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 CALIFORNIA

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CALIFORNIA

denominational school, or any school not under the exclusive control of the officers of the public schools"; it also provides that no "sectarian or denominational doctrine be taught, or instruction thereon be per- mitted, directly or indirectly, in any of the common schools of the State". Under another constitutional provision already discussed, the legislature passed a law in 1880 appropriating annually to every institu- tion maintaining orphans the sum of $100 for each orphan, and S75 for each half orphan. In 1903 the legislature created a State Board of Charities and Correction, consisting of six members appointed by th" governor. This board has a supervisory juris- diction over all charitable, correctional, and penal in- stitutions, including hospitals for the insane.

Sale of Liquor. — There is no State law forbidding the sale of liquor to citizens generally. But it is for- bidden: to bring intoxicating liquor to a prison, jail, or reformatory; or to sell, give, or expose it for sale within half a mile of a state prison, or within 1.900 feet of a reformatory, or within one mile of the Uni- versity of California at Berkeley, or within one and one-half miles of any veterans' home, or within the State Capitol, or on the grounds adjacent thereto; or at a camp meeting: or to a common or habitual drunk- ard; or to an Indian: or to a minor under the age of eighteen years: or within one mile of an insane asy- lum. It is forbidden to permit a minor under the age of eighteen years to enter a saloon: ami it is also for- bidden to give or sell intoxicating liquor to anyone on an election day. Beyond these provisions, the gen- eral law leaves the control of the sale of liquor entirely to local authority. Each county, city, and town is tree to regulate tin- liquor traffic to suit the wishes of its citizens.

Prisons and Reformatories. — There are two State prisons, situated respectively at San Quentin and Folsom. These prisons, under the Constitution, are subject to the direct control of the State Board of Prison Directors, consisting of five members ap- pointed by the governor. The prisoners are kept at work, in the rock-crushing plant, in making grain bags, in building roads, etc. Briests and ministers are free to visit the prisoners and conduct religious services for their benefit. There are two State re- formatories for juvenile offenders — the Preston School of Industry at lone City, and the AYhittier State School, at Whittier. Each is governed by its own board of trustees, and is entirely independent of the Board of Prison Directors. There is also a ju- venile court charged with the control and punish- ment of juvenile dependents and delinquents. A large discretion is vested with the judge of this court and much good has been accomplished since its crea- tion in keeping children of Catholic parentage under the care and influence of conscientious Catholic offi- cers.

Wills and Testaments. — In California every person of sound mind who has reached the age of eighteen years may dispose of his entire estate by will, subject to the payment of his debts and expenses of adminis- tration. Such part of a decedent s estate as is not disposed of by will is distributed according to the statutes of succession. The estates of such persons as die without wills and without heirs escheat to the State. The phrase "expenses of administration" in- cludes funeral expenses of the deceased, expenses of his last illness, and provision for the support of his family, including the homestead, family allowance, and setting apart property exempt from execution.

Charitable Bequest*. — No person is permitted to dispose by will of more than one-third of the value of his estate to charitable uses. A will attempting to dispose of a greater proportion to charity would not be absolutely void, but all the charitable bequests and devises would be reduced proportionately so that their total value would not exceed one-third. More- Ill.— 12

over, every charitable bequest and devise is absolutely void unless it be made at least thirty days prior to the testator's death. A bequest or devise to a church as such, or to a college, orphan asylum, missionary soci- ety, hospital, or home for the aged would be for a charitable use under this provision. But not so a devise or bequest to a priest or bishop by name, and in his individual capacity. It has also been held that a bequest to a priest for Masses to be offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased, is not a charitable bequest.

Cemeteries. — Cemeteries may be purchased, held, and owned under the liberal statutes for the owner- ship of church property, already explained. Or, they may be purchased, held, and owned by cemetery cor- porations formed under a general law, by which their land holdings are limited to 320 acres situated in the county in which their articles of incorporation arc filed, or in an adjoining county. The law provides for the survey and subdivision of such lands into lots or plots, avenues or walks, and for the government of such corporations, as well as the sale and tenure of burial plots.

Clinch, California and Its Missions (San Francisco, 1904V, James, In and Out of the Old Missions i Boston, 1906i; Jack- son, California and the Missions (Boston. 1903); Bornett, Recollections of an Old Pioneer; Edworos, California Annual (San Francisco. 19071; V. 8. Census ,.f 1900 (Washington ; U. S. Census of lS'JO (Washington); Swett, History of the Public School System of California (San Francisco. IsTci ; Catholic Directory for 1907 (Milwaukee); Twenty-second Bien- nial Report of the Superintend, u 1 u-tiun (Sacra- mento, 1906i; University of California Register (Berkeley. 1907); Babcock, History of California (Sacramento, 1907 : Treapwei.i,. Constitution of California (San Fran, w>, I'.t'l,.

( a U Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Political Code. Penal Code (San Francisco, 19061.

George A. Connolly.

California, Lower, Vicariate Apostolic of, includes the territory of that name in Mexico (Sp. Baja or Vieja California), a peninsula 770 miles long by 30 to 120 broad. It is traversed longitudinally by mountain chains; on the gulf side the descent is abrupt, but on the western side more gradual. Running water is very scarce amid these granitic and volcanic hills, hence irrigation is dependent on show- ers which, though short, are often violent and flood the country. The climate is hot and dry in the north. more temperate in the south. In some places cereals and vegetables abound, also excellent grapes and many kinds of fruit. There are gold and silver mines. also deposits of copper, lead, and coal, while the sea- coast abounds with many varieties of fish. This vicariate was created 20 January, 1N74, and confided to the Bishop of Sonora; it is now directly subject to Propaganda, which since 8 November. 1895, has en- trusted it to the Missionary College of Sts. Beter and Paul, founded by Pius IX at Rome. The boundaries of the vicariate are, on the north, the Diocese of Monte- rey and Los Angeles; on the sout h and west, the Pacific Ocean; on the east, the Gulf of California. It had in 1900 a Spanish-speaking population of about 47.000. nearly all Catholics. There are six churches with resi- dent, and ten without resident, priest-, t wenty chapels, and as many stations. The chief town, and residence of the vicar Apostolic, is La Paz, in the south-eastern extremity of the peninsula; other centres of popula- tion are Encenada de Todos Santos, San Jos6 del Cabo, and Santa Rosalia. A number of islands (several with good ports) belong to this vicariate. Civilly this ter- ritory is dependent on the Federal Government at Mexico. (For earlier missions in the peninsula, see California Missions.)

\/ mnes Calholica (Rome. 1907), 6.S7; Lippincotfs Gazet- teer (Philadelphia. 1907'. 18-19; Statesman's Year Book (Lon- don, 1907), 1203.

Thomas J. Siiaiian.

California Missions. — I. Lower California California became known to the world through II. i nando Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico, who prob