The record-union., 1891-06-08
now to FIN Up China slough.

of Sacramento. Many plans have been
and some efforts made, and
even now, believe, some people are ex-
pecting benevolent individual or COR
poration to come forward soon, and per-
form the much desired work. In that I
case my proposal may prove useless.
Many discoveries and inventions have
been made by apparently ordinary indi-
viduals, who have lived unhonored and
died devoid of fame; but the value of
their efforts have been recognized in the
subsequent future, and brilliancy has
been reflected back, which would have
illumined their names, if known. Some
have been remembered, and others so
nearly forgotten as to cause disputes,
which have left the name of the
originator in doubt. | do not consider
myself exempt from such fate, however
valuable my discovery may prove.
| believe in the universal brotherhood
of man. and the universal iatherhood OF
God. All things were made by Him
and by His creations, however remote
from His first creations they may be.
Some one Tor more) may ask, What has
that got to do with tilling China Slough?''
| answer, il has much TO do with what |
say about it. l am perfectly aware of the
distast OF the good for egotism in others),
bat | have an object. 1 want to impress
upon everybody the fact that this belief
fills my heart SO full Of love for all of
Gods creatures-including mankind
that any words / use, which may seem
sharp or sarcastic, or to imply censure,
are not directed against any individual.
| am not sure that there is not some love
for the devil in my heart, but God has
given to mankind an inherent sense OF
right and wrong and | believe it right to
exercise that sense. Hence | condemn
or approve acts, as they seem to me to
deserve. l also believe in equal rights as
defined by our forefuthers.
Widow Bedott has said that "some peo-
pie have a way of talking round and
round, and never coming to the pint |
don't want to be classed in that category
/ would rather have my talk Of | pos
sessed sufficient ability point IA mOraD
all around.
China Slough has streets running
through it from east to west, and from
north to south. What / propose is TO
have the City Trustees pass an ordinance
like the following:
Section =. 1t is hereby made the duty
Of every owner, occupant, agent, claim
ant, or person having in possession, or
control Of any real estate within the COR
porate limits of the city of Sacramento,
to fill up TO the regular street grade to
the center OF the street in front Of the
PREMISE OF which they are the owners,
occupants, agents, claimants, or of which
they have possession or control.
After this is done it will be an easy
matter to declare the lots public nuis-
ances, and to order them filled up by the
owners, and if not done the city can
fill them up and contiscate them for the
expense.
In this enlightened age of the world [
am aware that all legal questions are
settled by precedent. | suppose if no
precedent can be found no decision can
L
precedent for an ordinance like the
above.
Tryphenia says she Cant see why the
lawyers and Judges of our courts are not
as competent to decide a question of right
and wrong as anybody who ever lived
before now" She says to her mind sit
appears the biggest kind of nonsense for
our lawyers and Judges to search the
records away back to the time of Justin
ian in order to see how somebody else
has decided case, which may not be at
all like the case they have before them"
She says, eff they find any decision
which seems to involve any point of law,
which can be applied to any part of the
case as similar, they appear TO think it
carries great weight" She says ''she be-
lieves that if they would decide cases
according to law as they understand it,
and in accordance with their own ideas of
right and wrong, they would save so
much time that the courts would not be
overcrowded with cases, as they are now
and litigants might hope to get decision
during their lifetime" She says, "rhe
lawyers on both sides will quote pre-
cedents, and it seems to her to be ques-
ton OF who can get in the most, as though
they were evidence" She says, eff pre-
cedents are 10 rule, she could furnish
from history precedents for torturing and
numbering people for their religious be-
liefs, or for burning people at the stake
for their opinions, or hanging or drown
| ing people for being witches, or host of
other things, all of which are universally
| condemned now"
tell Tryphenia she is woman, and
don't understand politics. / can see the
need for precedents, and here is one for
my proposed ordinance: Ordinance No
IL, Section 5, Chapter vi. 1t is hereby
made the duty of every owner, occupant,
agent, claimant, or person having in pos
| session or control OF any real estate within
| the corporate limits of the CITY of Sacra-
| mento, TO cut down and destroy the weeds
to the center of the street i'll front of the
premises of which they are the owners,
| occupants, agents, claimants, or of which
| they have possession or control.
Any one can see that the principle in
| this ordinance is precisely the same as in
the ordinance L propose. | received
/ notice from the Office Of Chief of Police
| few days ago, containing this ordinance,
| with an intiInation that 1 must forthwith
| remove the weeds to the center of the
street around my premises. Il live on a
corner, and have go feet of frontage
where salt grass has always grown, and
| il was no easy job to clear it off.) / went
out into the street and worked good
| portion of two days, and blistered my
hands and made myself lame, but com
| piled with the ordinance.
Tryphenia says TO me: "Why don't
you hire some one to do it, as you have
done for the past fifteen years" / says
to her, Tryphenia, paid so much money
conformity with my other taxes, into the
street-repair fund, that / don't feel justi-
| fed in paying out 81 or So three or four
times each summer to keep the street in
| good condition.
WELL" she says, 81 don't see what
| right a policeman has to order a law
| abiding citizen out into the public street
to work" l say to her, "Tryphenia!
! Tryphenial You crazy woman, don't
| you see the ordinance 1t is the duty of
the police to enforce it,
| WELL" she says, u don't see where
! any man, or set of men, found legal or
moral authority for passing any such dis
eliminating and unjust ordinance.
| Everybody knows that weeds don't grow
universally in front of real estate in the
| city, and the chain-gang is made to clear
some of the cutters. Why not all? If
| they want the citizens to work out
street-tax in addition to what is levied.
why don't they set apart some day, or
days, and order all of the citizens out to
! clear the public streets and make the
thing Tor tax equal. In my opinion.
such an ordinance is disgrace to a
! people who claim to be civilized and to
| believe in equal rights, and it should be
! blotted Off the books" / say to her.
'Trypheniai Trypheniai hold on. You
Il n \
| tics" 1t may be necessary to have
| precedent for Discrimination and | am