San Andreas independent., 1858-02-06
sATuRDAYr~.FEBRuARY s. 1s5a.
Hospital for Inyalids

ent and prospective necessity of State
Hospital for nvalsds- Deemfng this a
matter of decided interest to the people
OF the State, especially in the mining
counties, We recur to it again.
In the present state of things, there is
positively no provision against individual
want and suffering, but in the voluntary
offerings of private charity, whilst it is a
well known fact that in proportion to
population, in none of the States of this
Union, are there so many fs subjects for
a public provision in this behalf as in
California. That we have no State insti-
tuition of this kind, is solely attributable
to the carelessness of our past legislatures
In regard to the wants of the people,
Members cannot certainly reason that it
rs sound political economy, or wise states
manship to balance the cost of the estab-
lishment against its necessity, and set it
aside on the plea of too heavy taxation
For the same reason would suspend the
Asylum for the insane, which is the pride
OF the State, and should forever close the
mouths of those who are vociferating for
the construction of State Capitol, at
cost of 81 100000.
Whatever has become a great necessity
to the people of the State, or to any Sec
tion comprising majority, should not be
elbowed aside on the pretext of impolicy,
economy or anything else. When the
sentiment of the majority demands thing,
it is understood that they are willing to
pay for it. The people of the mines de-
mand Hospital or two for their invalids,
and if other sections of the State are un-
willing to assist in its erection and sup
port, the miners will most readily submit
to Especial tax adequate thereto. Setting
aside their right to divert the revenue
from. the Foreign Miners licenses into
this channel, and also the idea of an In
crease of taxation on property in the
mines, over present assessments, let us
see how we could raise fund for this
purpose:
By the returns of the late State elec-
tion, it appears that the mining counties
polled, in round numbers, 55 900 votes,
which is at least 10000 short of their
real voting strength. If we put it at
$4,000, We shall be very near the real
number. Now, in addition to the poll
tax paid by these seventy-fve thousand
voters, we propose that an ACT be passed
by the present legislature, levying tax
of one e1osbay head, for Miners Hos
pital fund So far from this creating any
dissatisfaction among those who would be
called upon to pay it, we are quite sure
an opposite sentiment would prevail
never would dollar be paid with more
alacrity by the miner. If we deduct
from this say ten per cent. for assessment
and collection, we shall have nett amount
of SCI, 900. We may safely assume that
this amount will be enough to carry the
idea into practice for one year Substan-
tial buildings might be erected to begin
with, at cost of not exceeding $40, 600;
and estimating the expense of keeping an
invalid, at what the Superintendent of
the Stockton Asylum gives as the yearly
cost of each inmate under his charge
s370-the fund left, after deducting the
cost of the building, would be sufficient
to maintain 154 persons annually. So
much towards ameliorating the sufferings
of the invalid miners, can be accom-
plished, by any gentleman in the House
or Senate, who will take the trouble to
draw up billand present the matter fair
Iy before the Legislature, without detri-
ment to the rights or interests of any
body whatever Whoever initiates the
measure will cndcar his name to the whole
mining fraternity.
We merely give the foregoing as plan
Sor beginning, feeling perfectly assured
that when once fairly set to work, its
great utility would be so apparent to all,
that property would not shrink from tax
alton for this specific purpose. We should,
for the convenience of both extremes of
the State, have Hospital at Stockton
and another, say at Marysville; for, in a
few years, the saving in travelling expen-
ses would more than compensate the
cost of an additional building.
Who will take the lead in the matter !?
Shall we not hear from the Calaveras del
egation? What say you, gentlemen?-
Are you not anxious to secure the graft
tude and esteem of your constituents p
If SO, here is good opening. /" Pitch