The record-union., 1895-01-10

ward his inquiries and advance the good
road movement in our State.
In the summer of 1898 | gave semi-of-
| hcial sanction to the use of the Executive
title in aid OF a State Road Convention,
| which was held at the capital in Septem-
Der, and was the first road conference of
State Importance on the coast. 1t had its
| inception in the public spirit of the Sac
| ramento County Humane Society, and it's ex-
| penses were borne by the people of Sacra-
menlo. IL was not fruitlesS OF results OF a
gratifying character, though it fell far short OF
the hopes OF its promoters. 1t was q first ef-
loft, ana II 1t did no other good it set in mo-
| tlon forces which, trust. viii continue TO
move until practical results of the most bene-
nclai character are attained. An adjourned
| session OF the convention was held in san
| francisco In May, ard though profitable, was
| lghtly attended. y second annual session
| OF the organization VIII be held at the capital
early IN tebruary. L have no hesitation what
| ever IN advising your honorable bodies to
| give 1t all encouragement and cheer. Its dele
| gates are chosen from among the best citizen
ship OF the state. Twenty OF these delegates
! nave peen selected by myself 10 represent the
| State at large.
am in receipt at late hour, of a letter
from General stone, who, speaking Tor the
| honorable the Secretary of Agriculture, urges
| me 10 invite your attention to this good road
SUBJECT, which had already done. The Sec
retary adds that Information received by him
| reveals the intention among legislators
| throughout the Union to give very much at
! tentlon 10 the subject of highway improve
| hIcuG DIT GuGSG winter sessions, and the meas
ureS to be considered chiefly will be the estate
| Ald System of New jersey state Highway
! commissions" effective Road Laws, '.Util-
| lzatlon OF Convict Labor" width of Wagon
Tires" discovery of Road Materials" Sub
| stltution OF Money Taxation for the Statu-
| tory Labor System" etc
| There is such a diversity of opinion, says
| the letter, on these subjects, and such misap-
| prehenSlon concerning methods best TO en-
plOy TO secure good roads at least cost that it is
| desirable that agreement in detail be reached
! a nfan for wit hnI
| Sucn agreement there is danger that nothing
| valuable Will be accomplished, because OF the
dlHlcuity of harmonizing individual bills.
| Inc General, for the Secretary, advises that at
| the. opening OF the Legislature Il temporary
| JOINT commission be erected perhaps out of
| the membership of the Legislature itself with
| the addition of expert engineers and others
| who have knowledge Of the whole subject, to
| consider all road propositions, hear all sug-
| gestlons, and reduce the whole TO such form
| that the matter may be mCst inteligently
| handled by your honorable bodies.
| AS l conceive tnat such temporary ad-
| visory board may be erected without. men
| tlonable cost to the State, and as the Depart
| ment OF Agriculture at Washington advises
| me that If some such plan is adopted the
Federal Government will render all possible
| assistance, furnish all information at its COM
mand, and keep each commission posted as to
| what each other commission In the several
| States is doing, l do not hesitate to advise
| you to create SUCH advisory commission, and
| TO reinforce it with a few members distin-
! guished by their knowledge of road condi-
| llONS ana neeuS, ana OF engineering science,
| OT course to accomplish anything such
| body, II created at all, should be named al
| most Immediately.
| Committing this whole subject to Won with
| conviction OF its supreme Importance, and
! believing that road reform lies at the base of
| nearly all the other great economic reforms
| affecting Immediately the conditions of life
and prosperity in our land, solicit Tor the
| whole matter your earnest early and pro-
! found attention.
FIFfT-CENT LIMIT.
