The herald., 1893-02-17
DO|NGS AT THE STATE CAPITAL
The Governor Sends a Message
to the Legislature.
He C0unsels Rigid Economy in the
State Appropriations.
The Assembly Passes the Los Angeles
Park Commission Bill-The
Railroad Commissioners
to Be Ousted.

By the Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 16.-In q messag
forwarded by Governor Markham to tn
legislature this afternoon he says il
part:
bills have been introduced in the
Legislature calling for appropriation
which, including. the general appropria.
ton bill, will amount to $4,000. 900. I
is my desire that every just claim agains
the state and every appropriation fol
necessary expenses be allowed. 1t is
we'll known that the time of past legis
latures and of the board of examin.
ers has been largely consumed ir
the examination of doubtful claims
against the state. My atten-
ton has been called to senate
bill No. 401 and assembly bill No. 374,
which authorizes suits against the state
for all claims not allowed by the exam
iners. have carefully examined these
bills and am OF the opinion that if they
are passed the interests of all legitimate
claimants will be thereby promoted and
the true interests OF the state will be
thoroughly guarded.
ut is customary to insert clause in
the general appropriation bill whereby
officers and employees of the state are
prohibited from creating de.
ficiency in excess OF the appropriations
except in case of actual necessity and
only then upon unanimous consent first
obtained of the board of examiners.
There should be q general law to the
same intent. The inspection of the file
shows that senate bill No. 502 and
assembly bill No. $50 are intended to
cover this point. The state needs all
the protection that such law affords
and urge the passage of the measures
mentioned above.
my attention has been called to the
fact that many bills have been intro
duced, making appropriations for vari-
ous purposes, exempting the same from
certain provisions OF the political code,
which means that Immediately upon
the passage of these bills by the legisla-
ture the state controller shall draw his
warrant for the amount therein named
and the state treasurer shall pay the
same, and that they shall not pass the
scrutiny of the board of examiners. l
look upon this principle as an exceed
ingly vicious one and recommend your
honorable bodies that no appropriation
having this clause in the bill should re-
ceive your sanction.
cat the last session of the legislature
a law was passed providing for the pay
ment of the sum of $5 out of the state
treasury for h coyote destroyed. No
one at that time had an idea that it
would prove such burden on the tax
payers of the state. The last quarterly
report of the controller shows that thers
has been paid out during that quarter
over $780, 900 for coyote scalpe. 1t is fair
to presume that during the next two
fiscal years the state will be called upon
to pay out over $400, 900, and the amount
may reach half a million for this pur-
pose. I recommended in my message to
your honorable bodies that the law be
''Senate bill No. has already passed
the senate and ,is now before the as
sembly. This bill authorizes an ap-
preparation of $300,000 for the erection
Of public building in San Francisco
for the accommodation of the various
state officers and employees located in
that city. The idea of concentrating
these offices in one building is certainly
worthy of favorable consideration. First,
on account of the convenience to the
people of the state, as it is almost
impossible for any yone not very familiar
with San Francisco to expect to find all
of them in much short of weeks time.
Again the rent for this purpose ia sim
ply enormous, as it amounts to over
$4,000 per month. If the state is to
pay $4,000 a year for rent it be-
comes a grave question whether ii
is an economical proposition or not. As
q matter of convenience and economy
there should be some relief. 1t mas
occurred to me that with moderate
appropriation good and sufficient accom-
modations could be provided in the new
building now being erected by the state
board OF harbor commissioners. The
location is central, convenient and
eminently proper. One hundred thou.
sand dollars ought to be sufficient
to provide accommodations for every
purpose, with the possible exception oil
that OF the supreme court of the state,
the location OF which ought to remain
nearer the new city hall. ask your
very careful consideration to this propo.
sition.
"In view of the fact that at least
$11 1000, 900 will be required for the main.
tenance Of the various state offices and in
stitutions during the next two years and
that at least 100000 will be required tc
put several uncompleted public institu
tions in condition for successful opera
tion, and especially in view of the enor
nous amount of appropriations asked
for, / do most earnestly urge that the
appropriations for the absolute neces
stiles OF the state should be the first con
sideration and allowed before those of {
general character p