The record-union., 1894-07-11

came to this coast and proceeded to Mare
Island navy yard for repairs and reftting.
staying several months. During that
time the officers did good deal OF trad
ing at the stores and various business
establishments, and it was noticeable that
whenever they bought anything for the
vessels they wanted two bills made out.
one for themselves representing tne
amount really paid and another charging
a larger amount which was 10 be pre-
sented to their Government. Does any
body believe that American naval
officers, or many of them, IN foreign
port would act in that way?
a resident of Oakland to whom the
above circumstance was casually men
toned, matched it by saying that he lived
in Panama during a part of the time
when De Lesseps WAS trying TO build the
canal, and that it was the common habit
of the officers TO practice on the canal
company the same fraud that the Russ-
ians set UP against their Government.
He also said that many naval vessels
came into the port of Panama from time
to time, and it was only with American
naval officers that the business men felt
there could be honest, straightforward
dealing.
Within few years past every consid-
able European nation has been con-
dals involving its Government. France
was almost swept into the vortex of rev.
olution by the Panama scandal; Italy has
seen enormous and illegal over-issues by
Government banks; Germany has dis
covered jobbery in her army supplies,
and Russia is hotbed OF corruption.
Great Britain has not suffered quite so
much as the others, perhaps, but with
her rotten warships, she has nothing to
ic
ton where universal publicity through
the newspapers gives wider notoriety to
corruption than it acquires in any other
country under the sun, but the amount OF
it existing is not larger, nor SO large.
Despite all draw backs we have the best
Government which any large country in
the world enjoys.
Now as to revolution. If by the use of
this word there is meant violent over
throw of existing institutions and the
substitution of different ones, it is absurd
to say that such thing is needed, be-
cause our institutions are always subject
to change without il. Just one thing is
required TO change or abolish any Or every
institution in the United States, and that
is votes. By votes representatives can
be elected who will make laws entirely
different from those we now have, and
by votes even the United States Constitu-
LlOn cdu De T6NOlALlOllZeU. Ii bu6 ma-
jority of the people of the United States
are dissatisfied with their form of gov
ernment and want different form, they
can abolish the one and substitute the
other peaceably and without firing a sin
gle gun. What, then, is the sense of talk
ing about insurrection, violence or revo-
luton?
But there is one thing which cannot be
had, and that is change of government
without the expressed will of the major
ity, and therein, it occurs to us, is the
trouble of some of our revolutionary
friends. They have occasionally put
forth platforms and candidates represent
ing their ideas. and on appeal to the vot-
ers they have not been indorsed, but have
been voted down. That has angered
them, and they redouble their talk about
being oppressed, and begin encouraging
thoughts of violence and bloodshed. But
what is this better than fraudulent at
tempt of the minority to subvert the will
of the majority such as we sometimes see
made successful in South American coun-
tries? Depend upon it, when the major
ity of the people want thorough-going
change they will make, it manifest at the
ballot-box, and they will get it, too.