Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-10
DAILY RECORD UNION
JS>DAy. JASU.Ry 10 1850
STATE AID TO ExposrTInss

AS nearly as can be ascertained. the
State OF California in the last twenty years
has appropriated from its treasury $500
to secure annual exhibitions of its pro-
ducts, and TO secure an exhibition of the
same at the Worlds Fair held in New Or
leans in 1885. This statement is derived
from the Controllers books as nearly as
could be, but there appears to be break
between the years 1878 and 1878 for the
State Agricultural Society. In 1874,
SloOo0 was appropriated for the construc-
ton OF grand stand. In 1876, $16,14l 80
was appropriated for the same purpose. but
the appropriations for the support of the
SeGety are not mentioned in the items OBJ
tanned. Assuming that the years 1873 and
1875, period of five years, received the
average for the support Of the State and
District Societies, the sum will reach
neAriy $550,000, but if the average for the
lest few years only is to be taken into ac
count, the same period to come will show
appropriations exceeding 100000; for
instance, for the two years ending June.
1870, the State appropriated $4,000: for
the two years ending June, 1872 $4,000
foi the years 1S70-1S71, $4,000; the Dis
trict Societies received $4,000 for 1872
anG 1878, while for the year ending June
80, 1881, they received $1,000. Now let
us see how the amounts have increased.
The State Society received for the two
years ending June, 1887, $4,000; for the
two years ending June, 1885, $4,000; the
District Societies received for the same
periods, that is, for a term ending
Jnne, 1887, $1,000, and for the term
ending june 1889, S6S,S00. These figures
aggregate to the State and District Socie-
ties SLY, 100 for the four years, or an aver
az Of S44,27 a year. Thus, looking for
ward to period of twenty years, the
aggregate will reach SSS5,5OO, and at the
en- q that time there will be no man with
the hardihood to say that the money has
not been well expended. As already
noted, for the two years ending June, 1870,
the Legislature appropriated from the
State Treasury the meager sum of $4,000
to secure two annual exhibitions of the
products of this State, and yet there were
those to say at the time that the appropri
alton of $4,000 was an extravaganza. For
the two years ending June, 1889, the State
expended from the Treasury $lO3,SO0 to
secure annual State and district exhibi-
tons or mere than twelve times the
amount it was willing to give in 1870
There are two reasons for this: first. the
public have become convinced of the
economy of the expenditures, and next, by
reason of the former expenditures, the
State was better able to give In fact, the
Stale Agricultural Society and the District
Societies have returned to the Treasury of
the State $40 for every dollar they have
taken out, and they will continue to make
this return. 1t follows, then, that the ap-
propriation of S103,S0O for the two years
preceding 1889 was more wise and econom-
ical than the expenditure of $4,000 for
the two years preceding 1870. Taking
the last term, that is to say, the
two years preceding 1889, as a cri-
terion, with S103,S0O as basis. and
1t viii only require ten such appropria-
tions TO make the respectable sum of
81, 03S, 600. Thus the State has entered |
by precedent on the expenditure of mil |
hon dollars within a very short period of |
time for the purpose of educating its in
dustrial classes in the possibility of the
SOL and the best methods of cultivation.
YET the State will be richer by these ap-
preparations and poorer by withholding
them. In like manner an appropriation of
500 0O0, 100000, or any other reasonable
or requisite sum for London Exhibition
viii enrich rather than impoverish the
Treasury. The success or failure of such
an appropriation by the Legislature is not
matter OF private concern to the RECORD
UNION, but its success or failure will meas
ure the intelligence or the want of in
telhgence of the Legislature and the Ex-
ecutiye who deal with the subject. It's
failure will turn us back to the silurian-
'sai which opened its sleepy eyes with {
as'onishment on an appropriation of S., 900
Tor two years use of the State Agricultural
Society, with nothing to the District So
cleties. There is quite enough at issue in
the question to make and unmake hun
dre1 political fortunes.