The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-02
SATURDAY, JUNE 2. 1894.
THE HORTICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS
OFFICE,

OFFICE,
That portion of the report of the
grand jury published in the HERALD on
last Saturday morning, wherein it pays
its respects to the horticultural COM
missioner, must prove very instructive
to the ordinary taxpayer of the county,
If it is not entertaining. The state ments
contained in the report, backed up by
judicial solemnity az they are, and the
figures preceded by dollar marks, would
have been startling had they not been
placed before the public on numerous
occasions within the past twelve months
by the HERALD. We have shown the
whole inner workings of this expensive
horticultural Office in hope that undeni-
able grievances would be purged and
corrected. However, now that the
grand jury has done good service in
bringing the matter before the public
officially, some means ought to be found
to stop good portion of useless charge
on the heavily burdened taxpayers and
fruit growers of Los Angeles county.
This horticultural commissioner has
for the last three years been law unto
himself, and has apparently been I'M
checked in his expenditures and manner
of doing business. In 1892, as officially
published, his administration cost over
$4,000; in 1898, as shown by the grand
jury, his Office cost nearly $11 900; for
1894, if not interfered with, he can be
relied on to have demands honored for
as much more. Thus we have 1884,
for three years, and not one dollar recov-
anyone knows. If anything has been
collected it has escaped the grand jury
experts, which is hardly likely. This
expense, imposed on taxpayers at time
when it has strained many OF them to
the utmost limit to get money where
with to save their places from sale for
non-payment of taxes, has been exces
sive-far greater than the good resulting.
There was unquestioned need for careful
supervision as against fruit pests, and
means of safety were offered and super
ciliously refused.
It is in order to ask what has been
accomplished for our fruit interests?
The constant complaint of incompe-
tency, neglect and arbitrary acts from
fruit growers and orchardists all over
the country, a steady stream to the
newspapers and to the board OF county
supervisors ought to answer that ques-
tion effectually.
The board of supervisors did attempt,
a few months ago, hslf-hesrted exam
ination into charges which had been
regularly preferred and could hardly be
ignored, but dismissed the matter,
whitewashed the commissioner and
oiled the wash. The caustic properties
of the grand jury report is wash of an
other kind, and ought to cauBe thick
skins to chsie until raw spot is found.
enough to cause action of some kind
which would result in beneficial
change.
The grand inquisitors very likely did
not make inquiry into the work OF the
horticultural commissioners deputies in
the fall of 1892, else they would have
found, as has been repeatedly charged
and admitted, that these deputies,
while drawing pay from the county,
were busy circulating petitions to the
legislature to prevent the. state from
taking the fruit pest in hand as it had
shown an ability and willingness to
do, thus. for interested motives, con-
tinuing this expensive drain on the
county treasury. AS it now stands there
is no assurance but that the same thing
will be done over again this fall. The
money paid for this dirty work should
be paid back to the county, by compul-
sorry means if possible.
1t would seem to be good business
policy to require the present commits
sioner, II the farce is to be continued,
to remove to the city, and so save 1898,
railroad fares to and from his home,
allowed by the supervisors in 1898. The
grand jury say this ia an illegal charge.
What will be done about it2
Tae law governing horticultural mat
terE authorizes the supervisors to ap-
point three horticultural commissioners
for the county. Petitions have been filed
with the board asking that such action
be had. dividing the county into three
districts, thus making very large saw
ing in expense; but, up to this time. no
regard has been paid to the request.
Now the grand jury also recommend the
change. The jury is evidently not sat-
isted with the supervisors indifference.
This horticultural business, as it has
long been managed, has been an expen-
siye and unsatisfactory luxury that tax