Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-25
LET THE TRUSTEES STAND UP AND
BE FIRM


BE FIRM
The matter of the improvement by ex
tension of grade of L street has been laid
over one week, in order to give the Trus
tees and property-owners time to settle
upon some equitable basis of agreement
relative to the division of the cost between
the city at large and the property-owners
This is all well enough in this particular
case. But the REcoRD-UN MON protests
against any further delay. This matter OF
city Improvement must be settled next
week, and any further putting off of the
matter, let the people and the city officials
now clearly understand, means serious
menace to the highest interests of Sacra.
mento.
There is no use in making any conceal.
ments in this matter. Sacramento must
decide, and that right speedily, within the
next week indeed, whether she is going to
get up out Of the mud, or by dallying lie
down in the wallow. For as she decides
so she Will remain. There is a sentiment
abroad that bodies no good to this city, and
1t is among our own people; to wit, that
these improvements must be made, or
trade, industry, capital and desirable resi-.
dents will depart. 1t is simply, fatty,
nndeniably shameful that we should
SO daily with this question of city i'm
provement as we have done. 1t is as GER
tain as that the sun rises and sets that the
class of people who are hesitating and
doubling about expense" will find their
values go down with stump" unless they
now and at once testify to their faith in
the town by improving the means of get
ting about, and into and out of it.
As we have frequently said in these
columns, the center of trade, industry and
population are now determining in Cali
fornia, and the places will secure the adj
vantage permanently that secure it within
the present, that is to say, within the next
year or two We have, therefore, simply
self-interest to conserve in promoting the
improvements of our highways. If we do
not do it, population and business will go
where ordinary conveniences of that kind
are to be had, for human nature is much
the same the world over, and accommo-
dates itself to its comfort when it can.
The Trustees are invested by the law, in
this matter of street improvements, with
certain discretionary power. They are to
determine if the city at large, because
benefited at large, shall bear any of the
expense of street Improvement. If they
decide in the affirmative they are to de-
termine what is Just proportion of the
cost for it to bear We are of the opinion
that sum equal to the cost of construct
ing the intersections is fair and iustifia-
bic distribution of the burden to put upon
the city at large, because that has been
done in the past, and it met with universal
favor. But whatever the equitable divis-
ion, let it be uniform. 1t must be alike to
all-not fish to one and fowl to another.
Let the Trustees now fix upon policy and
adhere TO it. The instant that is deter
mined the people will go on with the i'm
provements. 1t is uncertainty and delay,
hesitating policies and inequality that dis
courage the people and cripple progress.
When the law invested the Trustees
with discretion in this matter, it was not
intended that there should be interposed
mere individual whims, nor that the stub
born resolution of personal prejudice
should control. These gentlemen are sworn
officials, and their discretion must be
official discretion, and that must be deter
mined by calm judicial measure of official
judgment as to what will best conserve the
highest interests OF all the people and
prompt the greatest prosperity of the mu-
nicipality, even if in reaching that conclu-
SIGN personal prejudices should be encoun-
tered, and if there should arise the neces-
sity for using the credit of the city because
of the present incapacity of the city
finances.
We have confidence in the three gentle
men in power thai they will so act that
that they will not allow personal predelic-
tions to interfere with a right sense OF
official duty. We believe they are devoted
to the interests of the city; that their
horizon of view is not limited to the pres
ent, but is sufficiently extended to take in
the future and the outlook for the city
under liberal and broad-minded admins.
tration. We look to the Trustees, there
fore, to stand up and be firm; to resolve
speedily upon policy uniform in opera
ton and inevitable; to stand to it against
all odds, and not to be moved by the
whims, the doubts and the fancies that may
appeal to them.