The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-16
STATE ECONOMY.

THE people of this State expect the Legislature
TO zeaously second the economical policy OF the
Governor for the coming biennium. No doubt
is felt of his absolute integrity of intention to that
end and there already evidence that he will use his
veto to enforce it.
The demands by many State institutions for new build
ings and betterments need searching examination
In many instances it seems quite unlikely that 1mpera
tive necessity has arisen since the last Legislature
adjourned There is needed for each reform school,
especially painstaking management capable OF
finding out the numerous instances in which parents
willfully shift their parental responsibility upon
the State and needlessly put off their
natural obligation for the and disc1p-
line OF their children. In too many instances
reform of vicious parents is needed more than re-
form of their unfortunate children. In the insane
asvums is great field for reform In them the
State is burdened with obligations which by nature
belong to individuals who conceal their capacity to
discharge them.
California has an extensive and costly equipment OF
eleemosynary institutions and within the facts
when we say that only other States but foreign
countries take advantage of the kindness of this State
to the detective classes by the deliberate expariaon
Of their own citizens of these classes to this State to
become the objects of its and increase the bur
dens OF its taxpayers.
A business Governor, if he can take the time and
can CO. like Haroun Al Raschid, appearing unex-
pectedly and investigating quietly can ind out nuch
in the interest of economy in public institutions
This involves no charge of extravaganza against
their local boards of control, because as tact OF
record our ncorrigible, penal and defective classes
in these institutions have long been maintained at
cheaper rate per capita than in similar institutions IN
representative Eastern States The extravaganza Is
tc be sought in the number cared for by the public
who should be charged to Individuals relatives who
are abundanty able to observe in that respect their
natural obligations, and in the useless expense put
into buildings and the enlargement OF quarters IN the
expectation of a future demand for their use LIE
State is in thorough sympathy with the Governor
inaugural declarations in these matters, and the ways
and Means Committee of the House and the Finance
Committee of the Senate should scan carefully
every demand,
II is unfortunate that the management OF our State
Institutions being largely partisan newly tnaugur
ated Governor begins his administration with di-
and trustees of public institutions opposed to
him in politics. When these officers without visibly
good reasons call for scale OF appropriations and
expenditures from which they refrained under the adj
nnistraton OF their own party, It IS quite worth
while to inquire searchngly into the justying cir
cunstances The intricate relation of politics to the
Whole question is unfortunate. In Republican
cotIntv, with Senators and Representatives OF that
party in the Legislature may be public institutions
at this moment under Democratic boards OF control
asking large appropriations. 1t IS only natural that
the members strive to get them passed, lest the peo
pie at home accuse them of neglectng local interests
The system makes against economy and 1t IS highly
probable that the Governor who represents the whole
State and no one locality will have to bear the re-
sponsibility of drastic enforcement OF economy and
therein he will certainly require public support and
should receive popular appreciation.
1t is noticeable that already many propositions are
made for the establishment OF new commissions Tor
various purposes, principally necessary and praise
worthy and that they are to serve without salary
expense to the State This is distinct innovation,
but even it requires to be guarded Out of every
such commission may in the future grow salaried
and expensive establishment Therefore care should
be taken that the organic act creating it states specl
fcallv its duties and limits and terminates the time for
their execution and then repeats itself by providing
that the position or office shall cease end and have
no further existence