The record-union., 1896-01-16
NOTE AND COMMENT.


NOTE AND CoNMENT.
The story is telegraphed that the Gu
bans believe General Campos to be
crazy Not unlikely The man has had
trouble enough to unseat reason.
If it is true that the Spaniards are de-
stroying the property of Americans in
Havana, and that our people resident
there are threatened with personal vio-
lence, the Government should send a
stout ship of war to that port to teach
the Spanish good manners.
It is now denied that the Czar assured
the Emperor of Germany that he could
rely upon the United States to support
him in his Transvaal policy That
sounds more sensible. There has been
a heap of trouble on the Cars mind
of late, but no one had believed that he
had gone daft, as the false dispatch in
dicated.
The zany who argues for Government
ownership and operation of railways in
California; s interest, has a very swollen
idea of California Importance, and a
droll idea Of the business sense of the
great East. The truth is that with the
transcontinental roads under control of
the Government, dominated by the vast
interests of forty States on the other
side, California wouldn't be in it."
The Turk refuses to permit the Clara
Barton Red Cross people to do deeds of
benevolence in the Armenian section, or
to allow relief funds to be distributed
among his suffering subjects in Arme-
MIA. Which amounts to a confession
that the Sultan fears to expose to the
Red Cross good Samaritans the skele-
ton in his closet.
| 1t is said the Turkish soldiers are de-
serting and becoming brigands. If half
that is told of them in Armenia be true,
they did not need to desert for that pur-
/ pose.
A proposition has been made to ex-
| clude pupils hailing from the interior
| from the San Francisco Normal School.
Whereupon the San Francisco "Bulle-
tin" protests, because, while their ad-
mission costs San Francisco something,
yet at the end of their scholastic course
| they return to the country with some
knowledge of San Francisco and its So
ciety, and with impressions of its people
and Its attractiveness and it's attitude
| toward the interior, and so on. Then,
by all means let it be hoped that the ex-
clusion policy will be adopted. The less
our country boys and girls know of San
Francisco ways and manners the better
for them and the country. What is the
matter with the three State Normal
Schools, that pupils from the interior
| should avoid them i'll preference for
that of San Francisco?
An Englishman, Just returned from
the Tfansvaal Republic to Toronto,
one who holds prominent position in
relation to an international fair pro-
jeoted at johannesburg, tells the press
| that Jameson's expedition would have
been a success had it not been for the
Americans in Transvaal. They are, he
says, as much opposed to and oppressed
by the Beers as are any of the others,
but they are also opposed to English
rule, and wish to be free of both the
Beers and English. They therefore d.
vided the strength of the reform move
ment, and caused it to lose. Assuming
| this to be true, and it is not unlikely, for
it corresponds with our own informa-
| ton from the Transvaal section as to
parties in that State-such a recital
gives the snap away. 1t makes 1t clear
| that the real purpose of the English
among the Uitlanders and of Jameson
and his freebooters was to annex Trans
| vaal to England.
There is a great deal of unwholesome
talk about whom the Trustees will or
may confirm, and whom they will re-
fuse, among the Mayors appointees to
positions of employment and service
under the city government. This talk
proceeds upon the idea, apparently,
that the Trustees have in fact the ap-
! pointing power, and propose to die
tate to the Mayor in these matters.
Really, this is an insult to the Trus-
tees, an offense to their intelligence,
and they would be justified in openly
| rebuking anyone who indulges in it.
They well understand that no one has
the right to speculate upon their votes
of nom confirmation or of approval
since they are forbidden to even sug-
gest to the Mayor whom he should ap-
point. Yet to have it talked on the
street corners that the Trustees have
given it to be understood that they will
confirm only this man or will refuse to
confirm that one, or that they will stand
out until such or such a one is NOM
mated, and so on, is to practically per-
NIT it to be understood or charged that
the Trustees are debating or proposing
to dictate to the Mayor. This we re-
peat, is grossly insulting to them. They
understand the spirit and purpose OF
the charter in giving them the power OF
confirmation and in attaching this con-
dition: mo member of the Board OF
Trustees shall ever suggest, request
| the appointment of, appoint or nomin-
ate any officer, clerk or employe to any
| place in the city government" ETC.,
etc. (Section 32 Article III.)