Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-25
MISUNDERSTANDING sAcRAmENro

The San Francisco Arg0nqm OF Satur-
day last, in referring to the attempt to pass
local law in Sacramento expelling all
Chinese from the city, falls into some grave
errors which we cannot permit to pass
unchallenged. We can understand how
the editor of the -Aygoaam may have
fallen into the fragrant errors that lead
him into gross misstatements, but cannot
excuse his readiness to draw damaging
conclusions.
In the first place, the proposed erdi-
nance did not pass to first reading. There
is no such procedure Known to our system.
An ordinance may be presented, as was
this in question, by citizens, and its passage
asked. The Argonau would be the last to
deny this privilege or right The custom
is to then lay it over week or more for
proper consideration, except, in urgent
cases, the rules are, by unanimous consent,
suspended. In this case the document was
laid on the table for one week after pre-
sentation by committee Of petitioning
citizens. At the expiration Of that time
it was taken up and defeated, and this oc-
Cured sufficiently early for the Argonam
to have known the fact prior to Its OWN
date of issuance, since the news of defeat
was published in all the daily papers Of
San Francisco early last week.
The Argonaut should have had tie
bToadness of spirit and common justice to
state that the press of Sacramento warmly
opposed the ordinance, as did the mass of
the people, and that its passage was not
seriously contemplated save by exceed
ing few. Instead of this, our San Fran
cisco contemporary, by the tenor and
phrasing Of its condemnation, leads
It's readers to infer that the ordinance is
still pending (haying " already passed its
first reading as it puts it, and that
there is probability Of its final passage.
Further on in its article the Argoaaui is
led to believe I'VE are charitable enough to
express the belief that it is the result of
misintormation), that in Sacramento
committees have made domiciliary visits
from house to house, warning manufact
urers, millerS, clearinghouse keepers and
women TO discharge their Cinnamon, under
fear Of arson and violence" In which last
statement there is not work of truth.
No such threats have been made; not
even rumor has given suspicious credence
to such stories. \ canvass was made to
secure withdrawal of patronage from GER
tam Chinese industries in favor of compet-
ing white labor, but that threats of vio-
lence and arson accompanied such cam
vass is without foundation On the as
sumption that its information is correct.
the ATGondm is DESTROYS, in its "indigna-
tlon," q" II civil war breaks out" that it
may begin in Sacramento, since it is the
capital of the State where the Governor
resides, "who knows how to use arms" etc.
The San Francisco paper need not con-
Germ itself on that score The need has
never arisen here for an ax-handle bri-
gade; nor have or guardsmen ever been
called from their homes to rest on their
arms night after night to give confidence
TO fearful citizens. Sacramento has no
sandlot nor O'Donnells, nor dynamite con-
spirators, nor marching columns breathing
threatenings. It's citizens fear neither
violence nor arson, nor do they anticipate
the necessity FOR the Governor returning
to his armor, and charging through the
streets of Sacramento at the head of
second cavalry corps. The Argonaut
should compose its nerves.