The record-union., 1897-01-17

prices; that supplies have been pur-
chased without heed to the market
rates; that contractors have been paid
hundreds of dollars more than their
contracts called for; and that there has
been the usual looting of the treasury
of the people.
All OF which seems to be a just ret
ribution upon the people for not attend
ing to their business in business like
way. IT has long been apparent to
those whose habit it is to observe these
things understandingly that it is very
bad policy to intrust the affairs of the
municipality to the mercy, tender or
otherwise, of the State The city
should look after its own interests in it's
own fashion. This is not an argument
complimentary to the good manage
ment or economical administration of
the metropolis. The city official is not
more honest, he is not more capable,
than the commissioner delegated by
the State; but the effect is certainly
pleasing whatever the result of the
stewardship may be. If there can be a
preference by the victim of a robbery
he will rather choose to be despoiled by
his immediate acquaintance than by
the stranger within his gates
Golden Gate Park is a part of San
Francisco. There was never any valid
reason why the people of the whole
State should interest themselves in it's
management. The park is metropoli-
tan show place in every sense of the
term; it is not even an advertisement
of California's glorious climate or its
"unrivaled productions" for its climate
is rigorous at ali seasons and its
productions are ransplantations. The
State has no beneficiary interest in the
park whatever, and a State Commits
sion to manage it's affairs is as un-
necessary as a State Commission to
manage the affairs of the New City
Hall.
There are many Objectionable features
connected with this park aside from
the suspicion of peculation in It's man
agement. These include numerous in
artistic improvements and costly in
novations that would not be tolerated
by an older or more critical community
The so-called lodge" near the main
gate, occupied as a residence by the
superintendent, may be mstanced as
especially unnecessary in it's present
keeper of the park is a constant re-
minder of one class of extrava gances
imposed upon the taxpayers, and the
sooner the tenant in occupancy is
evicted and the structure converted in
to receptacle for the contents of a
museum the sooner will the people
begin to appreciate the fact that their
pleasure ground is being properly util-
i2ed for the sole benefit of those who
are compelled to pay the bills for it's
maintenance.
1t is righteous effort to prevent the
avaricious from gratifying their greedy
instincts at the expense of the people,
but it is also meritorious to reform
some of the existing abuses Enough
money is expended in "beautifying"
and "adorning' this park to insure
some degree of common sense in the
selection of the ornamental adjuncts:
and if the genius of those who go about
seeking what they may deface is
artlstically inadequate they should have
the grace to retire from the place of
authority. 1t is hoped that the in
vestigation of the Grand Jury will ex-
tend beyond the allegation of GRIM
inality and include a wholesome criti-
cism that may result in a better man
agement of the park in every depart
ment
The filing Of a final brief in the Su-
preme Court has revived a languid in
terest in the fate of Theodore Durrant.
The atrocity OF the crime proved against
this abnormal young man has been
gradually Overshadowed by passing
events equally important in the public
estimation, if less striking in spectacu-
lar feature. The circumstance that
Justice Jagged superfluous at the heel
of the murderer has been a subject
Of occasional comment couched in sar-
castle or cynical phrase chiefly critical
of California's lenity towards her Grim
inals. The laws delay in this case
has been fiippantly ascribed to the use
of money, whereas the truth is that the
only use of money in the effort to save
Durrant from the gallows was for the
hiring of lawyers to defend him, and
when convicted, to erect obstacles in
the way of the execution of the SEN
tence. That money was used otherwise
or for Illegal purposes cannot be truth
fully asserted, which impresses the fact
that it is not necessary to resort to oc-
cult processes in the effort to thwart
a verdict or to Overrule the decision
of a court. Skilled attorneys may de-
feat justice in an open field as eff
fectively as those agents who have re-
course to unlawful methods
There is an impression abroad that
the Supreme Court will order a new
trial for Durrant. No substantial basis
for this supposition is apparent. al
though it is claimed that one of the
Justices has expressed himself ia
vorable to such ruling ON the ground
that the proofs against the defendant
were insufficient and that a conviction
was obtained in response to popular
clamor.
In this effort to foreshadow an event
that has scarcely been formulated. is ap-
uarent the eagerness~o of a desire on the
part of the people in mass to find fault
with something-anything It is also
Indicative of a prevalent suspicion that
a. cold -blooded judgment may not ac-
cord with popular decision en- banc.
The hanging of Durrant, however. at
this late day will not excite the in
tensity Of interest that such a consum-
nation would have produced had it oc-
Cured within a reasonable time of his
conviction This growing apathy en-
suing upon a frantic demand for the
laws revenge is not strange when we
observe that as history repeats itself
the repetition loses its force and effect
In the narrowing perspective out of
which it emerges. We are in the habit
of regarding Nero as a monster and
Calieula as something even worse, but
o,,r enthusiasm or hatred for Nero and
o,1r detestation of the crimes of Calig-