The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-22
Two LEGISLATIVE REPORTS.
The Wind-Up Of the State Printing
Office Inquiry.
Majority Report Completely Vindi-
Gates Mr.. Johnston's Official
Action.


OF the several Investigations con-
full of interest to the State at large
as that caused by the charges brought
by Governor Budd against State Printer
Johnston, charging him with extrava-
gance, mismanagement and violation
of the law in conducting the affairs Of
his department.
The joint committee appointed to in
vestigate the charges were empowered
to procure the assistance of two eX-
pert accountants and like number Of
expert printers, and to make a careful
examination of the books of the State
Printing Office, examine witnesses, etc.
For nearly three weeks the committee
labored, and on the day of adjournment
handed in a majority and minority re-
port, embodied in the first of which
was the report submitted by the expert
accountants, which was published in
full in the Record Union" several
days ago, showing that the books of
the office We're entirely regular and COR
rect.
The majority report of the committee
Printer, and a brief synopsis follows:
THE FINDINGS.
The first complaint, that the title of
he Act, A. B. 263, "An Act making an
appropriation for the support of the
State Printing Office for the forty
eighth fiscal year." is intended to serve
the purpose Of a deficiency appropria-
ton, is thus answered by the committee:
1T has been usual to pass an appro-
priation bill at each session of the Leg
islature in the general form of A. B.
263, and we are unable to see how it
can be complained of as serving the
purpose of a deficiency appropriation,
when the fact is understood that at the
time when said bill was introduced in
the Assembly, there was no deficiency,
and that this appropriation was asked
for and intended to pay the expenses of
the continuance of the business of the
State Printing Department"
In support of the position taken that
it was not necessary for the State
Printer to obtain from the Board of
Examiners any showing as to the ac-
tual necessity for the moneys asked
for, continues:
1T will be remembered that Mr..
Johnston is a State officer, elected by
the people and under bonds to perform
his duty like other State officers. He
is of course amenable to the law, and
he seems, by the testimony of himself
andalso of the Attorney-General,w with
whom we frequently consulted, to have
continuously endeavored to comply
with the law during his administration.
And while it is true, as stated in the
veto message, that he did make a writ
ten application to the Board of Exam
liners for a written recommendation to
the Legislature for the appropriation
asked for in A. B. 263, and that he did
withdraw the same, still, we do not see
that he is subject to any criticism for
that"
NECESSITY OF APPROPRIATION.
las to the necessity of the appropria-
ton" the report continues, lit has
been fully verified, because subsequent
to the vetoing of A. 3. 263, one bin of
$4,000 for the benefit of the State
Printing Office had been passed and
approved by the Governor and another
bill for $50. 900 has been similarly
passed and the Governor permitted it
to become a law without Directing
thereto neither did he approve the bill.
So that the effect is that $4,000 has
been appropriated. And another bill
is now pending for the appropriation of
an additional sum, 81 800, to complete
the work of the present fiscal year"
The report calls attention to the fact
that had the $50, 900 asked for in A 3.
263 been appropriated, none of it would
have been handled by the State Printer,
but that all expenditures would first
have been approved by the Board of
Examiners.
MATTER OF CONSTRUCTION.
In dealing with the complaint that
the title of A. B. 263 was unconstitu-
tional, in that it embraced more than
one subject, the committee had this to
say:
This is a matter of construction of
the language and we submit that an
examination of the title will show that
the Act was for but one purpose, and
that purpose was making an appro-
priation for the support Of the State
Printing Office for the forty-eighth
fiscal year"
MAKING A GUESS.
In answering that portion of the veto
which complains that the Superintend-
ent promised to operate his office with
in the appropriation of $250000. the
report says:
From an examination Of the testi-
mony and the reports of our experts,
we are satisfied that the business of
the State Printing Office has been
properly and economically conducted.
The work turned out has been of good
quality, as 1t should be. and the cost Of
turning the same out is but a trifle, if
anything more than it costs to do SIM
ilar work in private printing establish
merts having the capacity to do such
work, and Mr.. Johnston was undoubt-
eGly sincere when he told the Gov
ernor that he should conduct his office
within the S250,000 to the end of the
forty-eighth fiscal year. or July l, 1897.
But it has turned out as fact that it
has cost more than that amount, and
we therefore see no reason why, be-
cause he erred in making a guess
(Which 1t necessarily was) as to what
II would cost that the necessary sup
port and maintenance of the office
should be interefered with in any way.
Mr. Johnston, IN our judgment. is mere
ITCHING " ny sa '',!sss yea! .s5:
IUuuIIVU fered terribly with