Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-10
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Sent to the State Legislature
Yesterday.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
State Debt and the Debts of the
Counties of the State, with Other
Matters, Discussed.

Yesterday Governor Waterman sent
to the State Legislature now in session
his fret biennial message. 1t is very
voluminous document of one hundred
ostavo pages and containing about 80, ,0OO
words. The following is brief synopsis
of the points covered.
The death of Governor Bartlett is
touchingly referred to, and an appropria-
zion Of So, ,36O.82 to defray the expenses
Of his funeral is asked; also one of 81 900
to pay for portrait of the late Governor
TO be placed in the State Capitol building.
The necessity of an amendment to the
Constitution prohibiting the Legislature
from incurring any debt in the name OF
the State beyond clearly defined limits
is set forth. The history of previous
legislation, and of the State debt is gone
ever in order to show why some
such action is necessary. 1t is
further urged that limit should
be put to the power of the several coun.
ties in this matter of incurripg indebted.
ness. The aggregate debts now hanging
over the fifty.two counties is estimated
at 1926, 876. This sum is rapidly in
creasing.
The State funded debt is $2, ,703, 500, Of
which $2,698, 900 bears interest. This
consists of State bonds held in private
hands, 1884 600; bonds held in tlust for
the State school fund, 81 SAC, 500; bonds
held in trust for the university fund,
$817, 900. OF this amount $50, 900 has
been called in and the interest ON that
has ceased. These bonds mature July l,
1898.
State school land fund is loaned as
follows since the last session Of the Legis-
lature:
Los Angeles county. AZ per cent q. nm
Lake county, per cent. bonds. ....... 1880
sacrana ento county, per cent. bonds $4,000
San Diego county, 8 per cent. bonds... 100, 900
Santa Clara county, per cent. bonds. "a 500
Monterey county, per cent. bonds. HOG
Total ..... ......................$ 1881 300
The State Treasurer now holds in
trust for the State School Fund, State
Funded Debt bonds Of 1878, six per cent.
$1,546 500, and County bonds the sum of
$l,446, 800, total $2,993, 400. The State
Treasurer also holds in trust for the use
of the State University, bonds to the
value Of 81 100000.
The total receipts of the State for the
thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh fiscal
years, amounted to $40 ,S39, ,465.99. The
expenditures for the two years amounted
to $1l ,2l3, sos. &c.. For the thirty-ei!gth
and thirty ninth fiscal years the receipts
were, $12, ,49S, ,249 76; and the expendi-
lures we're $11 1888, ,445.27.
Some small elements of confusion in
the managing of the State finances
are reviewed, and q remedy asked
for. The expenses of the last year,
the thirty-ninth of the State, were
Largely, ,049, 1858 80. This is mostly
above the average.
Hitches are claimed to exist in the
working of the machinery of the State
Board OF Examiners office, and remedial
measures are called for in this branch OF
the public business. The present Board
is an e1.0bicio one, and specially ap-
pointed Board is demanded.
The action of Legislatures in creating
offices without making proper provision
for their expenses is scored with good
deal of freedom. The pruning knife of
economy is called for to trim away many
unnecessary offices.
The history of the State University is
reviewed with good deal of eulogistic
comment. The conveyance of the Lick
Observatory to the University Regents is
recommended.
The State school books are discussed.
For this purpose, in 1885, the Legislature
appropriated $170, 900. The compilation of
the books cost $4,000, and $150,000 was
expended in the publication of the books,
but the cost of the plant, 57,91739 fig
ures in this sum. In 1887 an additional
sum of $l80,000 was appropriated to en-
large the series of books. Of this $15, 900
was paid for compilation OF text books,
and $165, ,0o0 for publishing them. There
is still in the treasury $17,539.58 avail
books, and $72, 1876 for publication.
This money will be expended in the is.
suing OF the Elementary Grammar, Geo.
graply, and Physiology and Hygiene.
The books now issued are First, Second
and Third Readers, Speller, Number
Lessons, Arithmetic, Grammar and
United States History. From the sale
of these $152, ,092 81 has been received
back into the Treasury. This goes into
the School Book Fund to be used
i'm the manufacture of the same books
whose sale it came from after the first
edition is exhausted. The publication of
text books by the State is strongly re.
commended.
The normal schools are said to be in
fourishing condition.
The State prisons are passed under re-
view. The iute mill at San Quentin is
now operated day and night, and thus
the output is doubled. The grounds
about the prison are being much inn
proved. At Folsom big dam is being
built. by which fine water power will
he utilized and the labor of the inmates
turned to profit for the State.
The pardoning power is discussed. The
Governor complains of the great strain
laid mon the executive shoulders in deal
ing with applications for clemency. Still
he thinks the present system better than
any other likely to be devised.
The overcrowded condition OF the in
sane asylums is referred to, and it is
urged that two additional asylums,
one in the northern part OF the
State and another in the southern
he erected. At Stockton the cost pei
capita for taking care of the insane il
SO 9 cents per day.
The asyums for the deaf and dumb
and the blind, and that for the care Of
feehle. minded children are passed in re.
view. :.
uended as useful institution. The
preservation of the big trees at Mariposa
and Of the Yosemite valley is emphati-