Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-27

ingly long time to compel an offender who
has means to do battle, to obey the health
laws if he is disposed to defy them. That
the poor man may be brought ito time"
with something approaching speed is un-
deniable, since for him the threat of arrest
means something. If the Inspector is cor
rect in his statement, the superior health
need oyerhauling. True, some
of them serve without compensation, but
when they accept such trusts they should
be as firm as if the places had comfortable
salaries attached. If there is, as is be-
lieved generally to be true, laxity on the
part of some officials in pushing citizens of
wealth to obedience of the law for fear of
possible punishment, it is time that some
examples of such cowardice is brought to
light and some effective removals made.
The need is for the sanitary laws to be en-
forced vigorously in these hot valleys. 1t
is not hardship upon the people to do so,
but benefit to them in all ways.
1t is fact for which we have the high
est authority that in this city it is quite
the custom for agents of property-and
many owners, also-to refuse to attend to
the proper sanitation of premises under
their care or ownership until they are
notified by health official to do so,
custom that is vicious and must result in
vast amount of injury, since the health
official is not expected to give notice until
premises, because of neglect, threaten to
become nuisances. True economy on the
part of owners and agents would be to SO
care for premises that they would not
reach stage of neglect iustifying the
interference of health officers.
So far as the officers of the health de-
partment are concerned, there is nothing
to excuse them in permitting the continu-
ance of such nuisance as that at Third
and X streets for many months. If, as is
represented, the waters being high in the
ground prevented the cleaning and piping
necessary, then it is also true that such
thing resulted from neglect in a season
when the waters were low in the ground.
But if high water prevented the abate-
ment of the nuisance in the winter, moth
Tag should pardon the making of addi-
tions to it. If there could be no receptacle
prepared for filth, then the premises had
better be closed, no matter how great
hardship it might be upon the owner. The
public health is superior to the need of
any one to rent property. Officials ought
to, and do know that truth, and it is there
fore no excuse to say that because the sea-
son of high water prevents the construc-
tion of cess-pool, which ought to have
been built in the previous low-water sea-
son, therefore filth deposition may be made
upon the surface all winter and drained
into cellars and upon the property of
neighbors.
There Is grave error extant that be-
cause remedial conditions are hard. there
fore one may maintain nuisance until
conditions are more favorable for its abate-
ment. There is neither law nor reason to
maintain it. There is no man who would
not rise in indignation if told that the
filth from his neighbor's closet must re-
main beneath the windows of his sleeping
apartment because it is inconvenient or
costly at a particular season to remove it
or to provide for cessation of the deposits.
There has been too much of this sort of
excuse in this city, and it is time for an
end to be made of it. Premises attended
to In time will never reach the condition
when any such excuses need to be made.
1t is time that in this city, as in all
Others, we should give officials to under
stand that they are sworn and salaried to
do specific duty, and that what they can
"afford" to do is their whole duty. 1t is
not true that officers who do their duty are
punished by anybody. On the contrary, it
is the fearless man who wins the respect
even of his foes.
If the officials tell us that as against
rich man who refuses to abate a nui-
sance on his premises they have no hope of
securing judicial support, they are scarcely
less blameworthy. 1t is not true that the
Courts refuse to hold property-owners to
accountability for violation of the sanitary
laws. 1t is truth that if health officers
prosecute with vigor, and are not dis
heartened by an occasional failure, they
can win, and will receive public support.
Even if they do not convict in all cases, it
still remains their duty to continue to per-
severe and to prosecute. 1t is the fail
ure or the cowardice of officers who
have city, State and nation with armies
and navy behind them if they choose,
that brings upon the law the charge that
it is mailed hand to the poor and a glove
of down for the rich. Society owes it to
itself to put the seal of condemnation
upon all such expressions of cowardice by
official decapitation of the public servants
who truckle to wealth, or are fearful of
punishment for doing official duty.
There is not one law for the rich and
another for the poor. That is the cry of
the anarchists, but it is the action of
obsequeous, fearful officials that give
anarchism vitality, not the admins
tration of the law by the Courts. 1t was
because of the adherence the RECORD
UNION has for all such official cowardice
that it has made public what was be-
lieved to be the excuses of paid city
officials for dereliction of duty.
SHALL women ride astride?" asks our
contemporary, the Call. For the third
time we answer, Certainly, if they wish
to-" Who in all this social custom discus
sion has advanced any reason, except that
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