The record-union., 1897-02-19
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
VI the State and the Coast on SUBJ
iectS of Living and News
Interest.


equally as we'll pleased as the consumer
with Assembly bill 767, introduced by
Harris. 1t provides that any person Of
fering butter for sale, either in rolls or
squares, not of the full standard weight
of two pounds avoirdupois, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor. 1t has been
the custom for certain dealers to order
dairymen to make their rolls of butter
not to exceed a pound and a half or
pound and three-quarters each. The
dealer buys them by weight and sells
them by the roll, representing them to
be two-pound rolls, thus defrauding the
buyer
THE ROAD AGITATION.
Redding Free Press: 1t is very evident
that the agitation of the good roads"
question is absorbing large amount of
public interest, and promises to lead up
to marked advance in the manner of
construction and maintenance of our
public highways. These manifestations
of such strong and general interest go
to show that our citizens are becoming
alive to the pressing needs of good
roads, which are necessary and essen
tiad to the rapid and permanent develop
ment and improvement of the country.
Good roads are the avenues over which
must come the main elements of indus
trial and social progress. California is
not alone in its awakening to the neces-
sity of good roads. All over the union
the matter is being discussed, and a
campaign of education is in progress all
over the land that is bound to eliminate
In the establishment of system of con-
struction and maintenance of public
highways that will yield satisfactory and
substantial results, and We may reason
ably hope to enjoy some of those re-
suits in our own locality in the near fu-
ture.
WELL-E1ARNED FAVORS.
Placerville Nugget: California fruit is
to be well taken care of in the new Tariff
Act now being prepared. This is a good
thing for several reasons. California
fruit is SO excellent. and the develop
ment of California orchards and vine
yards has been so potent an influence
in supplying the country with better
fruit than ever before and at lower av
erage prices that the Californians ought
to be given whatever further encOur
agement they need to go on in their
good work
Moreover, the victory won in Cali
fornia for sound money was so remark
able and valuable that the Californians
are fairly entitled to a little special
consideration at the hands of the party
which rallied and consolidated the
forces of honesty and good government.
Tt is true that Mckinley would have
been elected, with Republican Con-
gress to support him, if California had
iaI h,,+ i,
the less a matter of great Importance
that the leading State Of the far West
took its stand with New England and
the Central North in such a crisis.
THE LIBEL LAW.
Los Angeles Times: Certain tenden-
ctes of the time are both mischievOus
and dangerous. One of these tendencies
is toward disrespect for the law and
for those chosen as the instruments of
it's Interpretation and enforcement
Specious pleas against judicial ty-
ranny' are put forth by curbst0ne
statesmen of limited information and
unlimited volubility. 1t is the spirit
of hoboism invading the realm of juris- |
prudence, and u3surping the functions
of Judge jury and Witnesses. There is
danger in this tendency if it be not |
checked by the wholesome common |
sense of the public at large, which is |
usually right in its ultimate decisions. |
Every citizen. and every newspaper |
or magazine enjoy, under the laws s
rlhey exist at the present time in most |
States of the Union, including Califor- |
mia the right to discuss fully and free |
ly the merits of a judicial decision, a |
verdict by a jury, and other matters |
pertaining to the administration Of
Justice. BY common consent, well con
Quoted journals refrain, as a rule, from
commenting on a case which is pend |
ing in court. The presumption is that |
when the evidence in the case has been |
heard and Sifted, justice Will prevail; |
while comments, pro and con, might
prejudice the case and interfere with |
the administration of justice. After a |
case is ended and decision reached, |
discussion is in order, and may be free
iy INDUCED in, within the bounds OF
decency, by the press or by individuals,
without fear Of arraignmant for con-
tempt OF court. Bur some limitations
should and must be placed upon this
unatter if the law ana those pledged
to it's enforcement are to be respected |
and they must be respected if social |
order is to abeematntalasd and justice
guaranteed to all.
To a certain extent the ordinary
means Of defense against assault are
denied to a Judge. He cannot lower
the dignity Of his office by replying 10
Qnis traducers i'm 2 public manner, or in
any manner. Even the privilege Of per
sonal defense and offense Is in meas
ure denied to him To take from Judges
the power TO protect themselves, their
courts and the law, against indfgn.ty
would be a step both unWise and un-
called for This power Of free speech
are more often abused than are the
power-s of the courts. The rulings and
decision of Judges are more often right
rasan are the adverse cCnuants Of their
sg.sfscs There Is neither necessity nor
,varrant for the proposed amendment
CRIMINAL JtRY TRIALS.
Humboldt Standard: The proposition
e. So change the Constitution that
three fourths of jury in a criminal
trial may bring a verdict is in fair
way to be submitted to the people. As
sernblvnau Cutter has proposed an
amendment to this effect which the
legislature will without doubt submit
~ tho electors. The requirement of
a unanimous verdict was engrafted
upon English law as protest agalhsl
the severity of Judges in their trials
Of persons accused or crimes. II may
have aaryed a good purpose at the
time. but at present it is an obstacIe IN
shA v,av If the administration of JUS
tIce. Ii is absurd that one man OF
twelve should be invested with the
L.. h n