The San Francisco call., 1897-02-03
Feeling Created by the Refusal
to Sign the Bill for an
Appropriation.
The Chief Executive Stys He Aw ats
a Report From the State Printer
Before Acting

The appropriation was recommended
by the Ways and Means Committee and
was considered in caucus by the Republi-
can party, which caucus suggested that it
would be polite to cut down the appro-
priation to $50, 600 in order that a hight
with the Democratic and Populist mi
nority might be avoided. The bill then
went 10 the Senate, which body after care
fuI inquiry raised the appropriation to
$75, 900.
Asse blyman Leavitt moved that the
House concur in the Senate amendment
and the motion was carried. The bill was
then sent to the Governor for his sigma
ture and still remains there.
The Governor has called upon the State
Printer for statement that will at least
! require sixty days to get out. The State
Printer has set men at work on this state
ment, and will give the best and most
complete that can be made. In the mean
time the minority have introduced bill
appropriating $4,000 for the State Printer
for the running expenses of his Office
| during the present session.
! Assem- blyman Leavitt of Alameda has
the matter in hand for the Republicans.
! He said to a CALL reporter to-day:
THE Governor desires very much. to
veto the S75 900 appropriation, and the
$50 600 bill has been put in by the minor
| ity for the purpose of giving the Governor
some grounds or reasons for vetoing the
original bill. 1t is safe to say that the
minority will not carry their point The
Governor is chairman of the State Board
OF Examiners, and every cent of money
| that has been expended by the State
Printer within the last two years and that
will be expended as long as the Governor
continues in Office has been and must be
| audited by him before 1T is paid, so that
If there has been any extravaganza on the
part of the State Printer Budd is Just as
guilty as any one, because he has signed
| and o KID the bills passed by the Board
of Examiners.
There is no valid reason" continued
Mr.. Leavitt, "why Budd should refuse to
set apart $75. 600, as he will have the
| checking and auditing powers over every
ten cents that will be expended by the
State Printer. The State printing office
| Is simply machine. Every State officer,
commission or State institution has a
Fight to draw upon the State Printer a
requisition for printing. He has no dis
cretion in the matter, but must do the
printing whenever requested. The work
may cost five cents or a million dollars
H. is com PEELED to do it, no matter what
the cost may be.
The expenses of the State printing
office have been materially increased by
reason OF the extravaganza of State Off
ci&is. the Governor included" added Mr..
Leavitt with emphasis. III they would
n . bair
erly in the first place, so that so much
matter would not have to be cut out and
reset and so much time would not have
TO be taken up Tor the correction OF proofs.
there would be great decrease in the
amount of money expended for State
printing.
By the time the city fire department
had arrived on the scene the flames were
pouring through the roof of the building.
There was driving snowstorm, and a
strong northwest wind doumed the build.
ing TO destruction. Within an hour and
half after the fire broke out the building
was in ruins.
The State Capitol was a handsome brick
structure situated on a knoll in a park of
ten acres. 1t was $50 feet long, so feet
wide. with circular Ionic portico in front
and was surmounted by fine dome. 1t
was begun in 1919 and first occupied on
January %, 1922. The original cost of the
structure, including grounds, was 1926, ,6ss.
bat since its erection it had been ire
quently embellished at large cost. With
In the last two years it had been remod.
eled at cost of $150.000 and the hand
some frescoing in the legislative chambers
was even yet uncompleted.
This Legislature has been extrayaeant
in many matters OF printing which should
be cut down, but whatever has been done
is not chargeable to the Printer but to the
Legislature and the State officials who or.
dered printing in the manner in which
they did.
The Governor must sign the SIS 600
appropriation or he must put himself in
the position of delaying the work o the
Legislature. If there has been any ex-
travagance Governor Budd is as guilty as
any man on the face of the earth"
Governor Budd was asked by CALL re-
porter tonight for reply to the remarks
OF Assemblyman Leavitt. Tie Governor
replied that he had simply met Mr..
Leavitt and had nothing to do. with him
directly or indirectly. He did not pro-
pose 10 get into a newspaper discussion
with the gentleman; it would be euuiva.
lent to Justice of the Supreme Court
cling with an attorney. As the bill
appropriatinc $4,000 for the State Print
ing Office had passed both houses and
was then before him for consideration. he
deemed it improper to say anything about
it's merits.
Mr.. Johnst on is a State officer" con-
tinued the Governor, land he has re-
ceived the same written notification from
me that have given to every other per-
son interested in any bill before me for
my signature. shall be pleased to have
him call upon me and state his case and
reasons why / should sign the bill. Until
Mr.. Johnston has made his statement to
me with regard 10 the bill, or until ne
fails 10 do so, it would be improper and un-
fair for me to enter into newspaper dis
cussion of the matter. What I have to
say will be said in my message to the Leg
islature when l either sign or veto the
BILL"
An examination of the minute book of
the State Board of Examiners by The