his office an electrical-power plant. This power ‘was contracted for 1L & most unsatisfactory manner. The electrieal company first com- municated with the Board of kxaminers, re- Qquesting that they be given a contract to fur- nish power for the State Printing Ofiice. The board transmitted this communication to the Superintendent of State Printing and Te- quested that he should inform tnem what sav. ing, if any, would be effected by utiiizing elec- trical power. No apswer was made to this communication, and our next information upon the subjeet was when claims were presented to_the boerd for the purchase of dynamos and electrical apparatus, aggregating o 500. There- aiter a monthly ciaim of $230 was presented to the board for allowance. This ciaim was neid for investigation, and later an officer of the elecirical company appeared before the board and stated that he had made a contract with the State Printer to furnish fifty horse- power, or as_much thereof as the Superin- lendent should require, at & monthly charge 01$230. He made such statements before the board howed that the power was not being used to economic advaniage and read a long statement showing how it could be more satis- factorily utilized. He declined 1o file this statement with the board unul he bad sub- mitted it (0 the State Printer, with whom he had been dealing. The statement was never filed. The purchase of this eiectrical ap- paratns and plant has not reduced, as 1 under- stand it, the mouthly expenses of that depart- ment for power, and has not resulted in a saving to the State. It has reduced the amount of coal purchased under the new a rangement and has prevented a comparison of costs with the previous arrangement. Asun evidence that the printing charged to the departments in this State has not in- creased during the past year to any great ex- tent, although the cost of the printing offics has, 1 give the following amounts charged to the various departments for the last six years, Forty-fi Foriy-sixih fi cai year.. .. Foriy-seventh fiscaly ear. It is fmpossible for an inexperienced person to estimate what, if any, extravagance exists in the State Printing Office, and the testimony ersons possesses little value. The Superiatendent ot Siate Printing fn his report and his letters to me states that a record is preserved in his office of all work done by him. These books should show the capacity of the presces, the number of impressions pos- sible in a day,and number and capacity of the compositors and the quantity and charac- ter oi binding done in any stated time. From this record the exact cost of any particular piece of work could be readily ascertained by an experienced person. AsI have not re- ceived the information requested from the State Printer I am consirained to rely upon a statement from Mr. W. M. Taylor, at present of San Francisco, and formerly employed as foreman the State Printing Department, whose ability and capability Mr. Johnston has (Report 186204, page 20). Spenking of the liscal year, ending June 30, 1896, Mr. Taylor sexrs: It is true that the rates paid in the State Printing Office are rather high, and in some cases extravagantly so, but if the difference between these rates and those paid in San Fr be an iusignificiut factor in the total of wast On the labor side of the question of economy in the conduct of this department the exces- sive cxpenditures are caused not so mucn by the raie peid to each workman, but almost wholly by the unwarranted number of hands yed to do the nmited amount of work. 'nis is Llustrated by & late experience 1n the office, and may be recounted as follows: “This is the ‘off’ fiscal year in printing for the State—no reporis, no legislat) work, etc. Pending the recent canvass of the eleciion of Mayor, etc., in Sacramento it was thought necessery to zive cmqln)mcnl to about 100 viris in the bindery. hess girls were paid $10 to F12 per week. These fizures may be verified by the Controller's and Treasurer's books. The office contained seven pr which do the priating to keep these girls m ployed. The remaining four presses are for »mall jobwork. The capacity of these presses is about 6500 impressions per day of eight hours; total, 45 per day. Messrs. Phillips L Whelan, bookbinders here, state that their girls fold 3000 in nine hours each; tor eight hours this is about 2650. From the 100 girls deduct ten for miscellancous work, leaving ninety folders, wh en multiplied by 2650 makes a total of 235,500 sheels, which they should fold per day, sgainst 43,000 print per day. “Presses—Capacity number of presse: sheets per day “Girls—Capacity, 2650 sheets per day; num- ber of giris, 90; total capacity, 238,500 sheels per day. “Forty-five thousand sheets divided among 0 gir.s equals 500 sheets per dey each; 45,- 000 sheets divided by 2650 (a fair day’s work for one gir}) equaix 17, the actuai number ot &irls requited, sbowing the employment of five and & third times 100 many “Seveuteen girls from 90 gi average wage ol $11 per week, equals of $803 per week. 3 ‘As & matter of fact, the presses do not aver- age 4500 per day. 1 make no pretense that these figures are absolutely exact.” There is no reason why the printing of this State should cost so much more than it does in other States, nor why the price of ink and material in the State Printing Office should be 50 much griater than et the public printing