Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-08
THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.

THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.
Governor Perkins goes out of Office, and
Governor Stoneman goes in. The change
involves nothing radical, and the State has
cause neither for congratulation nor for rs.
gret because of it. There is no reason for
congratulation, inasmuch as Governor Per.
kins has given rs good administration.
There is 10 reason for regret, inasmuch as
there is every reason to believe that Gov
ernor Stoneman will give US a good admin
iatration also. Bat it is fitting that some.
thing should be said concerning the outgo-
ing administration. Governor Perkins has
not escaped mistakes, has not escaped
adverse criticism. That need not concern
him much, however, for the official who
can please everyone will not be born before
the advent of the Millennium. But his
administration, taking it all through, hiss
| been a creditable one. It has been free
from scandals It has been free from
abuses. The affairs of the State have been
carried on quietly and efficiently. The
Executive personally has made himself
very popular, and he has uuquestionsbly
earned his popularity. Governor Perkins
is a hearted, genial. actively SYM
pathetic and benevolent man, whose worst
fault perhaps is certain excess of self
depreciation, but who, notwithstanding his
difidence, has succeeded through life in all
that he has put his hand to. He has Ia.
bored faithfully in his Office, has given it
the most conscientious service; and
this is deserving of some special note,
considering the extent and urgency
of his private interests. He has
been at all times accessible to
the humblest applicant for hearing on
any question relating to his department
He has never missed an opportunity to
do kind and graceful acts when the doing
of them was calculated to rebound to the
reputation of the State. No doubt it has
sometimes been objected that he had very
little regard for the dignity of his posi-
ton, but that is failing so much on the
side of excellence that we are in doubt as
to whether il should not rather be classed
with his virtues. For as rule what is
called dignity is little more than the cloak
which kind Nature throws over natural
GOODNESS of temperament. Your dignifed
men are very seldom warm. hearted or
sympathetic. They are too self-conscious,
and too much impressed with their own
consequence, to enter much into the feel
ings of others. Now Governor Perkins ia
emphatically a man of the people fond
of society, full of kindness towards his
fellows not greatly thoughtful of himself
blessed with abundant spirits, enjoying
life as self-made man has a right to enjoy
it, and always anxious to maintain pleas
ant relations with the world. Such men
make many and fast friends. Your dig.
nifed people only have admirers. Gov
ernor Perkins has commended himself
especially to Sacramento by his amiable
qualities and his sterling good sense, and
he viii carry away with him the heartiest
good wishes of this community.
Governor Stoneman is as yet stranger
to most of us. But he comes highly recon-
mended, and nobody doubts that he is
capable of filling the seat of his predeces.
sor worthily. We do not think there is
anywhere disposition to seek for causes
of complaint against him prematurely, or
to treat him in anyway unfairly. He has his
record to make as Governor, and he will
not, we trust, be hampered by captions
fault-inding at the outset of his career.
He is an officer and gentleman, man of
education and breadth of view, and there
is therefore every reason to hope that his
administration will be successful and salts
factory. Certainly if a man go well
equipped cannot make success of it the
fact will be remarkable. 1t is to be hoped,
however, that he will change his mind in
one particular, and that he will eventually
recognize the superior fitness of permanent
quarters to the transient accommodations
he has at present preferred. He will find
that the head of the State Government
cannot escape certain social obligations,
and that for many reasons it is better to
meet them frankly. 1t is to be hoped also
that he will find no embarrassment
in the legislative session about
to open. Governors sometimes dis
cover that their own views of admins.
tration are not held with anything like the
same enthusiasm by their political friends,
and especially by those of their political
friends who want Office. This is apt to
produce difficulties, and since the Executive
is but one, and his importunate followers
are many, the latter sometimes render his
life rather disagreeable. In fact good
deal of quite unusual kind of frmness is
required to master these obstacles, and
unless a Governor has the necessary firm
ness at command he is in danger of being
carried away by the stream. We trust that
no such contretemps will befall Governor
Stoneman, but that he will take the reins
in his own hands and keep them there.
For the rest he must rely upon his own OBJ
servation and watchfulness. The people
will give him full opportunity to study his
position before he is subjected to criticism,
and as he enters upon his term as Governor
they wish him the best of fortune in his
new Office.
THE RIVER AND HARBoR RILL.