Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-04
THE CALLED JADE WINCRS-THE IN
TEREsTS OF THE PEOPLE SOME
INTERRoGATORIEs.

| in Los Angeles who doubt the ability OF
the HERALD to indulge in billingsgate if
it chose to do so. 1t is entirely too pro-
vineial role for us to descend to. Ira
ditions of responsibility, extending over
long time, prevent our resorting to low
and vulgar personalities.
We therefore contemptuously dismiss
the journal which "unpacks its heart
with words, and falls cursing like
very drab."
But the HERALD will by no means dis
miss the cause of the people. The in
terests of the taxpayers, who are being
feeced in an unconscionable manner,
are dear to our heart. There is some
thing to make judicious people grieve,
and to make excitable people rage, in
the way expenses are piling upon this
community in every shape, under long
continued Republican ascendancy. 1t
costs prodigious sums under the Repub
lican ring to run the city. 1t costs even
larger sums to run the county. Extrav-
agance has struck its heyday in both
city and county, and the voters of this
section will, at the first opportunity,
show their Indignation at the extortion
and robbery which have prevailed on all
hands.
When it was first talked about furnish
ing the new court house the sum men
toned was 5000. Anybody who has
been in the neighborhood of this city
has heard this figure. 1t was undoubt-
edly thrown out as blind, and to dis
courage any outside bidders. This mod
est $25 900 has been swollen to upwards
of $780, 900 by system of partizan favor
itism that every one understands. Out
side bidders were confused by the low
figures mentioned. They knew that
they would be held rigidly to the figures
stipulated, while the favored Markham
ring had subservient board of super
visors on which it could rely, for modifi-
cation OF the contract and expansion of
the original figures.
Their calculation was undoubtedly a
sagacious one. The select Republican
home crowd knew what they were
about. The moment specification was
departed from, the very genius of job
berry entered in. and the amazing figure
OF $50 900 was attained in furnishing
the new court house. AS a specimen
brick the HERALD gave the desk in
Judge Wade's court room, which can be
duplicated for $400, and which, from a
mere immaterial charge, was made to
cost 81 800. There areIfurniture dealers in
California who will duplicate that desk,
with the legend of "Fiat justitia," W ith
"ruat celum" added on, for one-fourth
the price it was made to cost the county.
While we have not the slightest idea
of bandying offensive words with the
Express-these things are 30 easily and
Extensively multiplied-we beg to sub
NIT to that journal the followin G:
In view of the fact that, in connec-
ton with the questions arising out of the
furnishing of the Whittier reform
school and the county court house,
the Express has thus far acted
as the mouthpiece of the very distin-
guished gentlemen who constitute the
directors of the Los Angeles Furniture
company, we should like to submit the
following questions to oui jealous even
ing contemporary, with the hope that
they will be fully and fairly answered:
First When the Los Angeles Furni-
ture company, corporation, presented
its claim for furnishing the Whittier
reform school, to the state board of ex
aminers (of which, under the law, the
governor is ex-officio a member and
chairman), was his excellency at that
time the president of said corporation?
Second-At the time said claim was
presented for approval, did Governor
Markham participate in the proceedings
of the state board of examiners, and
thus sit in Judgment upon claim in
which, as president and stockholder of
the company, he was personally in
terested?
Third-If Governor Markham did
thus participate in the proceedings OF
the board, does our Jealous contemporary
think such conduct consonant with a
delicate sense of propriety and the
dignity of the high Office to which his