The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-09-08

GiAh Lit NTON Ell llCsCi LCICAF~N~
one cent duty therefrom. Much of this
money might have been kept at home
had the present law been in force; at
any rate, the wealthy Americans who
prefer foreign-made goods to home
made would have had to pay for their
preference
1t is to be hoped that the law that IS
so distasteful to the grasping, tax
Sinking and unpatriotic 400 will be
strictly enforced and endure forever.
IS IT PLAYED OUT?
Los Angeles Express: Another con-
demned California murderer has ap-
pealed to the Federal courts for a writ
of habeas corpus in order that sentence
may not be carried out. This is get
ting tiresome. We might as we'll turn
our murderers over to the Federal
courts to begin with Twenty years
ago, rs hanging for murder played
out?" was a common inquiry in New
York, and it was reiterated until
reform was instituted 1t may be nee
essary to revive the issue in Califor-
mia.
A GOOD SIGN.
Alameda Argus: One good sign is
the 4lOuI lSIAnS COlOlllOi1 VI tlAC ASNhA
roads of the country, which have been
having a pretty hard time for four
years. The tremendous crops and the
good prices obtainable for them make
d carrying traffic that is sure to re-
habilitate many railway lines. This
will result in a strengthening of Sc
curities, and in the building of some
needed and legitimate lines. An era
of wildcat railway extension is not
desired, but there are cases where
| former projects might be carried out
and links completed that would pay
and are in a sense demanded.
LYNCH LAW.
San Jose Herald: The other day Co.
lusa came near to having a lynching
party. Almost every day comes the re-
port OF lynching in the South and oc-
| casionaiIy some Northern case fur
nishas an instance. The excuse usually
| put forward for such a proceeding is
that the law fails to punish crime and
| justice is attainable only by lynch law
There is some truth and a great deal
| of pretense in this. In many parts of
the South lynching has come to be sim
ply a matter of custom. The mob gives
the law no chance, but proceeds at once
| to take the case out of it's hands. In
the majority of cases it is not justice
| but vengeance that is indicated
Passion takes the place of judgment
and laWlessness of law.
There are indications that the South
is awakening to the magnitude of the
! evil There have been some instances
recently in which the authorities have
taken decided ground and defeated at
tempts at lynch law. The executives
and other high officials of a number of
Southern States have spoken true and
brave words on the subject. Texas has
recently put upon its statute books a
law making lynching murder. The law
also provides that lynchers shall be
! tried outside of the county where their
crime was perpetrated, and that Sher-
| ifs who fail to protect prisoners from
| lynchars shall be removed from office
1t needs no new legal enactment to
make lynching murder. 1t is homicide
neither by due process of law nor self
| defense, and as the result of a deliber-
ately formed purpose. That is murder
and nothing else But the Texas law
emphasizes the fact and provides spec
! ial machinery for the punishment of
SUtu CIlIil6- 1 he OInH question Is
whether in Texas such law can COM
mand sufficient support to make it OPP
erative The fact that it has passed
the Legislature indicates that there is
| a considerable public opinion in it's ia
vor, which encourages the hope that it
will be enforced. What Texas can do
other States should be able to do if
necessary.
PRICE OF PRODUCTS.
Middletown independent: Farm pro-
ducts continue to advance, despite the
steady fall in silver. This is true not
only with reference to wheat and wool
but nearly all the articles which the
farmer produces. "Bradstreet's" in it's
latest issue, prints a carefully prepared
statement showing the trend of prices
upon large number of articles, and in
this statement shows an advance in
July in wool, corn, beef, hemp, cotton,
cotton-seed oil, hay, rye, potatoes, to-
| bacco, mutton, bacon, lard. eggs and
rice. Can the farmer complain of his
condition nowadays, and can he listen
with any patience to the people who in
sisted a year ago that nothing but free
and unlimited coinage of silver would
/ %