The record-union., 1891-02-03
A GOVERNORS RESIDENCE.

The State of California should provide
residence for its Governor. There is
every reason in favor of it, and no really
substantial objection to it. It is said
with great force that poor man ought to
be able to accept the Governorship of the
State, but unless the State provides him
with a house he cannot do SO, without
posing as q niggard and we doubt if he
could practice mean economy and do it
without shamihg the State. 1t is not at
all to our credit that the Governor of the
State on being elected should be obliged
to go out house-hunting and begging citi-
zens to give up their homes, that the
Chief Executive may have place in
which to live suited to his station and the
dignity and importance of the State. We
have had one case in which no suitable
residence could be procured within the
means of the incumbent of the Office, and
he was compelled to make his home in a
hotel during large part of his term.
The State once set about the building of
a gubernatorial mansion, but bachelor
being just chosen for Governor the enter
prise was abandoned and the building
converted into what is now the State
Printing Office. 1t would have been the
part of wisdom to have gone on and fin
ished the construction as a mansion, and
we think we reflect the public thought of
this day that it was impolitic and grave
error to do as we did do, since State
printing office should have been located
in different kind of structure. How
ever the conversion has been made and
the cost discharged, and the question
now is, shall we build or buy building
suitable for an Executive mansion?
If precedents count for anything, we
have plenty of good examples before u.s.
South Carolina, North Carolina, Nebras-
ka, Maryland, Virginia, Missouri, New
Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia,
Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New York and
thirteen other STAGES of the Union pro-
vide their Governors with appropriate
residences, and all of them furnish the
same, care for the grounds and pay
some part or all of the cost for lights and
fuel. 1t is said by the few opponents of
the proposition under consideration that
the maintenance of an establishment
worthy to be called a Governors man
sion, entails upon the Governor heavy
expense for service and keeping up the
establishment. This is incorrect, for an
occupant can maintain a portion or only
small part of the mansion, as he chooses,
but it is the right thing to do to furnish
it to him to occupy so much or as little
of the structure as he pleases
The bill for the purchase of mansion
does not fix the price to be paid but it
establishes limit, beyond which the
Governor shall not go in purchasing the
property that was occupied by Governor
Waterman during the most of his term.
1t is the belief among well informed per-
sons familiar with real estate values, that
property suitable for the purpose can be
purchased for very much less than the
State can buy land and build. The State
never builds as economically as the pri-
waite individual. Moreover, if there is q
suitable property that can be purchased
and occupied at once, it is far better to
take it, that tho present Governor may
occupy it, especially when it is conceded
that the State could not duplicate the
property as cheaply as it can be bought.
The REcoRp-UNIoN would not for
moment advocate a private claim or
scheme, or any that is not OF patent State
interest, and whether the owner of the
H-street property desires especially to
sell or not, cuts no figure with US in the
case. The questions are: Is that prop
erty well situated? Is it suitable for the
purposes desired? Is it to be had at
fair figure? Every one of these questions
can, We are convinced, be answered in
the affirmative with strict adherence to
the truth. No better situation could be
selected in this city; the residence is
spacious, high, constructed in thoroughly
approved manner, is in complete order,
and we apprehend can be had at fair
market valuation. However, there is no
compulsion about the matter-the bill
places the whole subject in the hands of
Governor Markham, and he can be
trusted to make no bargain that will be