Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-23
ON THE RAGGED EDGE.
SWINDLING THROUGH STOCK GAM.
BLING NEARLY OVER.
High Death Rate in San Francisco
-"Yen Politics to
the Front Etc.
Correspondence of the REcoRp-UsIos.l

y
One of the moribund industries of San
Francisco is that of mining stocks, and
there will be few mourners at its death !:
for, first and last, it has been of more in
jury to the State than all other drawbacks
combined. Legitimate mining is noble
pursuit, and a benefit to the world but
when ii is subordinated to the interests of a
few. schemers, and the detriment and ruin
OF the honest and industrious masses, it
becomes calamity. That the brokers are
not making different; that the so-called
operators" who have fattened on the
credulity of what they are pleased to call
suckers, are haunting free lunch counters
for their sustenance, excites no commits
seration. There are enough legitimate re-
sources in MISUNDERSTANDING mining
to employ all the surplus capital of the
State, and all that may chance to come.
without attempting to base a fictitious
prosperity on mere gambling. The decline
III mining stock steals and deals bodies
good for the State at large, and will serve to
divert capital from uses of hurtful specula-
ton into legitimate channels. thus tending
to develop our resources and promote the
permanent prosperity of the State. If every
mud-hen, curbstone broker, member of the
stock boards and manipulation were dumped
into the bay, the community would be none
the loser, and there would be no complaint
over
THE INCREASED DEATH-RATE
Speaking of this increase, it amounted
to 40 cases last week-the largest ever
recorded in the history of the city. With
the owlishness peculiar 70 San Francisco
newspapers, they have ascribed every con-
ceivable cause but the right one for this
circumstance. One says: Broken sewers
AS the largest number of deaths was from
pulmonary complaints, the sewers are GER
talnly innocent on that head. And, bv
the way, the'sewers are not nearly so bad
as newspapers which would get an. oppor-
tunlty to rake the city treasury, in case Of
new deal i'll sewers, are trying to make
out. Another says that Eastern consump-
dves come here to die, and thus besmirch
the fame of our glorious climate" The
glorious climate talk has long been ridiculed
as bosh, but still the papers keep prating
about IT. AS matter of fact the climate of
San Francisco is what an Englishman
would describe as beastly ;" and. allow
ing Tor the increase in population, is largely
disease. Cold and variable winds: sudden
showers Of chilling rain; sunshine one
minute and breeze from the Arctic the
next, striking the tender surfaces of the
lungs and causing violent reactions, GER
talniy have a tendency to cause infamma-
ton or congestion of that organ, which. if
not taken in time and treated intelligently.
IS certain to result in that almost invariably
fatal malady, pneumonia.
YEN YEN"
A friend of mine jestingly remarked. the
other Gay, that a new and powerful factor
In politics would be developed in the COM
ing political campaign. Asked what it was.
he replied: THE Organization of Yen
Yen. What is that?" was asked.
The brotherhood of opium fends," was
the reply. He then went on to assert that
there are in the State of California not less
than 1000 male persons of voting age who
are addicted to the opium habit, in one
form or another that the victims of opium
were banded together by one common bond
OF sympathy; that their moral sense and
conscience are so dimmed and obscured
that they can take no vivid interest in any
of the practical affairs of life, and that if
once organized for common purpose, they
could be driven to the polls like so many
tuted power in politics. OF course there
is not much in this, except as showing the
extent to which the opium vice has perme-
ated our communities, but it brings me to
point, showing how the cunning Mongo-
han evades the duty on opium and cheats
Uncle Sam of his lust dues-not, perhaps,
without
THE CoNNIvANCE OF OFFICIALS.
When steamer from the Orient is fast
to her dock, about the first thing the Gus
toms officers who board her put their fin
gers on is s2luggled opium. This is, of
course, seized by the Customs officers and
duly and formally condemned. and ordered
sold by the United States District Court. 1t
is then advertised for sale by the United
States Marshal and sold at auction for the
benefit of the Government The duty on
opium is SO Per pound. OF course, nobody
but Chinaman is goii:g 10 buy opium at
auction, and fepre> of the Chinese
Six Companies are the only bidders. They
are ban'ied together and get the stuff at
their own price. Say they bid 81 per
pound, which is about the figure Uncle
Sam is thus cheated out of S. of
the $40 jutv imposed and the China
man saves Just IS per pound
on his opium. 1t will be noticed in a tele-
gram from Port Townsend in the RECORD
UNION of Thursday that the large amount
OF 500 pounds OF opium was seized from
the steamer Idaho by the revenue cutter
Walcott the value of the same being
$40, 900. Now, it is certainly not reasonable
that as smart people as the Chinese are go
ing to risk $40, 900 to liability of complete
confiscation. The opium will be con-
demned, ordered sold, and bought IN by
the owners, who will thus evade the greater
part of the duty. Senator Millcr's idea in
securing the high tariff on opium was to
restrict its importation, but the Chinese
cunning has proven more than a match for
law OF Congress. My idea, both
for the checking of Chinese immi-
grafton and the prevention of the
spread of the opium habit. would be to pass
a law that all struggled opium should be
publicly destroyed. This would bring the
price of opium to such a figure that the
majority OF both whites and Chinese could
not afford its purchase, and no ChiDaman
would stay in a country where he was de-
prived of his opium.
NOBLE NUNBER.
| have heard great many comments,
both by experienced newspaper men and
laymen. on the magnificent number issued
by the EECoRD-U MON of last Saturday de-
scriptive of the citrus fair / hope your
readers will not misjudge me when | say
that the encomiums were fattering and
unanimous. 1t does not follow that, be-
cause | am a stipendiary of the paper,
/ should not have the right to voice the
praise of good judges, who assert that 1t is
one of the reatest bits of newspaper enter
prise ever achieved in California. That is
my own Judgment, and l count myself as
more or less competent to judge, notwith-
standing the apparent tautology and seem
ing egoism.
THE SHARON DIVORCE.
Since the marriage of the once Sarah
Althea Hill to Judge David S. Terry, the
lawyers as well as respectable peo-
pie are in quandary as to how to desig-
nate the lady plaintiff in discussing the
many and complicated phases of the cause
celebre. OF course, in society she is Mrs
Terry, or Mrs. Judge Terry-if you like
but in discussing the case people find it
difficult as to whether they shall speak of
her as Miss Hill, Mrs. Sharon or Mrs. Hill
Sharon-Terry. When General Barnes next
goes into Court, " opposing counsel will
certainly not permit him to say Sarah
HILL" in referring to the plaintiff, and
Judge Tyler cannot with any propriety
shout in thunder tones This, your