The record-union., 1897-02-10

Legislature ShOul0 De appfOprldleu L
am now more strongly of that opin-
ion.
Prior to January 11th last the Super
intendent of State Printing filed with
the Board of Examiners his appllca-
ton for a recomme mendation to the Leg
islature for an appropriation of SIo,-
600. At the meeting of January IL,
1897, he was sent for that he might
make the showing required by the Acts
above mentioned, and be examined as
to the necessity for such deficiency,
whereupon he appeared, offered no
proof, but withdrew his application,
and the next day the bill under con-
sideration was introduced.
My information is that Mr.. Johnson
claims that the work entailed upon him
by the newly created Bureau of High
ways, the State Dairy Bureau, the Code
Commission and the litigation OF the
Railroad Commissioners, was RESPONSE
bic for the exhaustion of his funds, and
necessitated the deficiency from which
fse seeks relief His recent official re-
port to me, dated September 10, 1896,
shows that for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1896 he had expended of the
appropriation for the support of his
office S146, 600 80, or much more than
e-half of his total appropriation. In
addition, he had used of stock on hand,
S12,0S5 76 making a total expenditure
for that year of S15S,OS6 80. When 1t
is remembered that the Legislative
printing done that year for the thirty
first session amounted TO over 81 $50 10,
and that it was not the year upon
which the biennial reports of the State
Officers and Institutions were printed,
the fact is sufficient to put the most in
different upon inquiry. The State
Printers explanation that it was the
printing for the new bodies which caus-
ed this deficiency loses its force when We
find thatthe charges for printing for the
fortyseventh fiscal year for the Code
Commission, the Bureau of Highways
and the Dairy Bureau aggregated less
! than 5000. The heavy expenditure for
the forty-seventh fiscal year created the
deficiency in the forty-eighth.
Section 531 of the Political Code re-
quires the Superintendent of State
Printing to make a yearly report to the
Governor in writing embracing a rec
ord of the complete transactions of his
Office for the preceding fiscal year, which
report shall show in detailall the items of
expense of the office, including repairs
and purchase of materials of all kinds"
Under Section 8 of Article Y of the
Constitution the Governor is authorized
''to inquire information in writing from
the officers of the Executive Depart
ment, upon any subject relating to the
duties of their respective Offices"
When application was made to the
Board of Examiners for a recommends
ton to the Legislature for an appro-
priatiOn, and later after such applica-
ton had been withdrawn, and the bill
under discussion had been introduced
in the Assembly, I endeavored by every
means to secure a statement from the
Superintendent of State Printing, or a
proper showing of the necessity for the
deficiency, or Of the reasons why this
bill should become a law. His report
is incomplete and unsatisfactory. At
two meetings of the board succeeding
the introduction of Assembly bill No
2G3, Mr.. Johnston was notified of such
meetings and requested to appear, and
he failed to do SO. l caused letters to
be written to Mr.. Johnston soliciting in
formation bearing upon this matter,
| failed to secure what was required the
excuse being lack of time. on Febru-
ary ., 1897, personally communicated
with him asking for his reasons for
| not complying with the requirements
of the Act of 1898 and why the pend
| ing bill should become law. I have
exhausted my legal and constitutional
rights in an endeavor to secure the
| facts necessary to enable me to act up
On this matter with the proper degree
| Of knowledge, and not being met by
| the explanation, I return the bill to
you with my objections thereto, for fur
ther action, and 1 append the corre-
spondence between Mr. Johnston and
| this office
| / ask your attention to the reports Of
| the Superintendent Of State Printing,
where we would expect to find a proper
| and thorough account of the expendi-
lures Of the funds for the support Of
| his office.
| For the forty-sixth fiscal year Mr.
| Johnston expended and charges him
| self with S162,3 $40 13. made up of pay
| Of employees, the purchase of material
| permanent improvements and like
| items and against this sum he credits
| himself with printing to a like amount
| his accounts for that year balancing
| pages >, 10, II and IA. Report 1880
| The report of the forty seventh year
| shows a very different state of facts
| This was non-legislative year. and Mr.
! Johnston expended for employees, mate
rials, inprov and like purposes
| 81 i6, 600 80 and credits himself with
! only $50, 257 50 of printing done for all
| the departments Of the State govern
ment. IF to this we add the 81, 55S 20
charged for lithographing, which may
not be included in the charges for
printing against the departments, and
the $3.50 - for legislative printing
which both reports say is chargeable
to the preceding year, the total credit
amounts to S94. 706 45. This leaves a
balance Of S51, ,293 81 unaccounted for
If we credit Mr.. Johnston with repairs,
| improvements and permanent material
which would not be according to his
system (pages ;, 10 to II Of his report.
| 1890, a balance of $50, 294 96 yet re-
mains to be accounted for.
| Even if he claims a credit for sums
| expended in permanent improvements
and materials. which he has not done
| in previous reports, and the cost of
which he has charged UP to the print
| ing done, he used during this year S12.-
! 900 worth of stock. with which he
should be charged. We therefore have.
| according to his own report, a balance
Of S51 ,293 81 unaccounted for which
with the S12.0S5 T6 of stock used.
makes a total Of $63.379 80. for which
no account is made. 1 have no doubt
that Mr.. Johnston will be able to sat
| isfactorily explain this matter, but as
/ xr.at ha,l leno nc.fd 10.