The record-union., 1899-08-21
A SHARP REJOINDER.

The citizens committee of San Fran
cisco in charge Of the celebration in
honor of the return Of the California
regiment received from the Market
Street Railroad Company a subscrip-
ton Of $3.50. The committee thereuopn
returned the check to the company,
saying that it was not commensurate
with what the committee thought the
company should give, and because the
company would be large beneficiary
by reason of the celebration.
The general belief among mankind
is that contribution assumed to be
voluntary, becomes anything but that
when the recipient attempts to die
tate its volume. In this case the Mar
ket Street Railway Company, in re-
sponse to the committee which at
tempted to regulate the voluntary"
giving Of the company. has sent to the
Red Cross Society the sum of 81 800 to
be used in the best interests of the re-
turning soldiers Of California.
AT the same time has addressed to
S--S ~SiA4AAAlhCC l44C AO1AONluS ACbtCAy
which for sharp retort, clear-cut logic
and incisive but polite intimation that
the donor chooses the dispenser of its
bounty with a view to the trust being
the best administered has not its equal
in correspondence literature. 1t is well
worth reading, for it's caustic wit, its
latent sarcasm and its dignified char
acter:
San Francisco, August Is, 1899.
Mr. Fl. c. McPike, Secretary Citi-
zens' Executive Committee, San Fran
cisco, Cal.-My Dear Sir: Your favor
returning check for the sum OF $3.50,
the contribution of the Market Street
Railway Company to the funds being
collected for the purpose of defraying
the expenses of the celebration upon,
the occasion of the return of the First
California Infantry from Manila, has
been received and its contents noted.
The Market Street Railway Company
begs leave to represent to you, and
through you to the Citizens Executive
Committee, that the contribution made
by it measured its estimate of the
value of what is being proposed and
done for the benefit of the returning
volunteers.
The amount Of voluntary contribu-
tions to any cause, to remain voluntary,
must be left wholly to the discretion of
the donor. Opinions as to the exped-
iency and value Of the form of cele-
bration, which a reception of this kind
may take, may reasonably differ, and
that tolerant difference of opinion
which citizens under all circumstances
should accord to each other left the
Market Street Railway Company per-
fectly at liberty to express in the
amount Of its contribution it's estimate
Of the value to the returning soldiers Of
the plan of; celebration adopted to ex-
press on the part of the city its well
come
The Market Street Railway Company
is not insensible to the obligations
which the people of California owe to
Its citizen soldiery. It is conscious Of
the fact that the return of these SOL
diers to the ordinary walks Of life will
be attended by obstacles and accompa-
MED with hardships. There will be
many cases Of hardship and some of ac-
tua1 destltution.
Our citizen soldiers will appreciate
the welcome you are preparing for
them; but when the enthusiasm of that
welcome has subsided, they will need
the ministration of the Red Cross So
ciety, and will find IN the good offices
Of that noble organization higher and
better appreciation of their services
than. could possibly be vouchsafed by
any other method.
For the relief Of the privations which
must attend the transition Of the SOL
dters from military duty to civil life.
ha
has the. honor to inform you and your
committee that 1t has given to the Red
Cross Society Of San Francisco the
sum Of 100.
The men of the regiment will natur-
ally look to this noble charity for SYM
pathy and assistance. There will be
many cases where the immediate relief
of their necessities will be boon to the
soldiers, and since the Government of
the United States has reposed a high
trust and confidence in the noble wo-
men of the Red Cross Society, the Mar
ket Street Railway Company will yield
to its discretion a like confidence in
the distribution of the money for the
relief of the men lately under arms in
the cause of their country. Very truly
yours,
MARKET STREET RAILWAY COM
PANY.
BY Charles Holbrook, Vice President.
Iowa has a prison grade system that
is worthy the attention of all penolo-
gists. In no other State. we believe,
is there so distinct and complete a
grading I'M one penitentiary. New York
grades by separation and division
among different prisons, which is an
excellent, indeed, by far, the better sys-
tenn. But where State is not provided
with the necessary prisons, the Iowa
plan appears to be a good one. In
Iowa there are three grades of con-
victs. The newt man on arrival is placed
in the second grade and uniformed in
plaid. In the first grade the convict
suit is gray In the third grade the
men are clad in stripes. BY good be-
havior and ready submission to disci-
pline, men of the second grade may
be promoted to the first. or by bad be-
havior and refractory conduct be de-
graded to the third grade. Convicts of
the first grade eat at special tables in
the dining-room. may write one letter
a week, receive papers by permission