Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-08

the Wishes of the Legislators.
The following statements are intended
to explain the remarkable claim of
Aaron Smith for $4S2.90 for services
rendered at Sacramento"
The first one is a statement made by
the board of supervisors, and the second
one from Senator Carpenter.
The supervisors in their labored ex-
PLANTATION make an important omission
in failing to give the names OF the
leading citizens" who asked that Mr..
Smith be appointed.
On the 28th day of March, the bill of
Aaron Smith for 1882 80, for services
rendered the county representatives at
Sacramento. during the recent session
Of the legislature, came before the board
of supervisors and was allowed. On the
presentation of a warrant from the au-
ditor for that amount, Mr.. Smith was
refused the money by tile county treas
urer. Under these extraordinary cir
cumstances, the board of supervisors
appreciates that statement of the rea-
son for their action is due from them to
the taxpayers of the county.
1t must be promised in advance that
the question involved is a plain one of
business, and does not concern the per-
sonality of Mr.. Smith, nor the county
division scheme, nor any other of the
many extraneous matters with which
the discussion has been entangled. The
action of the board was deliberate, open
and public, and it feels now no hesi-
fancy in offering explanations to what
ever extent they may be demanded by
the public.
Early in January of the present year
q number of prominent residents of this
city, who had been in attendance upon
the legislature at Sacramento, came be-
fore the board OF supervisors and stated
that various matters were about to be
considered which would be of vital in
terest to the county. These citizens
urged upon the board the necessity of
sending some man to Sacramento to
assist our representatives who were
hampered by an excess of routine bust
ness. 1t was suggested that the man to
be chosen should be one who had
thorough knowledge of the affairs of the
county, of its finances, of the duties of
its officers, and the workings of its vari-
GUS departments; and the name of
Aaron Smith was offered as that OF
man we'll qualified for the proposed un-
dertaking.
For time the board hesitated to act,
unwilling to put the county to this. .ex-
pense, unless it should be absolutely
necessary, and doubtful about the selec-
ton of the individual who was to serve
while the matter was under discussion,
there came to the board the following
telegram, under date of January 10th:
SACRAMENTO, Cal.
8. M. Perry, Chairman Board of Supervisors,
Los Angeles county, Cal.
We want Smith here. He is of great
assistance to us, and valuable man.
Thereupon the board hesitated no
longer. Believing that the representa-
tives were the best judges of what was
needed, it promptly ordered Mr.. Smith,
who was already in Sacramento, to as
sist the county delegation at a compen-
sation of IS per day and expenses. It
now appears that Mr.. Smith was re-
ceiving some compensation from other
sources, but as the services which the
representatives demanded OF him were
rendered in satisfactory manner, the
board does not now conceive that it is
called upon to take this fact into con-
sideration. Mr.. Smith was employed
to do certain work, and the interest OF
the board in the matter ends when it
has aecertained that this work was
properly done.
AS to the nature of the services which
Mr.. Smith rendered, since the request
for bis employment came originally
from the county representatives, and as
they were in a position to be the best
Judges of his work, the board proposes
to leave that phase of the matter with
them, and their statement is submitted
below.
Among the various bills which
taxpayers had urged upon the
board the necessity of watching
was the new county government bill,
wherein it was proposed to largely in
crease the salary of the county officers
and their deputies, notably that of the
county treasurer, which was advanced
from $2500 to $500, with an increase of
deputies. In the bill as finally passed,
this salary is fixed at $3600. That the
county is greatly the gamer by the whole
transaction, cannot be questioned by
any one who knows the facts.
The statement that Mr.. Smith was
sent to Sacramento as lobbyist against
county division, scarcely calls for re-
futation or even comment. Whatever
may have been the views of the various
members OF the board on the question OF
the division of the county, there was no
effort made to further these views by
the use of the county's money. Mr..
Smith was sent to Sacramento in re-
sponse to request from some of our
leading citizens and to satisfy the de-
mands of the county's representatives.
The general laws Of the state which pre-
scribe the duties of the county super
visors and which enjoin upon them the
protection of all the interests of the
county, support the board in its faction
and with this plain, brief statement of
facts it cheerfully and confidently sub
mits the case to the public.
s. M. PERRY,
H. G. HUBBARD,
A. E. DAVIS,
E. A. FoRREsTER.
Los ANGELES, April Z, 1891.
S. NJ Perry, Esq, Chairman Board of Super
visors, Los Angeles county
DEAR SIR: Referring to conversations
with members of the board and comply
ing with the request that should state
in writing what services have been rem