office at Washington, D. . In Inaiana the publie printing is let by contract and costs about $£50,000 aupuaily. in Illinois the last biennial expenditure for th+t purpose was printing $52,000, binding $28 000, book and cover paper £10.000. gan the public printing is let bv contract. In the latter Stats the cost for 1894-95 for print- ine and binding was ¥119,000, stationery ),000 additional, icluding swck. In Wis- consin the ¢ist for two years’ printing. includ- ing stock and_printine of Biue Book and ceusus, w $117,241. The three States, Wis- constn, Michigan and_Iliinois, with a population of over 7,500,000 people, little more for their biennial printin does the State of California, witn a population of less than 1,250,000. In the table of expenditures 1ssued b University of New York for the years 18 the cost of the public printing of every State in the Union is given,and it shows that in California the cost for that purpose is many times greater than in other States. 1 append that taole. 1 believe that a bill should be passed appro- priating sufficient money for the printing re- quired by the Legisiature; that in the mean- time we may consider what, if any, changes should be made in the system of the State Printing Office or in the regulation of i1s €x- penditures. I belleve that provision should oe made for the employmentof an experienced end capsble persob as a printing expert, with such power and authority as wou'd enable him 10 exsmine or investigate a1l work done or ¢x- penditures made on account of our public Drintiug, and to 1€port to the Board of £xam- iners upon all claims for printing presented to them for allowance. 1 would suggest that for the next two years specific appropriatious be made 10 each de- partment or office of the State requiring print- ing ofan amount equal to half of the yearly average amount coarged against them for work dome during the preceding four years and that they be permitied to procure such printing as they may rcquire at establish- ments owned by Private parties by contract or otherwise as you may requiic, tuelr ciaims to be subject to the allowance of the Board of Examiners. I would recommend no interference with the authority of the Superintendent of State Printing other than as nbove stated, but at the expiration of his term, I believe, as I siated in my recent message, that great econ- omy would result irom the letting of our pub- lic printing by contract 1o the lowest biader. A striking instance of the lax methods pur- sued fu the State Printing Office came 10 my attention while considering the bill under discussion. In response to a request to the Superintendent of State Printing to {urnish me with a statement of the items of charge against my predecessor aud myself for print- ine 1 received a statement of date January 27. 1897. Everv article which I have ever ordered Irom this office is carefully charged. As to the account of my predecessor 1 have little data from Which 1o verify it, but few ex- ponses for lithographing are charged against im. We commenced our orders on No. 21 of the ‘orders of his order-book, there being eighteen preceding orders for printing given during the last few months of his administra- ton, of which but one order is charred to his account in the statement made me. When the mesger data at my command show such extra- ordinary irregularities I cannot when coupling the same with other iacts herein set forth approve a bill that exemors the printing office from the expianations required by the laws in Iying for a deficiency. P Jegtet the necassity which requires this attitude of apparent antagonism toward you, and in returning this bill without my ap: proval disclaim any purpose other than to subserve the public weliare. 1 cannot sanction the incurring of an in- debtedness by an officer of our State govern- ment without necessity and in conflict with the provisions of the act from which he derived his oflicial support. 4500 sheets perday; 7; total capacity, 43,000 at an a waste * ensus tion in his report | icisco were calculated the figures would | In Wisconsin and Michi- | TAXPAYERS TIRED OF BEING BLED Too Many Bills to Create New Commissioners for the State. Great Opposition Shown to the Scheme to Build a Series of New Highways. Treacy Says the Who'e Bill Is “a Rob cn the City and Couaty of San Francisco.” SBACRAMENTO, Cavn., Feb. 9.—There are a large number of bills now before the House creating new commissions and perpetuating the old, all the commissicn- ersto be appointed by Governor Budd and the majority of them to be Demo- crats. The® commissioners to be created by the bills before the House or whose existence is [to be perpetuated by them are Warehouse Commissioners, Highway Commissioners, Labor Commissioners, Code Commissioners, Commissioner on Public Works, Sociological Commissioner, Exposition Commissioners and many | more too numerous to be remembered | among the 800 odd bills now befcre the | Assembly. Many of the most thoughtful Republi- cans in tne House have determined to make a material reduction in taxes before the close of the session, and they will to | that end lop off all or nearly all of those { commissions which have the faculty of | absorbing large quantities of public | money with nothing to show for it except a very smail quantity of biennial reports. To-night the joint Committee on Roads and Highways met in the Assembly