The morning call., 1895-01-25

nickel this winter he said. "They don't
need it and 1 don't have to visit them to
know that. / would cut down their reg
ular appropriations if it is left to me.
There is the school at lone wanting $500
to take care of forty boys for year. Why,
it is scandalous.''
This brought Phelps to his feet. He did
not want it known that the committee had
an especial eye on lone, but now that 1t
had been named he had something to say
about it. "The gentleman refers to the
school at Lone he said. "To my mind 1t
is peculiar instance requiring an investi-
eating committee. They have spent some
$291 900 in that institution. They have 325
acres of land. We ought to know what
they paid for it; if it is worth the money;
what the land is good for, and what they
are doing or going to do with it. The ex-
penses of that institution last June were
1865 a month, when they had just seven
boys,in it, recently brought over from San
Quentin. They have paid $4,000 for
water right, and we should know if it is
worth that large sum. They paid $3.50 for
clothing before there was an inmate in the
place. We want to know why they pay an
engineer $50 month and consulting en-
gineer another $50 each month when
there is no engineering going on. The fact
is, continued Phelps, hotly, that this
State is being robbed right and left, and it
is high time it was stopped, and propose
to lift the mantle from this putrid mass of
corruption, if | have to do it alone and at
my own expense"
The old mans fervid speech was loudly
applauded, but Cutter was not crushed.
He Immediately took the floor, saying: 81
submit if out of his own mouth the gentle
man from San Mateo has not proven the
truth of what | said. He has shown that
he knows these abuses are there without
going after them. We all know that the
running expenses of this remarkable insti-
tuition are $500 a month and the number
of its inmates forty. The records show
it ALL
81 would like to ask my colleague how
we are to know whether the water right,
for which $4,000 was paid, is worth the
money unless we go to see it?" asked
Phelps.
Cutter replied: eff the intention is to
institute proceedings against the perpetra-
tors of what fraud may be discovered then
[ agree that it is proper to look the matter
up; but when the sole object is to deter
mine the amount of the appropriation to
be allowed L object"
Bulla answered rather warmly that the
gentleman from Suffer must know that
the purpose was much broader than that.
The committee wanted to determine
whether the institutions visited might not
be put to new uses, consolidated or changed
in any other ways to reduce expenses or
work improvement.
Brusie now brought the discussion back
to the original motion. against Powers
amendment. He favored the committee
of investigation, but he did not want it to
go out with the warrant of this Assembly
and the question of their board bills hang
ing over them. This with contemptuous
emphasis.
Powers said he believed the amendment
was drawn little too broadly and would
! Withdraw it. The resolution, without the
mileage and board amendment to it, passed
| by vote of SO to II.
| Bulla had voted with the II, and his ex-
| PLANTATION set Brusie to thinking. The
other junketing committees were reduced
to mere travelling expenses, but by the
| withdrawal of the amendment the re-
| trenchment committee, of which Powers
| is one, goes forth with its full mileage at
taehment and no strings upon it. BulIa
| thought it was not fair, but there the mat
| ter dropped.
| In an interview after adjournment Phelps
said he was greatly surprised at the atti-
| tude taken by Cutter. HE was with me
| last night when, with other members of
| the committee, we discussed this matter
| with the Governor and the State Board of
Examiners, and it was generally admitted
that big swindle has been perpetrated
upon the State in the matter of this Pres
ton School of Industry" said Phelps. sit
is necessary that we should visit the place,
not only to get at the bottom of the matter,
but to determine what should be done IN
the premises. did not want it known
that we were going there with this intent
until we carried it out, but his reference to
the matter made it necessary for me to ex-
plain. Think of spending 1865 month to
take care of seven boys under restraint.
The number has increased to forty under
stand and the expenses have risen to $500
a month. They are here asking an appro-
priation of $4,000 for running expenses,
half of which is for salaries and $50, 900 more
for improvements. At the time they made
their report the list of attaches included a
superintendent at $175 a month, clerk at
SIS, the two engineers at 500, commits
sary at SIS, farmer at SIS and his assist
ant at $40, Waterman at $40, two cooks at
$50, two general help at $40, four women at
500 and others, making total of 1866, all
to take care of seven boys. The furniture of
this school cost $4,000, SO it ought to be
handsomely equipped.
ssThis is not only an evident fraud, con-
tinued Mr. Phelps, "but it is demoralizing
to the section of country in which it is sit
uated. 1t must make farmers discontinued
to see big salaries paid to the States en-
ployes for doing nothing, while they get
less for their hard labor. These public
offices should not be so desirable. There
is another State institution that we shall
pay particular attention to, but shall not
name it."
The Public Buildings and Lands Com
mittee has been given indefinite leave of
absence, and will leave at once to visit San