Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-20
THE CITIZENS
The Necessity for the Citizens
Organization Entering
this Campaign.
THE BLAME THROWN WHERE III
BELONGS.
HtY The Ring Has Forced The Citizens
10 Immediate Action.

WHEN CITY AND COUNTY OFFICERS
w are to be elected on the same day as state
officers, and at an election the result Of which
might determine great national issues, 1t is hard
to separate local from State aud nstional poll
tics The policy OF those who control the seiec-
ton of Republican or Democratic candidates
for local offices should therefore be such as
would cause them to name men worthy of the
support of these great political parties. aud who
would add strength to their tickets by being Of
such worth and broad ideas as would enable
them to be independent of political bosses.
parties and fac ions, and to administer city and
county affairs on a broad business basis, and
without regard to mere party power. Their
ideas on irrelevant national issues should be q
matter Of minor consideration.
1t is simple matter TO ignore politics ct cleo
tions where none but city and county officers
are to be selected, and such al election would
be an opportune time to inaugurste citizens
municipal organization. However. it some
times becomes necessary to act at igopportltns
times, and especially at such times as state and
national issues, and the loyalty of good citizens
to the cause of the State and nation, are used
as a cover to enable unworthy office seekers to
run the gantlet of public opinion and obtain
positions of trust to which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, they could never be elected.
When party strength is used for so base puI-
pose as to help unworthy men to office the
party is being prostituted 10 such an extent as
should meet with hearty rebuke from its hon
est members.
1t seems to have been the policy Of the pow.
ers that control both political parties in saera-
mento to give the people good candidates tor
some offices, and so make up seemingly strong
ticket for the dominant party. on which, how
ever, they have been exceedingly careful to
put up men who are under their control where
ever an Office affords good opportunities for
plumber or future power. What do these bosses
care low honest the officers ere who act as
Judges, Treasurer, Assessor, Coroner, ETC.. II
they can reserve the control OF the police, juries
and the registration, which latter can be used
to help perPetuate their powerg
This year there will be elected Police Judge
who will be an exoficio Police Commissioners
the Mayor and Chief of Police being the other
two members of the Board. The election of the
proper kind of man to the office of Police Judge
at this election would insure the honest adj
ministration of police affairs for the next two
years at least. The election of man under
police for corrupt purposes would render the
reform Of the system impossible for at least q
year, and the chances are for three years The
member OF the Board to be elected in 1892 will
be the Chief of Police, and in the light of our
experience with the last two men elected to
that position it seems as if it were hopeless to
attempt to get man for that Office who viii
not fall dolGl. 1t looks as though whoever has
gained experience enough in the police BUSH
ness in Sacramento to qualify him to be Chief
of Police, has gained it in school that teaches
him to disregard all decency and honorable OBJ
legations to the public; and by becoming adept
in mastery inactivity, to show signs OF becom-
ing corrupt as soon SIS the opportunity pre-
sents itself. We should begin TO reform the
police now or the opportunity to do so later
may be so remote as 10 be hardly worthy of
present consideration; and we can make up
our minds that whoever takes time by the fore
lock and makes his deal with the bosses, can
gamble, rob or embezze at his pleasure, and
without fear of the result; knowing that if de-
lection and arrest should perchance bring him
to trial here is still loophole in trial by
Jury. The Jury system can be easily controlled
when the Court Clerk, District Attorney and
Sheriff are in the ring. The names of Jurors
are selected and put in the box by the Super
visors, each one naming his share: the clerk
then draws the Jurors and he might draw from
regularly and there were sufficient number
of names OF corrupt men in the box, the chances
would be in favor of good proportion of such
names being drawn out, and the District At
tOrney could use his power to except as best
suited his purpose. Where the drawing of the
jury fails and the Sheriff goes to serve sum-
mons for special venire he can hunt with
out finding those he does not want to find and
find without hunting these he does want, re-
turn to Court and make seemingly fair re-
port of his action.
Lastly, let us consider the danger to that
safeguard-the Grand Jury. We have had an
illustration of how useless this system may be.
come when the District Attorney. who is sup
posed to guide and counsel the jury, chooses
to do so in such a manner as Will lead them
everywhere but where they will find out some
thing; and, when perchanee they get on the
right trail and the scent becomes too warm he
leads them to where they will be discharged
before they have time to make report.
Members of a recent Grand Jury could no
doubt give further particulars that would
serve as appropriate ilustratTadons, and it
may be necessary to go into details later on.
Is it then surprising that the best citizens
should SO willingly join in the organization
set forth in the following declarations