The record-union., 1898-06-23

discover that the officers of the navy
are diligent students of the history, the
principles and the practice of one of
the most complex sciences and one of
the most eXacting arts of our day-the
science and art of modern naval war
fare.
FRENCH PERCEPTIONS AWAKEN
ING.
New York Tribune: Signs appear Of
dawning apprehension in France that
the journals which are saying unpleas-
ant things about the United States are
not serving France or the people Of
that country to any great extent. The
French people have sense, and when
they permit themselves to indulge 1t
can detect the buttered side Of bread
with reasonable promptness. 1t was
quite natural that the bondholders and
stockholders, and the masters of hign
finance who had loaded themselves
down with Spanish securities, should
strive nightly to create a public Opin-
ion adverse to the United States. 1t
was their one hope that the European
Powers might be induced to intervene
which is another way of saying that
they would spend a thousand millions
or more in pulling chestnuts out of the
fire for Spanish bondholders. In France,
when masters of high finance want
something, there are found newspapers
to DO and even overdO their will.
The result has been a deluge of un-
friendly sayings about this country and
its part in the controversy with Spain,
which might have given some umbra oe
even to friendly Americans did they
not know where Spanish bonds were
held. But this country has never
found itself mistaken in trusting to the
natural instincts Of the French people
and to their kindly regard for the
great Republic which helped and was
helped by them years ago to liberation
from dynastic bondage. So Americans
have merely laughed at the labored ar
ticles inspired by bond and stock job
bers. and have trusted that real
France, which does not at all times
speak through its journals, would ar
rive at correct idea of the situation.
MISRULE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Chicago Record: The rebellion in
the Philippines which broke out in
July, 1896, was caused by the rapacity
of the Spanish rulers from the Gov
ernor-General down to the lowest al
calde. For generations the people Of
the archipelago had borne submissive
ly the oppression of their foreign over
lords.
Consideration of the causes that led
up to this revolt reveals many serious
questions with which the United States
must deal in governing the islands.
Taxation has been carried to a point
of starvation for the natives. Every
man and woman. irrespective of con-
dition, is annually taxed 10 pesetas,
which sum is equal to about 50. If an
individual has employment he is SUBJ
ject to further tax of 81 pesetas, and
a license is eXacted from every per-
son who trades in any manner of mer-
chandise, even if his whole business
does not exceed the sale of few betel
nuts, basket of mangoeS or bunch
of bananas. The native landowners
are Impoverished by the taxes, and
share none of the profit of the half
breed Chinese traders, who buy the
crops of rice and sugarcane standing in
the fields and sell them in turn to the
rich exporting houses at Manila.
No one escapes the Tax Collector. for
the energy of the Governor General is
perniciously stimulated by the fact that
he receives a proportion of all the
taxes collected. Added to these
abuses is the exasperation of a noto-
riously corrupt and despotic clergy.
vor of the authorities, to whom 1t pays
no tax on its immense farms. With
in comparatively recent years, the In