The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-19
VOICE OF The PRESS.
Expressions From Exponents of Pub
lie Opinion.
Augmenting PopuIation-Land subdi-
vision-Political Claims-Fair
Play for Durrant.
1GridleY Herald

rGridIey HERALD
The recent meeting of the Sacramento
Valley Press League in Marysville was
very pleasant. and it is to be hoped,
very profitable affair. Much time was
devoted to q discussion OF the best
methods of adding to the wealth and
population of the valley, to the improve
ment of the rivers, to the land monopoly
question and the best uses TO whlcn ianus
can be put. The editors spoke OF evils
and conditions which they know exist
and which il is their desire TO remove or
better. But the panaoea advanced by
most of them WAS that TO prosper we
must have more people and 10 gain more
people we must advertise extensively III
the East. In a measure we believe tnls
to be true and that our country and re-
sources will admit of the comfortable
support of five times its population-n
some Of the present detracting conditions
were removed. We must be able TO satls-
fy settler and his family when he comes
and this can only DO done by altering she
conditions so that we can offer him
small tract of land at a reasonable Inquire.
in the majority of cases with water on 1t,
and exemplifying by our own efforts
that the small farm well titled will afford
his family comfortable livelihood. In
other words, the first help must come
from within. AS il now stands ma
jority of the newspapers and people VINO
wish a better condition OF affairs to exist
are asking Eastern people to come here
and do what we refuse to do ourselves.
GOOD SEED sOwN.
lColusa SUM-
The meeting of the editors of the Sacra-
mento Valley at Marysville on the 9th
was fraught with much good, but no
grand results can be seen in day. The
genii of the lamp can be courted no more,
but man must be content with the slow
process of evolution. The editors met
and talked-talked of ways and means,
but settled down to nothing in particular;
EtiIl everyone was impressed with the
importance of action. a great point was
gained when every editor left Marysville
FULLY impressed with the idea that there
was TO be concert OF action; with the
knowledge that each of his contempora-
rles would watch with great interest any
subject of local interest he might discuss;
with the knowledge that there was bet
ter understanding all around, and that
that better understanding would be con-
tinually on the Increase. Thus the pro-
cess of evolution was set fairly In motion.
Full as much was accomplished as ought
fairly 10 have been expected. The next
meeting will be productive OF results that
will show better, but those will be the
results of this meeting. There will be no
back ward move, but IL Will go on and on
until the results of each meeting can be
noted on It's adjournment. Soon every
editor will understand all the problems
that effect the we'll being OF the valley.
Then the river will be protected and i'm
proved, the lowlauds reclaimed and cul-
tivated, the waters will be utilized for ir-
rigation, taxation will be equal and uni
form, manufactures will spring up on all
sides, the natural RESOURCES OF all kinds
will be developed, and the Sacramento
Valley will be just what it is capable OF
being-the pride of America.
POLITICAL CLAIMS.
Woodland Mail.
Our evening contemporary says there
is mo excuse for calamity bowling to
snow that the Democratic party is res pom
81 BILE for all the ills that flesh is heir to,
and that ''the Republican party got into
The habit Of claiming credit for the rains
of spring and the fruitful harvest" etc.
This reminds US that when there is the
least change for the better in financial or
commercial circles our Democratic
friends Immediately set up the howl,
see what we Democrats have done 1t
would be extremely difficult for Kepub-
lican to claim more than Democrat in
this respect.
LAND SUBDIVISION.
lTuIare Register
having any land OF their own to divide
are strongly in favor OF subdividing all
the large ranches in that great and pro-
ductive valley, but they did not say how
il is 10 be done. What is worrying us
down this way is to get land already sub
divided settled upon. We have thou
sands OF forty-acre lots as good as the
Sacramento Valley can show which are
Tor sale on reasonable terms and at rea-
sonable prices, but there are few buyers.
Big ranches cannot be subdivIded with
out buyers, and all we have to do to set
tie the land monopoly problem is to bring
Immigration 10 California. How shall
we do thatf This is the real question.
The big ranches may as well be cultivated
in large holdings as 10 lie idle.
a MATTER OF FAIRPLAY.
Fresno Republican,
Whatever may be the outcome of the
Durrsnt case-w neither it shall be decided
that this strange, iInpassive man is guilty
or innoceut-it is but justice to him TO
say that the press dispatches are and
have been calculated 10 engender popular
prejudice against him. From the begin
ming his guilt seems TO have been laken
for granted, and between the lines OF al
most every dispatch might be read q:
This man is guilty" The trouble with
this method Of treating the case is that
the generality Of hurrying readers prob
ably do not distinguish between the out
line Of facts and the dress of imagi nation
in which tie reporters clothe il; they i'm
biDe prejudice without knowing il. g
Durrant may be as guilty wretch as
stands this side of the birthstone city,
but. whether he be that or something
else he is entitled TO fairplay, and be has
not yet received it in the dispatches.
They are covered with such a layer OF
vivid imsginings as makes the labor OF
digging through them TO the sub-stTstum
OF facts TOO arduous for most readers.
Justice is sacrificed to desire for sensa-
ton, and truth Is coated over with q var
nish of untutored fancy. The idea OF
convicting man in advance OF a trial IS
outrageous, whether the man be guilty or
innocent, and it is especially SO when IN
the trial nothing bat circumstantial evil
dence ia relied upon 10 justify conviction.
Durrant should have fairplay. with less
reportorial ground and lofty tumbling on
the side. This much should be part Of
his heritage as an American citizen.
ADVERTISING THE STATE.
fGridley Herald.l
The idea OF publishing an illustrated
pamphlet was not favored by the Valley
Press League. 1t would be profitable
piece of work for engraving houses, and
Tor the valley very unimportant piece
of advertising, for such pamphlets are
looked upon by Fasteners as containing
lot Of unreliable advertisements. The
- 80. ra.A a nEF