The record-union., 1897-04-13

for each school district and taxpayers
are allowed to work out their road
taxes, but it remained for the Califor-
MIA Legislature to discover the triple
trustee system that promises to become
not only the laughing stock of the
State, but even worse-a positive detrl-
ment. 1t is easy to imagine the amaze
ment and indignation that will De
aroused in California counties Where
systematic road building has been 60
ing on for years, when the Clark law
comes to be thoroughly understood. IL
all the trustees could be just alike IN
their ability, knowledge, experience
and faithfulness in road building,
which is of course an impossibility, the
Clark system might have some redeem
ing features. But it is just as impossl-
Die TO have a uniform and efficient Sys-
tenn of highways under such hetero-
geneous management as it would De
to have first-class railway with dit
ferent ideas Of track building, and di1-
ferent methods and materials prevail
ing in every section.
Los Angeles Express: While the
policy of establishing commissions
to investigate and work upon the
various interests of the State is a
doubtful enc and is liable to many
abuses through the opportunity that it
affords professional politicians to make
room for themselves and their kind,
there are special considerations in favor
of the existence of the Highway Com
mission that should not be overlooked.
The condition of the country roads gen.
orally throughout the State is admitted
to be bad. No one will question that
good roads are an economy and bad
roads a loss, and that this economy or
loss, as the case may be, falls directly
upon the agricultural community.
What is most to be desired, therefore,
is a plan by which good roads can be
secured ir every county in, the State.
The first thing the physician does
when summoned to help patient is to
make a diagnosis. If the case is a
difficult and complicated one it not in
frequently takes some time and a good
deal of investigation for him to deter
mine what the matter is. Until he has
satisfied himself as to the nature of the
trouble he is not likely to attempt a
remedy. The first duty of the High
way Commission was to diagnose the
bad roads case and report upon it, SO
that the people might know the rea-
son why our thoroughfares are no bet
ter than they are. This report is a
| pamphlet of 1870 pages, containing a
review of the road work done in each
county of the State, its cost. the ma
terials and methods used, and the re-
suits attained-detailed information of
great value to those who have occa-
sion to compare the work in one coun-
ty with that done in others. Contin-
uing the effort to secure a diagnosis,
the commission has made a careful
study of the road laws of the State,
and recommends a number of changes
in the report, and many of these We're
effected by the last Legislature
From the tone of some of the articles
appearing in California newspapers it
| would appear that this commission of
three parctical road men was expected
TO construct by their own unaided eff
forts in two years an entire system of
highways all over the State. The com
mission was not appointed to do mir
| acles, but to acquire and classify in
| formation about the condition Of our
roads and suggest methods for their
| improvement. The printed report is
sufficient index of the efficiency with
which the work has been done.
There is good reason for continuing
this work two years longer at least, if
not for making it a permanent feature
of our public policy. The commission
is working out a plan for State high
ways which will be presented at the
next session of the Legislature and
which is in line with similar develop
| ment in other States.
THE SCALPER SCALPED.
| Placerville Mountain Democrat: BY
her senseless anti-railroad rackets, San
/ Francisco has not always gained the
feas from the sand lot and railing like
/ a demented drab at the best and most
accommodating railroad service in the
world, she was accorded special fares
and freights for conventions, conclaves
and expositions. When she had thrown
third of her commerce to the mock
| ing winds, and to made herself the sole
/ distributing point of the remaining
twothirds, she clamored against inland
terminals for transcontinental traffic
she only drove the State into closer al
/ lance with the railroad for their pro-
lection.
i Still reeking with the rot of her DEM
agogues, she has at last entered into
! official and shameless alliance with
ticket brokers and scalpers, and has
been duly and distinctly notified that
she must harbor them at her own ex-
pense, to the exclusion of better assoc
Citations
/ AS when she rayed against inland
terminals, she has again forced the
offended company into defensive al
lance with the country and with cities
more deserving of cooperation. She is
distinctly told in good English that the
Southern Pacific has had enough of hei
bounty jumping, and that henceforth
except for the purpose Of attending
civic, religious and fraternal gather
ings at such places as Los Angeles, Sar
Jose, Stockton, Sacramento and Placer
vile, she must do her junketing and
jayhawking at regular schedule rates
| No Judge in all Israel could have APP
piled the Mosaic lex talionis scalp fol
scalp with greater precision or propri-
ETY..
And yet what a confused cutlery OF
rancorous rascality comes up from the
blacklisted city, When the scalp or
her own guilty head was lifted, one
might have supposed that the State
had been decapitated. But the fac1
is that she is the sole victim of her owr