The record-union., 1891-03-14
EVIDENCES OF COMMUNITY AWAK.
EEiNG.

ENING.
Whoever is at all observant and farnil-
ar with municipal history in Sacra-
mento, knows that to a very great extent
elements have more or less dominated
in the city economies that are not of
the class of influences the discreet busi-
ness man would select to conserve his in
terests. 1t is not possible of contradic-
ton with truth, that inequality in the
burden of taxation, direct and indirect,
has distinguished this city government;
that the influences that create cost are by
no means those that bear due proportion
of the burdens; that in the matter of
street improvements, for instance, there
has not until recently, for a number of
years, been consulted so much the in
terests of the people as of the contractors
and the political agencies which control
the votes; that there has been neglect of
economic demands that is unbusiness-
like.
and the community generally that a
change is taking place-not that there is
20 be anything revolutionary undertaken,
out that the people, both in residence and
business sections, are at last to take active
part in the conduct Of the city, and
conserve city interests by increasing in
come, enforcing laws, removing burdens
and lessening taxation. This is to be
done in several ways; but by whatever
methods, business, not sentimental con-
siderations, are to prevail. So, too, the
idle, dissolute and vicious elements are
discovering, greatly to their surprise,
that the courts are no more to be trified
with, and that certainty is to accompany
severity of punishment.
The retrogressive and tardy, the lag
gard and the fault-finding are awakening
to the truth that the masses of the people
have become convinced of the economy
of progress, and are now indoctrinated
with ideas of improvement as the direct
means to prosperity and economy, and
are convinced that centers Of population
are to determine now where trade per-
manency is to seat itself. We believe
that the spirit now moving upon the peo-
pie will quicken activity and bring about
reform in the matter Of the drainage OF
the city; its policing; the regulation OF
dives and the resorts of the criminal ele-
ment, and if possible their determination;
the protection of the city front by bring
ing the embankments up to the highest
grade of the Front-street level-a matter
that we were promised should be done
last year but towards which not a solitary
official movement was made; the correc-
ton of the inequality of the special taxes
levied upon all kinds of business; the
better controlling of the criminal, va
grant and disreputable classes; enforce
ment of beneficent ordinances that have
been allowed to slumber, such, for in
stance, as the contamination of the at
mosphere by burning refuse, the viola
ton of the laws concerning the crowding
of public buildings, the placing of OBJ
structions in the highways, evasion OF
health ordinances, the misuse of water,
and so on, through long chapter.
We say that he Is blind who does not see
activity among our people that means war
fare upon abuses and useless or negligent
officials, accompanied by conservation OF
benefcences that win put Sacramento
among the progressive cities. So pro-
nounced are the sentiments to which we
refer, and so manifest the will of the
people in the directions indicated, that
officials who stand in the way might as
well make up their minds to be run over.
Sacramento is to be laggard no longer
nor deserve the reproaches that have been
showered upon her. With superior ma
tural advantages, steadily increasing
trade, conservative body of citizens
wealth, admirable location, every promise
fair, and honest determination to exec
in all that goes to make up an attractive
and progressive community, this city
will neither stand still nor retrogradt
but advance, and the spirit that is to ado
to its momentum is now moving upor
the people. 1t is manifest, active, ant
unless we are wholly mistaken, viii effec
its purposes with remarkable celerity.