The record-union., 1898-12-08
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast Opinions on SUBJ
jeots OF Living News
Interest.

= dAciScO 'ChrOnlcle and some Otner
authorities that it could not be done,
the Peace Commissioners have incor-
p0rated an article in the treaty of
peace guaranteeing Spain for twelve
years the same trade privileges in the
philippines as those enjoyed by the
Americans. So while our contemporary
is demonstrating that it cannot be
done, it is being done. That is not
all for it has been done in Cuba al
ready. where General Wood, an officer
acting under the Constitution and by
direction of the President, has estab-
ished a provisional government and
has been collecting duties levied on
articles imported from the United
States and using the funds to maintain
government in that part of Cuba
PHYSICAL COURAGE.
Tulare Register: Physical courage
seems to belong to no particular sta
ton in life. In a case like the burning
OF the Baldwin Hotel there is no lack
OF brave men and women to risk their
lives for others. and whether they
were rich or poor mattered not at all.
Perhaps the aristocratic ladies showed
less grit in the face of danger than the
servant girls, but that was doubtless
due to nervousness caused by not hav-
ing had enough to do. to keep them
selves healthy We are pretty much
of piece, after ALL and it is encour-
aging to know that we have many
brave men and women in the world.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Ell Dorado Republican: Some of the
newspapers commenting upon the COM
ynfo o;fJ
or against the constitutional amend
ments, find in this circumstance an ar
gument against submitting such ques-
tions to the popular consideration in
stead of to representative assemblages.
There is no real argument against the
submission of such questions to the
people in the fact that many do not
vote upon them. The same thing occurs
in Congress, in Legislatures, and in all
other representative bodies whenever
the questions voted upon are not of the
| most important nature The represen-
tatives Of the people shirk the consid-
GRAFTON of questions that do not par
ticularly attract their interest or at
tention just as the voting population
| does in a general election. Represen-
tatives are no more attentive to polit-
ical duties than are the people who
elect them. The submitting of amend
| ments to the people is operating benefi-
cially. The bright, active, conscien-
tious men consider them carefully and
vote intelligently. Those who know
nothing about them either do not vote
or else vote against them to avoid the
risks of hasty action. A greater in
terest in such matters and a greater
intelligence is growing among the peo-
pie which will, in the end, result in a
very great social benefit. Under the
present system of constitutional
| amendments, change that is not re-
/ quired or one that is not particularly
| beneficial is almost certain to be de-
/ feated by the natural tendency toward
conservatism and 1.-The safe side,' while
really desirable changes of much i'm
portance can at any time be effected
by thoroughly explaining them to the
| voters. The participation of the or
dinary voter in. these affairs of govern
ment will in the end be a source of
| great Improvement for the only way
in which he can become a. really intelli-
| gent citizen fit to govern himself is by
| thinking to some etxent about matters
of government instead of delegating all
his political ideas to some incompetent
who happens to be running for office.
THE NEW MONROE DOCTRINE.
Fresno Republican: We have ex-
panded. Whether we like it or not, we
have become an International power, to
be consulted in the affairs of the Orient
and to expect that other Powers will
demand the right to consult with us as
| to our action in those affairs. Our iso-
lation is at an end, and with it, in the
opinion of many, the bulwark of that
isolation, the Monroe doctrine. But let
us see. The Monroe doctrine, as or
iginally announced, was defensive re-
sponse to threat atenedi aggression. The
Holy Alliance of Europe was plotting to
impose monarehical governments on the
republics of Central and South America
and We merely announced that we
would not permit any such aggression
| in the Americas and would refrain
from counter aggression in Europe.
| Since then the doctrine has developed
into q settled policy Of non-interfer-
ence in European affairs except where
cur interests are concerned and of a
refusal to permit European interference
in American affairs, except where the
| interests of some European Power are
directly involved
There is no reason at all why this
policy should not continue 1t may
have to be enunciated anew and re-
christened the Mckinley doctrine, but
it can be insisted on and respected just
as it has always been. Our foreign
concerns are in Asia, not in Europe,
and we need not be an international
Power except SO far as Asiatic Powers
are concerned. The fact that some
of these Powers are also European
Powers complicates the situation for
them but it need not for us. In fact,
the continuance of the Monroe doctrine
lis a very important protection to us
from such complications. No European
Power can make move In Asia with
lout considering it's effect in Europe, and
many needed moves are not made for
that reason alone. We can make them
boldly and freely.
VOTING MACHINES.
San Jose Mercury: The people of
California will await with interest the
report of the commission appointed by
the Governor to investigate the SUBJ
iect of voting machines, and more so
as the tedious waiting for election re-
turns at the late election has given a
new importance to the subject. A per-
feet voting machine, If such can be
had, would greatly simplify and expe-
dite the act of voting; it would make
1t possible to obtain the returns at an
tearly hour after the closing Of the polls,
and it would also greatly lessen the ex-
lpense of holding elections. There are
J. mo oahi in, he h1rf