The record-union., 1899-07-27
VOICE OF THE PRESS. .
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast 0pinions on Sab.
,jects Of Living News
Interest.

| rect 1t. When all the newspapers re-
cord the fact that a 15 per cent rise
in the wages Of 10000 tinplate workers
has just been made, and that the same
increase will probably affect 10000
more, it is seen that American made
tinplate" is no longer a joke, but very
substantial and important reality. And
the Mckinley bill alone spoiled the joke
that was cracked at it's expense.
A LESSON.
Oakland Enquirer: The speedy col
lapse of the street car strike in New
York and Brooklyn shows how rash and
ill-advised was it's institution. So-caled
labor leaders. who lead unfortunate
! wage earnefS into a contest in which
| they have not the slightest chance to
win are the greatest pest which afflicts
the laboring man, and if they are usel
as tools of Wall street spectators, as
it is charged they were in this instance,
their criminality takes on a still worse
aspect. A good many hundred honest
but misguided men have lost their po-
| sitions by following foolish ad-
vice in this New York strike, and that
| is about the only result of the strug-
! gle.
| TRUSTS AND PROTECTION.
| Contra Costa Gazette: Since it is set
tied that the Democratic outcry against
trusts is intended to mask a fresh as
| sault on protection it is we'll to consider
the disturbance of prosperity implied
by this movement In former years and
not long ago, the Democratic party con-
tended that a protective law was an
! impossible bar to the growth of for
Ipi on tn
that theory. American foreign trade is
at high water mark. In six years our
exports of manufactures have increased
40 per cent. They have quadrupied
since 1870. Since 1890 there has been
an increase in the foreign commerce of
| Germany and France, both protection
| iSt countries. but no increase in free
trade England. For fiscal year just
| closed the value of exports of American
manufactures was $685., ,O0O, 900, an in
crease over the preceding year of $44,-
| 100000. The gain in iron and steel ex-
ports for the year was 50, ,OOO.O This
enlargement of the export of manufac-
tured articles is, from it's nature, a
permanent advance. Havests may fail
and the demand for our food supplies
/ fuctuate, but the wave of foreign trade
coming to our factories is based on a
( continuous demand and is met by
steady production.
| LACK OF LABORERS.
| Alameda Argus: Superintendent Fill
more has stated that the railroad COM
pany finds it difficult to get all the men
it wants. Farmers report a scarcity
of hands. Oakland fruit packers adver-
tise for 700 women Mechanics are
universally busy. The industrial condi-
ton has not been as satisfactory in
seven years. Men who want to work
and can work are able to find some
thing to do. This is the most substan-
tial and undoubted sign of the return
of prosperity. 1t ought to reassure
those who thought the industrial end
had come, and to confuse the theorist
who laid the late stagnation to some
national financial policy, or lack of it.
| The only people who are not likely to
relish the rehabilitated times are the
calamity politicians, who declared that
| things would never go right till they
got in, and who find themselves thor
oughly discredted.
INTEREST LOWERED.
San Jose Herald: The action of the
Hibernia Bank of San Francisco in re-
ducing it's rate of interest on loans and
the downward tendency of savings
bank dividends, indicates that the sup
ply of money is in excess of the de-
mand. That ought to result in indus
trial expansion if it remains permanent.
Such movement will not be likely to
affect the deposits of savings banks.
Their deposits are largely those of peo-
pie who distrust their ability to handle
their own money either in active bus
ines operations Or in making loans But
it must be remembered that the de-
posits of savings banks are not money
Withdrawn from circulation, but money
put in circulation throughout the COM
munity whenever borrowers can see
their way to use it, and quickened in
dustry will tend to increase rather than
diminish their deposits.
DISTRIBUTING THEIR WEALTH.
Alameda Encinal: Andrew Carne-
gie's statement that man ought not
to die rich and his determination to try
and get rid of all his wealth before
death overtakes him have been received
with much incredulity. But there is
certainly a growing disposition on the
part Of our rich men to return some
portions Of their wealth to the COM
munity in which they made it. The list
of magnificent bequests that have been
made within year will bring this to
view. Most of them have been made in
favor of public institutions and chart
ties. The late Robert G. Billings left
81, 500, 900 to be distributed in this way.
A careful computation of the money
given within ten years by rich men and
women to public charities and educa-
tional enterprises would make one OF
the most astounding of exhibits. This
munificence is assuming an American
largeness and is already attracting the
attention and eliciting the admiration
of foreign countries.
IMPERIALISM AND CHINA.
Colusa Sun: Two powerful syndi-
Gates, one American and one English
have formed a combination in China,
and each has the backing of it's gov
ernment, so that there may be said to
be an Anglo-American alliance in the
Orient. If we are to go into imperial
ism it may be as well to have an al
lance with nation that has the big
gest ships and the biggest guns; and
by the way, the biggest statesmen. 1t
may be monifest destiny that the Eng
lish- speaking people will give laws to
the world; but whole lot of the old
i fogy notions of our respected ancestors
will have to go the way of old rubbish
will have to fill the junk shops of
history.
SUING A TRUST.
Oregon Statesman: A Chicago man