New-York tribune., 1890-07-13


interesting of the series 1t is mine of the rich
est material for the student of sociology IN par
ticuar, for it exhibits the effects of influences and
conditions upon community growth such as are
TO he found nowhere else. The last thirty years
of Californian history arc as strange, eNcl'lhe'
and full Of the unexpected and new as the anna!S
of piorcer times; proving the persistence OF the
agencies which gave the young State III us III
fancy so marked n individualism, notwlthStlhd-
inc the composite character of its populatlon ana
also suggesting tie permanent operation oil local
influences in modifying and giving new direcUiohS
10 the physical and mental development OF 'he
rcon1o That climate counts for something in
thr perpetuatiOn Of distinctive characlers'US >
now generally admitted. It's effects are lnulIecu
as well as direct for they work through the I"cu-
liar changes OF cultivation which have been en-
forced by the differences of season, RAINFALL cIc
Whether Mr.. Bancroft is right in affirming 'hat
the men of California occupy higher intellectual
plane than the women is 4 question OF whlch pr"-
dcnce suggests The rclegaton 10 local settlement
So far as externals are concerned. the stranger
within the Golden Gate is not likely to admit 'hat
the women should take the second place.
The theory is that the original CalifornianS
were a picked people; and it is true that they
represented an abnormally high average of energy
female population. and when the women did bcgh
70 come their pioneers were not selected as the
men had been But granting this, surely thir'N
wears of settled institutions should have over
come the difference and restored normal averages
as between the sexes. Mr. Bancroft, however,
does not think this restoration has vet taken
place and he mputcS frivolity, extravaganza ana
licht-mindcdnesS to the California women Ai''I
all, a community of men could not have ATTAINED
an exalted moral ideal Of which the historian can
set down this record: From $40 10 lN1i IN
elusive" SAYS Mr.. Bancroft 4,e0O murders were
committed in California In san Francisco there
were ] 200 ard only one conviction. In le''
53S persons died by violence ont OF populA"oh
embracing ,223 voters This was IN pioneer
tires but as will he seen. age has not brought
much improvement, for the record OF San frah-
cisco from 1852 TO 1882 shows that there have
been but sixteen legal executions and l5' con-
victions for different degrees of monslaughter
which were punished with Imprisonment The
author adds: The total of lj5 convictions for
The thousands Of lives taken in over thirty years
gives us a sense of something peculiar III thc Jaws
themselves or in their administration Nh' II
is let the student of law and social science de
termine; the fact remains that an AVERAGE OF
twenty-five hom;cidcs has taken place yearly III
this city San Francisco for the last decade our
ing which none of the exciting causes OF the hTS'
twenty wears have existed, and that ont Of 23o
Or more homicidal crimes, only four have heeh
punished capitally and seventy-scven by ImpIiS-
onment.'
The student of law and social science Will
have 10 study politics also if he wishes - arrive
at the solution Of this problem: md that study
will soon convince him that there IS close
affinity between The Influences which have saIcli ici
i.,..' 2 Np't ~
and still shield il in New-lo orl and other large
cities In a word. the political pull" is as po-
tent there as here, ard if it appca>S 10 " eN-
ercsed oftrner in the interest IF homicide than OF
larceny tie reason may he sought III the sur
vival of that caice>sness of life which was
marked Characteristic of the Old CaupfaHn'.
OF course in the final analysis IL IS pubic iccIInS
and opinion that are responsible. Inc fas'iN>
who rule great cities and prnGcr their treasures
dcncnd for success and immunity upon that laN-
ity of moral fibre which, associated with Tie selfish
ness most fatal TO public spirit, keeps IN disgrace
ful apathy millions of suppOsitltoNS treemch, ana
maintains over them tic shameful rule o. thH
worst elements. In the history OF taI!lornl''
however everything appears in extremes. ON thc
one hand We see the State progressing by
leaps and bounds in material prosperity. ON the
other hand. We see il punqing with convulsive
itself by wild speculation: now seeking remedies
for real or fanccd abuses in draSti" hut nnplacucl
legislation anon trying - overthrow economic la"r
by statutory enactment, yet yielding 10 a wave
Of communi,tic sentiment and making iicrH" war
upon TIE capital % which il owes its prosperity.
In nothing is its course moderate or restrained.
II must settle every question instantly and IN the
most definite way. In fact, il has thus 'T sue
ceedcd in very few Of its daring experiments
All this tendency 10 excitement. all this com
munity disposition TO attempt everything "i'lo"'
weighing the consequences, ali this juvenile dc-
fancc Of past experience and the gathered wisdom
Of the ages makes California history peculiarly
entertaining and full Of tho StranecSt ePl'oGer
and surprises. II may he said that thc ""Hch
State has been the pioneer in nearly all the queer
and impossible economic enGnavors which dnnng
the past generation have at intervals attracted
attention in this country; and in each instance
She has carried the experiment further than any
otber State The anti-railroad crusade; the wal
ogoinst large farms; the KcaIncyltc agitation
tho apti-C Chinrse war: the fight against hNdrauH'
mining: the new Constitution cdmpm@n-ca"h aH'
all were waecd with astonishing fury ana force
in their turn. and provided abundance oi pic'"r
esoue and exciting incident. More than once Il
has seemed to outsiders that the STAT" was Oh
the verge of n social war such as formerly dcNdS
tatcd the cities of ancient Greece. More than once
Il has seemed that the reckless legislation against
capital would drive it bodily out of the Stat"
But always at the critical juncture there has oc
curcd an effective awakening of intelligent pun
nc opinion. or the courts have com" 10 the rescue
and declared the miSchievOuS laws urconstlu
tional All this goes to the making OF STATE
after the California fashion; this is 10 say, Wit
the utmost explosive force attainable, and Tho
greatest movement and turmoil. The country anC
the people are alike volcanic, it might be thought
md cannot rest content with normal Slow proccssc
Of growth.
Mr. Bancroft gives a surcinct and generally
accurate sketch of the great anti-rallro"d acIta
ton, which continued SO many years. and pro
duced so phenomenal crop Of 0cnaeoeucS an'