The record-union., 1895-12-24
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Expressions of California Newspapers
on Public Money.
The Monroe Doctrine-American Spirit
The Custody of Public Money
Personal TaXeS-Etc.

''Visalia Delta: This language can
be understood only one way. If Great
Britain has a good title to the territory
she claims, and which Venezuela has
never conceded, she should be able TO
show it. If she has not, this Govern
ment will stand by the long-Supported
Monroe doctrine. In this course the
President will be upheld by the whole
people, who realize that this country
cannot and must not recede from It's
position. War is a serious matter to
contemplate, especially when waged by
two strong and kindred peoples speak
ing the same language, and all will
hope that the difficulty may in some
way be adjusted amicably. But if the
worst comes, our starry flag, which has
waved victorious at the close of every
war, will not be allowed in this struggle
to know its first defeat.
OUR MISSION.
''Petaluma Courier: To those who
have fondly cherished the idea that the
Anglo-SaXon race-and particularly the
American branch of it-has a mission
of peace to perform, a pioneer work for
the great millennium in which finally
the less advanced nations should join
in the work of converting their swords
into agricultural implements, it must
be disappointing to find such a revival
of a desire for conquest by arms. But
it is here, and sooner or later will make
itself most manifest in the flesh The
best that can be done is to put off for
short time the ultimate and legitimate
worship of materialism. No man ever
gets so reasonable as to doubt his own
strength.
CUSTODY OF PUBLIC MONEY.
San Bernardino Sun: The Sun most
heartily agrees with the Sacramento
Record Union that the recent decision
OF the Superior Court of Sonoma County
in respect to the custody of public funds
by the Treasurer of that county has
an extremely law-defying aspect, and
is calculated to sustain and bolster UP
a most pernicious practice.
1t is not prudent; it is not safe; it is
rot right that money derived from
taxation should be used for personal
profit any more by banks than by in
dividuals If the withdrawal of it from
circulation works a manifest public in
jury, it were better to remedy that evil
by providing for the payment of taxes
as the money is required for public use,
in frequent small installments. Bank
ing on taxes is dangerous and dishon-
est and should not be countenanced
or covered up judicially, as in this tor
tuous Sonoma County decision.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
Santa Rosa Democrat: The folly of
personal property taxation rs well illus
trated by the failure of the city author
tiles in New York 10 collect the taxes
levied upon the Gould estate last year.
The estate was assessed at $10,0O0,00O
but by establishing a residence outside
the jurisdiction the GOulds have es-
capped payment. Though Jay Gould
died possessed of 100000 he only
paid taxes in New York on $500,000
WHITTIER SCHOOL GIRLS.
'rLos Angeles Express: A school at
best gives only a foundation for an ed
ucation. The vast majority of things we
learn, we learn outside its walls It mat
ters not how well an institution like
that at Whittier is managed, its work
will not be as successful as it might be,
il some means are not taken to protect
the child after he or she leaves the
school. This is particularly true of
girls. A boy who has done wrong, but
who really intends to reform, finds
every encouragement held out to him
not only by his own sex, but by women
when he goes forth in the world again.
But it is different with girl. The great
est enemy she has when she leaves the
institution is her own sex. Women who
talk learnedly on suffrage and the i'm
proved condition of her sex and the i'm
write on the wrongs of women, and
who hold mothers meetings and
sisters - conferences. will not lend
helping hand or speak to the unfortu-
nate girl who is trying to straighten out
a crooked life.
NO DANGER OF WAR.
Oakland Enquirer: Therefore the
talk about war with England at any
moment is idle vaporing. 1t cannot oc-
cur unless some fresh cause of offense
should arise which would precipitate a
crisis which under the Presidents pro-
posal would be long delayed. Cleye-
lands successor will have been elected,
and perhaps will have been installed
before the merits Of the boundary line
have been determined by his commits
sion. What Cleveland has really ac-
compIished is to make some first rate
political capital for himself as a candi-
date for reelection, or for Secretary
Olney. if the latter, as many think, is
Cleveland's candidate for President.
A FREE MARKET.
"Santa Cruz Surf; Every we'll wish
er of California ought to take great in
terest in the agitation for free market
in San Francisco. 1t requires only a
superficial study of the industrial con-
ditions in this State to discover that
the margin of profit on all products of
the soil is lost between the producer
and the consumer. They must be
brought more closely together before
there Will be prosperity.
w. H. Mills has given much atten-
ton to this subject and in the Cali Of
recent date again sets forth some of
the reasons why such a market should