The record-union., 1897-06-09
VOICE OF FHE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
OF the State and the Coast on Sub
iects of Living and News
Interest.

Kern Echo: The Record Union" OBJ
serves that it is nearly three years be-
fore the Wlde-tire law goes into effect,
but suggests that farmers and team
sters need not wait that long to begin
buying wide tires. That is all very
true, but we predict they will wait
three years and even longer; that the
new law will not be enforced except in
those few localities where people want
to use wide tires, law or no law. The
discouraging feature of good road agi-
tation is the strong opposition to road
improvements, or at least the little en-
couragement it receives, from those
who use the roads most.
THE URBANA CASE.
Los Angeles Herald: There is no law
that can prevent a community from go
ing mad under sufficient provocation;
and when We find a community of or
dinarily aw-abiding citizens actually
mad under the stimulus of a most ag-
gravated outrage, the higher wisdom
should suggest to those charged to
conserve the public order that the rem
edy must not be applied in the form of
a new and greater outrage at their
hands. The slaughter of the citizens Of
Urbana did not save the worthless neck
of the negro. for the doubly embittered
populace hanged him on the following
morning in the presence of the militia.
There are certain unwritten laws that
override all stututes. They are in some
way stamped upon the great soul of
humanity and they compel respect and
obedience whenever they are infringed.
They find expression in the unreason-
able-almost automa tic--movemen for
vengeance that they provoke in the
heart of the affected community The
case under consideration is crime I'M
der this code. The crime itself must be
made capital, and for obvious reasons
should be punishable in first and second
degrees, if lynching is to cease.
JUDICIAL GENERALIZATION.
Los Angeles Herald: All courts are
more or less disposed to enlarge their
jurisdiction, and this disposition has
been quite as manifest on the part of
the Federal Courts as any Others In
general language, they have jurisdic-
ton only Of Federal questions, but they
have stretched constructions of Consti-
tuition and laws until their powers COM
prehend what seems not to have been
contemplated by the founders of the
Government. 1t has often been said
that the Supreme Court of the United
States has made more constitution than
the convention which framed the origi-
nal. and the Legislatures of the States
which ratified the fifteen amendments
1t mas done more to centraliZe power
than all other branches of the national
Government
The liberal disposition of the Federal
Courts to take jurisdiction of questions
and cases has led to the practice of ap-
pealing to them whenever there is dis
satisfaction with the judgments and
findings of the State courts, and attor-
neys have become geniuses in discover
ing and inventing what may be called
Federal questions.
There is no disposition to unduly re-
strict the jurisdiction and powers of
the Federal Courts. but is there not
danger that they may supplant juris-
diction over questions that are purely
local? The States are charged with the
duty OF preserving peace and order and
of protecting life and property within
interference with them by the Federal
authorities tends to weaken them and
impair their effectiveness. 1t is wisest
that vigor should be encouraged on the
part OF the general and State Govern
ments in their respective spheres.
TARIFF KNOTS.
San Jose Mercury: The free trade
press assumes to believe that the more
we import the better off we are. and
hence that the ideal condition would
be one in which the United States pro-
duced nothing and imported everything
We very nearly reached that condition
under the late Democratic administra-
ton, and the results were a bankrupt
treasury, insufficient revenue to meet
the ordinary expenses of the Govern
ment, and an idle populace clamoring
for chance to earn bread and butter
or even bread unbuttered.
A GOOD LAW.
Los Angeles Express: Illinois has
passed law, and good one prohibit
ing bicycle races lasting six days. Any
sort of so-called sport that degenerates
into brutality should be put stop to.
II it is wrong, degrading and disgust
ing for pair of muscular 'maulers to
stand up in the prize ring and knock
the human cOuntenance galley west
and crooked, it is equally so for men
to be permitted to smash each others
Wlshbones on the football gridiron or
to ride wheels in six-day races until
the contestants go crazy from fatigue
and exertion. In other words the law
should step in and keep a man from
making an Internal fool of himself. as
well as protect the weaker idiot from
the right-hand smashes and the left
hand upper cut of the stronger brute.
The world long ago discovered that
great many people can only be kept
decent by statute, and even the law
makers find it difficult to keep up with
the class which is constantly originat-
ing some new sort of offense against
morality or civilization. The anti-six-
day-bicycle-race law is a good thing.
A INDUSTRIOUS PROCEEDING
Tulare Register: There is such a