The record-union., 1897-04-13
Voice OF TEE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression OF
Journals
OF the State and the Coast on SUBJ
iects of Living and News
Interest.

Dunsmuir News: The reports from
he mining districts are full of cheer 1or
the people of California. Everywhere
activity is reported. New mines are
being developed, abandoned mines re
opened and work on old mines pelhs
pushed with more vigor than ever more
men are at work than in many years,
and it is certain that there Will pe
considerable increase in the gold produc-
ton of the State over that of 1896 II
will not be long before California once
more passes the $40, 100000 mark in gold
production.
BEET ECONOMY.
Healdsburg Enterprise: The active
interest being taken by the farmers OF
Sonoma County in the culture of the
sugar beet bids us hope that the expert
ments will result satisfactorily, and that
a sugar factory will be established at
some point in the county We of Healds-
burg believe this city presents more al
yantageS than any other place In Sono-
ma and that when the factory site Is
selected it will not be far away Still,
a sugar factory we want, and the enter
prising farmers will not sickle over its
location. The beet sugar industry is
becoming one of CALIFORNIA; chief
money producers.
A GOOD ROAD.
Red Bluff Peoples Cause: In 1895 the
good roads movement was agitated to
such a degree that the Legislature
deemed it wise to establish a State Bu-
reau of Highways, to consist of three
members, for the furtherance of the
cause. That the bureau was a success
in disseminating useful information rel
ative to the construction of roads
throughout the State is acknowledged
everywhere, and the reports of observa-
tons and surveys sent. in by it has
stimulated action until the large CEN
trail cities are evincing more interest in
the matter than the more isolated coun-
ties and localities.
THE ROAD BILLS AND FAIR PLAY.
Colusa Sun: The pocketing of the bill
known as the good roads bill was great
disappointment to some, and the sun
admits a share in that disappointment,
but if it is true that San Francisco was to
be/taXed and left out of any benefits
then the action of the Governor was
right. The city ought to pay something
towards the development of the interior,
but it is not right to make her pay in a
case where she can reap a benefit with
out giving her the benefit. San Fran
cisco, however, is now and has been all
along getting money. from the sale of
school lands to which she is not enti-
tied and if she should have been
"cinched" on the roads it would have
=,
Congress granted to the State, for the
benefit of schools in the township, every
sixteenth and thirty-sixth section of
land. The money from the sale of these
lands has ben put into a general fund
and distributed to the counties accord
ing to the number of school children.
The object of the grant was to help the
schools in the sparsely settled districts
the very districts that would be helped
by such law as that pocketed by the
Governor-so after all there would not
have been any great injustice done. But
there is nothing in any section grab
bling for what does not belong TO it,
PROPOSED COLONIZATION.
Vacaville Reporter: The proposition
to pool a large acreage in the Sacra-
mento Valley and build houses upon it
for settlers, who have not the means
TO do SO, is likely to prove a great
factor in building up the State The
colony scheme is being worked to great
advantage in Texas and Alabama just
at present, and much can be done
through it to secure a good class OF
immigrants. The way it is done in the
States we name is to send an agent tC
h. lott xrre. cata ~
secure families from the same neigh
bcrhood The desire to avoid the rigor-
Gus winters incident to that section
makes it easy for the colonization agent
to secure a large number to go to tht
place selected for them, in some cases
colonies being established containing
only those who have been neighbors
1t seems to be much easier to secure
the location of a large number from 6
locality than to secure individual set
tiers. With the advantages offered By
the proposed colonization scheme, il
should be possible to put family OF
every vacant quarter section in thu
portion of the Sacramento Valley Gov
cred by the pooling of tracts for col
onization purposes.
THAT NEW ROAD LAW.
Santa Rosa Press: The Clark road
law is stirring up county and State
officials. Very naturally the Super
visors are most concerned, becaus'
If the new law goes into effect it takes
the control of the roads entirely on
Of their hands, and a California Super
visor shorn Of his road powers would
be something akin to the great TRACED!
s 10 Lot Will he
omitted. 1t is difficult to discover an.
virtue in the Clark law. In its desir'
to place the control Of the roads IL
the hands of district trustees it evi
IDENTIFY endeavors to initiate the custom
that obtains in some of the Easter
States, although IL appears to possess
all the vices and none of the virtues o
the Eastern methods. In many of tbs