The record-union., 1897-12-03
THE ASSAULT UPON CALIFORNIA

Eastern papers of leading character
still come to us daily with editorial ar
lines of the deadly blue pencil, calling
attention to- the iniquity and general
offensiveness of the California protec-
tive law, so-called, the statute which
requires all State and county institu-
tions TO be supplied from home produe-
ton. other things being equal. That
is to say that if outsiders bid, and the
bid of a Californian are the same as TO
fered are equal the officials must prefer
the home produced articles.
We are getting weary of this persis-
tent attempt on the part of somebody
entertain the belief that they do not
scare easily and we are convinced that
some one is unnaturally busy in procur-
ing these antagonistic editorial articles
to be printed in the Eastern press, and
mailed to the California papers. Every
one of these condemnatory articles pro-
ceeds upon error. Every one Of them
starts off with the statement that the
statement is that our law requires
boards and officials to take California
goods for public Institutions whenever
they meet the requirements of an in
gardless of bids from outside parties.
This is not the truth. For the error
the Los Angeles Express is response
bic. Every one of the papers en-
gagged in roasting California quotes the
Los Angeles Express" as authority
as to what the law is. 1t becomes the
duty of the Express to it's State, to
get out an extra edition, pointing out
just what the law is, and seeing to it
that a copy of the paper is landed in
every editorial room in the United
States, with the conventional blue
chalk mark encircling it,
The Charleston News and Courier"
is the latest of the Atlantic press 10
take off the California hide and tack II
up against a South Carolina fence to
tan in the sun. But some one is pecu-
liarly busy in moving the Eastern pa
pers to these criticisms, and we sus-
pect that the influence behind the as
sault is to be found, not in the Cham
Der of Commerce, but embodied in con-
Germs putting up and dealing in con-
densed and canned goods, dried fruits,
jams, jellies and cased honey, dried
meats and bottled goods, ETC.
But in this connection we call the
attention of our Eastern exchanges to
the fact that they can spare our shoul
ders awhile and go for Illinois. Gov
ernor Tanner has notified the heads of
all State institutions that hereafter
every supply needed must be purchased
of Illinois dealers and producers There
is no exception as to price and quality,
and other things being equal. Not
at all; everything TO be consumed in
Illinois institutions must be purchased
from home producers, and dealers. No
more skipping over the river for bar
gains in st. Louis; not a bit of it,
On this order the Davenport, Iowa,
papers comment most favorably, and
call upon the authorities of that State
to issue a similar order refusing to
audit bills for outside purchases of
anything procurable of an Iowan. 1t
will be seen that these suggestions go
away beyond the letter and spirit of
the California law, and fall within the
criticism of the Eastern press, that
such laws and orders are in restraint
of trade. in violation of the comfy ex-
isting between the States, and opposed
to the guarantee every citizen has Of
the right to trade freely in any State.
Of course sensible people know with