The record-union., 1899-02-04
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
EXTRACTS FROM EDITORIAL
EXPRESSIONS.
State and Coast Opinions on Sub
jects Of Living News
Interest.

| 11uulUOlul lie Oldho@AN
would like to know in what particular
spot Senator Morehouse of Santa Clara
County intends to start his graveyard
for editors when he shall have secured
the passage of his bill making it justi-
fable homicide to kill an editor who
publishes a libel on one of his fellow
men.
| There is no doubt that some editors
| might be spared, to the advantage OF
the public, but the passage of Senator
! Warehouses; bill would compel some Of
the quilldaivers to go heavily armored
ard we'll ''heeled" for an attack and,
| therefore, it would not be conducive to
the peace and good order of the State.
AGUINALDO'S BACKING.
Los Angeles Times: There are the
best of reasons for believing that the
attitude of hostility toward the United
States which Aguinaldo and his follow
| ers have lately assumed is due in chief
part to influences outside of the Philip
pines. And there are also the best of
reasons for believing that one of those
| Influences is the opposition which has
| developed in the Senate of the United
| States to the ratification of the pend
| ing treaty of peace between the United
States and Spain. 1t is altogether prob
able that, had the treaty been promptly
ratified, Aguinaldo and his adherents
would have submitted to the inevitable
with good grace, and would have CO.
! operated with the Americans instead
of antagonizing them in the rehabilita-
ton of the islands and the establish
ment of good government throughout
| the archipelago.
The acquisition of the Philippines by
the United States is one of the logical
results of the war with Spain, which
brought great victories to our arms.
The brilliant achievement Of Admiral
Dewey in Manila Bay brought with it a
heavy weight of responsibility which
we cannot evade if we would. We are
responsible for the condition of affairs
| in the islands, and our responsibility
/ will continue until peace, tranquility
and good government have been firmly
esta blished. Being thus responsible,
We are entitled, and it is our duty, to
exercise the sovereignty which we have
wrested from Spain.
| This does not necessarily mean that
we are to retain possession of the Phil
ippines permanently. With Congress
alone rests the power and the duty of
| determining how long we shall con-
tinue as the supreme governing power
| in the islands. It is within the power
of Congress to relinquish them at any
time. But there is no rational ground
of doubt as to our present duty. We
must enforce our authority, pending
| the action Of Congress in determining
| the future government of the islands.
THE BICYCLE.
| Los Angeles Herald: The bicycle
has become one of the substantial in
| situations of the age. 1t is here to
stay. No longer toy, nor mere ad-
junct of recreation, its usefulness Is
recognized and appreciated even by
persons who get their ideas of the
wheel chiefly by lodging it in the
street The time is probably not far
distant when the cycleway will come
into use in thickly populated commune
ties. All over the United States there
lis now a demand for better roads. and
the most effective work in this direction
is done by the bicyclers. We have no
doubt that in the early years of the
new century great advance will be
made, in this country, in the making
of good roads. 1t is also reasonable
| to suppose that the vast increase in
bicycling will lead to the building of
special tracks for the silent steed.
THE CARTOON BILL.
San Jose Mercury: The bill making
1t felony for newspaper to print a
cartoon or portrait of any person with
out that persons consent intrenches
upon the freedom of the press and is an
1mpertinent interference with the legit-
innate function of the newspaper. I'm,
der its provisions the picture of a
pugilist. a burglar, murderer, a
prominent statesman, writer or other
person who happened to be prominently
before the public could not be published
without his personal consent and all be-
cause a number of legislators some
justly and some unjust1y have been
made the butt of ridicule by the car
toonist. The bill repeating the law re-
curing every person who institutes a
suit for libel to give bond in the
sum of $500 IS another unwise meas
ure, as 1t would enable any person
however worthless, or however uniusti-
fable be his action, to harass and put
to expense any paper that may have
had occasion to treat of his character
or doings without malice and in legi-
innate way for the public good
But the most atrocious and indefen-
sible bill of the lot is that which makes
it lawful for any one to KILL in the heat
of passion, any newspaper man who
has willfully and maliciously published
libelous matter concerning him. This
measure. which should be entitled "a
Bill for the Promotion of Murder" SC
far transcends the authority vested in
the Legislature, is so pernicious and
malevolent in design, and so far-reach-
ing in scope, that the Mercury cannot
conceive of any Legislature passing, OF
| any court upholding it.
GOMEZ'S CLAIM.
Fresno Republican,: General Gomez
claims for himself higher rank than
that of the commanding General of the
! American armies, and pretends to have
one more Major General and four times
as many Brigadier Generals as there
are in the entire regular and volunteer
armies of the United States on a wal
footing. If any American should seri-
ously put forward such preposterous
claims he would be promptly incarcer-
ated as a lunatic, along with the Ma
poleons and Caesars who populate ou1
asylums. But nothing is impossible to
the self-esteem of the Spanish Ameri-
can, and it may take considerable tact
and ingenuity to get the Cuban Gen
eral to sec the Righteousness Of his
! claims
NEWSPAPER RESPONSIBILITY.
Tular. Register: The primal curse
of metropolitan journalism however is
the millionaire newspaper owner who