The record-union., 1899-10-16

proof that his only hope in prolonging
hostilities against the United states
troops lies in the attitude of the Demo-
cratic Atkinsons; he has been deluded
! into believing them strong enough TO
overthrow the existing policy Of this
| Government. Thus are our brave boys
uselessly exposed to the dangers of the
/ battlefield through the stupidity or cul-
pability of those who, for political and
selfish reasons only, are prolonging a
struggle that should have been termi-
mated long ago.
ENSLAVING PEOPLE.
Tulare Register: Few things make
us SO unutterably tired as ali this talk
about America enslaving the Filipinos
and the English enslaving the Beers.
When did either nation ever enslave
anybody? Are slaves given the right
of franchise, equality before the law,
the right Of habeas corpus, of trial by
| jury, freedom to go and come, to en-
| bark in any legitimate calling and an
all around equality of opportunity? Do
| slaves have free public schools estab-
/ lished among them, hospitals built for
them, railroads constructed TO carry
their products to market, steamboats,
subsidized to build up trade for them
with foreign countries. laws enacted to
protect them in person and in prop
erty? Was it this sort of slavery that
England and America have abolished
at great cost of blood and treasure and
which a great many Of those who now
cry out against the enslavement Of
these far distant peoples defended as
a peculiar institution ordained of God?
Are Canada, Australia, India enslaved?
Have we reduced the Hawaiians to
bondage? 1t has been many a decade
since either the Stars and Stripes or
the lion and the unicorn stood for any
thing but the fullest liberty and the
freest institutions known to human
history and all this talk OF Anglo
Saxon and Celtic-Saxon enslaving any
body is criminal rot
MOUNTAIN FIRES.
San Jose Mercury: In the fall of ev-
cry year there are destructive fires in
the Santa Cruz mountains, though sell
dom SO disastrous as this season. 1t is
usually the brush and the timber that
are destroyed, but this year owing to
the fact that everything is excessively
dry the fires have spread to the or
chards and vineyards, and many pros
porous settlers have been burned out
Of house and home.
Now, these fires are the result of
criminal carelessness on the Part of
hunters or campers. as rule, and
steps should ne taken % prevent their
annual recurrence and to punish those
who are responsible tor them. A vigil
liant patrol, composed of the residents
of the mountains who are directly and
vitality interested in the matter for
three or four months every year would
probably be effective. If only a few
of these careless people could be arrest
ed and punished as they deserved.
hunters and campers generally would
be more careful. But those who have
had experience with the class who
tramp over the mountains, gun in
hand, especially on Sundays, know that
it would require a very strong oatroI
to compel them to respect the rights
OF others in any particular They are
intent only upon their own amuser ,ent,
and anybody who attempts to re-
strain them, except by adequate physi-
cal force, will have only abuse srd
curses for his pains.
The only authority adequate tc the
business Of protection against fire is
that of the State or General Govern
ment A patrol force armed with real
authority would Of course command re-
spect Such a force maintained by the
Government guards the forests of the
States north Of us. Is there no way of
enllstlng similar guardianship for the
Santa Cruz mountains and other timber
fields of California?
PROTECT FORESTS WITH FIRE
Stockton Independent: A large part
of the news of the day relates to the
forest and mountain fires that are de-
vastating many sections of the coast
mountain districts. = In Soma
cases suspicion has been awakened
that the fires were of incendiary ori-
gin, but in most cases the origin is un-
known. The public knows that the
origin is the same in all cases. viz.
carelessness
homes, orchards vineyards, outbuild-
lngs, school houses, crops. pastures.
improvements of a private and public
nature amounting to hundreds of thou
sands of dollars have been DESTROYED.
But the worst feature of these fires is
the fact that forests have been wiped
out. 1t is probable that more actual
timber and more extensive growth
of young trees have been destroyed in
the past week than all the recreative
energies of the State will or can repro
duce In the next five years. 1t is not
pretended that this destruction comes
from numbering operations. The lum-
bermen are wasteful, but they care
fully guard the fires they start.
In considering this forest destruction
by forest fires and means of prevent
ing 1t, we cannot safely waive the ele-
ment OF neglect and carelessness that
Will always be a source of danger even
should the State undertake to reforest
the lands. In fact, as an economic
problem, it is not exnsdient to refor-
est lands only to expose them to .le-
structlon by the careless and thought
less. We do not mean to suggest that
efforts should be abandoned to reforest
the lands, but rather that some effect
i've measure of policing and protecting
our existing forest lands must be
adopted, or all our efforts will be in
vain. The forests must be considered.
like the public health, a State charge.
There must be regular inspection of
forests and methods adopted of burn
ing the litter or all combustible mater
ial before 1t accumulates in large onon