Amador ledger., 1903-02-27
SACRAMENTO LETTER.


SACRAMENTO, Feb. 25.-The gen
eral appropriation bill shows very
little change from the figures of the
past two years. The expenses of the
state government aside from schools
and special appropriations is esti-
mated at S., 200, IT'S for the two years.
The tax rate is now settled at sixty
cents, and the amount of special ap-
preparations is placed at million
dollars. Compared to other states,
that figure is very encouraging. The
expenses of California are necessari-
ly larger than most other states of
the same population, because of the
immense territory she covers. The
transportation of the insane and of
prisoners cost much more in this
commonwealth than in any other eX-
cept Texas, and the state of Cali
fornia does many things that Texas
does not do. In her educational ex-
penses she is not eXcelled by any
other state in the union, even Massa-
chusetts, when the question of popu-
lation is considered
The cuts that have been made in
the special appropriation bills have
been very notable. For instance,
San Francisco Normal School from
$1,000 to 100000; the Normal
school at San Diego, cut of $685.
900; the Insane Asylum at Agnews
over $50, 600, or about IS per cent:
the hotel at the Yosemite Park,
500, 600 cut, and so on through a
long list. Hardly one appropriation
equals what is asked, and the cuts
of fifty per cent and more are in a
vast majority. 1t has not been a
question of what an institution need
ed so much as question of what
was the least sum it could get along
with, and considering that many of
the institutions have not had dol
lar of special appropriation for years
it is marvel that the tax rate has
been kept as low as sixty cents with
out crippling some special institu-
ton.
Assemblyman McKenney has had
a hard time trying to arrange the
compensation of the justices and con-
stables in Amador county so as to
satisfy his constituents. He has
finally got his bill out of the COM
mittee on county government, and
has it on the file. 1t provides that
in townships of 5000 or more, JUS
tices are to receive $40 month, and
constables $50. 10 townships of
more than 2,200 and less than 5000,
the justices get $35 and the con-
stables $55; in townships with less
than 2200 and more than 1900 the
justices get $50 and the constables
$50 per month; in townships of be-
tween 400 and 1900 the justices get
$25 month and the constables $45;
and in townships of under 400 the
justices get $25 and the constables
$40. The salaries are for criminal
cases only, fees hnine tho nAnanansa-
tlon in cases of civil practice. The
population is estimated by multiply
ing the registered vote ut the last
election by five. Constables going
out of their townships with criminal
papers get their expenses, and the
actual cost of taking the prisoner to
jail.
There seems to be some question
as to when the salaries become pay
able. According to the act they are
payable as soon as it is approved,
but the question of whether it is a
raise of compensation during a mans
office is the question. The lawyers
Mr., McKenney has consulted differ
in their views on the matter, and it
will probably have to be settled by
the courts, by some justice or con-
stable making test case when the
first month is up.
The coyote scalp bill passed this
morning, and McKenney got his
through with the rest. 1t is ques-
tion if they pass the senate, how
ever, and in any case the governor
insists that they shall not be pay
able before 1905, after test case of
one or more has been made by an ap-
peal to the supreme court by the
n