The record-union., 1897-04-30
VOICE. OF TEE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
Of the State and the Coast on Sub.
jects of Living and News
Interest.

oakland Telegram. Inc last LGSlS-
lature made a great change in primary
election methods, in the passage of the
primary election law. 1t looks like a
pretty cumberous piece of machinery,
but as the penalties of it's non-obserV-
ance are very severe and largely self
enforcing, it is likely to be pretty gen.
orally observed. The feature of keep
ing the polls open all day will be an
innovation, as will also the fact that
the officers must be legally appointed
and must serve when so appointed or
be subject to severe fine. The COM
pensation is freedom from jury duty
for a year The whole law is a COM
plete revolution of the present meth
DDS.
WHAT WE DID.
Mail of Woodland: The shrewd officers
of Sacramento set up a great howl
when the Stocktonites shipped the
army of unemployed to that city, but
it did not take them long to run them
over into Yolo County. Sacramento Of
ficials are noted for anything but their
consistency
A NEW ROAD TAX.
San Jose Herald: Section SO of the
new county government law provides
that Supervisors shall have power
ITO levy a special road fund tax, not
to exceed , mills on the one dollar of
assessed valuation, on all the property
in such counties, outside of any in
corpOrated city or town. Such tax shall
be in addition to all taxes otherwise
provided for, and the fund so created
shall be expended for the construction
and maintenance of the main public
roads or county highways in the sew
eral road districts, in proportion to the
amount collected from such districts.
1t is hard to see just what is the
motive or purpose of this section. If it
was simply desired to improve the
county roads of California by expend-
ing more money on them, that might
more naturally be done in another way.
The law provides that the general road
tax shall not exceed 10 cents on the
500. This new section therefore pro-
vides for an increase of 80 per cent. of
the maximum road expenditure allowed
by special tax.
1t is possible that this section may
be designed to permit some exercise
Of favoritism to certain roads or sec
tions. Under it's operation the Super
visors might lower the general road
tax and then levy the special tax up TO
it's full limit to expend on certain ia
vored highways.
There is also the fact that Super
visors are very apt to go to the limit
in levying taxes, and this law enlarges
their limit one-half for road purposes.
he 1a Af nc
so high a tax it will be hard to get
them out of it.
1t is possible that this law is de-
signed for special service in some
counties that are behind hand in the
matter of road building and want per-
mission to catch up with their neigh
bors. II would be interesting if the
author of the bill would say just what
is the purpose of this section.
FRANCES PLANT.
Stockton Mail: France doesn't seem
to like the Dingley tariff bill, but for
that matter France wouldn't like any
tariff that Disseminated against its
sparkling and still wines, brandies,
gloves, works of art and vertu, and so
on. France, however. has no reason
to complain of any duty the United
States may see fit to impose on French
products. 1t has put a prohibitive duty
on most of the products of this coun-
try, and can scarcely expect anything
but retaliation at our hands.
1t would be we'll for this country to
pattern after France in the matter of
laying import duties. That nation has
two kinds of duties. One is practically
prohibitiye on all outside products; the
other is based on the necessities for
revenue alone, and is secured through
diplomacy, by special treaty, whereby
the products of a nation are admitted
into France upon the same basis as
the most favored nation" That is,
France is always ready to make COM
mercial treaties that give its producers
some advantage, and then it is willing,
as a rule, to make very liberal conces-
sions. This is really reciprocity by ad-
ministrative action, and it should COM
mend itself to this Republic.
JOUR PROGRESS IN PRODUCTION.
Los Angeles Herald: Perhaps the
most remarkable thing about California
is that we have had to learn how to raise
almost everything that is worth raising
country that will raise almost every
thing should raise almost nothing with
out careful coddlng Outside of a few
grains and grasses, nothing does well
without the proper kind of care. And
even these we'll taken care of do so much
better than when neglected that it raises
strong question whether anything is
doing as well as it can be made to do.
In every other land with which we are
acquainted fruits of every kind that will
grow there at all-vegetables, flowers
and almost any kind of nut-will do
fairly well under total neglect, as the
orange in Florida and the apple in New
England. But here nothing is worth
raising unless properly treated.
These facts raise a very important
question. What is there that we cannot
raise if we only study out the way to do
it? And how do we know from any of
our failures that we cannot succeed?
Looking back over our experience we
shall find these questions not in vain.
1t is not probable that we have COM
pleted the lists of our discoveries. 1t is
certain that we have not tried all our
soils or climates.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC.
Santa Rosa Republican: IT was the
good work of the Southern Pacific Com
pany that saved the Christian Endeavor
convention for this coast. Eastern roads
desired to keep it east of the Rockies, so
that the larger crowds that would at
tend there would put more money into
their tills. They were defeated in their
scheme by the Southern Pacific Com
pany to the great benefit of the whole
State of California
PRUNES AS A PROBLEM.
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