The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-04-17

peheVe 1t We would hardly give IL
voice under present circumstances.
TOO MUCH HESITATION.
San Diegan-Sun: The reports from
lConsul-General Lee at Havana yester-
day may have been sufficient reason
for the President to postpone his mes
sage to Congress, but neither those re-
ports nor anything that could possibly
nave developed gives warrant to the
vaclllation and hesitation and too APP
parent lack of firmness and real ex-
ecutive capacity manifested by the
President in dealing with this entire
difficulty with Spain.
The Cuban cause is either right or
wrong. If 1t is wrong then the United
States has nothing to do with it. II it
is right, and the sentiment of the coun-
try, based upon reports that are not to
be questioned, has so declared, then the
United States should say so manfully
and in an unmistakabIe American way.
let the consequences to Spanish crown
or Spanish sovereignty be what they
may.
THE NATION COMPROMISED.
me County Paper: The war news
is not at.all reassuring. The President
has at last submitted his long-delayed
message to Congress, which is chiefly
significant as lacking either in martial
spirit or paclt1cation. There is no doubt
OF the Presidents patriotic devotion to
! peace, and he is so imbued with this
| otherWlse praiseWorthy sentiment that
IN the present crisis his message utter
ly falls to rise to the 1. situation. The
message is evidently predicated upon
the ultimatum he has already forward
ed to Spain. 1t appears that in his ul-
timatum he nowhere demanded Cuban
independence or provided for interven-
ton. Six of the leading Powers of the
world have taken the President at his
word-assumed that he spoke the voice
of the American nation in his ultima
tum-and have interviewed to compel
! Spain to accept the terms of the ulti-
matum, and to abide by then Spain
has agreed to this ultimatum, and
herein she has put this nation in a very
uncomfortable, awkward box
A DEMOCRATIC PROTEST.
Colusa Sun: The office of President of
so great a nation is entitled to respect.
| When Benjamin Harrison, the Presi-
dent came to California, we joined in
to pay respect to the office. We would
not have walked across the street TO
see Benjamin Harrison as private in
! dividual. The officer is the servant,
but at the same time the ruler. Even
in little county convention. a Presi-
dent is elected as a servant OF the con-
vention but he must rule it, and his
position entities him to the respect Of
the members and visitors. The higher
we go up the scale the more respect is
due the office, and the man in it for the
time. There is but one method by
which the will of the people is to be
gotten at, and that is by the ballot. A
man is put in to carry out Il certain pol
icy, and when he rules on those lines
he is carrying out that policy. When
foreign complications come upon US
legally constituted authorities get in
formation they would not be justified
in giving to the public, and the true
patriot is willing to stand by the Gov
eminent when right, and right or wrong
stand by it. The General of the army
is nothing but a servant, but it is
necessary that every man obey his Or
ders-right or wrong. When this lit
tie difficulty blows over, we may cali
accounting of the stewardship; but in
the face of the enemy it is not patriotic
to hamper the man we have pushed to
the front
THE PEOPLE TRUSTFUL.
Marysville Democrat: President Nc
Kinley understands the situation. hav-
ing sent trusted representatives to the
island soon after his inauguration. He
knows what is necessary to accomplish
the desired end, and we have not the
least doubt that the people of the coun-
try will be satisfied with the result.
The course marked out by the Presi-
dent and approved by Congress will not
please the radical men of either of the
great political parties, nor will it salts
fy the Democrats who desire to make
little cheap political capital In fact,
the affairs are in the hands of A con-
sentative President, backed by a con-
sentative majority in Congress, and
that means a settlement of the Cuban
question without the least friction or
interference of other nations.
BEER TAX
Oakland Tribune: The brewers don't
like the idea of the tax on beer being
doubled in order to furnish a war reve-
nue., and they are making a protest al
ready to the Government on the sub
ject. AS by doubling the present tax
the Government revenues would be in
creased about $30,00OOO0 per annum,
and as no such sum can be collected
from any other source as readily and
with as little hardship to the people,
the protest is likely to be of little avail.
AS far as the consumer is concerned,
he needn't fear. Beer may be drawn at
little more of a long-distance range
and in consequence have bigger top
ping of foam, but it will be five cents
glass as of yore.