Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-09-20
The Prison Com missioners.

There seems, of late, TO be an cpl
demic Of "Open Letters" Los Angeles
has set the fashion and the rest Of the
State is following the example, with q
vengeance. Tho latest departure in this
line is the lettcr-missive from tie lately
deposcd Prison Commissioners of the
State of California. We have too often
indicated our aversion to the removal of
persons from what ought to bo non
political positions, on partizan grounds,
to call for re.affirmation OF our atti-
tude in set terms, just now and hero.
We think that there is an unwritten
code amongst gentlemen, whatever may
be their politics, that ought to guaran-
tee an honest man and q competent Off
cial his full term as to any purely honor
ary office, such as the law has oontem-
plated in the creation OF the State Board
of Regents and the State Board of Prison
Commissioners. To give Ae devil his
due, Governor Perkins, to remarkable
degree, showed his respect for this de-
cent usage, and won from people Of all
parties golden opinions for his impair
tiality, favorable verdict which he
failed to win in many other and more
material respects. But, in considering
Gov. Stoneman's action as respects the
Board OF State Prison Commissioners,
quite number of circumstances must be
taken into the count In the first place,
Amess government of the San Quentin
Penitontiary was originally called in ques-
tion by the San Jose Mercury, sheet
which is violently Republican. The
investigation which thus resulted was,
in the Judgment of all far-minded men,
whitewashing operation, and disclosed
facts amply sufficient to call for encr-
getic action ON the part OF the Execu-
tive Of California Perkins, being par
tizan and a Republican of the most pro
nounced type, glossed over the matter,
and the affair was allowed to drop for
the time being. As respects the Com
missioners themselves, there was some
thing which, irrespective of the prison
administration, called for grave animad-
version, for reproof, and even for re-
moval. In violation of the law, these
gentlemen drew what was. in effect, a
salary, the amount reaching twelve hun
dred dollars year. Nor was that all.
II was disclosed in the testimony at the
examination, brought at the initiative of
the San Jose Mercury, that the Warden,
Ames, was in the habit OF having con
vict labor employed upon articles which
were intended for the use and ownership
of the Prison Commissioners. Governor
Perkins, a Republican, could have made
a fine point by removing these Republi.
can Commissioners. With his usual
good-humored partisan complaisance, he
failed to do this. Public sentiment,
irrespective of party, consequently
declined to oondone the Republican
Governors weakness, and second in
yestigation was called tof and held
under Governor Stoneman's administra-
tion. The Executive of the State, with
a view to removing from his action
anything of partisan complexion, as
sociated with himself Judge Wallace, of
Napa, not for the purpose of introducing
the methods bat the spirit of impartiali-
ty of court into the investigation. As
a result of this searching inquisition,
Judge Wallace reported that the Com
missioners ought to be removed, and
they have beenremoved accordingly, Gov.
Stoneman replacing the four inculpated
Commissioners by two Democrats and
two Republicans clearly showing
that he was in no whit governed by
partizan motives. This is the history in
nutshell, of what is sought to be held
up as a piece of partizan malice. AS re-
spects the Prison Commissioners them.
selves, they first accepted the money OF
the people and then returned it upon an
unmistable public clamor thereby CON
Tossing their guilt. They allowed Warden
Ames to make them, practically, pres
ents OF articles fabricated by prison la
Dor, and now claim TO have paid full
value for these articles. The whole
thing was indecent and indefensible,
wrong both in principle and practice,
and the people of California will sustain
Gov. Stoneman in his action. As to the
language OF the "Open Letter of the
Prison Commissioners, it is splenetic,
impertinent and without warrant, and it
will recoi like q boomerang upon its
authors. They were not removed a day
too soon.
personal Organs"