Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-09
ALMOST OBJECTIONABLE.

EDS. RECORD. UNION. Il Is wonderful TO
note what an amount OF misconeaption there
ia among citizens who should know better con.
earning the town in which they reside.
About the time Of a city election this ig
norsnce-not to be offensiye-crops out and
brings to the surface statements intended to
influence voters. Lately some marvellous
statements have been made, and so odd
are they that it is fitting some one should
notice them severely. For instance, card
appears in city paper of yesterday, in
which an old citizen, who is very generally
respected for his opini5n, seriously tells the
people that their Health Officer receives S100
8 month for his services, or did last year.
This, 60 far from being the truth, is directly
the other way. The Health Officer receives
$50 month, and in order to do his duty well
and thoroughly, he has to own or rent
horse and buggy. OF course no man can
do this OF $50. and SO, sirs, the duty is not
done as it should be. And it is no fault of
Mr.. Martin that this is so. The Board
of Health has begged and asked that
they be given an officer with salary enough
to enable him to do his duty without en-.
gaging in other work. For two or three
months last fall, at least for little time,
while so much sickness prevailed, the Trus-
tees did allow the officer 500 month, but
soon rescinded the order, and be was again
compelled to secure other labor in order to
support himself, when the needs of the office
should command, as ali know, his whole
time. Again, the card says the people pay
the members of the City Board of Health
500 month each. or So. 600 year. Can it
be that anyone will believe this? The Board
Of Health is not composed of three members,
but Of many more, and they never have and
do not now receive single cent for their
services. The expenses of the Secretary of the
Board have of course to be paid, but they are
light. The same card says that the Mayor
should be Police Judge. Suppose he should;
it is not for us Of the city to make him
so, and It was supposed that all citizens were
aware of this fact. The Legislature of the
State names Judicial officers, and until new
charter is voted we must have Police Judge
and Mayor. Even in the new charter that
the Legislature has before it the offices stand
the came. 1t is Of no use, say, to drag
these matters up at this time. The time to
have done 30 was when there was opportunity
to petition the Legislature to change the law,
if it is best to do so, offered. In another
card correspondent told what he did not
know about the salaries paid to school of.
that can only be accomplished by an amend.
ment to the Constitution of the State.
Well, the city streets have been loud with talk
about matters of reform that anyone knows
are absolutely impossible under our kind
of government. A candidate seriously
proposes that if elected Second Trustee he
will perform the duties of Health Officer free,
The Board of Health are the Judges of
the fitness Of Health Officer, and probably
would tell the candidate that man with too
many irons 10 the fire would hardly do any duty
well-let alone the dragging of dead animals
out Of fostering places and the crawling
about In sewer emptyings. etc. AL these
big reformers, who know so well how to do
the work of the city for less than cost. il
would be well to question as to their knowl.
edge of the matters and laws and wants OF
the city where they reside. All this kind of
talk just before election, and nothing of it
after, is humbug. CITIZEN.