The record-union., 1896-02-14
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Expressions From the Newspapers o
Interior California.

]
Interior California.
Marysville Appeal: In the matter of
the funding proposition the Appeal"
cannot venture to speak for all the peo-
pie of the State of California, but so
far as it's own locality is concerned it
can We know that every prominent
shipper in this section, who is a business
man, believes that the Governments
claim against these railroads should be
collected in full, and that it can be done
without loss to the country by passing
funding bill properly framed We do
not see why the Governments claim
should be sold at a loss merely in order
to set up the Vanderbilt-Gouldi interests,
an Eastern syndicate with an Eastern
management and working most surely
in the interests of that section of the
country wherein the majority of their
possessions lie, in the place of the peo-
pie now opera ting the Pacific railroads.
| 1t appears to US that what is to be
| desired at this juncture is not the
sophisms of demagogues. not the theo-
ries of corporations, with Eastern YER
sus California interests Let us rather
apply a few rules from the primer of
business to this question, and wesshall
get an answer at once, speedy and so
simple as to be indisputable.
OIL WELLS.
Oakland Inquirer: State Mineralogist
Crawford indorses the opinion that the
Los Angeles oil wells will be exhausted,
but declines to say how soon. That is
rather safe prophecy. Where are
there any oil wells which have not been
exhausted if pumped long enough? Mr.
Crawford also says plenty of new wells
will be found in the same belt, and that
prophecy seems also to be justified by
the history of petroleum production in
other States.
REPUBLICAN INCAPACITY.
Woodland Democrat: The Republic
ans now control both branches of Con-
gress, but, Notwithstanding their pre-
tended anxiety to relieve the necessi-
ties of the country, they have demon
strated their incapacity to deal with
great question by an utter and humili
ating failure to respond to the call of
the President and meet the demands of
the whole country. They have accom-
plished absolutely nothing in the way
of solving the vexed financial problem.
The bond bill is practically dead and
they have nothing else to offer.
Immediately after the election they
pretended to see in the result an inn
mediate demand for the revision. on the
lines Of McKinleyism of the tariff, and
they took up their line of march on
Washington, inspired with a feeling of
that so-called Americanism which de-
mands protection for the few at the ex-
pense of the many.
THE DAILY NEWSPAPER.
Los Angeles Times: We find every
now and then persons who are ready to
give their fling at the daily press, as if
it were a power which they would like
to subjugate and whose influence they
feared.
It is power, the iumeasurable might
OF whose influence it is impossible to
determine. But the power Of the press
is not an original power. 1T has justly
been said that "its seeming sway is in
fact the sway of public opinion" In the
United States it is the voice of the peo-
pie rather than that of the individual,
and the relation between a free press
and an intelligent citizenship is close
and responsive. Tha live newspaper
has its hand upon the public pulse, and
is quick to note the needs and impulses
of the body polite. The difference be-
tween the American and British press
il has been asserted is that .'the Eng
lish press echoes Governmental or party
leaders rather than public opinion as
does the press of this country. There
il not found in England. therefore. the
freedom and independence of the press
which the newspapers of America en-
joy. and which have so much to do with
American advancement.
NOSE-SMASHING