The record-union., 1899-08-30

edged to be the right of every human
being whose life is not a menace to So
ciety. The weight of empire is, it is
said, crushing the life out of Nicholas
II. The repeated birth of daughters,
when son is wanted, is one of the Bit
ter counts in his Indictment against
fate. A wise and strong man would
lay hold Of the vast opportunities that
the power Of the Emperor gives for the
advancement of his people, reform the
rules of succession formulated by the
imbecile Emperor Paul in a past age,
designate his daughter as his sue
cessor, and bring her up with the sin
gle purpose of giving in her a wise ruler
to his people; name his good, wise and
tactful Empress Regent in the event
of the succession of a minor, and stand
before the world as a sagacious and
purposeful ruler, in touch with his age
But a weak, pulling man, Nicholas
wastes his energies in chafing for a
male heir, Sights his manifold oppor-
tunitieS for the promotion OF MS peo-
pies growth and happiness, talks lott-
lily of universal peace while strengthen
ing at every point his empire, and SENDS
his soldiers against an unarmed horue
of his subjects clamoring for food, with
orders to stop their cries with bullets
Humanity may we'll hope that ms reign
may be short whether terminates py
abdication or death, to the end that the
twentieth century may mark the begin
ming of an era of progress in Russia as
we'll as in the less powerful nations OF
the earth
VERY TRYING FOR BRYAN.
Contra Costa Gazette: 1t must be
very trying to our brilliant young ora
tor to note how persistently the farm
ers of his State continue to pay off
mortgages. Do not Nebraska farmers
know that they are fatally embarrass-
ing Mr.. Bryan and his Omaha World
Herald" both of whom solemnly prom
ised the farmers in 1896 and stahed
their several regulations as prophet
patriot and journal, that unless the
country secured free silver, the prices
of all farm products would fall, there
would in fact, be no market for gram
cattle and produce and mortgages
would not only not decrease but the
farmers would find themselves tled
hand and foot and not owning square
inch of their farms? Mr.. Bryan ad-
mitS that he did not get free coinage
but he never smiles when his attention
is called to the fact that while in 1888
his State increased her mortgage DEBT
$S, 100000, in 1898 she reduced the
debt S6,194, ,215 and that during the
current year, twenty-five counties nave
reported the amount of Cancelled mort
cages as greatly in excess Of those
filed.
SULTAN OF SULU'S TERMS.
Oakland Enquirer: The terms which
the Sultan of Sulu is willing to make
with the United States have been re-
ported, and the proposed treaty con-
tains fifteen articles. Among the pro-
visions are non-interference with re-
| ligious customs, American protection,
and acceptance of American sovereign
! ty Non-interference with the Mo-
| hammedan customs which prevail in
Sulu may mean a good deal, including
the protection of polygamy. There
| is another article in the treaty to the
effect that a slave may buy his free
dom by paying the market price fo1
himself Are we to understand from
this that slavery is to be maintained
under the American flag as to all slaves
in Sulu who cannot buy their freedom
| This does not seem possible.
CROKER'S CROAK.
| Los Angeles Times: Mr.. Croker
croak against annexation of the Phil
| ippines, after having previously advo-
Gated annexation, would not make him
appear so ridiculous if he had not in
| the same breath confessed that his
| change of view was the result. of con-
sultation with European statesmen. He
could have obtained such advice from
Spain more than year ago if he had
/ wanted it