Taxation is always vital question to the
| taxpayer. Be 1t ever so moderate, it is always
capable of undergoing reduction
| L was nominated and elected on a party
| platform which pledged the people that the
| tax rate should not exceed nfLy cents on each
one hundred dollars OF taxable pToperty
| soon discovered that this was purely arbi-
| irary one TO adopt, and left me no definite
foundation upon which to estimate the re-
| sources TO be derived under il. After asSum-
ing Office, Immediately sought the most re-
liable sources OF information, to wit the Office
OF the state Board of Equalization and thai Of
| the Controller, and upon these data the valu-
atIOns OF i $50 We're adopted, which yielded
| S4,9S2, GAG, and after deducting nxed
! charges, as the law allowed, the remainder
| represented the gross expenditures for perma-
| nent improvements. was then able 10 iur-
nlsh every interested Legislator with a de-
| tailed statement OF our financial condition and
! / was Obliged to veto $4,000 OF appropria-
| IiOn bills in order that the limit should not he
exceeded. in 1S91-J2 the valuations we're
| increased enough TO reduce the average rate
| for these years to i 4 cents.
A similar course was adopted for the benefit
| OF the last Legislst with the same results
| The valuations Of 1899 were accepted as my
guide and they yielded Sc, ,O6O,127, and in
order TO keep within said limit, I was Obliged
| 10 veto 81 100000 OF appropriations.
| In lo93-34. valuations were sufficiently re-
duceu 10 increase the rate tor those two years
| 10 an average tof o3.4 cents, making Tor the
| lour years Of my administration average
o. 4o'I cents on the hundred dollars. While
| IhIs Is the lowest rate since the State was or
sanlZeu, II should and can with proper lepis-
| IatiOn be reduced
Al that was left for me to do was to veto
sun more appropriation bills in order to Te-
u4ce; put as l had already vetoed in all
| ?1,IOooOO, exceeding III amount that OF al
Lne i-4etutlVes since the adoption OF the state
| Government. l could but 1eel that 1 had
| reached the limit in that regard. Let ii be
| noped that my successor be spared that try
! ing ordeal.
On questions OF appropriation the Legisla-
! ture should act with caution, tor it is pre-
sulned TO be the proper judge OF their neces-
! slty- Such action would avoid the res ponsi-
| blIlty so often unjustly thrust upon the veto
| power for protection.
! have given considerable attention TO the
methods OF performing state work, and care
! fully observed ana noted the defects and in
! my message to the last Legislature clearly
| pointed out many of them.
Inc question as to whether our people out
! side OF incorporated cities are called upon 10
| pay greater aggregate OF taxes in proportion
! 10 actual valuations than those in other States
| Is debatable ana very difficult of ascertain
/ O.
| have given the subject much thought, but
| there are so many contingencies to be consid-
| cred that 1t is almost impossible to make
| com pariSOnS.
| But our purely State taxes are much higher
| than the average States of the Union. This is
! to be accounted for IN the growing tendency
| OF our people to look to the State for aid in
every direction, throwing the burden OF re-
| spOnsibiIity that should be borne by others
| entirely on her shoulders, thus leaving Ler,
as 1t were, without a friend.
| bpr nf
| fortunates to be cared for is another canse
We have about 2S6,000 voters in the State
| While we support iii some manner over 90
! 900 untOrtunates; being in The ratio of ! to
| every 13 voters of the State. This is appall-
| ing. Are we not by this method encoGrag-
! ing dependency on the part of those That
could be cared for in other ways? By this
system of unrestricted charity are we lot do.
| ing more harm than good? That many of
| these cases Will appeal to our better nature
none will deny, but will it be gainslid that
| If the respective localities in which
these unfortunateS live and ask for aid were
compelled to answer their demands inyesti-
cations as to their deservings would be more
carefully inquired into? As it is, no questions
| are asked, because the onerous load is borne
by the State.
California is miniature United States and
our institutions widely spread which adds
largely 10 our legitimate expenses. The cost
per capita OF our insane in the three old in
stitutions is less than in any State in the
Union. The average is about 3S15 cents per
day, which includes food, clothing, attend
Improvements, and the inmates are most
huInanely cared for. So with the State Pris-
ons; the food is good. clothing ample, and all
are well treated, and outside of permanent
| Improvements the average is less than forty
cents per day. The Whittier and Preston
Schools, the Predetermined, the Deaf Dumb
| and Blind, are, in fact, more than educational
! in their work, and are thereby more expen-
sIve in proportion, but by ali of them econ
omy las been rigidiy practiced. The costs of
commissions and boards are of themselves
| inexpensive. as only very few of their mem