The herald., 1897-04-02
GOV. BUDD'S
BACKBONE
Is Too Stiff for Legislative
Bending
THE APRIL FOOL JOKES
Make State Printer Johnston
Feel Sick
TAXPAYERS WON'T FEEL SAD
BECAUSE BuDD's POCKET rs so
VERY BIG
Bills Killed by Formal Message or by
Pocket Veto Carried Appropri-
ations Aggregating Half
a Million Dollars

SACRAMENTO. April lit was a
severe April FOOLS day joke that the
governor psrpetrated today on the state
printing Office and on various persons
who had claims allowed by the late leg
islature. He cut from the general ap-
preparation bill the sum of $275,000 for
the support of the state printing office
for the two years following July last.
also the $4,000 for the printing Of state
text books. He also cut out the $2500
appropriation for pumping plant at
the state capitol $4,000 for help for Cap
itol park and for water for irrigating
the lawns. The printing office will prob
ably be able to run until June or July
but there appears to be no alternative
but for II to be shut down after that
time for two years. After vetoing these
and other items and bills, the governor
locked the remainder Of the bills. those
pocketed, in his safe and left for Stock
ton. Just what bills he pocketed oan-
not be told. The total sum vetoed Is
$603. .929.50. Gov. Budd filed long type
written document giving his reasons.
for vetoing the printing Office appropri-
ations. He referred to section s Of the
general appropriation bill, which gives
two-thirds of the board Of examiners
power to allow a deficiency. instead Of
requiring the unanimous vote as for
merly.
"The evident purpose of the change in
section g." says the governor. was to
render It possible to prevent the gov
ernor from exercising some of his con-
stitutional powers as a member of the
board of examiners on what he might
deem an unnecessary expenditure of
public money or an improper discharge
Of duty by q subordinate officer.
4 There can be no doubt that the con-
troversy between the state printing Of
flee and the chief executive of the state
has led certain political opponents to
cunningly incorporate into the general
appropriation bill during the closing
days Of an excited session this most
unusual provision. and the executive Of
the state deems 1t his duty, in order to
maintain his constitutional right to dis
charge his obligation to the public, to
prevent the Injurious operation Of this
clause Of the general appropriation bill.
Had the attempt been made by sep
arate bill It could never have been. en-
acted, but inserted In the general appro-
priation bill, 1t was evidently thought
that the governor must acquiesce
therein. reject the bill and call an extra
of the legislature to provide for
the support of all state institutions, or,
perhaps, submit to being overruled as
to all matters Of deficiency and differ
ence that might arise between himself
and the state printing offlce. The au-
thor of the change, however, in making
the same, overlooked the clause for
whose benefit and support appropria-
tions are made in this act, and has thus
given the governor the power, without
any damage to any state institution, of
preventing the accomplishment of the
design intended
1.-THE injustice of the proposition in
tended to be grated on the laws by
such q clause will be clearly seen when
it is considered that the constitution
vests in the governor the power to OBJ
ject to any legislative BILL no matter
what appropriation it may carry, and
that. under this constitution. his objec-
tion can only be overcome by a vote of
two-thirds of the members elected to
each branch of the legislature, and that
the constitution, recognizing that when
the legislature had closed its session
the governor should be the one official
charged with passing upon the appro-
priations for state institutions and laws
passed by the state legislature has con-
ferred on him the absolute power to
strike from any appropriation bill any
item of expenditure"
''under the circumstances I deem 1t
my duty to eliminate all appropriations
for the department in whose behalf this
clause was inserted and over which /
have no powers, and which though prom
ised by the committee of the legislature
appointed to confer with the board of
examiners, were never given.
mo harm can be done by this elm
ination. for each department of the state
can, in case Of necessity, out Of it's ap-
pay for such printing as
1t has at the state printing office or
ana ii they did not have
such power there is no doubt that, un-
der the act Of 1898. deficiency could be
created in their contingent or other fund.
or for the support Of the state printing
ONCE. that would authorize all of the
state printing necessary"
In striking out the salary Of the state
49,