The record-union., 1899-12-07

In Berkeley the authorities are unani-
nous in agreeing that it is nuisance
not to be tolerated. In San Francisco,
Oakland, Fresno and San Jose, public
sentiment is moving against it. The
Mercury of the last named city says:
Zone by one the cities of California
are passing ordinances that are fatal
to the slot machines. 1t is only a cues
ton of a short time when the lnhibi-
ton of this corrupting device will be
general
NEEDLESSLY ALARMED.
San Jose Mercury: Ex-President
Cleveland is needlessly alarmed, we
think, respecting the dangers OF militar-
ism. What militarism is, we may see
in the history of every European coun-
try from Rome down; and France just
now affords a painful exhibition of Its
evils in modern times. But because
militarism is an evil and destructive
thing does not justify a policy Of mil
itary weakness and inefficiency. We
must not confound the abuses with the
uses of military force. So long as our
army is limited to the employments
that we have for it, we need not be
afraid; and certainly an army of lOO,-
GU men is not likely to dominate the
country nor to disturb the peace-o Of
mind of men of common sense. The
reasons which demand a larger army
than We have recently had are plain.
In the Philippines. in Cuba and Porto
Rico considerable forces are needed and
will be long to come, while the general
increase of our coast defenses calls for
more men at home. In increasing the
military organization to meet these de-
mands we need have no fears. of be-
ing overrun and overridden.
THE LEAVEN is WORKING.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat: The
movement of the popular election of
United States Senators is moving slow
ly, but it is surely moving. At its
last session the Legislature Of Penn
sylvania authorized the appointment
of committee of two Senators and
three Representatives to confer with
the Legislatures of other States with
the view of bringing about the sub
mission of an amendment to the Fed
eral Constitution for the election Of
Senators and also of the President and
Vice President by popular vote. This
committee has just held a meeting in
Philadelphia, at which 1t is announced
that communications have been re-
ceived from the Secretaries CT State
of every State in the union except Ar
kansas, and that in the Western States
particularly there is a strong feeling
in favor Of electing United States Sena-
tors by popular vote. 1t was decided
to ask other States to send representa-
tives with the view of adopting a
uniform plan of procedure. There is
unquestionably a. strong sentiment
throughout the country in favor of the
election of United States Senators di-
rectly by the people, and the plan sug-
gested in Pennsylvania seems likely
to concentrate this sentiment into an
extremely effective force.
A WARNING.
Redding Searchlight: The man or
woman who puts a dollar into shares
of these California oil companies that
have sprung UP like toadstools had bet
ter kiss the money good-by. OF course
the prospectuses and circulars are al
Turing. It5Would be waste OF money
to print them if they were not. The
companies want your dollar to dig and
see whether their oil lands are oil
lands. They'll take care that you don't
get the best of it when they strike oil.
Better put your money into grub stalk
ing some prospector right at your own
doors