The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-21
VOICE OF The PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSION.
State and Coast Opinions on SUBJ
jects Of Living News
Interest.

| nounces that he is experimenting with
a marvellous invention by which he
hopes to send an electric spark from
| the shore to explode the magazines of
| the enemy's battleships. The world
almost expects some such an invention
| by American electricians or engineers
| in case war continues long. The in
| Ventive genius is aroused and Ameri
| can capacity in that direction is more
| than equal to all the world beside. But
While the reading public has heard
many things of promise come from
| Tesla's lips very little came from the
| hands and brain Had Edison made
such an announcement we would know
| the invention was on the road. With
| Tesla it is somewhat different. He
| talks much. In these days of sensa-
| tions a taIker has little need to devote
his brain to invention. There are plen-
ty Of victims who will pay to listen.
ANOTHER PLEA
| Los Angeles Times: Ireland is now
clamoring for American intervention.
1t is evident that Uncle Sam is being
| looked to as the corrector of all the
worlds troubles, but while this nation
| is doubtless equal to any emergency,
| it is hardly likely to engage in any fur
Their humanitarian enterprises than the
one now in hand.
| PROBLEM OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Los Angeles Herald: Should our
| troops be sent to the Philippines, as is
now the intention, and unless Cuba is
earlier invaded, it will be the first in
stance of American troops being sent
| to a country outside the continent on
a war mission. 1t will be a signal
event from it's novelty not alone be-
cause the destination is beyond the
| continent, but in another hemisphere.
American armies have invaded Canada
| and Mexico. which are contiguous to
our own territory.
Asiatic peoples have heard of Amer
| lean warships, but our vessels have
never been numerous enough in ORR
entail waters to make a very deep i'm
preston. The presence of an American
army in their section of the world will
be new if not startling to them, and
Europeans will probably regard the act
as an innovation in American policy.
AS a war measure it is justifiable, but
| the serious question is, will it be the
incipient step toward a fixed future pol
| icy which may involve US in Asiatic
complications, and be fraught with
consequences which are now inconceiv-
| able?
RIGHT TO DO, BUT
! Kern Echo: At their County Conven-
ton in Visalia Monday the Populists
! of Tulare County declared by resolu
ton that they would stand by the Ad-
minstration on war matters. That was
| a patriotic thing TO do, but there have
| been times when the utterances Of
Populist leaders have indicated that
| they did not think the good name Of
this country worth defending. AS soon
| Quoted by either of the two old parties,
! they have at times appeared to believe
| that the old ship of State might about
as we'll be sunk and a fresh start made
| Perhaps the case was not as bad as
| they pretended to think it was.
WHAT TO DO WITH THEM
| Los Angeles Times: But after the
war, what,2 Shall we hold these
| islands, establish in them a just and
| liberal form Of government (Which they
| have never had under Spanish ruIe),
and afford to their Wretched native pop
ulation an opportunity to emerge from
| semi-barbarism into civilization? Shall
We return them to Spain? Shall we
| turn them over to some other nation?
| Or shall we give them independence
| and permit them to try the dubious
! experiment of government, with
| the moral certainty that such an exper-
! iment will result in anarchy, retrogres-
sion and failure? One of these courses
| of procedure must be taken. Which
shall it be?
| There are many indications that we
may find it a much more difficult mat
| ter to let go of the Philippines if we
elect to do so, than it was to gain pos
| session of them. To hold them per-
manently may prove to be much cas-
| Ter solution of the problem than to let
| them go. There is little probability
that any nation in the world would offer
serious objection to our retention of the
| islands, for the reason that no nation
| is in a position to raise objections. The
| leading nations of Europe have recent
| ~ acquired important possessions in
the Orient, and further acquisitions
| principally of Chinese territory will
follow in the near future. Not one of
these Powers could offer reasonable OBJ
| jections to the establishment of Amer
lean authority in the Orient by the re-
tention of the Philippines. Great Brit
ain certainly will not object, and the
rest of Europe dare not object if Great
Britain acquiesces.
WANT THE CANAL.
Santa Rosa Republican: Who can
estimate what would be the value to
! this country just at this time of the
| Nicaragua Canal If it had not been
for the fear that somebody would make
| a few dollars out of the enterprise the
! legislation under which to build the
canal would have been secured and the
| canal have been constructed long ago.
Our politicians, yes, and a good many
| of our people, have elected to fight over
| the plan of construction, and as a re-
| suit we are to-day without the most
| valuable agency we could have in con-
nection with the war with Spain. The
| great waterway would now add one
half to the effective force of the Amer
| lean navy 1t would dissipate the
! threatened cloud that hangs over Ma
| Mia. The canal is a necessity to this
country both in war and peace, and 1t
| should be finished with the least pos
! sible delay.
INFESTED FRUIT.
| Fresno Expositor: The packing and
shipping of inferior fruit has done
more harm to the industry in Califor-
MIA than all the pests that have ever
! infested our orchards and vineyards.
| This is now generally recognized, and
| therein lies the hope Of the future.
! Growers are beginning to realize that
| a good reputation means something In
! the fruit business, that low cunning
| doesn't win in the long run, but that
straightforward, honest methods will