The record-union., 1899-04-11
MISLEADING SHOWING.

MISLEADING SHOWING.
In the list of appropriations supposed
to be saved by nom approval Of certain
bills an aggregate is arrived at by the
State Department as saved to the State
Treasury that is misleading. At least
| it is not accurate. For instance, some
$4,000 and upward is listed as saved
which represents honest debts con-
tracted by the State for goods deliv-
cred and accepted, and also sums actu-
ally needed for repairs to public prop
erty due to natural wear and tear, and
which must be met in one way or an
other.
For instance, there is over a thousand
dollars due and unpaid for water fur
nished to- the State in its buildings and
parks. If this remains unpaid, then
the taxpayers of this city must foot the
bill, and the State will occupy the posi-
tion of a dependent upon the people Of
Sacramento. So, too, there is large
sum due for necessaries furnished, fuel
among the lot, two years ago, which
the State has received and consumed.
1t is no defense whatever to the pay
ment of these honest debts-and the
State should surely set an example of
debt paying to it's citizens to whom it
gives no credit under any circum-
stances-to say that these creditors
have in many cases been compelled
to sell their claims at a fearful
shave. So far as the State is con-
cerned, it owes the money, and it
should be paid, no matter who hold the
claims.
Nor do We think that in morals it is
were not lawfully authorized by the
officers who purchased the supplies.
The furnishers should not be held to
that technical strictness, in cases where
cases of water, coal, etc
Again, a bill passed to permit counties
to contribute not to exceed $4,000 each
for the purposes Of foreign and do
under such bill should appropriate
$4,000, the sum certainly would be
$4,000 But without at all consider
ing the policy of such a bill or its
wisdom, it is to be said that it is en-
tirely improbable that each one of the
fifty-seven counties would give any
such sum for that purpose, or that one
third of them would do so. It is, there
fore, disingenuous to say that S57O, 900
has been saved. Assuredly, it is not
saved to the State Treasury, since the
matter is permissive only, and amounts
to a voluntary tax by the people Of
may or may not do.
So, too, there is charged up as saved to
the State $205, 200 on account of the
veto of the cruelty to animals bill.
That called for no appropriation by the
State. 1t did call for county assistance
in enforcing State laws and in pre-
venting crime, namely, for doing work
the machinery of government should
perform, but which it does not, but
commits by legislation to outside
agencies.
The defeated bill permitted counties.
if they chose, to aid humane societies
to an extent not to exceed 1900 a
year. There are but ten humane soci-
eties, however, under the law, and
there could never be more than one in
each county If, therefore, fifty-seven
ever should organize and be recognized
under the law, and If every one Of them
should be allowed the maximum aid.
then the counties might by their own
act pay over 100000. That is the
whole story.
1t is, therefore, unjust to the humane
societies and their philanthropic pro-
moters to represent that they sought
a State appropriation of $500. 900, and
that such an amount has been saved.
To be accurate, the facts as. given
above should be set forth namely. that
there was no appropriation asked for
but permission only to appeal to coun-
ties-appeals they might grant or re-
fuse.