The record-union., 1898-09-16
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSION.
State and Coast Opinions on SUBJ
jects OF Living News
Interest.

the most prolific source of hardship to
our American soldiery has been official
red tape General Wheeler. sent in an
urgent requisition for supplies, which
was returned to him by some underling
sitting on stool because not made
out in proper form. And so it is with
all things undertaken by the Govern
ment They degenerate into a lifeless
bureaucracy, dead routine of forms
and precedents a standing upon tech
nicalities and inconsequentialities Rus
sia is almost dead mass of official
maggotry from this cause, and the
British East India Government is
sarcely better Official Journalism with
life tenure is about the most deaden-
ing species of dry rot that can attack
the institutions of man. 1t is what
has made China dead for centuries,
and the throwing of it off is what en-
abled Japan to be born into a new
life.
COPPERHEADS AS OF OLD.
Stockton Independent: Democratic
newspapers that stabbed the Admin
istration at the close of the Civil War
thirty odd years ago were known
throughout the land as "Copperheads," "
and there are men living who remem-
ber how despicable was the work OF
such journals. They reused great in
dignation, just as the snarling political
press of to-day is creating bitter feel
ing in the country in the hope OF
breaking the force Of the Administra-
ton among all classes of the people
who rejoice over the termination of
the war. There is a copperhead press
in the land to-day that will distort
facts and cruelty malign the Admin
istration to rob it of justly earned
glory in bringing a war with a foreign
country to successful close within
three months after the opening Of hos
tilities. The massing Of volunteer
troops in any part of the country, with
men unused to hardships and exposure,
would result in much sickness and
many deaths from pulmonary troubles.
These inevitable results have been
magnified at this time to break down
the Mckinley Administration in the
time copperhead fashion.
THE PENSION ROLL.
Portland Oregonian: The pension roll
has reached the 100000 mark, pre-
dicted for 1t several years ago. The
additions for the past year far ex-
ceeded the losses. That is to say, more
pensions were granted last year than
in any other in the nations history.
This is an astonishing statement, but
it is fully verified by the reports of
the Commissioner of Pensions. 1t is Of
interest to note in this connection that
with the discharge of every soldier and
sailor who has served in the late war
y, cl,1 1,a yo1,x
steal condition of the man at the time,
as determining whether he is suffering
from any disability incurred in the SER
vice. This will be a useful document
for the guidance of the Pension Office
when demands growing out of the war
with Spain are made.
COPPERHEAD VIRUS.
Ukiah Republican, Press: 1t might
be supposed from the comment of the
Popoeratic press that the business Of
the Administration throughout the war
was to organize, neglect and put none
but the incompetent on duty The
copperhead virus is the same as of
of old, and its contemplate political
tricks unchanged. The POST Of
San Francisco sizes up the situation
pretty neatly when it says: General
Joe Wheeler's defense of Secretary AL
ger and the whole Administration re-
garding the conduct of the war will
have more weight with the people of
the country than all the yellow journals
in Christendom. General Wheeler is
a Democrat of the old school, who ap-
preciates truth and detests liar, and
his description of the admirable man
ner in which the war haS been carried
on by the Administration has the rec
ommendation of coming frxm a man
who was one Of the chief instruments
in carrying out the program and who
was ION the spot" from the beginning
to the close of hostilities.
SOLDIERS INDISCRETIONS.
Humboldt Standard: Those who have
any knowledge of the condition of our
soldiers during the war of the rebellion,
need not be told that the indiscretions
of the soldiers themselves were prolific
of the greatest damage. Gathered to-
gether in camps fresh from every avo-
cation in life, young men were free
from the restraints of society and away
from the watchful eyes of their parents
perhaps for the first time. At their
training camps and barracks they were
adjacent cities and towns where they
ate and drank to excess, besides com
mitting other graver indiscretions. The
result was what experienced men could
foresee Sickness followed and hum
dreds of men were sent to the hospitals
there to die who. with proper caution
on their own part and the tender nurs-
ing of a. mother at home, would have
recovered AS the soldier became &C
customed to hardships and learned bet
ter how to take care of himself, SICK
ness decreased and the general health
of the army improved.
SINGLE TAX AN ISSUE.
Oakland Enquirer: Congressman Ma
guire, although an enthusiastic single
taxer-so enthusiastic that he has gem
orally placed the emphasis upon it as
being the first article in his political
creed-realizes that 1t would not fur
nish a popular basis on which to make
his campaign for Governor, and has
manifested a desire to have it shut out
of consideration. He has remarked that
to enact his views on taxation into law
would require a constitutional amend
ment, and as constitutional amend
ments are passed by the Legislature
and the people, single tax and the Gov
ernorshp are in no way connected.
But the Democratic Convention has
adopted platform which opens the
whole subject of taxation, by recon-
mending the adoption of a constitu-
tional amendment which will enable
each county and municipality to frame
Its own tax system, and under these
conditions we do not think that by his