The record-union., 1896-12-01

ing the ten years from 1885 to 1895
the counties have, according to the re-
port expended S1S,000000 on roads.
Ninety per cent. of the sum has been
wasted, owing to the want of system
At present road building in the coun-
try is a political operation. Just before
each election the Supervisors usually
betray great interest in their highways
Large numbers of men are set to work
and rock and gravel fly for sixty days.
But Immediately the campaign ends
and the men have voted the roads lie
still until another election requires re-
newed activity. The most that can be
said of this kind of work is that it pre-
pares mud bath for the traveller. The
politicians who engage in it seem to
have no idea of road making except to
spend the public money for their own
benefit If the Legislature will take
the highways out of their hands and
place them in the charge of an en-
gineer who will get his system from
State board, one of the most important
reforms conceivable will have been con-
summa ted.
OF THE "EXAMINER"
Humbold Standard: During the recent
laboring man, and tried to incite the
masses to rise against their employers.
1t raised a hue and cry against wealth
hen its owner is one of the greediest
millionaires in the country. It's scan
dalous methods have been exposed hun
dreds of times, and yet, with brazen eff
frontery. it pursues it's course, simulat-
ing a love for the poor and desire for
justice which is the last thing it wishes
TO have the public measure out to it.
A CALAMITY HOWL DOWNED.
Los Angeles Times: A good deal of
the calamity howl made by Popocrat or
ators on the stump in the late campaign
was for clap-trap only, and had no real
foundation. The annual report Of the
Secretary of Agriculture, j. Sterling
Morton, shows that only 2S per cent of
the farms of the United States are
mortgaged; and, what is still more re-
markab1e, that these mortgages are to
be found not so much in the Western
States rs in New York, New Jersey and
the seaboard States to the eastward of
them. So when the farmer Of Kansas or
Nebraska complains that his "lot is not
a happy one" he will have to make a
clfierent showing from this before he
can nope TO claim the sympathy of the
police sergeant in the Pirates of Pen
zance."
THE ELECTION LAW.
Placer Argus Now that the election
IS over it is well to consider how our
California ballot system could ba i'm
proved. So far as meeting the REQUIRE
TnentS in
IT is hard to tell how the present sys
TEN could be improved. We notice
however, from Eastern exchanges that
there is one way in which the ballot
could be made palmer In Presidential
elections a more emphatic party des-
ignation could be used on the ballot
In most of the older States with laws
similar to the California law. the dele
gated leaders Of all parties arc nar-
mitted to adopt party device giving
plainly the names of the national can.
dtdates over the Mckinley protn of
Electors was the party device and tho
names OF the candidates for President
and Vice President The Same xv,e
obs crved with reference to the Rrvan
Electors. and also all the other groun
OF ti~ctors. OF course. our voters
should lie sufficiently intelligent and
tenacious 10 party to vote simply for
party Electors. but there are great
many men who are not sufficiently ar
quainted with the candidates for Elec-
tors to recognize them. Party ties are
| NOT held with hat degree of closanass
to always control the voter. and IL tho
Electors have plain heading desig-
mating the names OF candidates. il will
at least have Il tendency to correct
| mistakes in voting
THE HATCH FAILURE
WILLOWS Journal: The disadvapta.e
| of large holding of land, whether II he
devoted to the raising of grain or to
| fruit culture. is forcibly illustrated nv
the failure of A. T. Hatch, one of the
| largest fruit growers in the State Mr.
Hatch has extensive orchards in sev.
erai counties aggregating many thou
sand acres. These orchards Have been
productive enough and Mr.. Hatch has
disposed of his fruit at fair price. but
the reason of his failure Is principally
caused by the great expense of rum
| ming these large fruit ranches. The
man who owns twenty-five or thirty
| acres of orchard and does most of his
own work can compete against the