The record-union., 1897-05-25
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
OF the State and the Coast on Sub
jects of Living and News
Interest.

Stockton Independent: John P Irish,
as Naval Officer of San Francisco, IS
doing his best to prevent the exporta-
ton of Omaha whisky under the name
of California brandy with the Govern
ment stamp to aid the fraud, Whne
Collector Wise is willing it should go
forth if the word pure is erased from
the barrels. 1t now depends on Secre-
tary Gage who shall triumph, and as
Mr.. Gage is both honest and truthful
there seems hardly a doubt that he Will
sustain Colonel Irish in a decision that
is honest, truthful and salutary IN
every way.
THE OLD SYSTEM.
Pasadena News: The most represent
ative Government is that form of de-
mocracy in which the people vote d1-
rectly on every question that comes up.
The old New England town meeting
was the nearest that this ideal was ever
carried out in America. Still that ideal
should be maintained as nearly as pos
sible. A City Council may not be le-
gally bound to listen to the wishes of
the people, but it is morally bound to
do so.
JULIUS KAHN'S FEE.
Oakland Enquirer: If it is true, as the
San Francisco CALI states, that the
University Regents have paid Julius
Kahn, the San Francisco attorney, a
fee of 81 go for services for lobbying to
pass the new automatic tax law, then
the affair is the most remarkable of
which we have had cogniZance for a
long time Here was one branch of the
State Government, the Regents of the
University, asking another branch the
Legislature, to increase the annual ap-
preparations for the University; there
ought, theoretically, to have been no
difficulty in bringing these two branches
of the government together and arriv-
ing at a decision; but it appears now
that a large sum, to. wit: $3.50 of
State money, was paid to an attorney
for services which can only be fairly
described as lobbying, to induce the
State to do justice to a State institu-
tion. Shades of Washington and JEFF
ferson, has it come to this, that the
State funds are used to pay lobby fees?
And by the Regents of the University,
the institution which stands for the
highest conception of civic morals as
we'll as of individual culture?
FROM what we hLOW Oh tie clICuHl-
stances of the passage of this bill, and
we think we do know something,
more unjustifiable fee was never paid.
Even if we disregard the morality of
the transaction. the want of considera-
ton for the payment is a glaring con-
demnation of the transaction. The tax
bill had the unbought assistance of all
the alumni of the University, of hum
dreds of other friends of education, of
the Governor, of the Speaker of the
Assembly of a solid Alameda County
delegation and of many other members
who had no need to be persuaded. The
fight for the bill was made in one
branch of the Legislature by Senator
Stratton and in the other by Assembly
men Wright, North, Clarke, Leavitt and
several others. The President of the
University and a large number of the
professors went up to assist, and Re
gent Reinstein and Hon. w. r. Davis,
President of the alumni, We're on the
ground much of the time. Where. then,
did Julius Kahn come in? And why
could not the bill be passed without him
and his 1,250 fee?
The argument constantly employed at
Sacramento was that the support of the
University was the highest and best
use of the States money, benefiting the
farmer, the mechanic and the capital
list, the city dweller and the country
man alike; but what would have been
said if it had been known that Uni
versity funds We're being paid for lobby
ing that very bill?
GROUNDS OF ATTACK.
Biggs Notes: There must be little
real ground for attack upon the Ding
ley bill when they are compelled to en-
ter the sort of complaint they are now
bringing TO the front. One Of the lat
est arguments against the bill is that
it bases the rate of duty upon tooth
brushes upon the number Of bristles in
each brush, which fact, an able con-
temporary says. will cause the teeth
of the American people to go to ruin
while the bristles are being counted.
A SUNSTROKE
Colusa Sun: The Sun" indorses the
conservative policy of the administra-
ton in foreign affairs. and especially in
regard to Cuba and it does not in
dorse the action Of Mr.. Bailey, the
Democratic leader in the matter of OBJ
lection to the resolution appropriating
money for the relief of Americans in
Cuba.
AN OBJECT LESSON.
San Diego Union: If an object les
son were needed to show the decadence
of the American merchant marine. it is
certainly afforded by the announcement
from Washington that the Navy Depart
ment cannot find suitable steamer
flying the American flag to carry the
grain contributions which this country
proposes to send to India. Warships
are obviously not suitable for such
purpose, and if a sailing vessel were
to be employed it would not reach
Bombay for several months-too late
for the relief to be of real service to
the famine sufferers. So the navy de-
partment has been casting about for an
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