The Placer herald., 1873-12-13

ed true spirit of reform, and were necessary,
but it has now degenerated not only to parsi-
mony but down to meanness. The day after
my last letter was mailed, resolution was in
troduced TO elect
CHAPLAIN,
and long squabbe over this was followed by
the Rev Mr. Bonte being elected Chaplain,
with salary of five dollars per diem. I-aine
fought this on the ground that the Code did not
provide for an attache of this kind, and made
some facetious remarks about prayer. Edger-
ton supported the resolution and Perkins added
his weight to the side of praying. The best
joke out of it, and it was a serious one was,
that the Rev. gentleman prayed particularly for
those who would not recognize the Almighty,
evidently meaning thereby Tom. Laine.
STATIONERY.
The next res olution in the programme was
one offered by McKusick of Eldorado. Under
this resolution each Senator is compelled to
make a requisition by an order directed to the
Secretary of State for what stationery he wants
and the kind which order is to be filed and an
account kept by the Secretary of State, which
account is to be published in the Comptroller's
report, and the name of the Senator appear op-
posite the same. The passage of this was Sc
cured by Mr.. McKusick stating that the 10Th
Session was charged with 81 410 for stationery
by the Secretary of State, which makes over
one hundred and eighty dollars for each. He
also stated that the 18th and 10Th Sessions of
the Legislature cost, outside of the Senator's S
salary, 40 and AZ thousand dollars each.
MIR. Edgerton introduced joint resolution
for
INFRINGEMENT,
whereby Committee of two from the Senate
and three from the Assembly were appointed to
inve stigate the expenses of our State Govern
ment, with power to send for persons and pa
pers, adm mister oaths, etc, and to devise means
and report bill to reduce the expenditures of
the government He advocated this as necessa
ry to proper economy.
COUNTING.
Another resolution was passed requiring the
Sergeant at Arms to count the reports received
by him from the Secretary of State. Verify,
suspicion aboundeth amongst the officials
Many of these reports had better never have
been pubshed-the State would have saved
thereby thousands of money.
SALARIES OF ATT CHEs.
This has been a constant subject of growl,
the economists using the old saying, hundreds
would serve for less, p" and reduction has new
er yet been attained. The salaries of all the at
taches ought to be fixed and at such sums as
will obtain respectable men for the places.
THE ATTACHES
of the present session nearly all gentlemen
and boys OF fine appearance, and are kind and
courteous in their behavior, and attentive to
business.
A few bills of general Importance have been
introduced, one by Roach, to establish Train
ing Ship at San Francisco. This may be the
solution of the hoodum question. The same
gentleman introduced joint resolution in
structins our Senator and requesting our Rep
resentatives to have law passed reducing the
duty on bags to fifteen per cent, aud make bag
ying and jute free. He stated that we imported
i6, 32S, 900 bags. upon which the farmer paid a
duty of forty per cent
General Evans bill to tax incumbered real
estate the bill simply deducts the amount of
he lien on the property from its value and taxes
the res due.
Tuttle introduced bill to change the consti-
tuition so as to make the Legislature meet 2nd
Tuesday of January every other year and only
hold 80 days.
Edgerton one for the supplying light, fuel
and stationery for our officers and Legislature
by the lowest bidder and given under sealed
proposals.
McKusick one to supply the State officers
with the same on some other plan.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Finney introduce bill to enforce the educa-
ton Of children in California. This is his old
hobby, and since he has got the endorsement OF
the Governor he may succeed in his effort.
NEWSPAPERS.
The subject of newspapers was called up by
Mr.. Keys introducing resolution authorizing
the Sergeant alarms to provide each Senator
with five daily newspapers their equivalent
in weeklies and fifteen dollars in postag,
stamps. Duffy asked division, and the news
papers were first taken up. Laine bounced the
whole-caled it an addition to the Senators
his objections. He is the reformer par excel
lence. Oulton seems also to have an abhor-
renee to papers, especially county papers. He
said two of the morning papers were enough for
my Senator to read and digest, and he should
buy those for himself. There was but little
said by the advocates of newspapers, and the
resolution was voted down by large majority.
These grave Senators forget that to legislate in.
tel'igiby for whole State, the wants of the
whole State should be known to them, and that
no 1.-TWO morning papers will contain facts suf
hcient to properly inform Legislature Of the
wants of State. 1t may do for city members,
but not for the country Senators, and purse and
policy ought to have induced the country mem
bers to vote for the resolution
POSTAGE STAMPS