The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-06

domain, but it looks very much as If,
pending any discussion of territorial
matters or of who shall be master OF
the Orient, England, France, Russia
and Germany have agreed to draw the
line pretty tight on some of the MUIR
derous pashas of the Sultan. The oc-
cupation Of Crete in spite of the diplo-
matte deceits and Turkish delays. the
energy with which the British Admirals
carried out their orders, and, finally,
the sending Of Prince George Of Greece
as high commissioner, notwithstand-
| ing the appeals Of the Sultan, seem to
indicate that Europe has about grown
| tired of the perfidy and infamy that
cost annually so many innocent lives.
! Whatever alliances diplomacy may
make with the Mohammedan, the SEN
timent of Europe is too strong to per-
nit him to go on killing ad interim.
HEADS AND TAILS.
| Alameda Encinal: The proposition
of all the counties suing the State for
certain commissions alleged to be due
is a very pretty one-for the lawyers
who have sprung the scheme. They are
to receive an average of 40 per cent of
| the entire amount sued for, that amount
being over 81, 100000. Every county in
the State is interested in the suits and
all have proportionate claims based on
the amount of taxes paid by each. Should
| the suitors win and the State be forced
to pay the money, each county would
have to pay in taxes it's proportion of
the amount. But as stated, 40 per cent.
will go into the pockets of the astute
lawyers who sprung the scheme. That
| is to say: Suppose Alameda County is
entitled to $4,000 and gets judgment
| for it. She will collect that $50, 600,
pay the lawyers $4,000 and then pay
back the $4,000 into the treasury in
taxes to make up the amount drawn
down. 1t seems to be case of taking
money out of one pocket and putting it
| III the other, after paying some one a
| big fee for telling you how to do 1t.
With the lawyers 1t is heads I win;
| tails you lose" With the people it is
a needless expense any way it is looked
| at.
A LARGER ARMY.
Los Angeles Times: One of the
strong, clear lessons which was empha-
sized by the war is this: that the Unit
| ed States should maintain a larger
standing army than it has maintained
in the past. In the late war, while the
volunteer who engaged the enemy
fought with superb courage, the large
part of the fighting was done by the
regular troops There is necessarily
great loss of life in taking citizens from
their usual avocations and converting
them into soldiers. Such men are I'M
i11co RI aor 20 ohon
they are compelled to undergo in the
process Of converting them. from citi-
zens into soldiers tells heavily upon
| the health of the men. This was fore
| IDLY illustrated in the large percentage
of deaths among the volunteers, in the
preparatory camps, during the war.
Trained soldiers, on the contrary, are
| Injured to the routine of camp life, and
are in a state of preparedness for serv-
| ic at short notice in any part of the
| world, with comparatively little dan
ger to their health. The United States
will be obliged henceforth to take an
active part in the affairs of the world.
We cannot escape this alternative if
we could, and we must therefore hold
ourselves in readiness to meet all ext
gencies as they arise.
BIG BOW-WOW PROPHECY.
| Portland Oregonian: Perhaps the
most gloomy and terrible prophecy yet
uttered against the acquisition Of the
Philippine Islands is the following from
the New York Evening POST:
I'VE have not, no thinking man has,
the smallest doubt how this imperial
| ist' movement will end. The history
of America under it will, in all human
probability, be the history of the most
tremendous calamity which has ever
overtaken the human race, greater by
far than the fall of the Roman Empire,
considering what our religion is, what
our knowledge and experience are, con-
sidering how many instruments of CIV
ilization we possess which the Romans
did not"
Now, really, that would be a serious
matter. THE most tremendous calam-
ity that has yet overtaken the human
race would be quite a calamity, in
deed. 1t would also, we should say, be
a notable event. It might be worth
writing book of history about. But
| in this prophecy there seems to be
some tone of exaggeration. The object
appears to be, not SO much to warn
an imperiled country as to advertise a
new, original and powerful prophet,
and the stock of goods he carries in
his shop. The meaning is that this
'imperialist" movement will lead to
expenditure and waste, then to ter
rible disasters, and finally will trans
form the character of our people, bring
the great republic to an ignoble end
and cause the sun Of liberty to set
forever on mankind.
/ We shall hope it will not be so bad
as that; and we are encouraged in this
hope and belief by the fact that these
prophecies that roar so loud and thun-
der in the index are never known tic
come to anything. We may reason
ably expect to be able to do a little
something with the Philippine Islands;
but if it shall prove that we haven't
intelligence and energy enough fol
that, we are not worth the room we
occupy in the world, and would bet
ter give place to others, who can dc
things.
ILLEGAL CONTRACTS.
Santa Rosa Republican: 1t is most
probable that the contracts made by
the Supervisors of number of coun-
ties with attorneys proposing to col
1ect funds from the State are unlawful
Such contracts are contrary to public
policy and it is not likely that they are
authorized by any statute. 1t is pre-
sumable that the District Attorney Is
| to prosecute the cases in which any
county is interested. He is the officer
provided by the people to do this bus
mess and to give legal advice to the
Board of Supervisors. In the Colusa
| County case recently decided and in