Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-14
THE STATE coNsrABuLARY BILL.


for such measure has been demonstrated |
SO forcibly that there is no room for con-
troversy regarding it. The demand Tor
it grows out of the peculiar character OF this
State. We have here many counties which
severally embrace territory exceeding that
of some Eastern States, and for the pro-
lection of life and property throughout
these wide areas there is only the generally
feeble county government. As result
there are many parts of California which
have for years been virtually without that
protection which the State is bound to
afford. In the thinly- settled districts re-
ferred to those who reside for cultivation
or trade are consequently obliged to per-
form their own police duty. The scattered
settlements must depend upon their own
strength and vigilance, and such as are
not trained in frontier ways are placed
at great disadvantage. When the bill
to establish a State Constabulary was
first introduced, circular was printed
containing partial list of unpublished
murders and robberies occurring during
period of four years. No more startling
demonstration of the need of legislation
could well have been afforded. In these
four years some eighty murders have been
committed, of which the perpetrators are
either unknown or at liberty, and an
almost equally long list of daring stage and
residence robberies is recorded. These
facts render is impossible to doubt, either
that the county authorities have been
largely neglectful OF their duties, or that
circumstances render the successful pur-
suit of desperate criminals by these au-
thorities hopeless. When we take into
consideration the extent of territory over
which many of our Sheriffs hold jurisdic-
ton, and remember how small the force at
their disposal generally is, we cannot doubt
that it must be useless to expect much
more vigorous pursuit of criminals from
these officials than has occurred in the past,
and we cannot hesitate as to the nature of
the remedy to be adopted. The hands of
Justice have been shackled hitherto by
the difficulty of securing any force SO free
fromlocal obligations and duties, and so well
equipped as to scope of jurisdiction, as to
render the hunting of criminals practicable.
This being the case it is obvious that the
remedy suggests itself. 1t is, to create
| State police force which shall be perfectly
| free to travel everywhere, which shall be
incumbered with no other duties, and
which shall devote itself to the hunting
down of robbers and murderers in all parts
of the commonwealth. A large force is
not required for this work, and the bill be-
fore the Legislature calls for no more than
twenty men. OF course the material is
almost everything, but, if the right Super
intendent is chosen, we are confident that
he will find no difficulty in bringing to-
gether corps of picked men thoroughly
capable of doing the work.
The passage of such law is, moreover,
calculated to help the settlement of the
State, by convincing intending immigrants
that the old-time carelessness and disre-
gard for law are no longer to be tolerated
in California. A similar law was found
necessary in Queensland several years ago,
come so numerous and bold that there was
no security for the settlers, many of whom
submitted to regular levy of black mail
for the sake of immunity from raids. The
Bush Mounted Police were then organized,
and in a short time did their work SO
thoroughly that the bushranger has now
feats are rapidly passing into the form
of legends. How easy and safe the
most audacious outrages may at
present be in this State, has been
shown plainly enough during the past
winter, several daring robberies having
been committed in the southern part of
the State by men who are still at large,
though old police officers think they know
the criminals. 1t is evident that State
Constabulary could soon put an end to this
kind of brigandage, and it would do much
more When, for example, such case as
the Severance disappearance occurred,
these mel would be detailed to work it
up, and they would devote their whole
time to the business until the mystery was
unraveled. The knowledge that such
force existed would of itself prove strong
deterrent from crime, and no doubt would
cause many otherwise promising criminal
projects to be abandoned as too risky. The
expense of the institution would be COM
paratively light, but even if this were not
thecaseitwould be equally on the
Legislature to furnish the protection to life
and property which is shown to be neces-
sary, and it is evident that the saving of
property in the first year would be tolera-
bly, certain to reimburse the community
for the outlay. This is not an extensive
or complicated project, involving great in
terests, and consequently enlisting earnest
advocates on both sides, but it is a measure
which ought to commend itself to the COM
nonsense and the public spirit of the Leg
islature, and for this reason it should be
saved from the neglect which threatens
so large proportion of the bills introduced
during this session. 1t is not political
bill, and everyone can afford to vote for it.
1t is in the interest of the people, and
therefore it ought not to be overlooked
MR.. EvARTs ON THE CHINESE NEGo-
TIATIONS.
The communication of Secretary Evarts
to Congress regarding the Chinese negotia-
tions fully bears out our previous conject-
ures, for it shows that in point of fact the
Administration has refrained from doing
anything in the matter. He says that our
Minister to China was instructed to invite
the Chinese Government to SO full and
crank discussion of the evils arising
from the contract system of Chinese emf