Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-01
ELECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF STATE PRINTING,

resolution to amend Section $50 of the
Political Code, by adding the resolution,
was adopted:
The Superintendent of State Printing shall be
elected at the same time and place and in the
same manner as the Governor of the State, and
his term of office and qualifications shall also be
the same. he shall be competent practical
printer, recognized as such in his craft and be-
fore entering upon the discharge of the duties
of his Office he shall give good and sufficient
the sum of 600, with two more sufficient
sureties, to be approved by the Governor. for the
faithful performance OF his duties, which bond
shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary OF
State.
We believe this TO be a movement in
the right direction, and the proposition
will receive the earnest support of the
REcoRD-UNIoN. 1t should be promised
that in the discussion of the question this
journal has no exceptions to take to pres
ent administration of the State Printing
Office; in common with every person intel
ligent upon the subject, it knows the in
cumbent of the SUPPLEMENTARY to be
thoroughly competent, inhexible in integ-
rity, solicitous to do the very best for the
interests of the State, and that his admin
istration in both his terms has not only
deserved, but has received the commenda-
ton of the people, and it has proven the
wisdom of the Executive in filling the
Office
If it is possible for any opponent of the
proposed change to show that anything is
to be gained by giving the Governor or
any other elective officer the power of
appointment in any case, then the doc
trine is established that the more officers
appointed and the fewer elected, the better
for the Executive and for the people. The
true policy is to bring the Government as
near as possible to the people; to make
responsibility as direct as can be achieved;
to remove just as far as can be possibly
done, the incentive to farm an office to
traffic in its patronage to secure it, or to
submit to the quasi enslavement of the
incumbent in order to retain 1t. 1t is
political truism that the freer the officer is
from responsibility to political informed
better for the State. If we are to proceed
upon the theory that it is better for the
appointing power and the people that
there should be fewer elective and more
appointed officers, we move directly to
the overthrow of republican institutions,
which must rest upon the doctrine that
self-government is possible because of the
fitness of the people to govern.
We are convinced from many years of
close observation that qualified indepen-
dent Superintendent of Public Printing,
responsible directly to the people, can do
the public printing for probably sixty per
cent. of what it customarily costs under
the present system. 1t will not occasion
surprise among those who have made any
fair examination into the matter, when we
say that the public printing office has been
largely haven for a class of workers who |
could not begin to earn, under private en-
ployment, the wages paid. That is, that
in tirst-class private establishments very
much more is accomplished in the same
time and with the like facilities.
The fact is, as every one knows, and |
there is no sort of use in seeking to dis !
guise the fact, that our Superintendent of
State Printing have not been free-will
agents in the matter of choosing the forces
over which they have presided. The
struggle for place in the printing depart
ment begins away back Of the election of
Governor, and influences are brought to
bear affecting the selection of the States |
Chief Magistrate that relate not to his fit |
ness for his high position, but to the ambi- |
ton Of another to secure a very subordi- |
nate position under an officer it is the pre- !
rogative of the Executive to appoint. And |
1t is likewise true that in very many cases |
these influences are exerted regardless of |
the capacity of the expected supernumer-
airy to be benefited
1t is simply common political news, re-
peated with every State election and /,
every session of the Legislature, that all |
manner of influences are set at work upon
the Executive, his friends, his friends
friends, the Speaker Of the Assembly, the |
Senators of the Stale, Congressman, Legis-
latiye Committeeman, heads of commits
ions and State Departments, to name the
force the Superintendent of State Printing
must employ. 1t is true that in few in
stances he is permitted graciousIy to put
some of his own choosing in positions of
trust, but these are the few. The result
must be the placing very largely of incom-
petent men, at least Of men not of first
competency, for these do not often feel the
necessity Of resorting to political rlanipu-
lation.
Let us assume man of independent
character and solicitous to discharge the
duties of the Office with an eye single to
the good Of the State and economy of ex-
penditure TO be elected to the office; is il
at all likely that he would submit to in
competents being thrust upon him, or to
working force that in private establish
ments could be outdone by two-thirds the
number? Would not every inducement
prevail with such man to win confidence
and commendation by making his admin
istration economic and praiseworthy for
its excellence in every department? Such
man, like good artisans, despising pre-
tenders and incompetents, would as
naturally surround himself with class of
workers of the highest competency, as a
clean man would choose clean company.
1t has been said that no assurance can
be given that the people will elect COM