The record-union., 1897-11-11
VOICE OF The PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSION.
State and Coast Opinions on Sub
jects Of Living News
Interest.

over licensing Princeton Inn TO Sell IL
quors is just now shaking the religious
world. Princeton Inn was erected SIX
years ago by the alumni of that famous
institution, primarily to afford them
stopping place when they returned TO
the cherishing mother for the college
celebrations 1t is a clubhouse With
very considerable hotel accommoda-
tons, and the students accord 1t
large patronage. Being on the college
grounds, however its management
properly comes within the purvieW OF
the college corporation, and as Prince
ton is Presbyterian there is no Won
der that there is clash over the sell
ing of liquor. A notable feature OF the
controversy is that DR.. Shields of the
faculty, Presbyterian divine in stand
ing, signed the inns application for a
license. This is one of those contro-
versies that are cropping up very fire.
quentiy of late, and the significance of
which is variously interpreted. The
pessimist will, of course, say 1T is evil
dence of the decadence of public NOR
ais, put the optimist will say that men
are thinking for themselves more than
formerly and relying less upon tradi-
ton ana custom.
A SENSIBLE DECISION.
San Jose Herald: Judge Torrance of
the Superior Court of San Diego Coun-
ty, has rendered a decision holding Act
ing Warden Edgar of San Quentin
Prison guilty of contempt of court for
not hanging Ebanks, the condemned
murderer, in accordance with the SEN
tence of the court. In holding that a
District Court of the United States has
no business to grant writ of habeas
corpus because the petitioner is fmpris-
oned under a death sentence of Su-
perior Court of the State, having been
presented by information, and that an
appeal from a decision of the District
Court denying such a writ to the Su-
preme Court Of the United States
where no Federal issue is rendered by
such appeal, does not stay further pro-
ceedings of the State Court, and fur
nishas TO legal justification to the War
den of the State Prison for omitting
to execute the death penalty, Judge
Torrance lays down the law in man.
ner that commends itself to the COM
| mon sense of the people and will very
probably be confirmed by the Supreme
Court of the United States.
Unless some such decision shall be set
up ard confirmed, the punishment OF
crime. particularly of murder, will be-
come we'll nigh impossible in the United
States. The people have seen with dis
gust how justice has been trifled with
in the Durrant case, and how other
cases have been promptly taken over
the same course, and they are getting
very sick of the whole business. Such
perversion of the law is simply en-
oouraging lawlessness and lynching.
1t is probable that this whole ques-
ton will be settled in dealing with the
cases now before the Supreme Court
of the United States. If it be settled
| in accordance with common sense and
| public interest it will do something to
reinstate the Federal Courts in the
| confidence of the people, and at present
| they are very much in need Of some
| thing Of the kind
A DANCE PERMIT.
| Fresno Republican: The charming
town of Alameda is inclined to do queer
| things, as instanced by an ordinance
| recently adopted which requires spec
| ial permission by a public functionarS
| in order to hold a public dance within
| the precincts defined by corporate lin
its after the hour of midnight The
! question naturally occurs, if public
| dances are undesirable after II O'Clock
at night why they should not be consid-
cred equally Objectionable in the early
| hours when darkness broods over the
world? The idea of giving public
officer the power of fixing the hours
when people may and may not dance
| is unique, to say the least. Alameda
may yet become famous.
/ NATIONAL BANKS.
| Oakland Enquirer: Two of the best
Sather Banking Company and the Ne
| into national banks This is a very
significant occurrence, for up to thi:
time San Francisco has had but tive
national banks, number not at al
! in proportion to the population an6
4 business of the place. No other city
of equal Importance has less than Z
dozen or twenty national banks, but the
| San Francisco bankers, up to this time
| have held that they could make more
money as State banks than as national
| 1t is said the impending change in these
| two banks is due in part to the belle;
/ that before long the national banking
! laws will be modified SO as to make +
more profitable for national banks II
! issue circulation than it is now.
But there is doubtless more than thi.
| in it. The national banks of the coun.
| try are growing in number and il
strength, for although some of the ma
tionals have chosen to reorganize under
/ the State laws, the main drift has beer
/ in the other direction, and it is NOR,
evident than it was at any former pc
riod that the ational system is going Il
| dominate In 1886 there were 2,6Ss
national banks in the country and il
1896 there were 3.69S. Again, the ma
tional banks in Pacific Coast States ar.
increasing quite rapidly, particular,
| in Oregon, Washington and Colorado
| California, which overshadows all O.
the others in wealth and business, /:
behind both Colorado and Washington
1 in the number of its national banks
the numbers being: California 49, Col
orado Go, Washington II. Oregon ha.
~, Montana Al, Idaho IA, Wyoming Il
Utah II, New Mexico Is, and the others
smaller numbers. For all of thes.
States and Territories, San Francisco
| is the legal reserve city. and 1t is be
| coming profitable for San Francisco
banks to reorganize under the nationa
system so as to be able to act as de
positories for the rapidly multiplying
banks of the great West.
/ WE HAVE BUT TWO GREAT PAR
TIES
/ San Jose Mercury: The votes cast il
Iowa on Tuesday display some fact:
which are interesting. Mr.. Shaw wa:
| the R.eruhlican candidate and he GO