The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-05
AMENDMENT OF COMMITTEE OP
POSED

Copies of the amended bill were
mailed throughout the State, by mem
bers of the Assembly and Senate, and
brought forth considerable Opposition.
The Riverside Commission wrote: the
sentiment here is against the commit
tees amendment. We have talked
with our Supervisors and they are in
favor of having the bill passed, as
originally introduced, that is of either
one, two or three Commissioners. They
would be decidedly against the one
man commission. The provision that
the one Commissioner shall be appoint
ed every year, would practically de-
stroy the usefulness of the office, by
making the term so short and reduc-
ing it to the level of patronage" to be
dispensed by the Supervisors From
what is said there will probably be
considerable complaint heard against
the bill, as amended, from the south
ern counties.
The Assembly Committee on Fruit
and Vine Interests, held several meet
ings and were at a loss as to what to
recommend on the face of the oppoSi-
ton to the one man commission, and
the unconstitutional provision asked
Thus, while no agreement seemed pos
sible, strong lobby, composed of fruit
growers from Fresno County, appeared
at the Capital, and at their request
Senator Pedlar introduced a bill in the
Senate, embodying all the sections of
the Assembly bill, including Section ,,
which was introduced in the Senate as
a separate Act, by Senator Simpson,
and which had already passed the
| Senate and repeating all former acts.
THE NEW LAW.
The bill as passed and approved
(March 31st, Chapter 1850 becomes a
new law by virtue of it having repealed
all former Acts, but its features are
not new, they having been in operation
in the State since 1881. Section 1
provides
Whenever petition is presented to
the Board of Supervisors of any coun-
! ty, and signed by twenty-five or more
persons, each of whom is resident
freeholder and possessor of an orchard,
stating that certain or all orchards, or
nurseries, or trees of any variety are
infested with scale insects of any kind,
injurious to fruit, fruit trees and vines,
Goblin moth, or other insects that are
destructive to trees. and praying that a
commission be appointed by them,
whose duty it shall be to supervise the
destruction of said scale insects, as
herein provided, the Board of Supervis-
ors shall, within twenty days thereaf-
ter, appoint a Board of Horticultural
Commissioners, consisting of three
members, who shall be qualified for
the duties of Horticultural Commits
siOner Upon the petition of twenty
five resident freeholders and possessors
may remove any of said Commissioners
for cause, after a hearing of the petit
ton
No term of office is specified, and any
member may be removed for cause.
The Political Code (Section S7S) also
provides that every office of which the
duration is not fixed by law, is held at
the pleasure Of the appointing power.
These appointments thus become sim
liar to appointments made under civil
service rule and their efficiency depends
entirely with the policy that Boards of
Supervisors may adopt.
SALARIES.
The old law provided that the Su-
pervisOrs should determine the COM
pensation the Commissioners and In
spectors should receive before they en-
tered into the discharge of their duties.
Boards of Supervisors in different coun-
ties took advantage of this section, and