Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-01-12
Two Republican Omciais.

message 10 tne new LeSislutuit, stfhS-
giles to reverse the estimate of his ad.
ministration which has crystalized in the
minds of the people of this State. The
effort is q vain one. If Gov. Perkins
had joined TO the amiable and complais-
ant personal qualities, which undoubted.
ly distinguish him, tho knack of the
politician or the endowments Of states
man, he would to-day have been one of
the most popular men in California, But
tho truth is, that his administration has
been conspicuously weak and faulty.
u Is not necessary TO go Mt length into
the harbor scandals, so often exposed by
the Examiner and other California jour
nails. There was something inexpressi.
bly, indicate in q Governor, who was
also large owner of steamships plying
between San Francisco and the Southern
and Northern coasts, appointing to n
position which involved surveillance
over San Francisco shipping, one of his
confidential clerks. Every one remem-
bers the debris infamy, and the eager
ness with which Gov. Perkins threw
himself into the vanguard of the spoliat-
ors, sending to the legislature a special
and altogether uncallod for message, on
dorsing and warmly advocating the
scheme OF men who, while accomplish
ing nothing, succeeded in robbing the
State. Of quite half million of dollars.
Fortunately for the old traditions of
honest and economical administration of
the affairs of this Commonwealth, a
fearless and energetic press, work in
which the HERALD did yeoman's service,
reused the people TO a proper sense of
the enormities ahead, and "slickcns'
was severely set down upon. II il had
not been for this popular uprising Cal
ifornia would have entered upon career
of profigate expenditures which would
verivaled the doings of Tweed and his
associates in the city of New York Well
was ii for California that the "slickens"
serpent was both scotched and killed.
Then, the Governor should not have
forgotten that the scandals of the State
Prison Commissioners appointed by him
have not been hidden In the inves-
tigation, brought about mainly through
the efforts of the San jose Mercury, a
Republican journal, enough was dis
closed to show that convict labor had
been largely employed in manufacturing
various articles of value and utility for
the Commissioners and for the other
friends OF the Warden of the San Quen-
tin prison. In addition, the Commits
sioners who, in the contemplation of the
law. wore to serve without remunera.
tion, absorbed large sums of the public
money which thoy have been obliged to
cover back into the State Treasury.
1t is owing to such things that Gov
Perkins, who possesses personal quail
NitS NhiuH Huu w put tililc Hiuuo Hiili
very popular, leaves Office unwept, un-
honorcd and unsung. The retiring Gov
ernor has been victim to his inability
TO say "No.n He has failed as a Gov
ernor through an excess of the personal
qualities which made him popular rs n
State Senator and citizen.
In marked contrast to the official ca.
reer of Gov Perkins was that of Judge
Blake, the Republican Mayor of San
Francisco. Though overwhelmed by
the irresistible Democratic tidal wave
which swept the Republican party
away, as n torrent does feather, he
leaves office with universal good will,
and with the verdict, irrespective of pol
itics, OF "Well done, thou good and
faithful servant" Unlike Peril ins, he
knew how to say "No, and it was his
constant iteration OF "veto, ION all prop
er occasions, that won the popular COM
mcndation. Personally without tithe
OF Perkins's winning ways, he has sur.
vived the wreck of his party; and, If he
were n younger man, he would have
great future before him. Instead of
yielding to the illicit schemes of his
party associates, he met all equivocal
propositions with peremptory negative.
Such Il man deserves a tribute from his
political opponents and the HERALD
cordially aceords it to Blake. 1t is
pleasant to know that his Democratic
successor, Mayor Bartlett, by all nc.
counts, is much such another kind OF
man.