The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-09
Pardee Transmits Last Message

gravel is put on, to sink into the mud
beneath and disappear 1t is only in
roads are at all in vogue, and they, in
most localities. have been put in
against the protests of those who bene-
nj most by them.
But the macadamized road is not the
best road that can be built in these
days OF crude oil. Nor is il the cheap
est TO build or maintain, the properly
built oiled road being cheaper and bet
ter than any other road that can be
constructed in California, except, per-
haps, in localities where rock is cheap
est and oil dearest
/ invite the careful attention of the
Legislature to this important matter,
and would recommend that a Suffl-
GENTLY large sum of money be appro-
prlated, to be expended under the SUI
pervision of the State Comm ssioner of
Highways, in cooperating with coun-
ties and abutting landowners. in build
ing good roads throughout the State.
These State aided good roads should be
State selected main arteries, built to
State made specifications and State APP
proved surveys. And toward their con-
struction the State can well afford to
pay at least one-third the cost.
oiled roads, as l have said, are cheap
and good, when properly constructed.
The cooperative sharing of the cost
by the State would put a comparatively
small expense upon the State treasury
or the cooperating counties and indi-
Vlduals. The benefits would, however.
be very great to the State, the counties
and the individuals; and the example
or cheap and good main highways
would soon lead to the building of SINH
lar roads by the counties themselves.
The State can well afford, I think, to
pay at least one-third of the cost of
such highways. if for not other pur-
of the work, good roads in California.
And for this purpose recommend the
appropriation of at least s250,000. This
sum, In cooperation with counties and
individuals, should build at least one
thousand miles of good oiled roads in
this State and save at least an equal
sum in decreased wear and tear and
increased efficiency of horses, harnesses
and wagons
PURE FOOD LAW
A pure food department is one of the
imperative needs of the State Board of
Health if il is to safeguard the pub
deleterious substances. To make such
a department effective California should
enact State pure food law supple
mentary TO the national pure food law.
With nation and State working to-
gether for a common purpose, there
is reason to hope for the doing away
with an evil of gigantic proportions
and lamentable consequences.
1t is a high tribute to the devotion
TO their professions of the men whom
we have at Berkeley. and a high
compliment IL llt ana TEDu-
tation of our university, when men of
worldwide reputation, such as our pro-
fessors are. will stay with us when at
other Universities they. could receive
equally honorable positions and higher
salaries. California, in her present
time of prosperity. is able to pay the
university teaching force somewhere
near adequate salaries; and, being able,
she ought to do it. I therefore recon-
mend to the Legislature that the ap-
preparation for the salaries of the
teaching force at the University be in
creased at least % per cent
RATE DISCRIMINATION
desire TO direct special attention to
the anti-discrimination law adopted in
Kansas two years since, and which is so
entirely sane and evidently Just that
and other States. 1t is directed against
one OF the most common practices of
the trusts, consisting in selling the same
products at high prices when no COM
in other places, at prices so low that
competition is speedily crushed out
The law in question provides that it
shall be adJudged unfair discrimina-
ton" and a penal offense If any per-
son, firm or corporation shall inten-
tionally.. for the purpose of destroying
locality. discriminate between differ
ent communities by selling a given
commodity az lower rate. in one place
than in another, after making due al
lowance for difference in cost of trans
portation or manufacture The Of
Tense of unfair discrimination thus
created is made punishable by fine of
from $500 to $4,000. and contracts made
in violation of the law are declared
void.
1t is not conceivable that such an
act as is above described would do in
jury to any legitimate interest in Cali
fornia, and il could be made to put an
end TO some of the wreck
ing operations which the trusts are ac-
custOmed to carry on. In the oil in
vestigation conducted by the Commits
sioner of Corporations il was learned
that the Standard Oil Company resorted
TO discrimination in prices as a weapon
against it's strongest competitor, the
Union oil Company. and the latter was
forced into an agreement to sell to it's
rival all the refined oil it should make
and cease to compete in that branch of
the business. This is an example of
the Ubiquitous trust practices which
cannot be punished by any law now on
our statute books. but could be reached
and stopped by such a law as is here
There is crying need of a punitive
law, and ] call the subject to the Sc