The record-union., 1899-02-06

wide tires. on mountain roads are
wholly impfacticable" and twill work
a great hardship on teamsters on mar
row roads," Louis Moore is the most
extensive teaming contractor in Shasta
County, as Assemblyman Beecher must
know, even II Mr.. Laird does not. and
yet Mr.. Moore Is in favor Of the wide
tire law The provisions of the law,
the compulsory change from narrow to
wide tires, VIII cost him more money
than any other teamster in the county,
if not in the northern part of the State.
But he is satisfied that it will prove a
good investment. His route of travel
takes him to and fro over a high-rate
toll road, and to that extent he is not
dependent on public highways, good or
bad, The fact Of the matter is. how
ever, that MIR. Moore, like the bulk NJ
the people of this district looks upon
the proposition from q common-sense
viewpoint If highways are to be con-
Structed and maintained at public sx-
pense, these narrow tire machines SO
destructive of roadways should not be
permitted to travel there On. Taxpay-
ers should not be bled for reverend
ing repairs that a handful OF short
sighted individuals may be spared the
expense of changing from narrow to
wide tires. The interests of the gen.
eral public are superior to those of any
class, even when that class is a unit
in opposition, which it is very far from
being in this case,
THE PRESS AND THE LEGISLA-
TURE
Stockton Mail: Here is an editorial
paragraph out of the Chronicle"
which, coming at this time. Is deserving
of more than ordinary notice. We quote
the paragraph entire:
Several bills attacking the liberty of
the press are now before the Legisla-
ture. Tie names of the men proposing
them and voting for them will be use
full to the editors of the State for flu
ture reference. Besides the Boyce bill
Works bill to expunge pictorial jour
nalism, there is an Ashe bill designed to
encourage vexatious libel suits. Lists
Of the men who are behind them will
appear in due course and may be ex-
pected to serve a useful purpose in
future campaigns"
There is no bill before the Legislature
that we know of that attacks the lib
erty of the press. There are no doubt
some bills aimed at the license of the
press, but that is another thing. Lists
of the men who are behind them will
appear in due course" says the "Chron-
icle."
Now this is the evil, above all others.
against which the efforts Of the Legis-
lature should be directed. 1.-THE names
of the men proposing them these laws)
and voting for them will be useful to
the editors of the State for future ref
erence" There is the sound of the
black list here. The proposition is that
if the legislators do what the editors
dislike the editors shall get even with
them through their newspapers. And
the legislators are warned Of the fate
that awaits them, which is coercion. A
Senator or Assemblyman is not a free
agent to follow the bidding of his ex-
perienee and his conscience. but must
consult the men who run the newspa-
pers.
The sooner an Act is passed and
signed making this coercion of public
affairs crime, the better 1t will be for
California We have before US already
a striking example of what some news
papers are capable Of doing in this line.
We have black lists of the very legisla-
tors who are threatened with another
black list il they dare interfere with
the assumed right of the press to black
list as it pleases,
The Mail" will not be found with the
Chronicle" IN any such warfare upon
men who dovwfat they think is their
duty Editors are not better than any,
body else except so far as their conduct
may show them to be. There is no di-
vine right attaching to the printing
press. And as between an editor who
attempts to coerce by black listing and
a, legislator who votes on the side OF
the heaviest satk. a due regard for the
welfare of our country compels US to
say that there is but precious little
choice.