The record-union., 1898-06-06

diers during the war of 1861 resulted in
but 13 per cent. of rejections. The late
crucial test excluded nearly 40 per cent.
This is an alarming condition. Whittier
is the American race drifting? With
physical wrecks for fathers, what can
be expected of the coming generation? =?
A Superintendent of an Eastern rail-
way company employing 200 young
men in it's offices declares that 50 per
cent of the errors made can be traced
to thirty-two young men who smoke
cigarettes Is it cause for surprise,
then. that he has formally notified en-
ployes that they must either abstain
from cigarette-smoking or forfeit Eheir
positions? Such a ruling may seem
severe to the victims of the health
destroying habit, but the author of it
must be regarded as a benefactor, in
the light of these recent physical reve-
lations.
a COSTLY LESSON.
Riverside Enterprise: Just what has
been predicted for years has finally
happened. Secretary after Secretary
has importuned Congress for money
with which to provide for an emergency
and Congress, with the large optimism
which is one of it's chief characteristics,
has answered that in case of war
American ingenuity would be implic-
lily relied upon to build ships, cast
guns and equip an army. 1t has now
learned that there is one important fac
tor which ingenuity cannot overcome
and that is time We have the men,
the machinery and the raw materials,
but time we had not.
The civil war opened the eyes of the
world to the fact that we are peC-
pie of magnificent resources. We es-
tablished the Southern blockade when
Europe declared the feat impossible:
we turned out an irOnclad that cOnsign-
ed the wooden navies. of the world to
the junk yard; we reduced field in
trenchment to a science that wrought
a revolution in military tactics, and
having accomplished all this, we stop
ped and let the rest of the world con-
tinue what we had begun, fancying
ourselves secure by virtue of an inher-
rent ability to astonish mankind by a
spontaneous outburst of innovation
whenever the time should arrive for it.
1t was this dangerous sense of security
which influenced Congress, excused mig
gardly appropriations and peremptory
refusals to appropriate.
Well, the strain has finally come The
large portion of the original 500, ,000,-
900 placed at the disposal of the Pres
ident abroad for American interven-
tions transplanted to foreign soil be-
cause the Government would not foster
them here. and the volunteers are not
yet properly equipped.
FOR A GREAT NAVY
Stockton Record: The United States
ought to have a navy large enough to
make it unnecessary, except under ex-
traordinary circumstances, to send YES
sells from one ocean to the other. The
changes that have taken place among
European Powers and in their attitude
toward those not allied to them, makes
it unsafe. even for so peaceful nation
as this. to be even unprepared for war
even for a few weeks. The grumblings
of the continental newspapers at the
acquisition of the Philippines by this
country indicate plainly what they
would do if they dared. Spain's hope of
intervention is not without a basis of
assurance from some of these Powers
that would aid her If they could, and
all things indicate that all Europe, eX-
cept Great Britain. look with fear as
well as jealousy on the prodigiOus
growth in wealth and power Of Amer
lea.
Fear and jealousy are prolific
causes of war, and when to those mo-
tives is added that of loss of profitable
trade, the danger Of war is greatly in