The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-12
{ GOVERNOR JAMES H.. BUDD'S INAUGURAL MESA

In tina biennial report OF the con-
troller for the 44th and 45th fiscal years
he has omitted from his estimate OF the
| cost OF the state govern 10 ent iur the AZ eti
and 48th fiscal years the item interest
and sinking fund.-" which amounts to
1882, $40. This amount is included in
the above statemsnt.)
BROKEN PLEDGES.
The Republican platform OF 1894 on
state taxation reads as follows: We
pledge our nominees that the state tax
levy, except in cases of war or insur'
rection, shall not exceed for any one
year 30 cents on each 500 OF assessed
valuation Of property and as much less
as a most economical administration Of
the state government will permit.
The assessed valuation of property for
the year 1894 is $l.204. 976. 952 Taxes
at the rate of 80 cents on each 500 Of
| this amount of valuation would produce
| Tor the support OF the state government
for the forty-seventh aud forty-eighth
fiscal years $l2,049, 769 81
| Less the amount vi the controllers
estimate for support Of the state govern.
ment for the forty-seventh and forty
eighth fiscal years i, Sll.749 254.66.
leaving an excess OF $500, 5l4.S6. (The
omitted item in the controller's report,
as stated above, is included in this
| statement also)
The foregoing estimate includea only
the running expenses as provided by
law, and does not cover such outays as
those of the bank, building and loan,
harbor and other commissions or inst-
tut.ons having special funds, or the cost
OF new buildings, additions or improve
ments, which swell the total to the
neigh borhood of $S,000.000 year.
| TGovernor Budd included in his adj
dress q tabulated statement OF COM
parative expenditures OF 20 leading
states of the union. derived from the
federal census. The governor iD com
menting on the showing made by these
| table,, says:l
MATTER FOR REFLECTION.
The reflection that in 1890 We ranked
fourth in total outlay for state purposes.
and 22d in population, is well calculated
to induce the most careless citiz ,n to
whether the time has not fully arrived
tables shows that in general state ex-
penditures California ranks fourth in
amount expended, led by New York.
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The
cost per capita in California is 1911
New YORK $l.670, Pennsylvania $l.553.
Massachusetts S.5l28. In the compara-
tive cost of prisons California ranks sec
ond to New York. For $3.50 prisoners
in New York the coat is 81 ,033 $50; for
2057 prisoners in California, $58S, 1854.
California ranks fourth in the cost of
the National guard and first in the cost
of agricultural fairs. For the judiciary
the state ranks fifth in expenditures,
and Tor insane second. In California il
cost 1882, 679 to care for 1856 persons
and in Ohio it cost 1898, 1873 for 5l7l
insane persons.
COST OF THE INSANE.
As indicated very clearly by the fore.
going figures, one of the main sources OF
state extravaganza ia the care of the
insane. The extraordinary increase in
the number of lunatic asylums and sim-
liar state Institutions had its origin in
two causes: First, the desire OF members
o! this legislature from particular sec
tions to secure the approval of their
constituents by comforting upon them
certain supposed benefits and the conss.
quent Ubiquitous system of TRADING" to
which this gave rise; second, the pres.
ence in the already existing asylums OF
inmates who, under the law. were not
entitled to entrance therein and have no
right to he retained there. confident
ly assert that large percentage OF the
so called patients confined in our luna
tic asylums are not legally entitled to a
home in those institutions. Yet they
are, and for years have been, admitted
and cared for. Had the law been prop.
erly complied with in the past, three
asyiums only would have been required
-ons south and two north OF Tehachepi
and these, with slight additions to
their capacity, would have been more
than ample to meet the demands OF the
state for years to come.
INJURED ABROAD.
We are by reason of these abuses
not only taxed beyond the necessities OF
our condition, but are misrepresente ted
and injured abroad through the false
reputation given to our people by the
apparently wide prevalence of mental
disorder in this state. That these are
but statements OF fact let the reports of
two of the oldest of our institutions for
tuo tIoutuioub VI Juo p1bF t6Stl'
mony. The directors of the Napa asy-
lum in their latest report use this Ian
guage:
"Californis supports too msny people
in her insane asylums. These institu.
lions are crowded, to the detrimsnt OF a
propsr or successful treatments OF the
durable insane, and are made unduly
expensive by maintaining persons
cases of harmless chronic mental un-
sOundness and mere mbeciiity-who
ought to be supported elsew ere." In
1886 Dr. W. H. Mays, then superintend.
ent of the Stockton lunatic nsy-
lum. said: This asylum has, from
an early day, carried along
on its reports large contingent, drawn
from all quarters, of chronic incursble
dement's imbeciles, dotards. idiots.
drunkards. sim pletons, fools-a class, in
fact of harmless detectives usually
found in poorhouses or elsewhere. In
the absence OF county charitable insti-
tutions 1t was necessary to send them
here. There WAS no other place for
them.
And this condition has existed for
years. Notwithstanding the plain legal
provisions prohibiting the commitment
to or retention in such institutions of
these classes OF society's dependents.
The class that may be ad United lie clearly
indicated in section 22l5 OF the political
code, thus: A person who is 30 far
disordered in his mind as to endanger
m