The record-union., 1895-12-05

the town were retailing the same grade of
prunes at 6 cents pound. Their stock
was obtained from the wholesale firms OF
San Francisco, and their bills showed a
very narrow margin Of profit. 1t was
evident shat the discrepancy was not due
to the retailer. About this time our at
tention was called to the fact that lot of
prunes sold to a leading firm of san
francisco and delivered at the depot
here changed hands three times before
they were finally shipped. The buyer in
each case was commission firm In San
Francisco, and as it is fair 10 presume
that each made profit in the TRANSACTION,
we thus see what q figure the middleman
cuts In the fruit and produce market or
California. Any scheme TO deliver the
farmer from the mlddleman and bring
him into contact with the sctual con-
sumner. will do much to relieve the de-
preston which is hanging over the farm
Ing industry in this State.
KEEP THE NAVY EFFICIENT.
Healdsburg Tribune: Chief Constructor
Hichborn's statement that much larger
appropriations will be necessary in the
future Tor maintenance Of the vessels of
Ine new navy III state of efilcIency
should receive the earnest consideration
OF Congress Constructor Hiohborn is
entitled TO speak with authority on such
matters. and ne is manifestly right when
be declares that modern steel warships,
with their numerous subdivisions and
elaborate systems of mechanical appli-
ances, require much more frequent re-
pairing than the comparatively simple
wooden craft of the old navy.
His suggestions should be heeded by
the House and Senate Committees on
Naval Affairs. This country has ex-
pended large sum in building navy
which contains some of the finest vessels
OF war in existence. 1t would be stupid
folly to allow these superb fighting ma
chimes to be injured by neglect Ma
tional safety demands that they shall be
Kept in condition of high effectiveness
at all times.
DEBRIS DAMS.
Sutter Farmer: In the recent report of
the Manager of the State Anti Debris AS
sociatlon, attention was called to the fact
that numerous dams which had been
erected to restrain mining debris, had
been broken and the material behind the
same allowed to flow into. the rivers.
This is the natural outcome of almost all
the restraining works erected for that
purpose. Sooner or later the majority OF
The dams will become inadequate to re-
strain all the debris behind them and
will wash out or collapse. Abandoned
dams will not Withstand the elements
many years, and the result will be the
same as if no dams had ever been built.
And still theNvallsy people are asked to
remain content, with nothing but fiimsy
dams to keep back the debris from filling
up the rivers or covering their lands.
STRIKE AND SMITE.
Visalia Delta: History repeats itself
DER and DER among the barbarous ma
tlons east of the Bosphorus. The war time
methods of King Saul are the same cruel
methods of to-day. We read in the
Bible l. Samuel, XIV. 3, these orders to the
commander of military expedition:
Now go and smite Amalek. and utterly
destroy all that they have. and spare them
not, but slay both men and women, in
FAINT and sucking. OK. sheep. camel and
ass" And these are the inherited meth
DDS of military marauders in those re-
gions to-day-of Moslem and Christian,
Of Kurd and Armenian, of Turk and
Maronite. In some spots the world for
gets to move.