The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-12

ct Sacramento during each session o
the legislature ior-fes of changes being
attempted under the forms of genera
laws for the special benefit of some
other city. Let Us have provision oil
the constitution submitted to the people
which shall be sharp and expressive
and beyond all question giving TO cities
the right OF regulating their purely
local affairs without the interference OF
dictation of lawmaking body composed
of represen tstiyss from every other part
Of the state.
PROBATE REFORM.
Bills largely rsmodelins our probate
laws wers introduced by an ablo mela.
Der from Los Angeles two years ago. and
tho good work then begun shonld be
taken up and carried to completion.
Among other mstters that might with
profit ne considered 10 tho regulation of
public administrators. Except in til Q
larger citiss and counties. such as San
Francisco aud Lo, Angeles, the count y
treasurer should act as public admins.
traitor. His office ia convenient OF
access. his deputies ample in mum Der,
and ths additional duty would
not overwork either him or them.
The district attorney should be COM
PEELED to act for all resident orphans and
minors in estates of less than $50. 900.
A man should be allowed to spply to
the superior court to proys will, deed
or other instrument by serving citation 8
on his known hairs in the state and by
publishing the same for a Tins TO bs
prescribed by law. A jury should be
allowed either party to tSe proceeding
the Judgment to be fnal es to his capac-
ity at time of trial aud OF his freedom
from dursss. menace aud fraud. ouch
a bill will be introduced am told, dur
the present session.
Another change of the law is ons re-
quiring tho acknowledgment hereafter
OF an illegitimste child, to entitle him or
her to inherit from the father, to be in
a signed writing, specifying the person
intended to be legtimated. and indi-
eating the intention to legitimate. which
writing shall be signed by some peraoa
as subscribing witness thereto. in tina
declarant'a presence. At the came time,
a bastardy law, permitting the proof in
court by ample evidence OF the
paternity of child and requiring
its support during minority by the
father, should be passed. The judg-
msnt as to paternity before the fathers
death should legitimizs the child equal
ly and for the same person as an ack-
nowledgment. In all societies, barbs-
rous as we'll as civilized, the doctrine is
accepted that man who brings q new
life into the world should be forced to
care for il during the period of depend
ence. 1t is bad enough for the babe and
mother to bear the shame, while the
To- hn~ Nfk nttt IS
undoubted responsibility.
BALLOT REFORM.
Our ballot system, while an improve
msnt on the old, ia still in need OF i'm
proven ant. The Australian plan is
excellent and insures freedom and indie.
pendence to the voter. but it might be
easily improved There ID little or no
protection to the ballot after it is cast.
1t is easily altered, aud in manner to
dsiy detection. It's often left in 4 place
of insecurity, and in the past many
changes have bean made in the ballots
in the most unnccountable way. 1t
is but two years ago in San Francisco that
about 800 ballots were altered after they
reached the registrar and before being
produced in court in contest. What
has happened might happen again.
Many methods for protection will sug-
gest themselves to you. So long as the
law remains as now and the ballots are
liable to such easy changes, no contest
can be guaranteed to tell the true vote
as 1t should.
If precinct officers of different politics
can be found who will falsely certify re-
turns, under the very eyes of political
!, Gal T. 20 ho 81
in political worker of one party who
has sole charge of the ballots, a slight
change in which might defeat candi-
date whose election meant the removal
of the person in whoss custody the bal
lots were.
Provision should be made for the re.
count OF a precinct or county before the
supervisors or election commissioners
on establishing to a superior court that
there is q reasonable ground to appre-
bend fraud or mistake, and bond be-
ing given for costa in case the apprehen-
change can be made satisfactory
method OF preserving the ballots must
be devised.
No man should be exempt from serv.
ing on a precinct election board because
excluded because OF his poverty. The
whole system OF appointment of pres
cinct election officers ought to be
changed. The names OF eligible persons
should be drawn from precinct ballot
boxes at least 80 days before election,
by judge OF q superior court, or by
someone in his presence, the same as
jurors are now drawn. The persons Sc
lected should be required to make ex-
cuses or serve, or be punished for con-
tempt. Then each political party man.
aging a canvass should be permitted to
have watchers paid by itself at each
booth to watch the count aud returns.
Ten days before election thu inspector
should be required to appear before the
registrar or county clerk and receive his
While this method would not make
the board equally politically, there
would always be in its mem bership good
men, and political partiessand candi
dates would watch more carefully the
result.
TIE RAILROAD REFUNDiNG B ILL.
While as legislators you cannot pass
any act directly bsaring upon the sub.
iect OF transcontinental transportation,
still you may instruct your senators and
advise your representatives in congress
thereon. And | would suggest that you
SO advae and instruct in favor OF gov
ernmens construction and control of the
Nicaragua canal, provided the govern
ment own an interest in the property
equal to the amount OF the subscription.