cham- ber for the purpose of considering the | State highway bill. It provides for the appointment by the Governor of three Commissioners to lay out a system of State highwazs. The sub-committee pre- sented a substitute reducing the commis- eion to one member, and placing in his | hands simply the power to work 1 con- junction with the Surveyor of each county, in the State. Highway Commissioner Maud made a speech to the committee upon the merits of the original bill. Caminetti of Amador opposed the sys- tem of State highways. They would not | do in Amador County. What his people | wanted was good roads to Sacramento and Stockton, so that they could haul their | products to those towns in competition with the Southern Paciic Company, whose rates on the branch lines and spurs were so high that the farmers to-day were successfully competing with wagons | aganst the railway company, notwith- | standing the muddiness and otherwise | bad condition of the roads in that county. | Price of Sonoma opposed the bill and favored the substitute. The bill ook the control of the roads out of the hands of the county authorities. He was a farmer and had an interest in good roads, and his constituents had expressed their opinions to him. It would not be politic or wise to take the roads out of the hands of the counties to remove them farther the people. Added to that there was the | great expense of §3000 each to three Com- | missioners, §:800 10 a secretary and $1500 to a stenographer, besides other items. The substitute required county surveyors and Supervisors to furnish data to one | Highway Commissioner, who should act | in each connty jointly with the Surveyor and Supervisors. | . “My people in Sonoma County,” added | Mr. Price, “are sick and tired of the | creating of these commissions to dip their hands into the public purse, | Ennis of Sacramento was opposed to | the Supervisors building roads. Super- | visors in Sacrament> had spent $50,000 on roads and had not a decent highway in the county. They had been conspicnous failures, as the Supervisors of most of the other counties hac been failures as road ‘builders. Treacy of fan Francisco could not see how San Francisco could be benefited by being taxed for the benefit of the farmers. Caminetti remarked that whenever three men are in office for three or four years they work to perpetua‘e themselves in office. That was the reason why the Highway Commissioners were opposed to the substitute catting down the number | to one. | *“Tuore three commissioners evidently expe:t to succeed themselves.” He said ulso that the original bill proposed the building up of an army of employes by the Highway Commissioners. It would be cheaper to have three commissioners and oblige them to do all the surveying and engineer work themselves than to have one commissioner and allow him to hire an army of men to do the work tor him. According to the admission of the Burean of Hizhways twenty vears would be required to build all the 10ads outlined in the bill. His people and the people of other counties were opposed to being taxed for nineteen years before they would receive a mile of road. Under the substitute the system of State highways would be begun in each county in the State simultaneously. Another objection to the .ill was that the system of proposea State highways ran parallel nortn and soutb, and that there were no crossroads —none running east and west. Under the substitute bill a State highway must run from the county seat to the county seats of all the counties adjoining. Commissioner Maud said that he and another commissioner had observed a cooiness toward the commission on the part of Mr. Caminetti, and that was prob- ably the reason why the bureaun did not cali on the gentleman from Amador. | " Melick lamented the coolness existing | between the commissioners and certain members of the Legisiature. He had come 1o the Assembly with a feeling that the bureau should be wiped out, but he thought it should have a fair hearing and a thorough investigation. Mr. Caminetti, be added, had overlooked the fact that | the mountains and valleys of California | ran north and south instead of east and | west, and that that was the reason why | the great lines of the proposed State high- ways tan northerly and southerly. Commissioner Maunson said the bureau would lay before the sub-committee ail the data in their possession and would gladly co-operate with them. The committee adjourned until Thurs- day evening. Afier the adjournment of the meeting Treacy of San Francisco said to a CALL porier: “The whole bill isa robon the Citv and County of San Francisco. We have to pay for our own streets and out of our own funds. 1 shall oppose both the bill and the substitute on "the floor of the House when it comes up.” g o IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, Budd’s Feto Messuge Causes a Joke Abaut State Printing. SACRAMENTO, CaL., Feb. 9.—At the morning session of the Assembly the San Diego Normal School bill was made a special order for to-morrow. The debris bill was then taken up and passed a sec- ond readinz and was made a special order for Thursday morning. ‘When Belshaw’s bill restricting the | NEW TO-DAY—CLOTHING. EVEN TOWSER (ANNOT TCAR'EM The above swits are made in the double-breasted style —full - weight gdoods. It wouldn’t be amiss if we charged $6 for 'em. They're all wool and color Suaran- teed. The colorings are beautiful, pretty over- plaids, neat checks and mixtures for spring, 97 ; coloringds that the little fel- lows can wear to school, for dress; colorings that don’t show the dust or dirt ; ages 9 to 15 years. To-day in our big Ju- venile Department at —$2.75.