The San Francisco call., 1897-01-26
THE CONTROLLERS REPORT.

The report of the State Controller for the
two fiscal years ending June 30, 1896. forms
compact volume of statistics of 1873 pages
and will be found dry, tedious and heavy
to those who by their duties are required
to read, mark and inwardly digest it. The
work nevertheless deserves to be studied,
for as it deals with the finances of the
State the recommendations contained in
it are of concern to every taxpayer.
The Controller calls attention to the in
crease in offices and commissions during
the two fiscal years included in his report,
and says that while in the last two State
campaigns ''every body preached economy
but few if any body practiced it." He goes
on TO show that during the sessions Of
1891, 1893 and 1895 the number OF Offices
and commissions were largely increased,
and says: 1.-THE monthly salaries paid in
this office alone on the last day of each
month have increased in round numbers
from $36, $50 in January, 1891, TO $44, 700 in
November, 1896, an annual increase of
nearly 800, 900. These figures do not in
clude the payrolls of any of the State in
stitutions, nor do they convey an idea OF
the additional expense to the State, for
the salaries paid these newly created Off
GERS and commissions is the smallest part
of the appropriations made for their ben
eft"
During the period OF this increase two
commissions have been abolished-the
Forestry Commission and the State Board
of Viticulture-whose work has been
turned over to the State University and is
now conducted at a comparatively small
expense. The fact that there has been al
increase in the salaries and appropriations
for State officers and commissions despite
the attempt at economy by abolishing the
two named will be surprising to the tax
payers. "Certainly," as the Controller
says, "this does not look like economy,
nor even an approach to it."
The poor policy which prevents the
magnificent water power owned by the
State ct Folsom prison from being util-
lied in some manner to the pecuniary
benefit of the taxpayers is pointed out and
the Controller recommends that if it can
not be used for the purpose of manufac-
turing articles of wearing apparel
used in various State institutions
because of competing with free labor
it could be well employed in the gen.
Grafton of electrical power which could
be transmitted 10 Sacramento and used in
the Capitol, State Printing Office and agri-
cultural pavilion. 1t is calculated the
amount saved by this alone would pay
large return on the investment.
The one cheering feature of the report
is to be found in the statement that the
total general fund estimate for the next
two fiscal years is $6,027, 164 Is, reduc-
ton OF about 81, ,O50, 900 from the estimate
of two years ago. This reduction is
caused by the elimination of items for the
support of aged indigents, district agri-
cultural societies, boards of horticulture
and viticulture, debris com missioner,
commissioner of public works, schooIbook
department of the State Printing Office,
and the Supreme Court commission. 1t
is pleasing to know that something was
lone in the past in the direction of econ
omy, and the present Legislature we trust
will profit by the report to devise means
for greater economy in the future.