The record-union., 1898-07-22

political thought of a wide awake, pro-
gressive people. While the Common
wealth of Australia" for which the
Constitution provides the governmental
machinery, is not an independent re-
public, its organic law is fashioned so
nearly along the structural lines of our
own national Government as to be to all
intents and purposes a government of
and by, and for the people And in
this the new born commonwealth OF
their kith and kin at the Antipodes has
peculiar interests for the American peo-
pie.
WHY THEY FOUGHT WE'LL.
Portland Oregonian: The important
lesson to be drawn from this battle IS
the value of discipline and military
training when severe fighting is ex-
pected. 1t is safe to say that IL such an
army as Mcdowell led at Bull Run had
been directed to carry the intrenched
Spanish lines before Santiago 1t would
have. been severely repulsed and prob
ably have been utterly routed. 1t is no
answer to this to point to the fact that
the Second Massachusetts volunteers
and the Seventy-first New York volun-
teers behaved as well in the days fight
ing as the regulars. Why did the volun-
teer regiments, comprising about one
eighth of Skaters army. and distrlb-
uted about one regiment to three regu-
lars in a brigade, fight with unexampled
steadiness and courage? 1t was because
they fought side by side with disciplined
troops, in whose courage and skill the
volunteers had entire confidence. SO
long as their comrades of the regulars
id not finch, the volunteers would be
sure to behave like veterans, but had
the regulars ever finched from their
work, the volunteers could not have
been held to their work very long. 1t
was shown time and agar turing the
civil war that green" regiment of
volunteers would fight splendidly in
their first battle, SO long as things
were going their way; but the moment
any severe, unexpected check was en-
countered, the green" regiment would
go to pieces as quickly as they did at
first Bull Run. This is not because raw
troops are not just as brave naturally
as veterans, but because they have no
confidence in each other when they
charge into a hornets nest" in battle.
They know that their officers are as raw
and ignorant as they are themselves,
and lacking any knowledge as to what
the battle becomes bitter the raw vol
unteers fall into disorder and defeat.
THE NEW SHIPS.
San Jose Herald: The chances seem
to be that we may be able to save one
and possibly three of Cervera's stranded
ships No pains should be spared to do
it. They are just the class of ships in
which we are lacking, and for which no
provision was made in the bill for in
creasing the navy passed at the last
session of Congress. We have felt in
this war the need of a good number of
swift heavily armed and armored YES
sells. We have swift cruisers and heavy
battleships and monitors, but we have
not the combination of both except two,
the New York and Brooklyn.
In authorizing three new battleships
Congress left a considerable margin Of
discretion to the Navy Department The
Bureau Of Construction and Repair is
arranging to build sixteen-knot ships,
like most of those now in the service
European nations are now laying down
eighteen-knot battleships. Our pro-
posed ships could only fight with or run
from these European ships at the ~
ter's pleasure. Not a good layout for
eiiN @hiiACl ASoii navy vi WIllCu WE are
just now SO much priding ourselves. The
Ordnance Bureau demands the eight
| een-knot ships, but is not likely to OBJ
tain a hearing
Give our officers and men ships that
can both fight and run and they may be
| depended on to beat the world with
them. The bureaus of the Navy De-
partment should be kept strictly up to
date.
| THERE SHOULD BE INQUIRY.
stockton Independent: There are
a great number of Americans who will
not agree with the Administration that
the conduct of the German warship
Irene at Subig Bay should not con-
stitute a basis for a demand on Ger
many for an explanation. An inquiry
now in direct language may save
trouble later Germany seems to be
bent on convincing us that she in
tends to NEEDLE and the doubling
Thomases" viii soon become an insig-
nificant minority.
| FUTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES.
| Los Angeles Times: Our esteemed
contemporary the "Novoe Vremya" Of
St. Petersburg, discussing the war be-
tween the United States and Spain,
which it regards as virtually over,
naively observes that "the political
situation largely depends upon the at
| titude Of Russia" This statement
| would be important, if it were true.
| But inasmuch as it is not true, it's i'm
| portance is correspondingly impaired
The political situation growing out of
the war largely depends" upon the
attitude Of the United States. and it
| will not be the part of wisdom for
| Russia nor for any other European
/ Power to go very far in attempting
to influence this situation without con-
| sulting the United States.
| Russia has no positive interests in
/ the Philippine Islands" Very good.
| Such being the case, Russia is not
called upon to interfere in any way
| with the disposition of the islands
after the war. She need have no fears
that Germany, Great Britain and ia
! pan will secure "the best parts" of
the Philippines There is little dan
ger of their being divided up among
the Powers named, nor among any
other Powers. In taking possession of
the Philippines, the United States has
incurred certain grave responsibilities,
and we shall not shirk our duties, nor
yield our position by reason of
threats, cajolery diplomatic trickery,
nor attempted coercion.
GEN. SKATERS SOBRIQUET.