The record-union., 1896-08-20
EXPERT HARRISON'S REPORT.
Il Vas Not Accepted by the State Board
Of Examiners.
Attorney-General Fitzgerald Explains
the True Scope of the Ex-
pert's Inquiry.

The controversy over the ques-
ton as to the power of the
Governor to appoint an expert" to
overhaul the affairs of the State Print
ing Department again bobbed up Sc
renely yesterday at the meeting of the
State Board of Examiners and added a
momentary bit of spice to the other
wise monotonous routine of that body.
Neither Governor Budd nor Attorney
General Fitzgerald were present, the
former being represented by Secretary
Markley and the latter by Assistant
Anderson. But Secretary Of State
Brown was there, and as he and Mr..
Anderson were one too many for Secre-
tary Markley. the report that C. M.
Harrison wanted to file-regarding his
Inquiry into affairs of the State Print
Ing Office-was not read.
The subject came up by Harrison ap-
pearing before the board and stating
that he was prepared to submit his re-
port as State Printing Expert
When Secretary Of State Brown asked
him from whom he obtained his author
ity to act as such expert, Secretary
Markley spoke up and said that Gov
ernor Budd and himself, in session as
.,
Mr.. Harrison for that duty.
Acting Attorney-General Anderson
said his superior officer had rendered
an opinion in the matter of the boards
authority in that respect, and under
that opinion of the Attorney General he
could not recognize Mr.. Harrison as
the State Printing Office Expert.
Secretary of State Brown expressed
his syfn to 4
freely. He said he did not believe In
the appointment to such position Of
one who is a competitor and likewise
unfriendly to the person whose acts he
was to inquire into and report thereon
For his part, he did not believe that all
public officials are dishonest.
Then Harrison asked that a portion
the latter part-of his report be re-
ceived, but Assistant Attorney-General
Anderson declined to entertain any
thing that Harrison had to offer, rely
ing on the opinion of Attorney-General
Fitzgerald that there was no such ex-
pert.
There appeared to be no further oc-
casion for the presence of Mr.. Harri-
son, and recognizing that fact he with
drew with his report, and then Mr.. An
board, the opinion written by the At
torney-General on the subject Follow
f~g is
THE OPINION:
Honorable James H. Budd, Governor
Of the State of California, Sacramento,
CaL-Dear Sir: In reply to your favor of
the 23d ult-, requesting an opinion as to
the duties Of the printing expert whom
oy1 o%
by Section 6T9 of the Political Code to
appoint, I am Of the opinion that the
duties Of such expert are those, and
those only. prescribed by Section 679 Of
the Political Code, viz:
TO examine and report to the board
all accounts Of printing presented by
the State Printer or any other person.
specifying whether the work has been
executed in a workmanlike manner or
not, and the amount for which the same
should be allowed"
In view of the fact that the work in
the State Printing Office Is no longer
done by piecework, and that the State
no longer estimates "the amount for
which the same shall be allowed" that
portion Of the section which requires
the printing expert to examine and re-
ing presented by the State Printer"
has, Of course, been rendered inopera-
tive.
1t therefore follows that the only
duties which the printing expert is
now authorized to perform are ito ex-
anime and report to the board all ac-
counts for printing from any
other person. specifying whether the
work has been executed in a Workman
like manner or not, and the amount for
which the same should be allowed"
The only provision in the statutes of
the State which permits the Superin-
tendent of State Printing to procure
work from ANY other person" is that
found in Section 53S Of the Political
Code, which provides that when any
chart. map, diagram or other engrav-
ing shall be required to illustrate any
document ordered to be printed. such
chart. map, diagram or engraving shall
be procured by the Superintendent of
State Printing"