Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-13
ruE DEMAND roR LOCAL Rgrosm

TIE DEMAND FOR LOCAL RgFoRM
Reduced to an essence, the Grand Jury
report is found to consist Of two parts,
criticism of methods and direct charges.
These are perplexinglY mingled. Sepa-
rated and condensed to items of state
msnt, they amount 10 this /: In the Ike OF
criticism they say that our system of
Coanty bookkeeping is detective ana not
such as would be tolerated in an ordinary
business house; but TO what extent this is
true we are left in the dark. Il however
certainly applies to all books and accounts
under the immediate control CT the Board
of Supervisors The methods Of trans
acting county business are loose, slipshod,
wasteful, and invite to fraud and exsrava-
gance. The administration Of some of the
county institutions is not in the line of
economy.
The charges they prefer are, that the po-
lice force Of this city is inharmonious a
portion of it is antagonistic to its legiti.
mate head. Money has been raised by
violators of the law against gaming for the
purpose Of subsidizing the police force, but
whether it was SO used, the jury was unable
to determine. The late Board of Super.
visors violated the trust reposed in them
by illegal expenditure of county money
by paying for work done at extravagant
prices, far in excess Of the true considera-
ton, and notably SO in the matter of bridge
building and repairing. 1t so disbursed
county money as to leave the impression
that it was used for other than legitimate
purposes. II disregarded the plaia provi-
sions of the law in the matter of letting
contracts. 1t permitted its members TO
deal with the county in matters OF trade.
1t audited and allowed extravagant bills.
The farm at the County Hospital is so con.
Quoted as to be charge upon the county
instead OF source Of revenue. Officials
are furnished at county expense with to-
bacco and whisky. The conduct of the
County Hospital reflects extravaganza and
reckless disregard of ordinary economy.
The financial sffsirs OF the county have by
Observation-Disclosures been brought to a de-.
plOrably low condition. The sums paid TO
the Assessor and his deputies are in excess
of the value of services rendered. So says
the Grand Jury, which consisted OF suoh
well known citizens as Richard Dale, Alex.
Nelson, Thos. Mcdonnell, o. P. Goodhue,
Jabez Turner, N Clark, E. Twischell, f.
P. Lowell, Robert Devlin, Henry Triech-
Ter, Thomas Traganzs, George Brown, @.
D. Wingate, B. Shiels, P. G. C.undale, T.
NJ. Tracy, T. A. Kinkle, S. Kruger and
William Farney; men not apt to act
hastily or prefer such serious complaints
without full consideration of all they i'm
port. Under their oaths these citizsns,
after nearly four months examination into
county affairs, in person and by experts,
lay these charges. 1t remains to be seen
whether that will be the end of them, as
has been in the past. If SO, the ability of
the people to correct evils Of this character
may well be doubted. In the interim be-
tween the prefernent of these charges and
the correction of the evils, it will be bat
common fairness to hear those accused in
their defense, and to judge them with that
Judicial calmness that becomes people at
all times, in I'll things. But assuming the
charges made to be true, the necessity of re.
form for the future is not an open question.
It remains for the present Board of Police
Commissioners, in sehalf of the city police
force, and the present Board of Supervisors,
in behalf OF the county. to SET On foot such
measures as will make cause for reprosches
of this character impossible for the future.
The citizens Of this city and county anx.
iously await such action. lis to be hoped
they may not be required to wait long.
This matter admits Of no compromise.
We must have honest and economic ad-
ministration of public affairs, and no ex-
cuses for irregularities will avail justif-
cation alone will constitute an answer to
the CHARGES Dreferred