The record-union., 1897-06-16
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression of
Journals
Of the State and the Coast on Sub
jects of Living and News
Interest.

I Interest.
Mother Lode Magnet: 1t is estimated
that $6,000,000 will be spent this sum
mer by religious people in attending the
| four national conventions of the Christ
| tan Endeavor Society at San Francisco,
the Young Peoples Baptist Society at
| Chattanooga, the Epworth League at
! Toronto and the Brotherhood of st. An
drew at Buffalo. When it comes to
diversion, whether in the religious or
secular field, the people seem to have
no difficulty in finding the means. This
is one of the most striking facts connect
ed with the industrial depression.
LEGISLATURES AND LEGISLA-
TION.
Vacayille Reporter: The Legislature
of Massachusetts is still in session. The
Bay State is noted for it's conservatism
Changes in laws are rare. Most Of the
| work of the session consists of appro-
priation bills and what might be termed
routine work. 1t has taken that BODY,
however, five months to do an amount
of work vastly inferior to what is en-
| tailed on a biennial legislative body like
that of California Consideration Of the
situation in the two States may we'll
Suggest the inquiry whether it is not eX-
pecting too much of a Legislature in
/ California that it should meet and do
creditable work inside of a sixty day
limit. 1t seems to US that anyone who
recognizes the fact that about ten times
as many bills are introduced into Cal
ifornia legislative body as in Massachu-
sets and that there is demand for
much more legislation than in older
States, cannot but wonder that we get
as much good legislation as we do, and
that in fact matters are no worse than
they are. In a session like that just
past we have a good portion of the hrst
month taken up by efforts to elect
United States Senator. Before that is
out of the way, and the mass of new
members have learned something def1n-
lite regarding legislative procedure the
closing day of the sixty days limit are at
hand. We certainly want different
methods in legislative matters, but we
are certainly not entitled to express sur
prise that we do not secure what we
think we are entitled to, consideration
being given to the narrow limitations
which are imposed upon a California
legislative body. Some day, perhaps, the
time will come that California Legis-
lature will be a harmonious body, SEN
ate and Assembly laboring with united
purpose in the direction of securing
needed legislation. When that time
comes we hope the Governor, whoever
he may be, will call an extra session and
repeat the act as long as it may be
6als a.
ton of public business and creditable
legislative results. 1t is true that an
extra session would be confined to
the Specifications of the call but we
think it could be made broad enough to
iconsider the States reasonable necessl-
ties.
ELECTIONEERING
Mountain Democrat: The statute
passed by the last Legislature of this
State forbidding electioneering pledges
by candidates for Office, should have in
Guided and prohibited fool platforms
by conventions and parties, under PEN
alties of fine and Imprisonment. To
promise a good time is to gamble in flu
lures. But a party may and should re-
solve as follows: "To the victors be-
long the spoils' and to the vanquished,
the prosperity which comes of saving
wood.
PARTY ALIGNMENT.
Santa Rosa Republican: Many Dem
ocrats and Republicans alike admit
that there is little magic in party
name-that there are good and evil in
each organization-and that political
party should be nothing more nor less
than an instrument for securing de-
sired ends of Government or defeating
those that are not considered best 1t
is doubtful if there has been time in
the entire history of this country when
there has been as little of intense par
tisanship as at present. The country
has entered upon an era of broader
patriotism, of greater political liberal
ity. There is less in party name and
more in party principles and purposes
now than formerly. Party ties are
growing weaker and personal judg-
: ment or opinion more considerate.
This must result in a new political
alignment. If Democracy and Populism
are to become synonymous terms, as
now seems probable, that party will at
tract some men from Republican ranks.
At the same time, the conservative
Democrats who voted the Republican
/, ticket IN the last campaign VIII stay
with the party and aid in calling into
its membership many other Democrats
who are opposed to the extreme de-
mands of the Populist party. And in
| all these changes there is coming an in
dividual independence that will hold
any party in power to strict accounta-
bility for all its acts-not an undesir-
, able condition of affairs for the coun-
try's welfare.
CURIOSITY IN WONDERMENT.
Stockton Record: England loans
money to the Turk and Germany loans
| officers to him. Then the moral people
. of those two Christian countries stand
; around and wonder how he did it,
| Chicago Record.
Turkey has a few million Mohamme-
; dan subjects and Empress Victoria has
| a few hundred million Mohammedan