Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-01

Justify the opinion that in. tle Police Court the
evidence of the thief or ragrant arrested is of
more weight than tie sworn testimony of honor
able and respected officers who make the ar
rests. The evidence given would almost seem
to indicate d desire on the part of the Police
Court to ehwart aud obstruct the efforts of the
Police Department to suppress and punish CRIME.
1t criticises the Justices of the Supreme
Court severely for not rendering decisions
within ninety days after submission, as re-
quired by the Constitution. But one in
stance cited-the Mound City Land and
Water Association case-we think not open
to the criticism made. The rebuke to the
Court is based on the assumption that after
a case is once submitted, the ninety day
rule applies. But it is clear that it is within
| the province of the Court to set aside the
| order of submission, and restore the case
| to the calendar for rcargument, as was done
| in that case and to do so as often as to the
Court it is apparent that the ends of justice
warrant. The jury finds misfeasance to
| have obtained in the Office of the Tax Col
lectog and the Auditor; that the Mayor of
! the city has not made examination ST Off
cial books, as required by law, and that he
has ignored other legal requirements Of
vital importance TO correct administra-
ton of the affairs of the municipality.
1t finds the Assessor to have retained per-
centages of poll tax collections unwarraut-
ably; that the Street Department of the
city is run as a political machine, and the
performance Of duty made secondary to the
distribution C patronage; that the Depart
ment of Education maintains a system of
bookkeeping apparently designed to pre-
vent disclosure of the truth, and that a
political cyclone is needed to sweep the
Board of Education from Office"
IN the cemeteries burials of the INDECENT
dead are made at far less depth than law
and the public health require, and much
the same state of affairs prevails as once
existed in the Sacramento cemeteries and
which the RECORD UNION exposed some
| months ago.
The Clerk ofthe Supreme Court is charged
with defying the law, and persistently neg
Letting to report in detail true statement
of the receipts of his office up to the time
of shortages being discovered in his
reports. The Attorney General of the
State is sharply criticised for the ap-
parent purpo seful shielding of the delin-
quency on the part Of the Clerk Of the Su-
preme Court, by recognizing supple
mental report1that brought UP and covered
delinquencies discovered by the State Con-
troller
The jury charges that in violation of the
laws of the State, Courts in San Francisco
have appointed to civil office, not only
minors, but aliens, and one instance is cited
of person appointed to place who had not
yet been six months in the country.
In short, tie report is a sweeping dis
closure of official inetficiency, of laws
ignored, of stadutes defed and of maladmin-
istration on tie part of the Democratic ad-
ministration Of San Francisco and of acts
of unwisdom on the part of the Democratic
State administration. 1t remains to be
seen, however, whether this report will not
share the fate Of all other Grand Jury re-
ports-drop cut of sight and amount to
nOthing-sinc it is one of the weaknesses
of our system, that recommendations and
criticisms by aaGrand Jury have no legal
force unless fortified by presentment OF
Indictment.