The record-union., 1891-02-26
CAUSE FOR COMPLAINT.
Some Unpopular Things Proposed il
the legislature.

Some Unpopular Things Proposed in
the Legislature.
| EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN When the smoke
of battle had cleared away last November,
and it was found that the present Legisla-
lature was elected, many men of both par
ties who had the interests of the State at
heart congratulated themselves on the
election of set of men untrammeled by
boss rule, and apparently of a higher aver
age order of intelligence than those COM
posing some of our previous Legislatures,
! and predicted results from that fact which
should rebound largely to the welfare Of
| the people. 1t would seem at present
that instead Of SOlomons we have simply
placed Dogberrys in our halls of legisla-
| ton.
First and foremost, with the usual zeal
Of newborn reformers, they have cut
down the State School Fund in the ap-
preparation bill $4,000, or from 80 70
per capita to 81, thus depriving the chill
dren of the State Of nearly one-third of
their opportunities for schooling for the
next two years. I do not think the peo-
| pie will appreciate their endeayor to Keep
| within the fifty-cent limit, if in order to
do SO they must cripple our common
| school system. The school fund is formed
| by: First-The interest from the sales of
States Government, in order to establish
| a perpetual fund for the support of the
common school system, and to be used
for that purpose only. Second-From
the poll taxes collected in the State by a
constitutional provision. In neither case
can this money be diverted from that OBJ
| ject without violating the Constitution.
| If it'be done under the plea Of surplus
age, there is no defense for it, for the land is
| nearly all sold, and very little more reve-
nue. can accrue from 1t, while the census
roll of children is annually increasing,
and the rate of interest obtainable on in
yestments will steadily decrease. ANY
surp1usage, therefore, should form the
basis of additional investments, in order
| to keep pace with the increase of children.
! fBut were these things not so, the ap-
| parent savings on State taxes would re-
suit in no tightening of the taxpayers
| burden, for any lack of State apportion-
ment must be made up by county taxa
ton, in order to give the schools the
amount specified by law.
! Next comes the recommendation of the
! Assembly committee recommending the
abolishing of the Forestry Commission.
If the State needs anything for the well
fare of its people, it is the enlargement of
the powers of the commission, and avail
| able funds for the prosecution of its work.
| If the people of the valleys do not wish to
| be swept into the sea, and their possess
sions destroyed like those of France and
| Spain, by mountain floods, let them up
hold the commission. 1t is of more vital
| importance to their future than even ap-
preparations for properly fitting up our
normal schools, much as they are needed.
| Unless the forests of California are pre-
served, prosperity here will, before many
wears, receive death blow. Hold up the
| hands of the commission instead of abol-
iShing it, and every dollar expended will
be returned to the State thousand fold.
Next comes the recommendation to
abolish the Fish Commission and turn
over the products of our waters, stocked
at 60 much expense by the Government
and State, to the Chinese, the Greek pi-
rates who resist our laws by force, and
the cannery men who would take the last
fish from our rivers, if permitted, with
out regard to the rights of the people to
the food supply for which they have been
taxed. The Recommendation is to turn over
to the hide hunter the deer of our forests,
that they may externinate them as they
did the buffalo, and thus still farther de-
| stroy the food supply of the people; to
turn over to the poacher and market
hunter the game of the State, which be-
longs to the people, in order that they
NAV amass money by the sale of what
/ does not belong to them.
4 If this be the kind of record the Legis-
lature from which so much was hoped is
TO leave us, the seal of political and moral
condemnation will be set on every man
who votes for these measures, and appro-
PIRATES money for things, the necessity
| for which is not to be compared to them.
ARGUS.