The record-union., 1898-11-25

lack or proper data. Wide generaliZa-
tions are possible only when there is
a. breadth of view, a survey of all the
facts at hand. 1t is in this phase of
the case that the value Of the reports
of the various State officers has been
great in extent Examples are so nu-
merous that citation is hardly worth
while. Take the question of legisla-
tion for pure food as one sample If
the reports of the State. Board of Ag
sriculture and the State Board of Horti'
culture were before the legislators it
would be easy to estimate the olive oil
crop of the State, its consumption in
this State and in the Union, the cost
of trees and oil culture, and the extent
of adulteration. Then. legislators might
arrive at intelligent conclusions re-
garding the work Suppose some leg
islator should propose bill providing
for certain expenditures to stamp out
diseases that rtin the orchards of the
State All intelligent legislators could
readily inform themselves on this sub.
ject at their leisure, by a glance at the
reports Of the department. How will
it be now?. One cumbersome type,
written copy cannot serve hundreds of.
men.
1t is so in reference to legislation
on insanity, on education, and with
regard to all subjects of wide import
ance. There are five great insane
asylums in the State. Within the last
year there have been some interesting
Investigations, and in every depart
ment there has been a great amount
of important work. 1t is proposed that
certain legislation shall be made af-
fecting these asylums. Nothing but
careful study of the reports can pos
sibly give the vital data in regard to
these matters The reports cannot be
printed, because the office has been
closed. If they are printed to preserve
the records of the States administra-
ton it will be long after the Legis-
lature has adjourned, and after the
reports have lost two-thirds of their
value. There will be no saving in
money, and there will be a great loss
in the value of the matter in question.
If it were done now it would serve
legislators at the time needed. One
might run through all the departments
of the State with like results.
The reports of the State Treasurer
and of the Controller deal with mat
ters of vital Importance to the people,
is proposed to repeal the poll tax, and
there may be dozen schemes for the
purpose of amending the tax laws.
How can any one talk or act with clear
vision in these matters without the.
service that is done by those most
familiar in the various departments?
And how can the result Of their studies
and services be of any value unless
they are presented in tangible form?
If printed as heretofore, all relevant
data would be on every lawmakers
desk.
The conclusion is almost irresistible
that there cannot be intelligent and
promp legislation without reference TO
the reports that have now been de-
layed. The result of the unwise clos
ing of the printing office, at best, must
be delay in legislation of vital import
ance.
The only way on earth that the
masses may know about great deal
that has happened is through the col
umns of the Record Union" the only
newspaper in California that has given
a brief and comprehensive synopsis Of
all the reports thus far filed by Off
GERS of the State; but, while news
paper report serves as a, means of gen.
eral information to the masses, it is
necessarily not official in its scope and
detail 1t will be seem more. plainly
from day to day, after the Legislature
meets. that the closing of the State
Printing Office was an unwise and
wastefuI act. most unjust to the people
of the State. and impo1itic from any
broad view of the question.