Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-10
SALARY VS.. ENHANCEMENT.

When the article in the new Constitution
concerning the penal institutions of the
State was under consideration by the Con-
stitutional Convention, this paper urged
many good reasons against the experiment
Of an uusalaried Board of Directors. The
Constitution as it stands was framed and
ratified, and It's provisions are now the para
mount law of the land. Upon the ques-
ton OF compensation to Prison Directors it
is Enthusiastically explicit and clear. 1t pro-
vides simply that the Directors shall serve
without compensation for the services they
render, but shall be reimbursed for all rea-
sonable travelling expenses incurred
while in discharge of official duty.
Simply and honestly construed, this
means that the Directors shall not
incur unreasonable expenses, and
shall not receive one cent beyond
a reimbursement for expenses actually in
CURED. The first Board in the first in
stance, drew mileage of twenty cents cer
mile in addition to hotel bills, and as this
was sum largely in excess of expenses in
Cured, it was of course illegal Meeting
with no objection or rebuke from any
source, certain Of themcmbers of the Board
secured the passage of bill allowing each
member of the Board 800 a month as sal
airy and ten cents q mile travelling expenses.
This WIS as broad departure from the
gr1e,,-i 81 ans Of +I,f y,,r,,;, at ~ .-,.1l Ill
have been conceived, and was nuiiiied by
decision Of the Supreme Court adverse to
It's constitutonality. The subject again
comes 10 public notice by the charge that
the present Board is drawing money in
excess of actual expenses incurred
while in the discharge of its Off
clal duty. The published vouchers
aad the admissions Of certain members Of
the Board indicates that the old misappre-
hen sions are gaining ascendency, and that
entertainments upon the constitutional in
structions are being made One Of the
Directors says that the State Board of Ex-
amiue~s allows s. 80 per day for hotel bills
while the published copies of the accounts
rendered and allowed indicates that the
Directors, or some of them, render bills for
81 80 for all time absent, whether enter
tnined at the prisons free Of charge or at
hotels. Ii is not i question whether the
sum named is too much or too little, but
one wherein the actual disbursement is in
volvcd. III Director gets ten cents more
than the amount of expense actually in
Cured. he gets that ten cents unlawfully.
In the purpose of the law he is to travel bv
usual means, incur only reasonable or
ordinary expenses, and render his bill
against the State for the amount OF
expense incurred only. The plan of
fixing theoretical rate per day for hotel
bills is unlawful and wrong, simply be
cause he Board of Examiners are not au-
thorized by law 10 theorize on the subject
al all If they may do so, then their theory
may grow in iberality of margins until q
handsome salary or compensation would
arise in the guisc of " reasonable travelling
expenses 1t is useless for any of the par
tics concerned to plead the impolicy of The
law. None of them possess the power tC
repeal laws Or alter or amend the Constitu,
ton. The present Executive removed the
members of the old Board from office
chiefly because Of their indefensibc action
in this regard, and neither he nor the
Board of Examiners-of which body he is
chief-will be permitted to allow the mem
bers appointed by him any indulgence in
profitable theories Of theoretical hotel
bills, however mild, while the law com
mands only actual reimbursement Of
act,,sl SIMS "incurred