The record-union., 1896-12-16

these INSCRIPTIONS intermediary agents
| ali sorts of misery and unhappiness
are brought about.
A GOOD THING.
Calaveras Prospect: The best thing
| that has ever happened to California
| is the dissatisfaction in pugilistic cir
| cleS over the decision of the referee in
| the fstic encounter between Fitzsim-
mons and Sharkey, as it will do more
than anything else toward keeping the
| barbarous exhibitions out Of the State.
| We only hoped for the sake of public
morals that the conditions or result Of
the affair were such as to cause the
arrest and severe punishment CT the
| principals and their aiders and abettors
| in the inhuman practice.
OUR SHIPPING.
Vacaville Reporter: Just what the
trouble is 'tiS hard to fathom but GER
tain it is the system of loading our
shipping with heavy burdens such as
State taxation, compulsory pilotage,
high port charges of all kinds, will not
help us in the fight for our share of
ocean commerce. Something should be
done to enable us to carry our own pro-
ducts to market in American ships. And
| as we have only enough American ships
afioat to carry 10 to II per cent. of our
exports and imports, some encourage
| ment had better be given to shipbuild
ing in this country. This industry
fourished many years ago and gave
employment to thousands of American
workmen. Why not revive it?
CITRUS FRUIT DISTRICTS
Kern Echo: While there is much
complaint at the unripe condition of the
| oranges sent East from southern orch
ards, those shipped from the foothills of
this valley are said to be in excellent
condition. There seems to be no room
for doubt any longer that the foothill
thermal belt is both earlier and more
frostless than any place in the State
south of Tehachapi. This is not saying
that Southern California is not all right
in its way as a citrus belt, but merely
that it is not seriously in our way.
A DANGER.
Los Angeles Herald: 1t is one of the
dangers of public institutions, and. par
ticularly, institutions of higher educa-
ton, that they SO often depart from the
simple service which they We're organ
lied to render to the public and squan-
der their resources upon fads and fam
cies: or, if upon such serious undertake
ingS which should be left entirely to
private enterprise, and in the promotion
Of which the public cannot be supposed
to be sufficiently interested to warrant
the use of the funds which they contrib
ute for a definite and certainly reason
ably restricted purpose.
SIDEWALKS AND DISEASE.
San Jose Mercury: Several newspa-
pers in this State have grown facetious
over the ordinance passed recently by
the Sacramento Council making it
mlsdemeanor to expectorate upon the
sidewalk. Whether it will be possible
to enforce the ordinance remains to be
seen, but there can be no question con-
cerning its propriety. Custom CLOSES
over many indecent things but no ex-
cuse can be offered for the disgusting
appearance of the sidewalks, in this city
for example, although they are no worse
here than elsewhere. And, putting aside
the question of decency, the unquestion-
able fact that disease germs, especially
those Of consumption. are disseminated
by the dried sputum Of the sick adds to
the seriousness of a practice which
every civilized community should hast
en- to suppress.
In defending the Sacramento ordi-
nance the Record Union" quotes from
a series Of papers In "Harper's Weekly"
by Colonel Waring, in which he says
that in Vienna, for instance he never
saw a person of all the hundreds OF
thousands who walk in the streets. ex-
pectorate upon the walk-they always
turn aside to the street if they wish to
spit 1t is not only the law there that
no one shall soil the walkway. but all
the people, out of a sense Of cleanliness
conforms TO the requirements of the
law. So it is in many other European
cities, indeed in most of them.
Sacramento deserves credit for it's ex-
hibition Of good sense and for its de-
sire to promote both the cleanliness and
the health of the city The ordinance
will at least serve to stimulate thought
upon the subject. and it will not be long
before the community Will recognize its
utility and value. Then we shall see
the other cities of California adopting
similar ordinances and 1t is to be hoped
that San Jose viii be among the first to
Follow Sacramentos admirable exam
pie.