The record-union., 1899-07-16

negotiated with Jamaica, should that
convention be ratified by the United
States Senate AS already stated, the
terms of the treaty are a close secret,
but 1t is now known that oranges,
lines, grape fruit and shaddock were
among the products on which the Ja-
maican envoys urged a reduction of
duty. It is also learned that they
asked the privilege Of erepacking or
anges on arrival before the duty is
levied. This last demand Of course is
a piece of pure impudence. California
shippers have to take risks of damage
to their consignments, and at one time
and another enormous losses have been
incurred in this way It would be an
undue advantage for the foreign COM
petitor to pay duty only on such fruit
as would bring top market prices. For
tunately, it is believed that as the law
now stands, this concession is impos-
sible. Moreover, there is hint that
the concessions which the Government
of Jamaica is willing to grant in re-
turn for decreased duties on island
fruit, are rather meager. It is Of course
impossible to discuss in detail treaty
whose exact terms are kept secret. But
from what has leaked out in regard to
this reciprocity agreement with Ja-
maica, there is no doubt that it is
thoroughly inimical to the interests of
the fruit-growers of both California
and Florida
DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
Mountain Democrat: When the pa
triots of '76 transformed the thirteen
United Colonies into free and inde-
pendent States, they had no further
use for the word colony, nor for what
it signifies. The nation thus created
has more than quadrupled it's conti-
mental dominion, by organized territor-
les, States, counties and townships
without breaking it's continental unity
or geographical subdivisions, any one
OF which is worth more than all Nc
kinley's unconquered conquests.
DONE WITH BOOKS.
Riverside Press: Done With Books"
Is the leading head line in a late issue
of the Chicago "Times-Herald," under
which is given an account of the grad
uation of one of Chicago's large edu-
cational institutions. This may be the
Ideal of some, but we are sure it is not
the hope of the majority Of graduates
Books can never be done with here.
When a man finishes his college
course he has not completed his educa-
ton in books. He has really only be-
gun to know how to use them.
THAT MANILA CENSORSHIP.
Contra Costa Gazette: Foes of the
Administration must be desperately
hard pressed for political material when
they fall pack on denouncing the CEN
sorship over press dispatches that are
sent from Manila.
The censorship is as regular an ac-
compartment Of war as is the main
tenance of military law among the off
GERS and soldiers of the army. 1t is no
new thing for the United States. Pres
ident Lincoln and Secretary Stanton
vigorously censored not only the tele-
graph but the mails and offenders
against the rules which they had es-
tablished had a very uncomfortable
time of it. From the outbreak of our
war with Spain rigid censorship was
in operation at such points as Tampa
and Key West ~ 1t was not confined
to telegraphic communications as is
now the censorship in force at
Manila, but when the transport fleet
was about to sail for Santiago the
newspaper correspondents were denied
for the time being the use of the mails
lest some intimation of the course or
destination of the fleet should reach
the hands of the enemy. And this fact
suggests the main motive of censor
ship. 1t is to prevent important in
formation from getting into the hands