The record-union., 1895-07-04
NOTE AND COMMENT.

The local legislature of San Jose has yielded
to the appeal of the cyclists and stricken the
bell clause from the bicycle ordinance. That
is sad mistake Bicyclists who are sensible
will carry alarm bells upon their wheels, be-
cause they enable the rider to call attention
to his approach. He cannot tell whether a
pedestrian whom he approaches will not step
in q direction the reverse of the expected,
if suddenly come upon. But with the alarm
bell the rider can secure his own and the pc
destrlan's safety There should be no repeal
of the bell ordinance here.
The women of Santa Rosa have immortal
lied themselves by taking the shade trees of
that city under their protection, and they have
done SO much good already that the entire
community is praising them. Now, why
could not the women of Sacramento win
glory, too. by taking up the question of the
tidiness of the residence streets. If they re-
solve that these streets shall be kept clean
and no longer be made the depositaries OF the
filth of the lazy people and those who have
no idea of what decency means, they can ac-
complish wonders. Some weeks ago young
woman outlined in the RECORD-UNIoN plan
whereby all the streets could be cleaned and
kept clean without dollar of cost to taxpay-
ers. 1t is a feasible plan, and can be realized
easily if the women will make the necessary
organization and set about inauguraiing the
scheme; namely, the erection OF a league in
every group of four blocks, the members
agreeing once O week TO clean the street and
cutters each in front of his or her property.
Once in operation by single group, the effect
would be so beneficial that soon the whole city
would fall into line.
The Prince of Wales is considering the idea
of visit to the United States this summer
Let it be hoped that he will not come. Not
that he is not welcome as the representative
of tue mother county, but his visit would
give the toades and dust-eaters such oppor-
tunity that plain and self-respecting Ameri-
cans would be ashamed.
The robbery of the Oregon express train was
the boldest yet. The common talk is: ''Why
did not some man among the large number OF
passengers fire upon the lone robber in the
car, or knock down the fellows pistol, and
then Kill him 2" The reason is simple
Sheriff Bogard did just that thing, and he
lost his life in consequence. No man cares to
take the chances In such case, but prefers to
give up his spare cash and let the robbers
go. Besides, in this latest case the robber in
the car had confederates on the outside who
kept up a fusillade, and thus led the passen-
gers to believe that If a shot was fired inside
the outside parties would turn their weapons
upon the passengers.
The advices are now positive that in a dozen
Chinese cities the property of missionaries,
Catholic and Protestant, have been destroyed
and some OF the missionaries are missing.
The American Consul at Hang Kow wires
that he fears more rioting, and that foreign
ers are fleeing for their lives. The assault
upou missions appears to be general, and to
be winked at by the local authorities. 1t is
time to call China down in this brutal busi-
ness and bring her to account.
How perverse is human nature. People
continue to speak of the Russian murderers
and thugs who landed in California two
wears ago as ''exiles."' And a strange thing is
that newspapers follow this lead. These ras-
calIy Russian convicts are not exiles in any
sense of the word.
What a morbid taste it is, to be sure. that
leads thousands of people TO throng to the
Morgue to look upon the body OF the exc
cuted murderer Buchanan. Who would
have thought that there were SO many people
in the land with taste for the gruesome and
the horrible?
Two men with horse ana cart, working
six days in the week. can keep all the resi-
dence streets clear of opstructions, loose
stone, brick-bats, refuse and the like-pro-
vided that the officials of the city enforce the
law and punish those who throw debris in
the streets, and compel teamsters to so ar
range their wagon and cart-be that the rub
bish. cobbles and refuse they haul will not be
distributed along their routes. And by the
xyov the law should be sharply aOpliad to
those citizens who clean up their gardens and
throw the trimmings, cut grass, tree and
bush.tops and the like upon the highway.