The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-10-08

WHEN war comes in Europe, as it
must come some time. it will be seen
that a new era has begun in the art
of destruction. The Belgian historian,
Emile de Layeleye, sums up in an ar
ticle in the Forum for October the
terrible factors of the next conflict.
The civil war in the UnitedStates was
but child's play III comparison. With
Russia and France on one side and
Germany, Austria and Italy on the
other, seven millions of men can be
instantly put in the field, with ten
millions in reserve. The facilities for
concentration and the improved arms
are such that more men may be easily
killed in one day than have ever be-
fore been killed IN a whole war. The
continuous preparations for war, even
when there is no thought of its imme-
diate occurrence, are far greater and
more expensive than ever before.
France has surrounded her frontiers
and her capital with a continu-
Gus line of forts and entertainments.
Germany has made Metz, Strasburg,
Mayence and Cologne gigantic fort
resses, which seem absolutely impreg-
nable. Italy has fortified her Alpine
passes, her seaports, and even the
Eternal city itseF. Belgium is spend
ing 100000 in the construction of
redoubts, with cupolas of steel, to
close the passage by the Mas valley.
The war budgets are everywhere in
creasing in enormous proportions.
"And it is under this continual men
ace of the most frightful shock of arm
les that our planet will ever have
looked upon," writes NJ. de Laveleye,
shat we live. And the most extraor-
dInary thing is, that we get used to it.
We go about our business, our pleas
ures: we rush in crowds from all
parts to the Paris exhibition, while
each one says: Il may be for to-mor-
row."
IT will be remembered that during
the last days of Cleveland's admin
istration the governments loans to
national banks were increased to
about $60,000000. General Harrison
during the campaign promised that
the amount should be decreased, since
it was widely claimed that most of the
loans were made in favor of politicians
and were not in the interest of the peo-
pie. That promise is being fulfilled.
The aggregate has been decreased to
about $40,0O0,000 since March, and
before congress convenes it will
come down to probably $25,000,OOO.
The money is being applied as
rapidly as possible to the purchase
of outstanding bonds, extinguishment
of the national debt, and the applica-
ton of the money to the purchase of
bonds in the open market is so great
ly in excess of the reduction of the
loans to the national banks, that no
fear can possibly be entertained in
any quarter, that the calling in of the
loans will distress or affect the money
market. 1t may affect the volume of
the operating funds of a few national
banks, but it cannot, in the least de-
gree, make an impression upon the
circulating medium of the country.
COMMISSIONER CROFT, of the land
Office has decided the case of Fred
Hansel, of Benson Mimi, where
the title to homestead Yves
disputed ON the ground that he did
not establish his residence within six
months. The commissioner holds
that as his intention to establish was
shown by his subsequent course in be-
coming permanent resident on the
land the failure to comply with the
strict letter of the law does not invali-
date his claim.
The largest republic in the world
is that of the United States of Amer
lea, which contains 3,26O,0O0 square
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