Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-11
Tho ..DaRy Herald,,
SUNDAY. JANUARY IL, 1891.
MARKHAM'ss OPPORTUNITY : POPULAR
DEMANDS.

Governor Markham has entered upon
his term as governor under particularly
brilliant aspects. He succeeds an acci-
dental executive OF his party whose ad-
ministration has illustrated everything
that a man should not do, and that
from A to lizard. Without any special
depreciation OF the editor of the 'Hoss"
paper, it is not straining the point to
say that the people OF California enter
tanned grave misgivings when they un-
derstood that man so experienced In
ways that are dark and tricks that are
vain as M. d. Boruck was to be the
guide, philosopher and friend Of a man
so inexperienced in civil affairs as r.
w. Waterman. This gentleman owed
his momentary ascendancy in the poll
tics of this state to spread-eagle speech
of master of political clap-trap. Il
there had been moments consultation
amongst the Republican leaders Water
man would have been dropped like a
hot potato. More especially would this
have been the case if it had been thought
that the Democracy would succeed, and
that the peerless Bartlett would die in
the opening days of his term. But
everything in the Los Angeles conven-
tion went with an hurrah, and the nom
ination of Swift secured, the remaining
proceedings interested the delegates no
more.
The HERALD is not sufficiently parti-
zan to desire party advantage at the
expense OF the mal-administration of the
government OF the state. We hope that
Markham may realize the expectations
of friends whom ne seems to have made
in all sections OF California. The posi-
tion of governor of this great common
wealth is a peculiar one. The tempta-
tions that environ him are great. The
opportunities for failure are almost il
limitable. This fact is proved by a
very simple test. Who are the govern
ors of California who have succeeded
themselves?
If our memory serves us right, there
is only one in all the long list. This is
the more peculiar because it has grown
into a prescription in the eastern states
that good executive should receive a
second nomination by his party. In
most cases this denomination is equiv
alent to reelection. Even Haight,
virile and able governor, failed to be
reelected in this state. Stoneman, who
received the largest downright majority
ever given to governor of California,
had no following in the convention that
nominated Bartlett, although he was
the peoples favorite at San Jose four
years before.
There are always great questions in
California politics that are ignored by
greedy and rapacious legislatures, and
the executive compliance with the ex-
actions OF the legislature has wrecked
some governors whose own impulses
were of the best. Such questions exist
today. The fact that Marcus d. Boruck
was the secretary OF Governor Waterman
produced the veto of the home insur-
ance bill, which would have given the
people of California a complete and sym
metrical insurance system OF their own.
Fire would not burn out OF the minds of
most people the conviction that Boruck
received money for the defeat of this
popular measure, and measure Of JUS
tice as well. Today that issue. will
probably again come before the legisla-
ture. 1t will be supported warmly, it
will probably be passed again, as.it was
before, and Governor Markham should
beware OF initiating his predecessor in
vetoing it.
The issue of economy or extravaganza
in the, administration OF our state affairs
is ona of perennial interest. The new
governor talks we'll on this topic. He
can bf controlling factor in it for good
Oh IFS. After the exhaustive discussion
OF economic questions during the late
campaign, the people will be implacable
in their enmity to a governor who shall
fail to see the peoples hopes realized in
this regard.
The pardoning power has been shame
fully used OF late. No guilt has been
heinous enough to keep man in the
penitentiary if he has had wealthy or
influential friends. The pardon of Cot
ton and several other noted malefactors
was a crime of such proportions as to
assure both Waterman and Boruck a
term of at least twenty years in San
Quentin.
This would seem to be favorable
time to sweep away lot of useless COM
missions. The duties of the state board
of equalization could be very readily and
satisfactorily performed by the state
controller. The railway and bank
commissioners are simply pap-suck-
ers, and they should be replaced
by single officials at Sacramento, en-
powered to collect and report upon sta
tistics in their respective lines of in
quiry. Governor Markham has echoed
the views of his predecessor concerning