The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-08
Urging the Creation of a State
Board of Charities and
Corrections.
PRESENT WAsTEFUL METHODS.
The Numerous Expensive Boards in
Existence He Says Should at
Once Be Abolished.

SACRAMENTO, MdrCn I.-OOVernOr bu0Q
transmitted message to the Senate and
Assembly tonight strongly requesting the
Legislature to pass the bill introduced by
Senator Seymour, providing for q State
board of charities and corrections, which
should displace the various boards con-
trolling the different insane asylums and
reformatories.
The Governor refers to his inaugural ad-
dress, in which he called attention to the
heavy taxation in California and the great
expense of the State government in Cali
fornia as compared with those of other
commonwealths. He declares that the
asylum reports show that the cost for the
various institutions for the insane is dis
proportionate to the costs of other States.
He recommends the abolition OF the local
boards, and concludes with a strong request
for the passage of the bill.
The text of the message is as follows:
To the Senate and Assembly of the State of
California: In my inaugural address delivered
to your honorable bodies 1 called attention to
the extravaganza of our State government and
to the high rate of existing taxation. 1 made
a comparison in that address between the ex-
penses of California and those of the other
principal States of the Union, showing by
tables presented that while California in popu-
lation was twenty-second, in the matter of
total expenditures it ranked fourth
In that inaugural also called your attention
to the reports of the Superintendent of the
Napa Lunatic Asylum and the former Super
intendent of the Stockton Lunatic Asylum,
showing the large number of persons therein
maintained, who, under the law, should not be
inmates of these institutions. l said in this
connection, after indicating the great dispro-
portion between the expenses of California and
other States of the Union:
As a step in the direction indicated would
recommend a. bill be passed abolishng existing
asylum boards and providing for non-partisan
board of from seven to nine members TO control the
entire system of lunatic asyIums, with power to
employ one general supervising head who shall be
an expert and not otherwise connected with any of
the institutions. The saving by such system
would be large, and local persuasion and influence
could circumvent neither the expert nor the gem
eral board.
Since my Inauguration and in the discharge
of my duties as Governor have more fully in
vestigated the institutions and affairs of the
State than was possible prior thereto. 1 have
discovered ample proof of all I said in that ad-
dress and that its statements were far short of
the actual facts
A bill was introduced, without suggestion
from myself, by Senators and Assemblymen of
the State, going beyond even the recommends
tons OF my address, which bill, in my belief, if
adopted by this legislature with such amend
ments as 1t may deem proper, would save to the
State hundreds of thousands of dollars each
year. refer to the Senate bill known as the
Pendleton bill (No. 693).
In another portion of my address I spoke as
follows:
The extraordinary increase in the number of our
lunatic asylums and other State institutions had
its origin in two causes Frs t, the desire of mem
bers of the Legislature from particular sections to
secure the approval of their constituents by con-
ferring upon them certain supposed benefits, and
the consequent iniqutous system of trading to
which this gave rise.
These observations, first, as to the endeavor
of the members of the Legislature to secure
the approval of their constituents at the ex-
pense OF the people at large, and second local
persuasion and influence eXerted upon them
have been put to the test in this Legislature
and have been exemplified in the considera-
ton of the so-called Seymour-Pendleton bill.
We have seen in the corridors of the Capitol
either the trustees of the various institutions
affected by these bills or their representatives
using every influence within their power for
the purpose of defeating the measures. We
have seen local boards of trade and local mer-
chants not only appealing to the members
from their respective localities for the defeat
of these measures, but even demanding that
the measures be Withdrawn.
When local communities or the business men
of leading towns publish to the Legislature and
to the world that they demand that their rep
resentatives in the Legislature shall abandon
measures of this nature because of threatened
loss of business it is q virtual admission that
the loss to the localities would be g saving to
the taxpayers of the State and constitute
very strong reason why the proposed legisla-
ton should be adopted. While these boards
of trade and other like bodies are making such
strenuous efforts before the Legislature, fail
to find one recommendation emanating from
them in the interest of economy.
The Board of Examiners of this State, of
which the Attorney-General and Secretary OF
State, both upright Republicans, are members,
will bear out the executive in his statement
that the extravaganza of these institutions and
the burdens placed upon the people by their
mismanagement are things so far beyond the
conception of the people that, if known, they
would create a storm OF general indignation
which would cause local trustees and local
merchants to pause before assaying to dictate
to the Legislature what ought to be done in the
interest of the people.
The investigation made by the Board of Ex-
aminers show that but few institutions are not
in violation of the letter and spirit of the law,
misapplying public funds, in some places US
ing the maintenance fund for the purpose of
making purchases and improvements, and in
others spending money for the State in luxur-
les for the heads OF the departments such as
would not be contemplated by any judicial
regulation, and in still others maintaining
many inmates that should not be there.
The maintenance of State officers, housed and
cared for at the expense of the people, is an
item in the list of extrayagances of no small
Importance The Attorney-General, the Secre-
tary of State, the Surveyor-General and other
officials of equal ability, who elected by the
people, receive but $4,000 year to maintain
themselves whereas persons selected for i'm
portant positions in State institutions by local
boards are allowed larger salaries by these
boards, and are maintained in luxury at the
expense of the State.
This measure that now recommend to you
has no politics in it, but is proposition of
such great importance to the people and will
work SO great saving to them that feel even
at this late hour of the session called upon to