The record-union., 1897-12-12
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSION.
State and Coast Opinions on SUBJ
iects of Living News
Interest.

The Calistogan: The country will
congratulate Chairman Dingley on his
new tariff law when Congress meets.
Neither he nor Congress Will have oc-
caSion to be ashamed of its records.
PRUNE OUTPUT.
Los Gatos News: The total shipment
of prunes from this county up to sat
urday night amounted TO 1901 ,o9o
pounds. The 50,000,000 pound estimate
will soon be out. 1t should be remem-
bered that the estimates We're for one
third of crop. If California can pro-
duce 90000.0O0 pounds (the estimate
for the entire State) with a short crop,
it can furnish the worlds supply, 40
1000 pounds, with full crop 1t
would be a good move TO try some
means of increasing the worlds con-
sumption, other than lowering the price.
The best way is to increase the quality
of fruit and improve the methods OF
preparation for market.
AN ANOMALOUS SITUATION.
Los Angeles Herald; European mirth
over every manifestation of jingoism
by the United States is quite justified,
if we but stop to consider our compare
ter of coast defenses and our inability
to take care of the naval vessels we
possess The report of the Secretary
of the Navy discloses the fact that of
the three Government docks designed
to accommodate first-class battleships,
only one is serviceable at this time,
and this, located on Puget Sound, 800
miles from San Francisco, is accessible
only through a narrow channel, twen-
~ miles in length, one side of which
is in possession of a foreign country!
The two docks on the Atlantic, found
to be wholly inadequate for the pur-
pose intended, are undergoing repairs
and enlargement, but these improve
ments will not be completed until some
time next summer In the event of a
war with any European Power, pend
ing an increase in our docking facili-
ties, the magnificent battleships of the
Atlantic squadron would have no
friendly port into which to put for re-
pairs, and their usefulness in coast de-
fense would be greatly impaired, if not
destroyed; While naval maneuvers in
the Pacific would be contingent upon
the good luck of our warships in escap-
ing injury, or, more miraculous still,
in reaching the dock at Bremerton in
the event of catastrophe.
MEXICAN ORANGE CROP.
Los Angeles Express: 1t is announced
that in spite of the tariff of 20 cents
a box the heavy orange crop of Mex
leo will all be marketed in the United
States. The grower gets 30 cents a
box (called by courtesy of free s.l-
yer a dollar box and after freight
and duty are paid the product can be
sold in Chicago to compete with our
own fruit This demonstrates the con-
tention set up by California that not
even a cent pound tariff would keep
out the foreign fruit.
THE PRESTON SCHOOL CASE.
Alameda Encinal: The Stockton
Mali claims that the Preston School
scandal is none of the Governors fu-
neral" and that he can do nothing in
the premises even if he desired. We
do not believe that the Mall man
believes this himself 1t is absurd to
think or say that the chief magistrate
cannot if he will take steps to remedy
gross abuses in the institutions which
are under his charge as such magis-
trate.