The record-union., 1897-04-23

great accommodation to the people
along its line, particularly TO Santa
Barbara, and we shall do all we
can towards the completion of the road.
Yours truly, c. p. HUNTINGTON.
THE FREE MARKET.
Haywards Journal: The selfish view
taken by number of commission men
in San Francisco in endeavoring to pre-
vent the establishment of free market
shows plainly the selfish, narrow mind
ed spirit prevailing in that metropolis.
San Francisco is fast losing its grip sim
ply on account of such a short-sighted
policy. The new free market is not go
ing to ruin the business of the commits
sion men by a long ways, but it will give
thousands of poor people an opportunity
to get fruit and vegetables direct from
the producer instead of being compelled
as they now are to patroniZe Chinese
vegetable peddlers, and if the free mar
ket accomplishes the driving out of this
class of peddlers it will be doing a great
thing. We think the commission mer-
chants are needlessly alarmed over the
idea that the free market is going to
wipe them out of existence.
CONGRESSMAN BAILEY AND THE
SPIKE COAT.
Los Angeles Times: While Mr.. Bailey
tacitly comedies that he might be in
duced to don a dress suit in the some
what remote contingency of his election
to the Presidency, he draws the line
there with rigid firmness. No lesser prize
would tempt him. He declares that he
would under no circumstances accept
the office Of Secretary of State, for the
reason that considerations of etiquette
would at times compel him, if he We're
Premier, to don the despised dress suit,
including SwalloWtails. This could not
be. Such a requirement would speedily
bring about a Cabinet crisis, and might
thus endanger the peace of the entire
country. Mr.. Bailey therefore takes a
firm stand, and periodically refuses to
be considered as even a possibility for
the office of Secretary of State
1t is well that Mr.. Bailey has thus
given timely notice that he is not avail
able, for vacancy in the office of Sec
rotary of State might occur at any time,
and Mr.. Bailey might, in the absence of
formal declination in advance, be
called upon to take up the duties and
responsibilities of that position. Mr..
Bailey's timely refusal will give the
President time and opportunity to look
elsewhere for a Secretary of State, in
case there should be vacancy in the Of
flee. Mr.. Bailey'S thoughtfulneSs in de-
Ginning the position in advance of its
being rendered to him cannot be too
icrh nd ha
garded as a distinct and distinguishing
mark of true greatness.
THE SALVATION ARMY WORK.
Grass Valley Telegraph: 1t is not gen
orally known perhaps that the Saliva
ton Army has in Contra Costa County.
noe very far from Oakland. 325-acre
farm maintained for discharged con-
victs. Fifteen ex-convicts are now Ia
boring on the farm, and they have
plowed 12J acres, have pruned fruit
trees and vines and have poisoned TO-
900 squirrels. 1t is said in the official
report that the men are working faith
fully. At Cotatia, Sonoma County, the
Salvation Army is maintaining thirty
men who are chopping wood, which Will
be offered for sale next year, and farm
colony Is ABOUT TO De started lneSe
efforts to solve the problem of the unem-
ployed by giving permanent employ
ment occupy a plane higher than the
mere giving Of temporary employment,
like the boulevard work in San Fran
cisco, commendable as that is in its
way.
A CATCH HOLE.
Colusa Sun: In all rivers emptying
into tide water there is a certain point
at which the matter carried in suspen-
sion seeks to settle to the bottom. This
point in the Sacramento River is called
the hogs back" which has been trou-
blesome shoal ever since navigation be-
gan on the river. Now if this place
were dredged deep-a hole made where
there is now a shoal-the tendency of
the material to settle at that point
would be increased instead of dimin-
ished. AS it happens, there is plenty of
space at that point in which to pump
the mud for many years to come. This is
a good place to catch the material to
prevent its flow on down to the bay.