Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-04
ANNUAL MESSAGE
GOV. GEORGE G. PERKIFS
Legislature of the State Of California
Twenty fourth Session.
TO THE

Legislature of the State Of California,
Twenty fourth Session.
To the Senate aud Assembly OF the State OF Cali
fornia: With grateful hearts TO the Father OF ma
tons and men, you are permitted again TO assemble
ir legislative session as the supreme law-making
power Of the State On your acts rest the future
welfare and prosperity OF the State. The RESPONSE
biites dcvoivng upon you and the results Of which
YOU viii be held answerabie, call for the exercise OF
your wisdom, Judgment and patience.
The year past has been most propitious; bounti-
fol harvests have rewarded the toll of the husband
man The mines Of mineral wealth have, with pro-
life results responded to the call OF the aborer and
increased activity in commercial and manufacturing
circles betokens renewed thrift to this, our most
favored State. The past year has witnessed the
grand spectacle of nearly 9ooo 600 OF people select
ing through the ballot bex-the sacred urn Of free
peoples iiberties-the one who shall govern SIS the
chief magistrate Of nation Of so, 100000 OF people
for the ensuing four years. The day which marked
thsaus 5cious event vas not one heraided in by tho
pomp Of display triumpha procession, nor was 1t
disturbed by commotion strife but the good
citizen resolved to submit his preference to that OF
the will OF the majority, if bat consttutionally eN
pressed. ! congratulate you and the country upon
the cheerful scquiescence OF all political parties in
the POI uar verdict OF the people. 1t IS an evidence
Of the enduring permanency upon which the Gov
eminent is founded, and is also an assurance that
our institutions will endure until the end OF time If
we viii submit to the ballot Us the final arbter OF
all our causes Of disseDson.
We meet in session, the second Legislature since
the adoption OF a new fundamental law. The peo-
pie, believing that many OF our complications come
akg. r1Elu nj ~
have prescribed the term OF the session TO he sixty
days being but about one-half OF the time hereto
fore occupied. Among the FIRST and most imp sratiye
things demanding your attention is the justing OF
many of the existing laws and sections of the Codes
10 conform to that instrument. a number OF the
laws and amendments to the Code, passed at the
last session Of the legislature having been declared
unconstitutional by the supreme Judicial tribunal
it may be well 10 inquire if others, when tested,
will not share the fate unless adapted to meet
the requirements of that instrument.
The finances Of the State, as reported by the Con-
troler and Treasurer appear to be IN satisfactory
condition.
The Controller presents for your consideration
many valuable sugges;ions the result of close OBJ
seryation and long experience in financial transac-
tons
In the purchase of bonds Tor the benefit OF the
State School Land Fund, he advises change in the
existing law Statutes 1872 page 54) so as TO allow
the Beard OF Examiners to go into the public market
aud purchase as freely private individual. This
change was recommended 10y the last Board of Ex
sminers, and the experience of the present Board
fully confirm their judgment
NJ the close Of the thirty-irst fiscal year there
was the State School Land Fund S97 G65 0S, the
proceeds derived from the sale of school land. This
amount has been lying idle in the State Treasury
for some time for the that under the present
law the Board OF Examiners have been unable to
make an advantageous Investment Of it.
The total interest 1earing funded debt OF the
State the 30th Of June $780, was S, 1896, 500 OF
this Indebtedness 81 49, 500 is held in trust for the
State School Fund.- aud $685. 500 is held by the State
University Fund, under the Act creating the " Con-
solidated Perpetual Endowment Fund" 1t will
thus be readily observed that the funded debt OF
the Stat is all owed by the State herself, except
ing the sum of S713,000
The appropriation for the support OF the public
schools is sacred trust th Vt will be judiciously
guarded by our people, and the proceeds from the
sale Of the lands donated by the General Govern
ment for school purposes is obligation to the
Of education voluntarily assumed by the State
that she is only too willing to discharge and the is
suance OF bonds and coupons serve only 60 compli-
cate the accounts without the force OF additional
clrity.
If some practical way could be devised to cancel
these bonds, and make appropriations direct for the
pnrpo-es named, our people would have more
wis appreciation Of the moneys devoted to the
support Of each department of the Government.
But If th plan should not he deemed expedient,
would recommend that the funded debt bonds
(under the Act Of April 2, lS70h amounting to
81 sol COO, bearing interest at the late of six per
cent. per annum, be paid by the issuance OF bonds
bearing four per cent per annuin the Act unutf
which the six per cent. bonds were issued having
provided that after five years the State could at her
pleasure, call the in for payment.
am advised there viii he no difficulty whatever
i'll placing the bonds bearing four per cent at par
thus saving to the State two per cent, or s5G,020
interest per annunl.
The pride that all good citizens have that the
financial reputation Of our State should be placed
where it properly belongs, on par with the best in
the nation will, trust suggest 10 you some eSis-
lation on this subject
Under the Act OF 1868, there is remaining unpaid
S95 500 soldiers relief bouds, bearing seven per
cent interest," which mature July l, 1888 1t viii be
necessary for the present Legislature to make some
provision for their payment, either by tax levy, or
by new bonds at 1. much lower rate OF interest.
The State, in pursuance OF an Act OF the Lcgls
Iature passed in 1864, guaranteed the payment of
interest on $500, 900 Central Pacific Railroad
bonds with interest at the rate OF seven per cent,
or SlOb COO per annum. The term for which this
obligation was assumed viii expire, by limitation, in
four years and the State tax after that time, viii
be correspondingy reduced II has been cause OF
much comment among our people that, notwith-
standing the increase in valuation OF the taxable
property of the State as returned by the Board OF
EQuaIization, the tax required for State purposes
has been one and Cue-half cents higher on the one
hundred dollars than it was for the previous
wear; but in this taxable rate must be
included the five cents for drainage purposes,
and the natural charge follows that some one is "a
blame for wasteful expenditure The people demand
from their representatives the enactment OF laws
making appropriations for the construction OF State
buildings and institutions Of learning, education
charity, and penal laboratories that they deem
necessary for the honor, dignity and protection o
the commonwealth, for states, like individuals can
not construct and maintain these monuments o.
their bounty and generosity without providing fol
the expense. They also demand to know how suct
appropriations have been expended, and Will hol6
TO strict accounting thereof, That the excess o
tax above referred TO may be accounted Tor, be-
to briefly submit the following seminary.
The increased volume of taxable property owe