The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-16

[ would suggest that you examine the
Superintendent of State Printing and
his employees, in detail, as to the state
ments in my message, and that you
procure experts to determine why an
expenditure of $4,000 produced only
So. 600 worth OF work. and to learn the
capacity of the presses, compositors
and other employees and machines and
to determine as to the number of per-
sons necessary to operate the machines
and do the work, and if the number
employed was greater than the capac-
ity of the machines and the demands of
the institution would justify. You
might examine the payroll and deter
mine if there was any increase in the
number of persons employed immedi-
ately before or after the holding of
political primaries or conventions, or
Immediately before an election. The
expert might then report if the work
ordered at these times or the work
actually performed at such times of
full rolls justified the increased en-
ployment. Some evidence tending in
any way to support the charges" might
then be discovered.
You might submit orders which have
been executed at the State Printing
Office to any leading San Francisco
houses which do not deal with that Of
flee, and get their estimates as to what
they would do the work for.
| To a perfectly unprecedented mind, it
might be regarded as circumstance
tending to support my charges that eX-
travagance was practiced in that Of
| fee; that the payroll of the first eight
weeks of the present session exceeded
the payroll for the corresponding time
of the last session by over $14, 900, and
this although you had simpified the
method Of legislative printing.
| You might inquire why the Superin-
tendent had never given the Governor
the statement required by the Political
| Code, and why, in answer to all in
| quiries of this office, he has given only
the unsatisfactory statements con-
! tanned in the appendix to my veto mes
sage, and you might renew to him the
questions which he has as yet neglected
to answer to me. You might also ask
| him why, in giving me a statement of
the work he had done for Governor
| Markham, he omitted so many items,
and whether said omissions were will
| full or the result of improper bookkeep-
| ing. And the fact that he had to
change the figures on his books by
nearly so, 600 to make them balance in
the orty-fourth fiscal year might fur
Their enlighten you.
| l might call your attention to the re-
| port of the Assembly Committee on
| Commissions, Retrenchment and Pub
lie Expenditures, which was submitted
February IL, 1897. In this report the
committee states that in the books and
accounts of the State Printing Office
they found an apparent irregularity
for which they, after examining Mr..
Johnston, his bookkeeper and his fore
man, We're unable to give a reason.
| They further reported that in the
matter of the publication of State doc
uments, the method is of such charac-
ter as tends to unnecessary expenditure
of State money; that the so-called
Legislative printing account is loose
| ly conducted" etc. This committee
was enabled, after TWO days investiga-
ton, to discover Irregularities in the
SUPPLEMENTARY accounts, and that
| the State moneys were unnecessarily
expended in that office, and it's men,
| bers might, if APPEALED to, supply you
| with some evidence tending in any
way to support the charges of irreg-
ularities in this Office and it's accounts
and management.
! ! will again state that the extreme
press of official business has prevented
me taking part in the investigation
which you are conducting, and which
I deemed you fully competent to sue
Cessfuily conduct. In view of the
grave case which the record discloses, |
cannot account for your statement that
you have discovered nothing, and sub
nit if the facts set forth above do not
constitute evidence tending in any
way to support the charges l made in
my veto message. then, these charges
could not be sustained by any evidence.
Yours respectfully,
JAMES II. BUDD, Governor.
P S. Since finishing the above I I'M
derstand that an incomplete report
of the printing experts shows that
While they are unable from lack of time
to make q thorough investigation, or.
as they say Ito go into the subject
thoroughly and do it properly, we de-
cided to deal with the work entrusted
to us in a general manner, and see if
by our recommendations we could i'm
prove the methods in vogue, in some
PARTS of the establishment, and thereby
save unnecessary expenditure existing
under the present conditions" And
they concluded as follows:
II the foregoing communications
are adopted and properly enforced. we
estimate that a saving of from SO, 900
to $40 coo per year will accrue to the
state"
! deem that q saving of $4,000 BIZ
ennially on this incomplete investiga-
ton will certainly be Of great value to
the taxpayers. Yours truly,
JAMES II. BUDD.
Controllers Department, State of Cali
fornia.
Hon. James H Budd, Governor Sac
ramento. Cal.-Dear Sir: Replying to
your inquiry Of even date, I beg to
state that no claim Of the State Print
ing Office for work or labor done or
supplies or materials furnished during
the forty-sixth fiscal year has been paid
out of the appropriation for the sup
port Of that office for the forty-seventh
fiscal year This could not be done
under the law as the appropriation for
the support of the State Printing Of
fee for the forty-seventh and forty
eighth fiscal years is included in the
General Appropriation Act of 1895. and
cannot be expended for bills or claims
accriing in any other fiscal years. The
bills. which are sworn to by the SUI
perintendent of State Printing as be-
ing correct, must show on their face
|
Less was Incurred, and 1 could not le-
iy,ct he