The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-20
VOICE OF The PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast Opinions on Sub
jects of Living News
Interest.

4 IL OlSHS "A way lOI llldhlll5 cIlCi oliO4AN'
in the records with little possibility of
detection. Under the present system
of handwriting the records are difficult
to mutilate, for the writing has an in
dividuality which is difficult to counter
! felt. But with the machine it is differ
ent, and it would be possible to make
erasures and insertions with little
chance of discovering the fraud or de-
tecting the perpetrator.
TOBACCO AND THE PRESIDENT.
Fresno Republican: The Exam
iner's'' specially commissioned physi.
clan reports that President Mckinley
is suffering from the effects of tobacco
smoking. Doubtless. Any man who
has reached the Presidents age and
been a regular smoker for years will
suffer from the effects. But the man
who has borne in one short year the
responsibility Of a foreign war and an
| instruction, who has shown the self
abnegation TO wait for the public judg-
ment on the things which the public
ought to control, and the firmness to
resist public clamor in the things where
the public ought not to control, who
has, in short, sustained for all these
months the heaviest burden of any man
in the world, and has stood under it all
without collapse, is hardly a physical
wreck, from tobacco or anything else.
Chester H. RowelL
SIGNED ARTICLES.
Alameda Encinal: A number of our
exchanges continue to show how idiotic
sensible men can be on occasions by
signing every article that appears in
their column, pretending that they are
doing it in order to comply with the
signature law. In thus appending their
names these men tactitly declare that
they are unable to write anything that
is not Hbelous and that it is their idea
OF live newspaper-to be roasting"
some one continually. 1t does not argue
much for their common sense, that they
continue to make such spectacles Of
themselves.
AN UNALTERED FACT.
Stockton Independent: The Senator
lal committee on pure food investiga-
ton, sitting in Chicago, devoted raost
of one day to the subject of honey, and
1T was shown by expert testimony that
not only was glucose used to a great
extent for adulterating that article of
food, but that jobbers We're using fraud
ulent methods in handling the trade for
money Substitutes 1t was also shown
that the glucose was not necessarily
deleterious to health when used as an
adulterant Conceding that it lis not
Which, by the way, is not generally con-
ceded, why should the consumer be re-
quired to pay for honey when he gets
| glucose. Some of the leading saloons
in San Francisco give to consumers who
ask for mineral water, plain well water
and charge them 10 or 10 cents a glass
for it, according to the rent the saloon
man happens to have to pay. OF course
the water does him no harm; but that
We submit, does not alter the fact that
the saloon man ought to- be sent to
jail. The above quoted dispatch does
not mention that the honey fakirs NOT
only make their honey of glucose. but
also construct their combs of paraffine.
But they do. It must hurt their feel
lngs to make their boxes of real wood
ana their Jars of real glass. They are
most likely casting around now to see
what they can substitute
THE POLL TAX.
Los Angeles Times: The poll tax is
Undoubtedly, the most unpopular con-
trlputon to the expense of government
which our citizens are called upon to
pay There is always big roar when
the poll tax collector comes around,
and many efforts are made to eyade its
payment However, as long as it is the
law, 1t should be paid by all alike who
are subject to it. An attempt was made
IN the last Legislature to abolish the
tax, but 1t was not successful.
during the past few days, num-
Der of employees Of the city have been
notlfed that they are expected to pay
the tax, and 1t is said that they will
make an attempt to avoid paying.
1his Is not right. These city en-
ployes have comfortable positions and
good salaries, and should be willing
to take up their share of the white
mans burden" like other citizens.
There is one feature of the law in
connection with the collection of the
poll tax which might we'll have been
changed in the late Legislature. I'm
DER the present County Government
Act, the Assessor is entitled to a
commission of 10 per cent. on all
poll tax collected. in addition TO
his salary. This Is, in effect, an in
ducement offered to the Assessor to
collect as many poll taxes as posi-
ble even should the collection of
other taxes thereby be, in a measure
neglected. A perusal of the poll tax
index will, indeed, convince the most
skeptical that there are a great many
who pay poll tax, and do not pay
any other tax whatever
While, as we have said, the poll
tax is unpopular-and to some extent
an Objectionable imposition-yet, as
long as the law remains on the
statute books all good citizens should
be willing to pay it. while working
for a repeal of the law if they con-
slider it an undesirable one.
THE MILLIONAIRE EVIL"
San Diego Union: 1t is safe to pre-
dict that during the next Presidential
campaign what is known as the mill
ionaire evil"-the rapid accumulation
of large fortunes and the concentration
of wealth in few hands-will be urged
upon public attention as never before.
Unless all signs fail, the millionaire
evil will quite overshadow the money
power" bugaboo that was so clamorous-
~ exploited during the campaign of
1896.
1t IS a renlarka BILE fact that owing to
the persistent teachings Of demagoges,
| very great number of people who are
| intelligent and desire to be fair minded,
have come to regard the possessor of
wealth one who must necessarily