The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-15

pathy and cries for succor from the
sick and suffering poor, who must be
cared for, whatever may be the cause
of their sickness or their poverty-and
the poor We have always with US. The
sons of farmers are forsaking the fields
because the cities are more attractive
to them. 1t seems to me that slowly
but surely there is growing UP strong
err and stronger wall of caste, with good,
honest labor on one side and frivolous
gentility ON the other. We seem to be
fast outgTowing those things which,
when our fathers lived, We're called
sterling qualities, but now are called
follies, or work that a gentleman should
not do, as though all honest work was
not honorable work. The world has
grown small When I was a boy it
was very big thing.
Il we'll remember the sad parting
which took place in my own town when
one of its families left there to lind a
new home in the Genesee country, in
New York State. It was long journey
and those who said good-by never ex-
pected to meet again. To-day that
family could have started out in the
morning, got their luncheon at the place
necticut the same night. Benjamin
Franklin once said, as recollect, that
he fully expected to see the time come
when the mails would be carried be-
tween Washington and Boston in ten
days, with considerable regularity.
What a change the close of the nine
teenth century has brought us! We can
read in to-night's paper the events
which have taken place all over the
civilized world this same day. We ring
bell in San Francisco and talk with
our friend a. thousand miles away with
the same readiness and ease as if he
simply stood behind a curtain.
AS said before, the young man of
to-day has field Of action before him
that is simply bewildering. In San
Francisco we stand opposite the open
door of the Orient, with all the varied
possibilities of trade and commerce i'm
piled therein. The telegraph has put
the nations Of Asia and ourselves into
the position of neighbors, and we want
to reap some advantages from that
close connection, for we are nearer to
China than Western Europe is, with
no expensive canal tolls to pay. 1 do
not see why we should be any more
afraid of the Chinaman than the people
of other countries are, and they will
welcome him as a factor in their de-
yelopment- 1t seems to me that we can
afford to give to all a fair chance and
trust to the survival of the fittest-not
through the sword but by the test OF
industry, energy, economy and ma
terlal practical progress in the things
that make pations great and men in
vincible
THE outcome in the Philippines, so
far as the control of them by the
United States is concerned is concerned
is not doubtful. When we have once
established peace there, the next ques-
ton Will be how to maintain it, The
F1nplnoS have shown us that they do
not lack independence of spirit, cour-
age determination and perseverance.
These are qualities which make good
citizenship in a republic; although there
are others which are necessary in con-
junction with them. These others can
be cultivated, and, if the present gem
GRAFTON should not prove susceptible to
such education, the next one may be.
1t will become our duty as citizens of
a free and enlightened republic to duly
give TO the Filfpinos q fair representa-
ton with respect to the establishment
of government on those islands: and
in the meantime, having ourselves OBJ
tanned, through the exigency of cir
cumstances arising out of our war with
Spain, a foothold in the Orient the
American Republic must have a voice
among the great nations which are as
it We're settling the future of China.
the disintegration of that magnificent
old empire, whose history runs back
into past so dim and misty that no
man knows the record of its years. I
believe it to be in the interest of the
world that the unity of that empire
should be maintained; and I believe
Iurther Ihat her preservation and safe
" Will depend upon her commercial
renovation; in short, if she locksaher
doors against foreign trade they will
be broken down and the land will be
overrun by hordes of greedy and am
bilious peoples; but if she swings them
WIDE open to the whole world. guar
anteeing equal rights to all who NAV
wish TO enter her marts of trade. she
Will be quickened with new life and
fulfill better destiny than seems to
cOAlfonl nef at the close of the nine
teenth century. In a new political
policy of such a character China would
or she should-find in the United
States a willing and powerful ally
thlnk we are in the East to stay. and
II we are our attitude before the ma
lions should be that of an equal COM
petltor with them in fair race for
the legitimate prizes of commerce. We
want no share in the partition of China
but We do want the other nations to
keep their hands off and let China
stand. We do want China to give to
US and to all the commercial privi-
leges which obtain in successful ma
tons, and we ought to give to her in
return what is her due under the
golden rule.
Il have talked longer than 1 wanted