The record-union., 1892-10-10
TO EVERY GOOD CITIZEN.

Only few days intervene between this
and the day of the special election upon
the levee improvement question. A two
thirds vote of all those who vote upon the
proposition is necessary for the affirma-
tive to carry the proposition. Ii enemies
of it will simply refrain from voting they
will merit the thanks of the community.
Levee Improvement as projected is an
absolute necessity for this city. Upon
this business sense, scientific judgment,
official decision and common prudence
agree. That the work is an urgent need
Is proved by the fact that the Trustees,
under engineering advice and their own
conviction of duty, have already begun
work upon the levees that every moment
may be availed of of the now few remain
ing weeks before high waters appear.
We want no more seasons of fear and
speculation and doubt like those Of the
last high water period. 1t is worth the
entire 100000 to be rid of the annual
ghost and to put down this yearly scare.
vince the outside world that the city is
safe and that investment here is not han
dicapped by insufficient levees.
The day is rapidly approaching when
the old city debt will be extinguished; we
have struggled with it many years, ac-
cepting it as a kind of heritage passed
down by our predecessors; but we have
1t by the throat now, and as result the
city's credit is good; for it has proved it's
capacity to clear off 100000; it should,
therefore, have no fear about assuming a
debt of but 100000, in order to put per-
petual security behind S30,OO0,OO0 of
values, and of passing down to those to
come after the mature of to-day, the bur-
den of paying the major portion of the
new liability and that is to entail upon
them as well as give to us great blessings
through security.
With the proposed improvements car
ried out, all future labor in like direction
will be light and easy. and of no more
difficulty than the current keeping in
repair and improving of any public
works subject to the action of the ele-
ments.
There are few silurian opponents OF
the improvement; a few others who
would like to see the work done, but fear
the creation of the debt; few others
who, while confessing the need fol
greater protection, wish security tc
be had through elaborate engineering
schemes that cannot be realized now. MOI
without Federal or State approval, and
only then by enormous output of cap
ital.
Against these classes the citizens who
want levee Improvements will be ar.
rayed in two or three days more. As the
latter outnumber the former five to one
there ought to be no difficulty in carrying
the question in the affirmative. But con.
fidence in strength sometimes leads tc
weakness and disaster. AS every one
who is right-thinking upon the subiec
expects the levee improvement PROPOSE
ton to Overwhelmingly prevail, the
fear is that there will remain away from
the polls, through the operation of thi:
confident feeling. enough friends to give
the enon-progressionists the advantage.
Let citizens, therefore, who favor ad
vance and progress go to the polls; le
nothing but death keep them away anC
no business withdraw them from work a
the polls. Let them work as diligently
and hardly for the Improvement policy
as if the permanency and success OF thei
private business depended upon it-anc
very measurably it does.
Remember that for every vote by si
lurian, non-progressionist or doubter. i
will require two votes actuated by pro
gressive spirit, business wisdom ant
common prudence to negative it. If th
friends of the proposition submittec
should remain away from the polls to th
extent of one-third and one over of thei
whole number, improvement will b.
dead, progress brought to full stop anC
Sacramento be dealt blow from whicl
she will not recover in a decade, if ever
The city must not be given over to th
opponents of the improvement scheme T.
be wrecked by their peculiar ideas o
what is true economy. This is case il
which wisdom, vigilance and devotion
are to be rewarded. or retrogression AM
old-fogyism are to be crowned. We wan
not only a two-thirds vote on election
day, but so large one, such demon
strative one, such an emphatic vote b.
reason of its proportions, that it will hay
the effect of advancing values and givini