The record-union., 1896-05-07
A THREATENED ATTACK.

The Stockton Independent" says:
The threatened attack of the quarry
men on the law authorizing the opera
tion of the Folsom rock-crusher should
not be permitted to be successful. The
whole State needs the rock for road
and street improvements, and the in
terests Of the few should not be per-
mitted to prevail over the rights and
necessities of the many. California
needs a vast amount of building stone,
and the quarries operated by individu-
ais can probably be made remunerative
at such work, but whether they can or
not is not the business of the public.
Street and road improvements are i'm
perative necessities and should not be
delayed in order that quarry combine
may acquire wealth. People of all po-
ltical parties should require their can
didates for legislative offices to pledge
themselves to keep the Folsom plant in
operation as long as there is de-
mand for its prodacts in improvements
If the quarry combine prevails it will
be the fault of the people sleeping upon
their rights and interests, which they
are too likely to do.
That is right For If something more
than general suggestion, something
more than saying what should be done
is not put afoot, the State rock-crush-
ing plant will be found, when the Legis-
lature assemblies, in imminent danger
of collapse by Act What is needed is
activity among the good roads people
to prevent the consummation Of the
scheme
In the first place, there are the pri-
vate rock crushing concerns that are
resolved upon downing the State plant.
In the second place, there is the insane
and wholly senseless opposition of GER
tain pretentious leaders of labor or
ganizations who cannot see, or will not
understand, that the labor of the couple
Of dozen convicts who will work within
the prison grounds in attending upon
the machinery not only will not COM
pete with free labor, but is actually to
augment capacity and enlarge opportu-
mites Of the latter. Every convict who
assists in crushing rock at the prison for
road metal aids a hundred men to labor
in building good roads. But the thing
of difficulty will be to convince these on
ponents Of the State plant Of this truth.
AS to the other order of opponents
their scheme is to be met in but one
way, and that is by the hard knocks of
plain, strong English, we'll and forcibly
delivered, exposing the hard selfishness
of the opposition. If the people Of the
State are not to be permitted to take
their own rock out Of their own quarry
to place upon their own roads. in order
that few private concerns may make
money by charging high prices for road
metal, then free government had bet
ter come TO an end.
In this case 1t is simply a question of
the good Of the people as a whole A.
great need is good roads, for ease and
economy Of transportation and he++ar-
ment Of rural and trade conditions. But
good roads cannot be had In a State
with so small population to the SQUARE
mile. except the road metal can be pro-
cured at exceedingly low rates. The
state mas the metal. 1t has the idle
stock, Idle hands. idle power. It COM
pines the three and gives the peonle
their desire, and thus enables them ~
give employment to a vast number of
honest workers and secure the improve
ment that is demanded. Shall that
condition Of affaits continue or come to
an end at the behest of selfishnass ara
misapplied sentiment?