Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-05

The New Haven Comm Ne'rs declares
that " if the power of the independent
nress does not elect Mr.. Cleveland the con-
clusion will be Just that the American
newspaper has been a vastly oyerrated
| force in American politics-a conclusion
which, aside from any question Of party
success or failure, will furnish an interest
ing theme for thinkers and writers who are
wont to dilate on the power OF the press
Twaddle-if we may be excused the vul-
| garism. The result will not justify any
such conclusion. The newspaper Is not to
be Judged either a success or failure as u
force because in some specially self-imposed
task it either accomplishes its political
ends or falls short of its political aim. It's
mission does not begin nor end with cam
paigns, or with the announcement Of theo-
ries or dogmas, or the end thereof. 1t has
. work to do to which political successes
or failures are only incidents. The news
paper does not make public opinion; if it
did the state of that opinion would be of
the most fluctuating character The jour
nal reflects public opinion it notes the
trend of events; it touches the public
pulse; and if it is true to its
mission, it does its best to resist evil ten
denotes, to promote wise ones, and to direct
public steps Alright by its advice. The peo-
pie of the day are a thinking people, more
than Jealous of those who impertinently
assume to think for them. They will ac-
cept what the independent or the partisan
press has to say if it is fortified by proofs
and reason. Beyond this the press has no
strength. It has advantages i'll preaching
| frequently and to immense audiences,
and thus exercises a wide influence as Il
medium for communicating facts and sug-
costing thoughts either for good or evil,
Just as it adheres to truth or error. But III
the final and great sum of public judy
ment, the newspaper comes up to the bar
and takes its sentence or its reward, and it
cannot dictate either. If the faction of the
! independent press fails to elect Mr.. Clcve-
land it will prove only that that faction
was in error, according to public Judgment
but by 40 means will it be established that
It's mission is closed or the press is over
rated as a force in America. On the con-
trary, it will prove that the people est
mate it precisely at its true value-if in
deed, any such testimony were needed.
|
| WE do not believe that San Francisco
values arc assessed to their proper maxi
num- Certainly the testimony taken in
former years in detail has not sustained
the claim that they are. But unquestion-
ably an arbitrary percentum increase of
the assessment roll works hardship in
face values not capable of Just change upon
the roll But proportionately with the as
sessed values Of the interior, is is demon
strable that realty in San Francisco is not
assessed in the spirit of the law to its true
value An instance is before us now of 4
farm of III acres in Santa Clara county
advertised for sale at assessed value and
taxes. 1t is not thinkable that a solitary
foot of realty III San Francisco would be
| permitted to 80 upon the market to-day for
assessed value, or one-third more added.
The matter is to be fought out to-day
before the State Board of Equalization,
which proposes to increase the assessed
values in San Francisco by given per
cent, and already the din Of hot battle
echoes in the halls Of the Capitol On the
one hand it is charged with great bitterness
that this is a Democratic trick to advance
values with avcw to having a low tax rate
as a campaign argument; on the other ii is
claimed with !, heat and vigor that it IS an
honest effort to equalizc as intended fy the
law. We are ready enough to believe
either statement. The past Of Democratic
administrators will warrant the first charge
made, and testimony taken heretofore goes
far to sustain the belief we announced in
the outset. This puts US Enthusiastically as
To belief in the charges made by the con-
tending hosts with a leg Oh either side OF
the San Francisco fence, as must beapparent
to the weakest intellect and our amiable
contemporary the San Francisco Bulletin,
which is just now engaged in the tooth
some task of rending the State Board Of
Equalization and devouriug it bones and
all, viii take notice and keep It's hands oft.
In this pretty fight between two Demo-
cratic admin STATIONS, Republicans can af-
ford to be onlookers.