The herald., 1895-03-08
CALIFORNIA; GOVERNOR,
FLORIDA CITIZEN


One of the greatest personal triumphs
! in American politics for many years was
that achieved by James H. Budd in win
ming his election as governor OF California
last fall The ''tidal wave" that rose on
the Atlantic seaboard swept across the
Rocky Mountains, and was felt with un-
diminished force on the Pacific Coast.
California, which $ represented in the
present Congress by five Democrats and
two Republicans, elected only a single
member of the former party to the next
House, and the Republicans chose their
candidates for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and
, the minor state offices by majorities rang
ing from II, $50 to 40, 10S. Yet on the same
| day Mr.. Budd, the Democratic candidate
for governor, was elected by majority OF
Mr.. Budd made his campaign on state
issues. He was running for the governor
ship. and he insisted that the only ques-
tion for the voters to consider was
whether he or his Republican opponent
would make the better executive. He
maintained that the tariff issue related
only to Congressional candidates, and
that whether man believed in the Nc
Kinley law or the Wilson bill was of no
consequence when he came to consider
whom he should support for governor.
A crying need Tor radical reform has
long existed in the state government of
California. Extravaganza has run riot
and during the past ten years the dis
bursements from the treasury have about
doubled while the increase in population
has been only about one-fourth. Sine
cures have been multiplied, needless COM
missions have been established and sal
aries have been raised. All this has been
done, too, during period when the mar
ket for agricultural land for labo. and
for staple products has been steadily fall
ing.
Mr.. Budd took the ground that economy
was the great need of the state, and he
made his campaign largely upon that is
sue. He promised that, if elected, he
would abolish sinecures lop off useless
commissions and see that honest service
was rendered the state. The voters were
much impressed by his canvass, and many
thousands of men who supported Repub-
lean candidates for Congress and for
state offices supported Mr.. Budd for Gov
ernor.
The Governor is living up to the pledge
of the candidate. He was inaugurated in
January, and he Immediately proceeded to
overhaul affairs. A sample of his meth
DDS is seen in the spectacle presented
few weeks ago of the executive of the
state being rowed around under the
wharves of San Francisco in small boat,
clipping pieces with a Ratchet from the
concrete foundations of building that is
being erected by the Harbor Comis-
SloucIS, anu buInluS tDeIu over W all CA
pert whom he took with him and who
will test them. He has taken lesson
from the veteran miner, who goes down
into a mine, digs out his own ore samples
and does not let them get out of his con-
troll until he has made up his mind
whether he has struck good lead or a
'salted" mine.
Republican newspapers of California ad
nit that this harbor performance is only
"a fair illustration of what the Democratic
Governor is doing everywhere. The San
Francisco Argonaut, which did not sup
port Budd, admits that he is ''panning
out pretty well.'' 1t proceeds:
He really seems to believe that his re-
election pledges are to be carried out. He
appears to be trying to carry them out.
He is pruning down in every direction.
He seems to be endeavoring to head off
steals and grabs wherever they exist. We
admire his direct methods. He is max
ing good beginning to his adimnistra-
ton l -1f
This is the sort of official that the peo-
pie want-a man who keeps his word.
The Democratic party would not be in the
humiliating position which it occupies
in the nation today if its Senators and
Representatives had been as true to their
pledges as is Governor Budd to his.