— (00000000 0CO000000000000I00C00000C0 (0000000000000 From Bonny Scotland Come those sturdy Ban- nockburn cheviots. You can’t put anything on yowr boy that will wear like ’em. They're as toush as iron— wear like buckskin—and the colorings are remark- ably pretty. Our larde ju- venile window is chock-a- block with ’em. $5 is the real valwe of ’em, and the price to-day i -—$2.75.-- OO0 0000000000000 Strength and Durability Are everything in the malke up of clothes for the little fellows. Some remarkably swell Reefer Suits, made from the Bannockburn cheviots; for strength, durability and handsome effects cannot be equaled by any other fabric in the market to-day. They ar very prettily braided, made with deep sailor collar, lit- tle buckle on the trousers, cuffs braided, and what pretty colorings. Youw'll say they’re worth $6 when yow see’em ; for lads and tots, ades 3 to 10 years. In our big Juvenile De- partment to-day at —$2.75.— 00000000000 OO Co000CCO0C0CCCOCC) RAPHAEILSS INCORPORATED) v LIRS 9, 11, 13 and 15 SCO BOYS—— Kearny Street. number of attaches at future sessions came up, Shanahan offered a substitute to make the restrictions take place im- mediately, but the substitute was beaten and the bill passed. Speaker Coombs announced that the record showed only fifty-three members instead of fifty-four, as he supposed last night, voted to suspend the constitution. The clerks were investigatine ana if the facts were as now appeared the bills passed last night would have to be voted on again. Dennis Jordan's claim bill was taken up and Caminetti spoke in favor of and Cutter in nrposi(l\m 10 the bill. After speeches in favor of the bill by Leavitt, Shanaban and Melick, the previ- ous question was ordered and the Jordan claim was pasted by 51 ayes to 8 noes. A message from Governor Budd was received, announcing his approval of the Guatemala exposition and bicycle bills, also the bills relating to railroads 5000 feet above sea level. Speaker Coombs here announced that the error had been discovered in the roll- call last night. The error was corrected, | making the necessary fifty-four votes and | obviating the recessity of passing the claims bills again. The Governor’s message accompanying his veto of the printing bill was taken up in the Assembly at 3 o'clock this after- | noon. The message was only partly read, the further reading being dispensed witn | on motion, as it will be printed in the | journal. After the motion was carried | Dennery raised a laugh by moving to let the printing of the messaze out by con- tract, stating it was apparent that the printer had not sufficient funds to print such a lengthy document. Caminetti replied that the lack of funds was not created by the Governor. Upon motion, the consideration of the bill and | message was made a special order for | ‘Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock. The second reading file was taken up | and partly read. The morning session of the Senate was entirely devoted to argument on the various articles in the new county govern- ment act. Morgan continued his speech agawnst the measure. The Senate consumed the afternoon con- sidering the county government act, that portion of the act relating to specific salaries occupying most of the time. When time came for adjournment Manoney introduced a resolution provid- ing for the printing in pamphlet form of the testimony taken by the San Francisco delegation in considering the carfare bill. The resolution was voted on and lost. Several bills were introduced out of order, among which was one by Dwyer providing for the use of convict-worked stone on public buildings, and one by Simpson, regulating the use of commuta- tion tickets issued by transportation com- panies. The Finance Committee reported favor- ably the bill making an appropriation for the dredging of the Sacramento River. e e Will Please Commuters. SACRAMENTO, Car., Feb. 9.—Ferry commuters will be interested in the bill mtroduced to-day by Senator Toner. lts principal provision is as follows: Aoy transportation company selling or fs- suing commutation tickets of any kind or character shall be compelled to recognize them at any time when presented for passage by the person entitled to use the same, if pre- sented during the limitaton or hife’ of the ticket. At the present time a commuter who fails to use his ticket on any day dvring the month loses the unpunched portion of his ticket. Thus, if the holder of a commutation ticket fails to use his ticket on Sunday he cannot travel back and forth twice on any other day during the menth. Under the proposed law it will be possible for a commuter to make as many return trips during the month as there are days in it, and such trips can be made on any day or days as suits his con= venience. I A child just born has less chance of liv- ing a year than an octogenarian NEW TO-DAY. It’s easy and cheap to make a baking pow- der that will raise things “ beautifully ;” but it’s a differ- ent matter to make one that is at the same time pure and wholesome. So “Trophy” is not so very cheap. r Tillmann & Bende), Mf)