Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-11
derance or mOlessation should always be carefully
guarded

derance or molessation should always be carefully
guarded.
APPoRTIoSxESr
/ One of the most important duties devolvng upon
the Legislature at the present ior sthe apporton
ment OF the State into Congressional Senatorial and
Assembly Districts For reasons which it is unnec-
essary discuss the last Legislature failed to com
ply with the constitutional mandate in this re spect
That the people Of the State have right to- and do
exrect, fair apportionment cannot be denied. Sec
| ton OF Article ~. OF the Constitution ogdains
| that for the purpose of choosing members Of the
Legislature, the State shall be divided into forty
Senatorial and eighty Assembly Districts" In Sec
tion q Of the same article is found the organic
rule relative to the creation OF Con-
| gressional Districts. The passage of law
carrying out the provisions Of these sections in
| fair and impartial manners is one of the matters
which should engage your early attenti in. In
stances are not infrequent in which the party in
power anxious to pefpetua.e its authority, has
i enacted an apportionment law for purely partisan
purposes In these cases little regard has been
had for local desires or the general welfare. The
massing of opposition msjorities and study Of
how the vote Of the party in power should be dis
| tributed best to subsCrve party ends, have
generally been the only objects considered il is to
be doubted whether any real aud ultimate party ad-
vantage has been attained by any sucn unpatri-
| otc procedure Honest effort is the only unerrIng
guide to lasting success. But apart from their p0-
| tical effect, the methods which have criticised
are intrnsicslly wrong. The constitutional mandate
| is clear and positive. Its phraseology evinces an
unmistakabe desire in the minds of its trainers and
| those by whom it was ratified to prevent anything
but an impartial apportonment am fully satisfied
that the present Legislature is in accord with me on
| this subject. and the views have expressed are
| identical with theirs.
THE CHINESE QUESTION
Within the past year Congress has grated to the
people OF this coast partial relief from the much.
i depored evil OF Chinese immigration For such re.
lief has been obtained and for legislation which
while it might justly and properly have extended
much farther, the people are to be congratulated,
and our Senators and REPRESENTATIVES. in Congress
entitled to the thanks Of the public There are
some who affect to believe this important question
finally settled by the statute referred TO- There are
| those who evince desire to nufy its feet by
loose construction of its terms and an inefficient
| execution of its provisions. The law had hardly
taken tfect when another bill was introduced into
| the Senate of the United States, and | believe is
now pending in that body, under which thousands
OF Chinese row Striving under labor contracts in the
West India Islands might be permitted to cross the
territory OF the United States to their homes in the
Chinese Empire. Considering tiat we have no
power to deport the Chinese, if they once per.
mitted to land in this country, they might ain
here permanently Against this danger the
people of this coost will depend upon their Repre-.
sentatives in Congress to guard.
THK ROAD LAW.
Other matters of somewhat perplexing natures
upon which you will be call to legislate are 4 gen
for the Incorporation for municipal purposes of
cities and towns, ard laws establishing system of
county governments which shall be uniform
throughout the State, classifying the counties there
under fixing the salaries of officers, ETC. Prompt
legislation on these subjects is much needed. From
the variety of local interests well the peculiar
topography of our State. You Will experience some
difficulty IN agreeing upon satisfactory laws on these
subjects, hut by exercising spirit of mutual
cesson you will doubtless arrive at just conclusions
STATE PRISONS.
The congregate system of imp isonment, which
owing to the peculiar construction and OF cell
room in prisons is necessarily in vogue thereip
is, in my opinion, not conducive to the moral we'll
being Of the prisoner. The most important object
of penal confinement ought to be to effect retor-
nation, either partial total ef thu prisoner so
that when his sentence expires he may go forth
into society better man. would respectfully
recommend that, II practicable. a sYs EN- If is,la
ton and solitary confinement be Instituted among
those of the most vicious character. In the absence
from its geographical position might be
made distributing prison. All conyicts should
be sentenced to that institution, in order
that they may be registered and graded by the
Prison Directors, selecting those fer distribution to
Folsom and any other branch prison hereafter estb
lished After careful study and an examination OF
past records, the comparatively good should be re-
tained and the vicious ard incorr;g BILE fined at
another prison, far the interests of the State
may permit. To carry cut this system all commit.
