The record-union., 1894-06-20
SACRAMENTO RECoRDUNIoN WEDNESDAY, JUNE


expected of me in that great fight for VIC
tory and success.
Fellow Republicans, | did my very
best. When the polls closed and the YER
dict was rendered, | was more thankful
than ever to those who gave me the per-
mission and authority to enter that con-
test.
APPRECIATED HoNoRS.
That convention conferred upon me
great honors, together with correspond
Ing responsibilities. Much more was ex-
pected OF me than it was possible for me
10 accomplish. How we'll, how faithfully
and how intelligently | have discharged
the duties pertaining TO this, the highest.
and. IN my judgment, the most honora-
Die office in the gift Of our people, you,
not ], must be the judge.
ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP.
| Fellow Republicans, you have just
right to demand of me at this time a
strict account of my stewardship, which
| will cheerfully render to you in a briel
way. In the first speech delivered by NE
! in that campaign these words will be
| found: whether | be elected or de-
feated, this will be my last candidacy for
this Office" This statement was repeated
by me over and over again throughout
| the State / meant what | said and said
what L meant, and have never changed
my mind in that respect. To that de-
cision and that determination you may
ascribe in great measure whatever de-
| gree Of success you may see tit to credit
this administration with to the present
time. For l will repeat to you what
have so often said, that l consider politi-
cal bribery the worst bribery in the
world. An official may sell his official
acts for money. but If known, he may be
impeached, indicted, or sent to prison.
But he can do just as disreputable thing
for political purposes, and snap his finger
in defiance Of the law. II not eandidate
for reelection, that temptation at least is
| removed.
NOT POLITICAL BUREAU.
On taking my Office / was obliged to
decide whether the office should be run
as political bureau or be devoted exclu-
/ slvely to legitimate State work, for ]
knew that was not enough of states
man or good enough politician to run
! both together and do Justice to either.
| Therefore the former was abandoned and
the latter has had my undivided attention.
Gentlemen, have performed my work
to the very best of my ability. l could
do no better. l can do no more. 1 have
given to the State my best efforts, and |
have faithfully striven to redeem every
pledge made by my party to the people
or the State on my behalf, and, gentle
men, while | ask no commentators al
your hands, do beg Of you and of the peo-
pie OF this great State, irrespective o1
party. to charge all the defects of this ad-
mlnlstration, OF whatever nature or de-
gree, that properly belong to the CHIEF
Executive, to me, and me alone, for
have been the Governor, if know the
meaning of the term, and should be held
! responsible for my acts and stand ready
| to assume them. / have made mistak es
That is not only natural, but it is too true
Yet, to be frank with you, the mistakes
that l have been urged to make by many
of our party friends, but did not max O.
Will outbalance them hundred fold.
SHOULD LIMIT EXPENDITURES.
The last State Convention made great
stride in the right direction when il
pledged the party to principles of econ
omy in its administration. 1t was a Sc
we're pledge for me to make to the people
Of this State, knowing as l did the ex-
! travagent laws in force, that taxation
should be limited to fifty cents on the one
| hundred dollars of valuation, and not.
withstanding that it was impossible tc
know what the valuation was to be, il
was, nevertheless, wise provision. Cen
| tlemen, the Vetoing of nearly two mill
| ions in appropriation bills was dis
tasteful task for me to perform, and made
me many enemies, but it had to be
done that our pledge might be kept
and the taxpayers interests protected.
Could [ feel warranted in making a
suggestion to you at this time, l would
say that as this is strictly State Conven-
tion, you should devote little time or at
tention to general politics as compared
with the wise business methods that
should be applied to the management oi
the affairs of this State. l think that you
should again place some reasonable limit
on expenditures, beyond which your
servants should not go. You should urge
upon the next Legislature the importance
of remodeling the laws governing all, or
nearly all, of our State institutions. AS
they now stand, each has law and man
agement unto itself. No two are alike.
STOP NEEDLESS EXPENSE.
Some proper steps should be taken to
stop this more than needless expense of
| two sets of Assessors, TWO sets ofTax Col
lectors, two sets of Treasurers, etc., found
in so mnay counties in the State. Scarcely
a State in the Union has its real estate as
sessed more than once in two years, Ohio
only once in five years, This practice
entails enormous extra expense to our
taxpayers.
The salaries paid in the various institu-
| tions throughout the State are from
! 20 to 30 per cent. higher than in
the majority of the old States OF
! the Union. am thankful to
report to you that movement is now on
| foot by members in charge of these insti-
tutions to reduce salaries and ether ex-
penses to meet the emergencies of the
times. This may not be popular move,
| but il is one that the stringency of the
times demands.
INSTRUCT THE LEGISLATURE.
! You shouldinstruct your Legislature
to cease the pernicious practice Of MAX
| ing their different appropriation bills inn
mediately available. 1t is this kind Of
| legislation that depletes the money in the
Treasury. for it anticipates the levy and
! collection of taxes that should naturally
cover the appropriations made in them.
| You should demand of them to turn over
new leaf and stop the unwarranted
practice of throwing the money of the
people away by making useless places
for political supporters while the Legis-
| lature is IN session and compel them to
reduce many useless expenses so COM
monty practiced by legislative bodies.
| l will not lndividualiZe nor will point
out any particular Legislatures, for my
words may be misconstrued. But I
will say to you, gentlemen, that from the
admission of this State until the present
time our Legislatures have expended
nearly twice the amount of money, ac-
cording to our population, as do any Of
the old States of the Union. Do not lei
me convey the impression that recent
| Legislatures have been less reliable and
| less frugal than former ones, for if you
| will examine the records you will find
! that, with few exceptions, improvement,
is the rule, and that. too, in every form.
IMPORTANCE OF PROPER LEGISLATION.
| am not speaking in a personal COM
planning manner OF our Legislatures-far
| from it. But / call attention TO it at this
time because my experience has taught
me that our State Legislature is of much
greater importance than most of our peo-
pie imagine.
| EallnW Rannhlicans If Won can criva to