The record-union., 1896-02-04
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Expressions of interior California
Newspapers.
Comments Upon Things Local, Cow
ernmentaI, Practical, Theoret-
fcaI and Current.

ernmental, Practical, Theoret-
fcal and Current.
Los Angeles Herald: The idea of ss-
tablishing a Cabinet portfolio to be
known as the Department of Manu-
factures and Commerce is now roaming
around the country seeking a lodgment
in the hearts of the people. The sug
gestion is one that might be taken as
indicative of the growth of socialistic
tendencies in the United States. The
creation of such departments as that
of agriculture and the proposed one of
manufactures and commerce SAVIOR
of the socialistic theory that it is a Gov
ernmental function to superintend or
nurse the private industries of the peo-
pie. Departments of the kind, unlike
those of State, Interior, Law and War,
have to deal not with public but pri-
vate business. While supported by all
the people, they are intended to exist
for the benefit of only some of the peo-
pie. The time has come to draw the line
ON paternalism, and to confine Gov
ernment to the transaction and care
of essentially public affairs.
LAND MONOPOLY.
Butte County Pendulum: There are
various kinds of land monopoly, and
the one that is curse to California is
that in which an individual or a corpor
alton of individuals accumulate a tract
of land large enough to form a State
in itself, and hold it just for the sake
of being considered land barons. Were
these large holdings taxed as the poor
mans fen q rras ic tava6 wa xu0r1ld coon
see such a breaking up into small farms
as would double our population in
few years. The Sacramento Record
Union has for years been one of the
strongest advocates of the division of
these large tracts, and has been called
by many inconsistent, it being the
strong friend Of the S. P. Co., the own
ers of vast tracts of land all over the
coast We think this journal is far
from inconsistent, as there is as much
difference between the holdings of the
railroad and individuals as there is be-
tween black and white. All the lands of
the railroad are for sale to anyone who
wants them and at a reasonable price,
while the lands of the individual mo-
nopolist cannot be bought for love or
money. The more acres the railroad
disposes of the more revenue they have
coming in.
OF NO USE TO MINERS.
Mountain Democrat (Placerville): Let
it be understood and remembered that
of all the brush and other dams con-
structed to protect a few thousand
acres of bottom lands below high water
mark, not one ever was or is worth
continental prayer to the miner. He
has no use for them and never would
have built them for any purpose of his
own. For him they are useless as
levees-dead work. done in compliance
with legislative tomfoolery to hold up
rivers running headlong over them and
over everything that gets in their way
VERY TRUE.
Riverside Press: There are too many
newspaper men who act as If they be-
lieved no statement was worth any
thing as a matter of news which did not
contain something unpleasant or even
offensive. They want the truth, and
the whole truth ''as a matter of con-
science" If it only gives them oppor-
tunity to give publicity to facts that are
demoralizing and Injurious Neverthe-
less there are truths that sometimes de-
serve to be ignored even by the modern
newspaper.
RIGHT, YOU ARE.
Livermore Herald: A municipal
corporation is simply a business con-
Germ, and must be conducted, if wisely
administered, with due regard to com
mon sense principles of economy and
common sense business methods
rsTrT-
Amador Record: We do not say that
we are in favor of the funding bill. but
we do say that we are waiting to hear
some better proposition and some sug-
gestion more business-Iike and better
calculated to restore to the people the
money which rightfully belongs to
them. If not the funding bill, gentle
men, then what? Stand right up in
your places in the class and tell us.
A class of people have arisen
IN California who ask the Government
to discharge the first mortgage. cancel
the second mortgage and take the road.
Now, if Huntington had made that
proposition it would have beer. assailed
as device for getting the road back
at half its value. 1t would have been
said with all seeming of plausibiIitv
that having borrowed $50, 900 900 from
the Government on a second mortgage
ana having interpoSed a first mortgage.
IL was most cunning device to dis
charge both; to have the Government
pay off the first mortgage, forego the
second mortgage and take possession
OF the road, in order to get it into the
hands of Congress where eventually it
might be sold to the highest bidder for
what 1t would bring. That the Gov
ernment would sooner or later want to
sell 1t goes without saying. The Gov
eminent is not organized with refer
ence to running a railroad. Under
Government ownership the President
would be President of the railroad. the
Congress of the United States a Board
OF Directors, the President of the SEN
ate, General Manager, and the Speaker
OF the House, General Superintendent
Government ownership is really not in
issue because it has no friends.
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF
RAILROADS.
Colusa Sun: Let anyone think lat
anyone view the whole situation and
the commonest of common sense viii
show them that we had better do any
thing than to allow that mortgage fall
INTO the hands of an Eastern syndicate
Can California be so blind to her inter
ests as even to want a Government
ownership of railroads. when she sees
all the majorities of a maioritv-gov-
erned country on the other side Of tbe
vast continent? We are prepared TO do
puDilc and national work of All kinds
10 we get it? We have Statesmen no
we have any of the places in the cab