ments should be retained at San Quentin, and list
each month, with The date of discharge, forwarded
to the Branch Prison, OF those Transferred and dis
charged. All pardons and commitments should be
forwarded by the Governor to San Quentin and if
the prisoner be at the Branch Prison the order for
his discharge should follow him there. All deaths
and escapes at the Branch Prise should be reported
to San Quentin to be there entered Of record This
system strictly carried out woulI form perfect
record OF the antecedents and disposition of all con-
vcts within the state This system is not only es-
sentia for the good OF the prisoner and for the guild
OF the Dieectors but would enable the District
Attorneys OF each county to be always able TO PIC.
cure complete cord to embody in their inf)rma-
tions or indictments the number of convictions tf
each defendant, if any such there be, as thy are
now peled by law to do under what is known as
the +" Prior Conviction Act"
IRRIGATION.
In largo portion Of the State agricultural inter.
eets are being developed bv the aid of irrigation
The history Of all countries dependent upon iriga.
ton shows that this practice has necessitsted the
enactment of laws specially designed for the pro-
lection and regulation OF irrigation, the main
tenance OF order, equity and economy in the appro
praton and use of waters and that the subject has
been most difficult to deal with in legislation
Our own experience limited though it be- is suffi-
cient to establish this fact our Courts are
crowded with litigation growing out OF irrigs ton
prsctices which constitutes serious drawback to
our property. mention this subject perhap to
the exclusion OF others equally deserving Of atten
on because the defects of the present system have
fallen dire tly under my observation, and in
vite your earnestconsideration of it, believing that
careful action is necessary to establish confidence for
the present and to guard against embarrassing com-
pliCat.ons in the future.
THE PUBL.c SCHOOLS ETC.
II IS one OF our cardinal doctrines that it Is the
duty OF the state to provide or every child within
its linn IS the advantages Of common school edu.
cation, and it is to be hoped that in the future as in
the past, this principle will be strictly adhered to-
There ara many other matters in which the State
is directly interested and which it would be proper
to discuss, but stated have confined myself to
those which are deemed most important at this
time. 1t will be the province of the Legislature to
examine ana inquire into the iuct Of the affairs
| OF the State Insane Asylums, the State Normal
Schools, the State University, the Asylum for the
Deaf, Dumb and Blind, and into the management of
those orphan asylums receiving State aid. believe
you will enter upon the discharge OF your respon-
sbe duties with an honest desire to advance the
best interests Of the State 1t shall be my constant
aim and endcavor during my term Of Office to
make economy in the expenditure OF the public
moneys and in maintaining the public institu-
| tons the principal feature Of this admins
tration, aud request your cordial cooperation to
that end Every bill containing appropriation
of money will be closely scanned, and unless the
necessity Of the approprat on is apparent, it will
not receive the Executive approval. Another mat
ter against which it would be well to guard is the
creation of offices and commissions and the per-
petuaton OF useless ones now in exstenct, il any
such there sheuld be. To ligAten the burdens Of
taxation, to reduce the expenses to the lowest pos
sible standard to allow the largest personal liberty
consistent with the general fare, not to govern
except where government is necessary, administer
the law and impsrtially all classes and in
terests, these my ideas OF the requirements Of
the day, and Of the true theory of form of gov
| erament: and whatever OF ability / may possess
shall be devoted to the administration Of the govern
ment on these principles.
The reading Of the address was frequently inter
rupted by applaus'.
THE LIEUTEyAST-GovERNoR.
Lieutenant Governor Mansfield The committee
viii now present the Hon. John Daggett, the Leu
tenant Governor-e,ect, for the purpose of taking
the oath OF office.
The oath of office was administered by Judge
Buckley.
Lieutenant Governor Dsggett said: BIr. Presi-
dent and Gentlemen Of the Joint Convention You
are here in the performance of your duties under
the Iequ eineats of Constitution to enact such
laws in your Judgment the needs OF the State 70
quire Ny own duties are principally limited to
the preservation of order and the rnain-