The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-09-20

them to do their duty. and when the
erisls arrives and they perform that
uuty' however sad may be the results,
70 censure them. Suppose these depu-
ties hao become frightened at the adj
vance OF the mob and thrown down
their arms and fed. Would the people
say they had done their duty? Ger
fanny not. And yet, because there is
serious tragedy enacted in the main
tenance of law and order these men are
called towards" If the report that
they shot men in the back be true that
would call for severe cens1re There is
no doubt that the deputies were work.
ed up to high pitch of excitement and
may nave lost their heads and COM
mltted the above uncalled for act
WHAT ARE THEY FOR?
Santa Rosa Republican: There was
another riot in the Pennsylvania min
ing regions Monday The dispatches
say that 1t was the result of a care
fully planned attempt to prevent the
men at work at Plum Creek from en-
tering the Mines No one was seri-
ously hurt, but scarcely a deputy es-
capped clubbing, and SUPERINTENDENT
de Armitt was cut on the hand" Wo-
men led this mob, such as had babes
carried them in their arms and such
as We're without babes carrying clubs
rms must have been a very delightful
company for the peace officers there to
deal with. But why should anybody
act as peace officer in times of
trouble? Sheriffs have no business to
be about when hundreds of ignorant
ana ln1urlated human beings are using
anu about TO use force TO keep others
from work. When mobs are attacking
railroad trains, burning cars and depot
buildings and restraining people from
labor because they are not employed
on their own terms. Sheriffs and their
deputies and the States soldiery should
not be around. These are the times
they should keep in the dark, accord
ing to the communists who make in
flammatory speeches in Chicago meet
lngs and write infiammatory newspa-
per articles. Peace officers and the
militia, according to such fellows, are
for dress parade only. They are not in
tended and should not be used to pro-
tect the lives of people who desire
to work or to prevent the destruction
OF property in times of turbulence.
ouch Is their teaching.
PRESENT SYSTEM GOOD ENOUGH.
Woodland Democrat: a year and a
half before the next Legislature will
convene the San Francisco Call" has
commenced an agitation in favor of a
constitutional amendment which will
provide for the election of members of
the State Board of Equalization by the
State instead of by districts.
In our judgment it may continue the
agitation until doomsday, and it will
never convince the people of the in
terror that there is anything defective
about the present system. Such an
amendment may pass the Legislature,
but the people will vote it down by an
overwhelming majority, or else we do
not understand their temper
For three years the people and press
of San Francisco have been practically
unanimous in an effort to escape tax
alton and impose unjust burdens upon
the taxpayers of the other counties Of
the State. Public sentiment has en-
couraged the Assessor to return fraud
ulent valuation of property. Bankers
and capitalists have perjured them
selves and merchants have lied either
TO the Assessor or TO the insurance COM
panies. Millions of dollars worth OF
personal property has escaped taxation
altogether, and some Of the best pieces
of property in the city have been as
sessed for less than the amount of the
mortgage they bear. These are hard
words, but they express the truth, and
nobody has ever attempted to dispute
them. The representatives of San
Francisco who appeared before the
board in opposition to an increase in
the assessment admitted that the as
sessed valuation of San FRANCISCO
property S about 60 per cent. of the
actual valuation. AS a matter of fact,
it had been repeatedly and conclusively
demonstrated that San FRANCISCO prop ]
erty is not assessed for 30 cents on the
dollar.
There is not an another county in the
State amenable to such a charge. Not
even the yellow journalism of San
Francisco has ever asserted that the
interior counties of the State have been
improperly assessed
Papers valued at from $4,000 to
$12,U0c, mislaid thirty years ago, have