The record-union., 1893-01-04


insure this, the timber which shades and
protects the source of supply and equal
lies the flow OF water during the winter
must be preserved.
RADICAL REFORM
Whether the system suggested is q
feasible one, is question you must de-
eide. But whether you adopt this plan
or not. 1t is evident from their report that
an appropriation for fire agents to be en-
ployed by the present board is a waste OF
money. The executive officer of the
board, in written report made at the re-
quest OF one of the members of the board,
which report is now on file with the State
Board OF Examiners, among other things
says that he has never seen or heard of a
lire agent except through the medium OF
their salary bills" and he is satisfied
that some of them have put in bills for
months where they were not even nomi-
nally rendering any service to the State"
He further says, 1.-The fire agents are
utterly inefficient, and L advise the i'm
mediate discharge of every one of them, -
which, may add, the board did. If you
should adopt the plan suggested by the
board, or should provide some other
method of endeavoring to preserve our
forests from the ravages of fire, | then
see no good reason for continuing the ex-
Istence OF the Board OF Forestry, as the
experiment stations can be placed, and
very properly, under the State Board of
Agriculture or State University. In the
event that you are of the opinion that
state supervision is a necessary feature OF
the plan you may adopt, l think the Fish
commission is the proper body to tax 9
charge Of the matter, and, in fact, the
PRESIDENT OF the Board of Forestry has
suggested this course.
FISH COMMISSIONERS.
The importance the work of this COM
mission does not seem to be generally
understood. 1t is not only their duty to
prosecute otfenseS against the fish and
game laws, but they endeavor to have the
many hsh markets and wharves of Sac
ramento, San Francisco and other large
cltles OF the state patrOlled to prevent the
sale OF nsh and game out of season; to
guard the long lines of San Francisco
Bay and continent bays and streams: to
patrol all the streams of the State, even to
their very sources; to manage and operate
the State hatcheries; to stock the streams
with the fish Matched, and to have GEN
eral supervision OF all matters pertaining
to fish and game in every part of the
state. They have endeavored to accom-
pIlsh all this with $4,000 annually. / do
not believe it is possible to do so. They
nave asked for an increase in their appro-
prlation, and the State Controller. in his
estimate, comedies the increase in part.
1 am confident that whatever sum Won
see lit to appropriate for their use will be
economically and judiciousIy expended.
The board as now constituted is worthy
of your entire confidence.
The fish products of the waters of this
State amounted during the last wear TO
over 10000, 600 pounds. The office of Fish
Commissioner is no sinecure. but i'll
wolves very large amount OF hard work
and great annoyance.
ARBITRATION.
The law relative to the State Board of
should be repealed or
to accomplish the design of the
scheme. The State Board reports it
almost impossible to effect anything un-
der the law as it is. He refers the Iepis-
lature to the matter of the DISCHARGE Of a
guard at the State Prison for refusing to
do duty more than eight hours at a time.
The reports of the Statistical Bureau
and Pharmaceutical Board are referred
without recommendation, as he has rot
been able to read and digest them ali.
he commends the work of the Bank Com
and excuses them for not maxi
ing personal examination of Building
and Loan Associations. Their duties
preclude them undertaking the task to
examine l23 associations. The commits
sion did at his request examine into
two and reported unfavorably. He urges
the appointment of special examiners for
such work.
AS to continuing the Supreme Court
Commission he makes no recommends
tlon, not being sufficiently advised. He
recommends careful consideration of the
suggestions made in the report of the
of State.
STATE CoNTROLLER-STATE TREASURER.
IL, Ill,
port OF the State Controller and TO that
officer, and believes all his statements
can be relied upon. Especially does he
advise examination OF the estimates of
State expenses for the next two fiscal
years.
The State Treasurer makes suggestions
worthy of your careful consideration. He
has pointed out that the Tax Collectors of
certain counties receive a per cent. on all
taxes collected. The amount so collected
was originally the compensation of the
officer for his labor. but since the aboli-
ton OF the fee system these amounts are
turned into the County Treasury. | re-
that the Treasurers sugges-
lions be complied with, as it will relieve
the various State and county officers of
unnecessary labor, and remove the COM
plications now arising from the necessary
computation of percentages
He has likewise pointed out that a saw
ing to the counties of the State of perhaps
s, 900 might be safely accomplished by de-
vising some means Of obviating the pres
ent requirement of the law, whereby the
State school funds of the several counties
are paid into the State Treasury, and then
Drawn out again on warrants of the Con-
-roller. If this large saving can be made
and the efficiency of the public service
remain unlmpalred, | recommend the
necessary legislation, and it seems to me
that this certainly can be accomplished.
The third suggestion of the Treasurer
viii require much study at your hands.
and at present | am not clear in nv mind
IS to what course you should pursue. If
the district irrigation bonds are found bv
you to be sale and judicious investment
of the State funds, it would enable the
State Board of Examiners to invest the
public money at very advantageous
rate of interest, and would afford a much
needed market for such bonds.
TToRNEY-GENERAL - sURVEYoR-GEN-
ERAL.
The Attorney he thinks in
error in reporting the Indian war claims
Is just against the State.
The very efficient SURVEYOR General
le says, makes one or two recommenda-
ions in his report, which doubt not are
n the interest of the people and should
De included in our statutes; especially
should the recommendation in regard to
foreclosure suits on account of delinQuent
interest on State land sales be given
prompt consideration. 1 have found Sur
Reichert and his entire
iorce very obliging in every way, and the
work in the Office always promptly and
we'll done.
OF PUBLIC INsTRUC-
TION.
The report of the Superintendent of
Public Schools reached him so late that it
was impossible to scan it. His report
;alls attention to what he considers some
very radical defects in the High School
aw, and suggests needed amendments.
which trust will receive prompt atten-
ion. Murh is hoard from the nn,.,c