The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-19
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
Of the State and the Coast on SUD-
jects of Living and News
Interest.

w
can taLa.a rest He has worked hard
enough since the free trade days set
In. and the American people are as
willing for him to take his vacation as
they are eager to get work for them
selves. And they will get 1t under NC
Kinley and protection.
PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.
Oakland Times: Senator Stratton s
primary election law has been ap-
proved by Governor Budd and 1t Is
hoped that it will stand the test If ever
Ats constitutionality is questioned. Any
thing that will prevent rock-rolllng,
or appointments of nominating conven-
tions, and other primary election evils,
is a welcome change.
LABOR'S WAGE.
San Jose Mercury: One of the best
Acts passed by the present Legislature
is that requiring that on all public work
laborers be paid not less than two dol
lars a day. AS the Gilroy Advocate"
says: The State suffers when its
laborers are not properly paid, and
anything it can do for the mainten-
ance of just standard of wages is in
the line of an exemplary progress Pc
culiarly American"
WITHOUT LABOR.
Tulare Register: The State of Mich
igan has abolished contract labor in
her penitentiary and has not substi-
tuted any other sort, and therefore
some hundreds of men are locked in
their cells with nothing to do. There
can be few forms of punishment more
terrible than this or more calculated
WI ha
served their time in a condition less
calculated to make them good citizens
or self sustaining. Close confinement
of prisoners without labor is distinct
ly backward step and ought not to be
taken.
WOOL GROWING IN CALIFORNIA.
Oakland Tribune: If the new tariff
on woods as now outlined, is to stand,
the wool men of California will have
their innings once more. They have
been driven pretty near to the wall. A
1uoriShing industry was made barren
one The number of sheep has been
reduced more than fifty per cent. In
some instances flocks have been given
away.
The tariff on woods is a stiff one. 1t
may be cut down somewhat at the in
stance of the manufacturers. When
the assault was made on the Mckinley
tariff four or five years ago, among
other objections made was that every
individual who had a suit of wooden
clothes was obliged TO pay tribute to
the wool growers of the country. The
difference on a good suit of clothes
was merely nominal and one which
was not felt by any one. There will be
no perceptible difference in the cost Of
clothing under the new tariff.
CONVICT LABOR.
Stockton Independent: Indiana,
yielding to the clamor against convict
labor, has passed a law under which
several hundred convicts have been
made idle and, as soon as certain con-
tracts are completed, nearly all the
prisoners in its two penitentiaries will
be in the same condition. If penitenti-
aries had been wisely managed in past
years the opposition to convict labor
would not have arisen. Theorists and
false philanthropists hoodwinked by
corrupt spectators, caused convict
labor to not only compete with free la
Dor, but to unjustly compete until in
many lines honest labor was reduced
to starvation wages. Labor was slow
to take up the fight but once taken up
the war on convict competition is going
beyond bounds. Wrong as this is, it
is no more so than the contract system
which enabled the lessees of convict
labor to grow rich; to corrupt Legisla-
lures and by so doing to get skilled
convict labor as low as 20 cents day.
The philanthropists will cry aloud at
of n
them and injurious to the State. but
they should be reminded that it is but
the natural result of the reaction con-
sequent upon their own cruelty and in
Justice to free labor.
GOOD ROADS.
Red Bluff News: The talk of good
roads in California comes better late
than never. Millions of money are
annually wasted because of bad high
ways throughout the State. What
good roads can accomplish may be
learned from the experience Of Eastern
States, where whole districts that We're
deserted and yalueless have been made
productive. populous and prosperous
through the building of permanent
highW avs. y concerted, comprehensive
system, carefully planned and intelli-
gently worked out, would be of meas
ureless value to both city and county.
Good roads are little less than the
foundation of general prosperitq.
A FATUOUS MOVE.
Los Angeles Express: One OF the
most foolish things done by the last
session of Congress was the appro-
priation of S250000 for a sailing yes
sci as a training ship for the students
at Annapolis. The appropriation car
,ied with it a recommendation for other
ships of like character, and it is barely
possible that the F'ifty-nfth Congress
will be called upon to make appropria-
ton for other vessels of like character.
The appropriation was foolish one,
because the modern navy is equipped
with machines that differ from the or
binary sailing vessel as much as a
modern locomotive does from street
car mule The management and opera
ton of these engines of war require