The record-union., 1898-07-31

eral approval will wait upon it This
country has problems enough without
annexing 100000 Malays.
A TRYING SITUATION.
Stockton independent: The Demo-
Gratis have so many things to explain
away and apologize for in this cam
paign that it is not very surprising that
those who are expected TO fight the
party's battles are querulous, super
sensitive and unusually shifty. If there
were only some basic principle on which
they could plant their feet this week
and be sure of no change of position
next week, they might howl or argue
with better heart. But the bitterness
that the party has brought on itself by
series of uninterrupted errors, Is aug
mented by the shrewd move of the flu
sion branch Of the Populist convention.
Now the poor Democrat don't know
where he is at. If he supports the sin
gle tax and embraces Mcguire he may
have to repudiate this course next
month. On the other hand, If he at
tacks Mcguire and the other Populists
he may have to apologize for 1t after
the Democratic convention. SO there
are thorns on all sides of the political
situation.
The safest course, therefore, for a
Democratic organ is to preserve politi-
cal silence in State affairs for the time
being. We are glad to see that the
Mall appreciates this necessity, and
is living up to it. OF course, it is hard
to do for a paper that pretends TO have
positive and honest convictions, but the
Mall can set its teeth together and
resolve that it will shout all the louder
when restraint is removed, and there
is no doubt which way the cat will
jump.
HURRY UP.
Placer Republican, Argus: Hurry up,
Democrats, Populists, ripups, soreheads
and cranks! Round up the cattle, de-
horn them and get ready to fuse. The
decree has gone forth, and the great
Democracy has got its pharyngials
ready to gulp the whole business. The
lambs must be folded, and the only fold
is the Democratic nav.
RESPONSIBILITY.
Fresno Republicans: The conscious
ness that a nation is respected abroad
has stimulating effect on its domestic
development. Broadening the sphere
of national interests increases the ac-
tivity of public life, and leads to a
higher patriotism and purer politics.
1t is better to play an active than
passive part in the worlds history, es
pecially in so important a transitional
time as the present. And it always
pays in the long run to accept rather
than shirk responsibilities.
DYNAMITE IN WARFARE
feature Of the war has been the test
ing Of the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius,
of which much was expected. These
expectations have been, in part, realiZ-
ed; yet, in spite Of the terrible effect
of the dynamite and guncotton shells,
it is by no means certain that the use
of such vessels will become general. al
though some people are already count
ing on the supplanting of gunpowder
by the more powerful explosive. While
the Vesuvius was hurting dynamite at
the Spanish forts, she was exposed to
the Spanish fire. None of the shots
took effect, which was fortunate. If
shell had struck her with full force
disastrous explosion would inevitably
have occurred, and hardly a splinter of
her would have been left
MISUNDERSTANDING TINS, there is little
doubt that dynamite, in some shape,
will become more and more one of the
principal destructive agencies used in
warfare. Probably this and other high
explosives will be largely used in land
warfare, by sending balloons up to high
attitudes, and dropping the shells over
the enemy's camp; while for use at
sea, vessels Of still greater speed and
longer range of guns than the vesuvius
will be built, which can dodge in and
out, and fire projectiles, with little
chance of being hit by the enemy.