The herald., 1895-01-14
THE NEW GOVERNOR.


pie are curious to know how we'll they
have succeeded in their choice, and re-
gard the initial uttsrsncss SO indicating
the character. oaliber and purposes OF
the man. The circumstances OF this
campaign were somewhat unusual, and
balance of the ticket was unsuccessful,
except one supreme court judge. and at
a time when q tidal wave swept over the
whole country and submerged the Demo.
cratic party. invests his case with PEE
culiar intereat. The people naturally
stop and inquire. Was it luck or the
mans merit that carried him through?
They therefore have been curious to
hear what he would say. and no doubt
his inaugural address has been more
generally and thoughtfully read than
ordinarily. The condition OF the coun-
try, too, makes the masses wstchful and
anxious to hear some plan or suggestion
that will bring relief.
Governor Budd's address has been
published in extenso in all the daily
newspapers, and has been more or less
commented on bv them. We shall not
comment on all the subjects therein dis.
cussed. 1t ia enough to ssy generally
that the pur port and spirit OF tbs address
cannot fail to receive popular approval,
for it bristles all through with reform
ideas and suggestions. 1t furnishes evil
dence that the new governor has given
investigation and thought to state al
fairs when he was a citizen and before
he became a candidate, and that he has
been industrious in his study OF condi-
tions since he became assured that he
was to preside over the executive de-
partment. The familiarity displayed
with conditions at the outset OF his term
is an assurance of thorough work in the
future and an augury OF successful and
satisfactory administration. Every in
teligent and patriotic citizen will Gus.
tain him 30 long as his zeal for the pub
lie welfare continues. There can hardly
be question on which q partisan Issue
can arise OK poet in the dispensstion of
patronage, and no man having the pub
lie welfare at heart will care who his APP
pointses are if they shall be honest, ca
pable and faithful public servants.
There are in the address some things
of especial interest. His observations
on the railroad commission demonstrate
his boldness and courage. The commits.
sion has been in existence Is years, and
We believe Governor Budd ia the first
executive who has had the nerve to
criticise and condemn ito action. or
rather its failure to act. while citizens
and the newspapers have been unspar-
ing in complaint and even denunciation.
The commission has the power to rem
der service to the public, but if it has
ever done 90 nobody seems to be aware
OF it. The powers of the commission
are plenary over local or state traffic,
bat they have not been exerczed in
regulating rates 30 as to relieve the peo-
pie from unjust burdens. So far as the
public knows no investigation has been
made to see whether earnings have been
more than necessary to pay reasonable
operating expenses and income on rea.
sonable capitalization. The commits
sioners should have found out that
salaries OF officials were inordinate and
the money to pay which comes out OF
the people, and they should have go re-
duced rates that the roads would have
been compelled to reduce salaries to
reasonable figures, or default in pay
ment of interest upon bonded indebted
ness. II composed OF capable and hon.
est men the commission can and should
render valuable service to the people
without doing injustics to those who
have invested their money in rail-
roads.
The governor called attention 10 the
enormous expenses of the state govern
ment as compared with those of other
states in proportion to population. The
HERALD alluded to the same fact few
days ago. The governor puts the state
meut in more explicit and exact form
and says that California is fourth in the
matter of expense and twen.y-aecond in
population. 1t is a fact which speaks
volumes in behalf OF economy and cur
tailment.
The clear and strong light in which
the governor has put the case cannot fail
to have an influence upon the legisla-
ture, nor to receive commendatory re-
Spouse from our overtaxsd people.
Another significant point which he
makes is that while wages and prices OF
agricultural products have gone down,
until there is little or no profit in
either, the expenses OF government have
been kept up to the high pressure mark,
showing that Legislators and officials
have ever disregsrded the hard con-
ditons under which the taxpayers are
laboring. 1t should not be inferred.
whatever the conditions. that public
expenditures above what are necessary
to assure efficient government may be
tolerated; on the contrary, they should
never be more than that for which the
people receive full compensation in ben.
efits. Government should always be an
exemplar in economy, and the same
course should be unerringly pursued,
whether the ship of atate is sailing in a
placid or q rough sea.
During the campaign Governor Budd
was derisively called backwoods can
| d;dako opJ oopc tho iIoo haipn