The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-12

and of such magnitude as to be Iar
beyond the reach of this committee
during the session of the Legislature
This is especially true by reason OF ths
fact that the State Harbor Commas
sion at San Francisco makes aDsoluteiy
no accounting to the State BOARD Oh
Examiners or the State Controller OF
its expenditures or doings. 1t IS ex-
pected that the law will be changer
by amendments carefully prepared SO
that the accounts of said Harbor Com
missioners will in the future come
under the supervision of the STATE
Controllers office and the State Board
of Examiners. See A. 3. 3o4, intro
duced by Mr. Valentine, which passed
this House on February 9th
16. State Lunacy Commissioners
January 18th Mr.. Raub introduced A.
B. 506 makinig important changes IN
the Act establishing the State Lunacy
Commission which bill was referred
to the Committee on State Hospitals
and Asylums. and not to this commit
tee. Said bill having been reported
favorably and amended has been passed
by the Assembly. Your committee has
assumed that the matter of the neces-
sity for and mode of operation of the
work of the State Lunacy Commits
sion was fully examined into by the
committee to which said bill was re-
ferred, and that the said bill. which has
been passed by the Assembly, makes
all necessary amendments in the law
with referenc to said commission.
III.
There are also a number of small ex-
penditures made by special committees
and commissions, of which the one con-
sisting of members of the Legislature
to examine into uniformity of legisla-
ton is an example. The Senate Com
mittee for investigation of State insti-
tutionS is another example thereof.
Your committee finds with regard to
these and all of the commissions above
mentioned, that they have been estab-
lished by law in response to necessities
created by conditions existing in State
institutions, or else in response TO pop
ular demands made on behalf OF I'M
portant industrial interests existing
within the State. 1t is easy for UNI
thinking persons to assert that the
State is burdened by lot of extrav-
agant and wholly useless commissions.
1t is not so easy to find a place where
such institutions can be rooted out and
destroyed without detriment to the
proper management of necessary State
institutions. and without injury to I'M
portant public interests.
The work of reform along these lines
necessarily consists not in destruction
but in reconstruction For example,
there might be created a Board of Con-
troll of Public Works, as has been done
in the State of New York and else
where This board might have its Ill
visions. such as Department of High
ways. drainage and reclamation, DEBRIS
Commission, etc.
Also. the offices of Bank Commission
ers, Building and Loan Commissioners,
and Insurance Commissioner, might be
united under one general system OF
control.
Also, the State Board of Agriculture,
the State Board of Horticulture, the
State Dairy Bureau and the State Vet
Urinary Medical Board are institutions
which touch interests that are closely
allied, and might very properly be
placed under one common control as
the Department of Agriculture.
Each of these tasks of constructive
legislation involves SO much thought
and labor that it cannot be satisfaction
lily performed by a legislative commit
tee existing only during the time that
the Legislature is in session, and while
it's members are in the midst of the
distractions and numerous labors i'm
posed upon them as representatives OF
the people.
Your committee believes that the
present Chief Executive officer of the
State, in harmony with the policy out
lined in his inaugural address to the
Legislature, will see to it that these
necessary State institutions will be
managed with all the economy con-
sistent with theineeds of the State, and
that he will encourage the work OF
constructing reformatory legislation.
Your committee calls attention to the
fact that in the Act approved March
2S. 1895, establishing a commission
for the revision and reform of the
law" in section subdivision of the
said Act it is provided that said COM
mission shall report to the Legislature
from time to time "such suggestions
as they may deem proper for the pro-
motion of public welfare and the best
interests of the State"
We are informed by the Code COM
missioners that they have given
great deal of attention to these topics,
and that their final report will contain
recommendations proposing legislation
to reorganize the State commissions,
upon a plan constructed along the lines
hereinabove Indicated
Your committee therefore recon-
Ynends that the Code Commission be
requested to continue and complete
said work. and that it's report be ac-
companied by bills drafted to carry
into effect the recommendations made,
so that the same may be ready for tie
action of the Legislature at the next
session thereof. Respectfully SUD-
mitted. CONREY, Chairman.
ADJOURN MENT.
IA 1A.dS n m the House adjourned.