The record-union., 1897-02-01

movements and not few use 1t for
light. freighting In the country, too,
the wheel is emerging from the sunshine
of pleasure to the changing atmosphere
of business and every day affairs. With
good paths on all country roads II as
certain that the bicycle will be made a
competitor and assistant to the family
horse and cart in all light work.
AS this State is creating what may
be termed the road making age of Cali
fornia it is well that future conditions
be studied we'll that plans adopted may
not be antedated by future require
ments Mr.. Ennis is on the right track,
but he is not radical enough. His city
with it's power of organization may be
able to utilize a bill such as he provides,
but the country will be left in darkness
unless the law is mandatory. The -Four
Corners" speaking for the country, de-
mands that provision be made for side
paths on all new road work.
RAILROADS AND HIGHWAYS.
Stockton Independent: In California,
where more railroads are so sorely need
ed, any measure to obstruct building
them is unwise and almost criminal The
plIiS pclOIt the 1t-siSidtuit liial PioaeN
unreasonable restrictions on railroads
and particularly that which would shut
them out from acquiring franchises
along the county highways, should be
withdrawn. Such a law would increase
the power of existing railroads, of which
the people complain. 1t will be time
enough to shut the roads out from the
highways when they are SO numerous
that more than one seeks franchise
over the same read. When that time
comes it will be evidence that there are
enough roads in the region where
franchise for second is sought over the
same ground, but that time is yet in the
distant future.
OFFICIAL COMPENSATION.
San Bernardino Times Index: The
proper system of official compensation
is a low fee Or percentage system, COW
ering actual cost Of work. with a guar
antee OF fixed amount in case the Of
flee is such as the law requires that the
incumbent must devote his entire time
to 1T. That is PROPOSE tion for the pub
lie to pay for work actually performed
CALL THE ROLL.
Mountain Democrat: While the min
ers, farmers and other industrial class
es are happily attending to their own
affairs, and would seem to have no
grievances to redress the demagogueS
are making an awful noise. The lost
cause of anti poverty reformers and
loafers is the burden Of their lives, and
with pet aversion to all labor and en-
terprise, they would boycott a chain
Ieynyo s.x, n fran I'm o.
rants. Thus they have assailed the
rock-crushing enterprise at the Folsom
Branch Prison with legislative cinch
bills and a rot of stale clap-trap against
convict labor and the use Of cheap ma
terial for road building that cannot
! otherwise be supplied. Before a com
| mittee of the Assembly they have de-
manded that the price of this indispen-
sable road metal for the use of the
| towns and cities in this State shall be
| fixed at four or five times the cost of
| production. But from this embargo on
towns and cities, they except county
roads, because farmers are ''miserably
| poor" Thus to favor the land poor, the
State may sell at cost, but to jolly the
| devils poor it must put up the price ON
| towns and cities. And this is the de-
mented drivel with which a few infer
| nal dema agogues attempt to fool the
| farmer, beslobber the loafer and handi-
cap a great public enterprise. We de-
| mand a roll-call and a count of votes
| for and against the State
BARBED WIRE AND SKIN GAMES.
WatsOnVille Transcript: Assembly
man Gately introduced a bill in the
| Legislature Monday making it a mis-
| demeanor to place barbed wire fence
along a. public highway. This is good
| bill and should be passed. A barbed
wire fence is dangerous anywhere, and
| especially so when put along a public
road. Another good bill introduced the
same day was that making the main
tenance and operation of any nickel
in-the-lot' smaChine, or any machine
played with cards, dice or any device
for money, checks, credit or other rep
resentative of value, felony and play
ing of any such games misdemeanor.
The bill should be amended SO as the
one playing games would suffer the
same punishment as the maintainer
and operator Of such games. There are
too many of these skin games. We
believe they are bad, if not worse, than
keno and other percentage games.