The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-16
CREAM OF THE PRESS.
VdRfDUS SUBJECTS DISCUSSED by
DIFFERENT PENS.
The Question of Coast Defenses i""e-
pendent Republicans Still Solid Tor
-Spiritualism vs.. Lunacy--How
the Democrats worry the hans'


The QUESTION OF FoRTIFCATIoN'.-
The probability that the United States
will he at war with any European power
in the next ten years is iDinitesimaiiv
small, owing to our negative foreign pol
lev and 10 the pronounced indisposi,'oh
of foreign nations 10 become involved III
bcstiities with us. So large are our re
sources and so great our population that
we could no, be invaded with any pros
meet of success. On the other hand,the
il a strong desire on the part of every
manufacturing nation-aDd the great
powers of Europe are all manufacturers
TO maintain the best possible relations
with us. as being their best customer.
The mower which could iniure us most,
bv reason of its command of the sea ana
it, contact with our northern border, Is
the British. but the British are "our
cousins" and il has become iunda-
mental axiom of their policy never. on
any account, to 90 10 war with us. n
peace can be preserved by any honora-
bic means. To the knowledge OF our
neoplc that such is the state of affairs,
and that we really have little. or nothing
TO fear from any foreign power, is due
no doubt TO the fact that our coasts are to-
day substantially unprotected by forts
or guns. The interests, however, at the
mercy of An invader coming from over
the sea are almost beyond calculation.
Mr.. Tiiden, in his memorable letter In
regard TO seacOast defenses, estimated
that twelve of our coast cities contained
desirnctible property of value of
50 600, 000,0 900, lcr- the protection of
which We have not single war ship, or
a single fort worth the name. II baltimore
Sun.
IypFpENDENTs FOR CLEVELAND AND
TUuRMAN. There is no leader, no publi'
cist, 70 organ that can stem the TIDE oil In
dependent support Of Cleveland and
Thurman The Independent vote does
its own thinking. The logic OF the pc.
lticaI situation to-day and the lessons OF
administrative events since March. l.
1885. are all one way Independents who
have nut their hands to the plow will not
turn back in the furrow while the field
of reform remains half untitled They
kuow that The defeat of Cleveland and
Thurman would he their disaster and the
indefinite pOstpOnement OF all the
homes they cherish. They will Join their
votes once more with those OF the great
army of Democrats Who fight for honest
Government according 10 the faith of the
fathers of the Republic, and they will be
re enforced by hundreds of thousands
of other men of independent minds who
four wears ago were deferred from fol-
lowing their inclinalions by the force OF
habit or by baseless apprehensions, which
C]evelands wise and faithful administra-
ton has completely dispelled ". J.
star.
SCIENTIFIC BIGoTRy.-Dr. Field told
the members of the Medico Legal Socle-
tv, in a paper on spiritualism, that If a
person believes he has seen the dead
face to face il is evidence OF insanity.
Now, we haven't any interest in So
called spiritualism except as very curl
Gus phase Of modern belief, but a broad
assertion of that kind is simply an
Illustration of scientific bgotry. Ii is a
good deal like setting up your own per
sonal opinions as "a universal standard
and declaring that if anybody dares 10
see what YOU haven't seen he is therefore
crazy This is a pretty big world, and
there is lot Of queer people IN II, but
the aueerest of all queer men Is the man
who honestly asserts that if you know
> any more than ne does you ought to be
sent TO a lunatic asylum.-N J. HerdId
lXTEREsTING ELECuOE-Ih Phila-
delphia Record mentions very interest
ing political campaign 10 be held in Maine
, this wear. The only State official TO be
elected is a Governor. As it is presi'
, Dental year there are four candidates al
ready in the cield The election will be
, held on September 10Th, and great efforts
will he made 10 give the usual send oil to
the Republican ticket The Democrats
have put in the field superior candidate
in the person of Hon. w. l.. Putnam
whose nomination has been heretofore
commended by the Record The Pro-
g hibitionists have named Mr.. Nolney b
Cushing the Republicans, Hon. Edwin
c. Burleigh, and the Union Labor party
Mr.. W. H. Simmons. There is no ex-
pecta,ion that the third party candidates
viii do any serious damage To the Repub-
t lican majority But if voters should
4 apply the test of capacity for efficient
public service in making choice of their
ballots Mr. Putnam would run away with
the poll.
THESE OBSTINATE DEMocRATs.-One
/ great difficulty with the Republican can
! vass is that the Democrats won't fight on
The grounds the Republicans pick out
Napoleon's way was to find out what his
enemies expected and wanted him to do
and then do something different. 1t an.
D noyed the generals who made war by
t rule, but it helped him to victories. just
~ now the Republicans are similarly both
cred by the Democrats, until any one with
: a soul in his bosom must feel for theiI
distress The time for Cleveland's re.
), election has almost come, and yet in the
course of nearly an entire Democratic
j administration the Confederates haye moi
$ leaped into the saddle, the country has
@ not been ruined, and none of the multi
tudinous ills predicted have come to pass
: This ought 10 please patriots of every
4 patty name, but it is the chief complaint
of the outs" "Why did you not dc