The morning call., 1892-05-12


a regimental banquet must have produced
CONSERVATION and amazement even in abso-
Lutte Germany, and TO Americans they APP
pear extraordinary to a degree. His Majesty
called in a soldier who had during some
civic disturbance killed enc citizen and
almost killed another, and before the Off
GERS Of the regiment complimented him on
having done his duty nObly and gave the
man glass Of wine to drink and toasted his
health. The wonder is that the soldier did
not, upon finding himself such hero, toast
the Emperor and all his successors in re-
turn. 1t is clear that the Emperor had been
drinking freely. as he did al the Bianden-
burg feast, where his utteraBces were also
remarkable and possibly RI consequence OF
his libationS, his thoughts came from the
heart, uudisguised by restraints Of p0lity
1t NAV be that the sentinel who did lis
duty in this murdeTous fashion only acted
according to the straight letter of the mill
tary code, which is very d0mineeTing in the
FatheTland, but 1t has a very bad aspect to
see a monarch standing over civilian
corpse and gloating in the shooting down IN
the name of what he calls military duty.
The lesson is a terrible one to the civilian,
and as Germany is seething with socialism,
it Will not be lost on popular opinion. The
officers appear to have been startled by the
EmpeIor's speech and to have done what
they could to keep 1t secret His Majesty
lets his subjects see that he will be master.
He uses the pOsSeSsive pronoun with en-
phasis for the army, the nation, the c0un-
try. He is the modern Louis XIV, telling
a nation which has universal suffrage that
he is the state. The eXaltation Of the mill
tary power may be suitable for the moment,
but it can hardly be permanently exalted In
an educated country with a constitution not
quite fOssillzed.
1t is possible that Bowers resolution to
withdraw the Government subsidy from the
Pacific Mail Company mag be reported
favorablv. Were il carried into effect there
can be no doubt that tie company would
clasp its alliance with the railroads a little
more closely, for the good, selfish reason
that its largesses from that quarter are
heavier. But The withdrawal Of The subsidy
might have a stimulating effect upon mer-
chants TO start an opposition line OF steam
ers 10 the isthmus If that can be arranged
with the Panama Railroad interests, CT
purely cOastwlse to Mexican ana central
American ports. The trade with the south
ern republics would be enormously devel-
Oped by reasonable rates, and Government
assistance would be material encourage
ment 1t is nothing short of dlSgraceful
that trade with Mexico and Central Amer
lea should be on its present Eettered footing,
with a common carrier on the ocean hgn-
creased traffic in passengers and freight.
San Diego is too important point to be
knocked out Of recognition by policy IN
fair ana unnatural.
The question Of annexing the Hawaiian
Islands has been moOted from time to time,
and II was referred TO the other day as one
Of the matters put forward for conSdera-
ton at Washington. If Hawaii is to lose
80 fry hac
clearer title to annex it than any other for-
eign power. We should certainly not regard
with favor annexation by Great Britain or
any other European country. Were Hawaii
IN our possession a this moment short Work
would be made of the invasion of MOngol-
ans now going on so vigorously. The
Hawaiian is dying out and the MOngolian is
taking his place at an alarming rate. six
hundred ana thirty Chinese who came to
this port on Sunday have TO return to Hon.
OlulU. They were prevented from landing
By case of smallpox. Probably they
would have landed in California had the re-
striction law been allowed TO lapse. They
90 10 Hawaii and are 10 desirable element
in q country where the natives are disap-
peaTiDg last.
The explosion at the Roslyn mine in
Washington is a calamitous occurrence,
happily rare in this region. Fifty lives are
sacrificed, and there are many persons who
suff from the removal Of those on whom
they were dependent. There is little TO
learn from this accident beyond the
familiar lesson that the managers are not
warranted in continuing operations without
the preeauti0n Of using safety lamps.
Naked lights should be condemned in work
ings liable to be visited by an overp0wering
ouiburst of explosive gas. With good ven
tilation and strict regulations as to the use
of safety lamps ana no others, and also the
use Of the water cartridge for blasting shots,
the danger OF catastrophes Of this awful
nature is reduced at least to a minimum.
The miners themselves should insist upon
being adequately protected