The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-26

Of the State University from the list
of State officials, and then the storm
broke
Dickinson was on his feet in an in
slant, and poured q volley of objec-
lions onto the amendment He de-
nounced the position assumed by the
Regents of the university, which in
stitution was, he said, practically with
out the pale of the laws of the State.
The people knew nothing about it's
finances, or how or for what purpose
it's funds were expended. He referred
to Budd's action in vetoing the appro-
priation for the support of the State
Printing Office two years ago, and told
how. in the face of that action, the ex-
Governor, as President of the Regents
of the university, had Illegally author
lied the purchase of printing machin-
cry for the university, to the value OF
$1,000. He protested against allowing
the university to break entirely away
from the State, and attacked the man
ner in which it's financial interests
were conducted. He asserted that two
years ago the Regents had spent S2,oUO
of the States money in log-rolling
bill through the Legislature, which
bill was passed by a nearly unan1-
nous vote. He held that a great saw
ing would be made to the State by
charging against it's contingent fund
printing done at the State Printing
Office for any State institution.
Stratton favored the amendment,
holding that any illegal acts or meth
dds which might in the past have been
employed by the Regents should not
at present be used as an influence to
defeat the amendment. He said the
university was essentially a literary
institution, and that printing was done
there day after day. which it would
be unwise to defer until it might be
done at the State Printing Office.
Rowell explained his amendment, and
contended that the printing could be
done much more cheaply there than at
the State Printing Office.
| Shortridge opposed the amendment.
He had, he said, kept close watch on
the matter of State printing from its
earliest history to it's latest debaucn-
cry. He contended that there was no
valid reason for fixing up toy print
| ing shop for the university, and advised
that the printing of the institution be
done at the State Printing Office, where
| if not so deliberately done, would be
| equally well done. Thousands of dol
| lars would be saved to the State by
the passage of the bill unamended, and
/ he predicted that under it's provisions
80 per cent of the funds now expended
for printing would remain in the treas
ury, where it belonged.
| Boyce said the amendment raised the
entire issue of the State University
| and the mode Of it's mana cement,
which. unless checked. would grow out
| of all proportions. The university he
said, had, owing to the young men it
sent out each year (and who would
| become wiser with age) become a po-
| litical power, and could back up its
demands by the political following and
power behind it. He knew of no rea-
son why the university should be ex-
cepted from the general rule, since it
was supported by the people Of the
State. He protested against making
it more exclusive than it at present is.
| Smith said the proposed amendment
was the first step in the open made by
the Regents of the University toward
! the establishment of a State Printing
| Office for the institution. For three
sessions he had had to do somewhat
with the finances of the university, and
in all that time the officers of the in
stitutioni had failed or declined to bring
in fair, open statement of its finances
He had become utterly disguised with
the slipshod, down at-heel methods
employed by it, and was opposed to
granting it further financial powers.
Smith said he had been amazed to
find there a printing office 4Ox6O feet,
cd III TO ,ix Of
printing office in Sac>~rento-about
which the people who supported the in
stitution knew nothing Every State
institution, he contended, should be
subject to the same rule as applied to
State printing. 1t would be just as
fair to allow each hospital or other in
stitution to maintain an office and do
its own printing, as the university.
Smith said that two years ago when
the Regents of the University asked for
An automatic tax of l cent for the uni
versity they had stated that in all prob
ability no further appropriation would
be needed or asked for for the next ten
years; but in the very teeth of that
statement they at the present time
have before the Legislature a bill ask
ing for an appropriation of $50, 900 for
the construction of new buildings, and
that in the face of the fact that $4,000
Of the $l2O,OOO raised by the automatic
tax was set aside for the construction
OF buildings. According to the state
ments of the Regents, he said, about
$4,000 Of the $4,000 had been ex-
pended, and they had been unable TO
give the committee an idea of what they
proposed to do with the rest of the
money. And on top of it all they ask
ed that $4,000 additional be appro-
priated for the construction of new
buildings He said that the Regents
of the University had treated the Leg
islature unfairly, and he did not be-
lieve in allowing them to get so high as
to be out of sight of the Legislature as
we'll as out of reach Of the law. While
he had no intention Of attacking the
honesty of the officials of the institution
he insisted that they be brought to
time. controlled, and that they be not
allowed to build up a branch printing
institution.
RoWell in closing the debate. said he
did not expect the amendment to carry
He had noticed that deep-seated pre-
JUDGE existed in the legislature against
the university. He said that during
the thirty years of it's existence the
institution had never been mixed I'D in
any scandal. He said that many in
stitutions in the State did their own
legislative printing, and that the office
established at the university was not
an innovation. He contended that
where the printing was done could
make no difference, inasmuch as it was
all charged to the State He asserted