The record-union., 1898-12-15
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast Opinions on Sub
jects Of Living News
Interest.

| l1e glory possible out OF posing before
the world as war lord, Emperor Will
lam is now going to take up the other
end and shine out resplendent as the
Wearer of the white robes of peace. His
opening address to the Reichstag,
| wherein he expresses his approval Of
the Cars plea for international dis
armament and announces that his pol
Icy in future will be the maintenance
of peace, sounds rather strangely from
his lips. If Germany lays down her
arms. though, she had better keep them
within reach, for France is only await
ing good opportunity to get back AL
sace-Lorraine again.
NICARAGUA CANAL AND THE
TREATY.
Stockton Independent: The Clayton
Bulwer treaty was formally abrogated
when Secretary Frelinghuysen gave the
British Government notice that it could
no longer be observed because Great
Britain has violated it. 1t was abro-
gated indirectly when Great Britain
submitted to the Venezuela arbitration,
thus acknowledging the primacy and
supremacy Of the United States Gov
ernment in everything American.
But whatever treaties exist and I'M
der whatever auspices the canal is
built, this nation is pledged to it's neu-
trality. Moreover it is bound to
eventually come under the control of
the power that is able to defend it in
the event of war. 1t would make no
difference what treaties or concessions
had been entered into. in the event OF
trouble it would be held by the nation
with the heaviest guns, just as the
Suez canal was closed by the British a
few years ago. notwithstanding the pre-
tense of neutrality
But the people and the peoples Pres
ed themselves in favor Of the Nicaragua
Canal in preference to the Panama
fake, in favor of prompt action and in
favor of American control in time of
peace, and heavy guns to protect that
control in time Of war. And so it will
be.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Santa Rosa Republican: President
McKinleys message to Congress is just
such a document as might be expected
from the present Chief Executive Of the
United States The President realizes
that he is not Car, nor an Emperor,
I but simply the agent and instrument of
free people and is presumed 20 act in
! accordance with their interests and de-
sires. He realizes that it is not for
him to say what he wishes to have
done, but for him to see that the things
are done which the people desire and
which are put in tangible form by the
action or Congress. The President ap-
| preciates to a nicely his position and
does not undertake to usurp the powers
or trespass on the domain Of Congress,
as was so notably the case with his
predecessor President Cleveland.
THE MERCHANT MARINE.
| Alameda Argus: It is now time for
Congress to pay some attention to the
merchant marine. The navigation laws
should be promptly amended or recon-
structed, so that the most liberal en-
couragement to American ship-owners
ana builders will be afforded. With
| national expansion comes the opportu-
| rity to recreate the merchant marine,
that one-time glory Of the United States
which has all but vanished. We see
| that the SCOTS and other San Francis
cans are behind an enterprise to estab-
| iish a line of American ships between
San Francisco Manila and the Orient.
Henry 7. Scott is now in the East in
the interest of the project and it is rep
resented that the only thing now lack
! ing is legislation that will extend the
navigation laws over the Philippine pos
sessions These, Of course, cannot be
| long delayed. II looks bright for this
| coast that such great enterprises are
| being undertaken. If San Francisco is
not a mighty commercial city in the
| immediate future it will be for the rea-
son that not enough of them are pro-
! jected, or that the merchants and public
men are not able to see their oppor-
| tunity.
consent OF THE GOVERNED" ;"
| Portland Oregonian: The anti-im-
perialist argument" Of Rev. DR.. Van
! Dyke is that we cannot accept terri
torial expansion without being disloyal
Ito the principles Of the Revolution
and government of free consent around
the world" DR.. Van Dyke ought to
know that when these principles"
| were proclaimed there was no such
| free consent" neither here nor any
where else. Slavery existed even in
! New England and in New York at the
| time of the Revolution without the
| "free consent" of those in bondage
without any recognition of their right
| to be consulted in the matter Of the
| Government Jefferson bought Louisi-
ana without asking the consent of the
| inhabitants: we bought and annexed
| Florida without asking the consent of
| the inhabitants; we did not consider
| our neglect to obtain the free con-
sent" Of the inhabitants of the terri
tory acquired by the Mexican war dis
| loyal to the principles" of the Revo-
| luton We gave these annexed peo-
| pie liberty without asking their con-
| sent and approval; we shall give lib
erty and ultimately lf-government to
| the Philippines. All the arguments
urged to-day by the anti-annexation
| press and preachers were put forward
when we took louisiana, in 1903. Jo-
siah Quincy, the ablest statesman from
| New England, predicted on the floor
! of Congress the death of the Constitu-
ton in case Louisiana was annexed,
but the Constitution still lives, al
| though the right of secession, which
| Quincy asserted and whose execution
on part of New England he threat
ened. is dead. The farewell address
OF Washington is no more the last
word of political policy for the Gov
ernment Of this country than the He
brew decalogue was the last word of
! God to man for the moral government
Of the world Henry Watterson is
right when he blithely bids the political
doctrinaires. like Schurz, and the al
truistic pulpiteers, like Dr. Van Dyke.
not to take themselves too seriously,
but to remember that ''the bucolic re-