The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-12-01
VOICE OF The PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast Opinions bn Sub
jects Of Living News
Interest.

SoclalIst1c party, but as that is an
importation from countries oppressed
by absoluteism, and, as there is no
absoluteism here to foster it, the So
clal Labor organization will never be-
come at all formidable. It will serve
to take up the slack or as a dump for
the refuse of other parties, but it will
never become more of a. factor in poll
tics than the Prohibition party has been
in times past
An things considered. the victory just
won by republication is substantial
and will lead to Substantial results.
AN ERA OF SOCIALISM.
Eureka Californian: A political par
ty is sort of medical practitioner that,
having to it's own satisfaction dag
nosed the disease from which the ma
ton is suffering, proceeds to indicate
the particular drug, or combination of
drugs, that is to make the patient well.
Like practitioners, too, some political
organizations are worthy OF patronage
and some are mountebanks.
Populism is one of those practitioners
that might consistently with truth be
denominated a quack. 1t could never
to any great extent get the people to
take it's medicine. though possessing a
large assortment of strange, and appar-
emily new, drugs warranted to go to the
right spot. Strangely enough, the zeal
of the new practitioner led to it's undo
ing. The noise Of it's defamation filed
the land and aroused popular curiosity;
and few, wiser than the rest, by dint
of delving into pOnderous and musty
tonnes of history discovered that it's
ctnnlx 0f ir:Y
whose efficacy had been tested and
whose worthlessness discovered a CEN
fury ago. They had been so long aban-
doned that the unlettered knew not that
they had ever been subjected to the or
deal of experimentation and therefore
proclaimed them species Of catholicon
and something new under the sun. But
the people We're both cautious and slls
piciouS. Failing to induce the public
to let it prescribe for it, populism is
now about to retire from practice.
To drop metaphor for fact, the peo-
pies party, so-called, seems about to
cease to be an organization. Doubtless
many members will return to the par
ties with which they previously affil-
lated, yet there are indications that
large numbers will ally themselves with
the socialists. 1t is predicted that by
1900 the disorganization of the Populist
party begun this year will be COM
plete. Very many of the members of
the Socialist party are most excellent
citizens, but the American people are
not ready for socialism, and in all like
lihood never will be. 1t is the very anti
podes of anarchy. Anarchy would abol-
ish all law, all government, while So
cialism would make government do
everything. Though the tendency of
modern government seems in the direc-
ton OF socialism, yet mankind will
probably never fall in with the wild
theories proclaimed by these latter-day
apostles of socialism. OF course the
effect of the absorption Of populism by
socialism will be to make socialism as
a political organization strong, if not
indeed formidable. But its popularity
will be ephemeral
WE SHOULD SAY SO.
Los Angeles Times: Once in a while
even the San Francisco Examiner
enunciates bit of truth that weighs a
ton. Here is sample: THE voters of
California have given notice to the
politicians that they demand honesty
In office We should say so! The yell
low dog in politics never did go ki-yi-
Ing down the road with quite so ex-
tended string of tin cans hitched to
his tail as he has this fall, particularly
IN California. The alleged bosses would
do well to make note of this. as the
knowledge may be of vast service in
the future.
YELLOW FEVER.
Oakland Tribune: The authorities at
washington propose during the coming
year to make arrangement whereby
yellow fever will be kept in check as
much as possible in the Southern States
by rigid system of quarantine and
caustic sanitary regulations. The eff
forts In that regard will certainly have
TO be vastly improved over what they
nave been, for now that we are to have
more open commercial relations with
such fever-infected countries as Cuba
and Porto Rico the dangers will be
greater than ever before. With a
thorough quarantine system, though.
strictly enforced, there should not be
great difficulty in keeping the yellow
jack well under control.
ANTI ExPECTORATIoN oRDI-
NANCES.
San Jose Mercury: Word comes
from san Francisco and some other
cities that public interest in the mat
ter OF preventing the pollution of public
buildings, cars and sidewalks has been
permitted to wane, and that in conse-
quence little attention is being paid to
the violation of the anti-expector
ordinances. Reforms are slowly eff
fected, but so much was accomplished
year or two ago through the agita-
ton OF this aspect of public sanitation
and hygiene that all friends of decency
and all persons who properly estimate
the menace to health of indiscriminate
expectoration should feel encouraged to
renew the battle against indecency and
disease. In this city although but few
arrests have been made since the en-
actment Of the ordinance, there has
been great difference in the appear
ance Of our sidewalks since the law
was created. The discussion of the
subject by the local press and the prom
inence given 1t by the passage of the
Ianti-expectoration ordinance, set <peo-
pie to thinking, and many suho were
addicted to the vile habit of splitting on
the pavements, through carelessness
and lack Of reflection, promptly correct
ed themselves, and many others re-
Trained from the disgusting practice
through wholesome fear of the law
and of public opinion.
In New York a very appreciable de-
crease in the death rate from tubercu-
losis followed the reform instituted by
the enactment of a law covering these
violations of propriety and the invita-