Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-07
THE CASE OF MR.. BoGGs AND THE
GOVERNOR.

The improperly of the Chief Magistrate
of State signing petitions in behalf OF
candidates for places before boards ap.
pointed by the Governor has just been Wv
idlv illustrated here. Such acts, how
ever pure the motive, amount to some
thing very like commands, and deprive
the board of the freedom of Judgment nee
essary to a wise administration of its az
airs. 1t is probable that this did not occur
to Governor Stoneman when he appointed
the new State Board of Horticulture last
week, and contemporaneously signed petit
tions recommending the selection for the
only salaried positions within the gift OF
recommendation the Board followed, and
in one case at least elected gentleman
who is not fitted for the office, and holds
it in violation of the law defining the
necessary qualifications for such an
officer, The Governor is thus
placed in an awkward position, and I'M
doubtedly now regrets the prominence of
this singular example of a new kind of
civil service reform. There are probably
gentlemen in considerable number in the
State fitted by knowledge and experience
for the place of Fruit Pest Inspector, who
have by long years of observation and
study gained the knowledge requisite, but
the Governor has advised-and his Board
has followed his advice-the election of a
man who admits that he does not know
scale insect from pear slug: who proba.
bly, cannot distinguish larva from moth
who has no knowledge of the natural his
tory of lepidopterous insects, Of which
there are nearly enc thousand kinds threat
ening viticultural, horticultural and ar
horticultural interests: who admits, in
effect, that the codling moth, red spider,
saw fly, currant borer, apple scale, black
scale, orange scale, aspidiotus cisricola,
nealy bug, etc., are to him as unknown
quantities, and who confesses to the
Board that he will be compelled to
read up, bat is willing to learn,
and generously adds that if any one
has information of what to do, to
exterminate fruit pests, and how to do it,
he will be only too glad to hear from them,
TO take down their statements and send
out the result in printed form for the in
formation of horticulturists. 1t may sur
prise the new Inspector to know that the
literature of the subject is exceeding
yoluminous that the more intelligent hor-
siculturists of the State are quite well in
formed now as to these insects, and con-
corning pest remedies, and demand now
uractical and skilled officer, himself
thoroughly informed, to enforce the law,
apd compel A, B, and c to properly
cleanse and guard their orchards, that the
trees and shrubs of d and E, who are
dillieent in right.doing, shall not be ruined.
Nor are the people willing to wait year
or two, pay the Inspectors salary and ex-
nenses meanwhile, and suffer the punish
.nent of inexperience on his part, while
Mr.. Boggs is wrestling with the study of
entomology, microscopy and horticultural
nests. and the best means OF preventing
their immigration and spread, study he
cannot hope to accomplish in any brief
period. What is needed is the vigor of an
intelligent, practical and well-infOFmed