The record-union., 1898-03-21
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSION.
State and Coast Opinions on Sub
jects Of Living News
Interest.

|
the public press to the effect that GER
tain powerful European nations have
warned President Mckinley not to war
with Spain is quite fishy. Such advice
would be foolish impertinence under ex-
listing circumstances and would tend
to foment rather than to prevent hos
tilities. European nations will do We'll
to keep hands off in this controversy,
and rulers there know this without be-
| ing told. We are safe in saying the
story is just a yarn told to help the
sale Of newspapers.
BROAD COLUMN.
| Solano Courier: The fact that some
of the interior journals are aping the
Examiner by adopting the wide edi-
| torial column system is causing some
comment among the papers. Nothing
strange about it, brethren, nothing
strange about it. This is an age of
pomp and show, and narrow tracked
ideas make a better show when mount
ed on a tracked foundation, you
know. The modest little flowers of
nobility and common sense scattered
along the dusty route are almost total
! ly obscured by the pomp, show and
noise Of the tinkling cymbals and
sounding brass of the period.
CAN'T KEEP EN- OUT.
San Jose Mercury: Smuggling Amer
lean apples into Germany, says the
New York Mail and Express has
rapidly become a profitable business
in that country The fruit is excluded
from the German markets only because
it is so superior that it destroys the
demand for native products, but the
people want it, and the smugglers sup
ply it to them. The American apple
can't be kept out Of any market where
its excellence is known
| SPAIN AND THE PHILIPPINES.
! Modesto News: 1t seemed strange
how Spain was able to so quickly sup
press the rebellion in the Philippine
! Islands, when the insurgents appeared
to be on the very verge of success 1t
transpires, however, that Spain bought
the rebels off; at least, that story is
told for truth The revolutionists took
| the money, left the islands and with
the price that had been paid them be-
gan silently to purchase guns, drill
! and otherwise prepare for an uprising
which would be too powerful for the
Whole army and navy of Spain to sup
press.
HER DILEMMA
San Diego Tribune: Without funds.
without maintaining a defensible dfplo-
matte position toward this country,
without a fleet or an army capable of
| coping with the forces of the United
! States, and without a cause worthy of
the commendation but entitled to the
! hearty condemnation of all enlightened
people and nations, Spain will do well
to treat with the Cubans. accept de-
feat as gracefully as may be, avoid war
with this nation, and again take I'D the
peaceful relations with all the world
COTTON AND POPULATION.
| San Jose Herald: A contemporary re-
marks that the production of cotton in
| the United States has nearly quad
rupled in the last twenty-five years.
while the increase in population has
been only about % per cent. Our con-
temporary has evidently copied figures
from some source without testing their
accuracy The average cotton crop of
a quarter of a century ago was about
! 100000 bales. OF late years it has
/ been averaging, about 100000 bales,
a doubling of the product. During the
/ last twenty-five years our population
has increased from 40,000,000 in round
numbers to an estimated figure of
about 15,000O0O So the disparity in
our population and our cotton crop has
not been sufficient to account for the
| fall in price as our contemporary ar
CUES.
THE RISK WE TOOK
Santa Barbara Press: One shudders
| to think of the humiliation to which
this country would have been subjected
had our old policy of a neglected, anti
quated navy been still in force Even
| the jingoes would have been silent
through very shame, and the yellow
! journals even would not dare to declare
war. Admiral Kirkland in a recent in
| terview is reported to have said that
war would be a good thing 1t would
teach our people that victories can
not be won by the chin" This view
of the case seems to have the merits
of practicability.
Be this as it may, the country is now
rapidly approaching a state where she
may dictate terms to Spain. She is no
longer like the soft-shelled crab, forced
to borrow the color of her surroundings
in order to escape her enemies, but has
! developed a shell and claws.
| The chances of war, while these pre-
parations are hourly progressing, are
growing less and less.
AS TO AUSTRIA.
Stockton Record: If European ma
tions want to see the American people
really infiamed, if they desire a genu-
| inc manifestation of independence,
lcourage and strength, then let them act
on the alleged recommendation of Aus
| tria, to interfere in our quarrel with
Spain. The affair with Spain has en-
tered the acute stage, and no respon-
sible class in this country is urging un-
! just action. True, some Of the press
are abusing the license of existence by
telling lies and exciting prejudice But
| lying is not a crime unless it is prac-
| ticed on the witness-stand.
But we want no suggestion from
Austria, no dictation from the Triple
Alliance, no interference from Europe
The unanimity of Tmerica in regard to
war preparations is only a holiday
shout in comparison with the concert
of enthusiastic defiance that would re-
suit from any threat or attempt to
press this country into an unjust sur
render We have nothing to fear from
Europe. There is not Power on the
Continent that dare interfere to make
common cause with Spain
1T DOES NOT SCARE"
Los Angeles Times: The war scare
| does not scare Mr. Dingley's bill any.
It keeps right on piling up the sinews
of war for our Uncle twenty-four hours
| per diem, just the same as if nobody
was buying guns or powder or battle
1 rsTr