The record-union., 1899-03-21

America into the China trade seem like
~ to prove futile. The United States
is not in the territory grabbing busi-
ness; but if some foolish nation forces
war on this country, and the victory
hnds us in possession of few thou
SAND Islands previously belonging to
the other fellows, those islands will not
be thrown aside, nor returned to the
defeated, nor left to be the prey Of
jealous rivals or of warning internal
tribes The war with Spain cost the
United States $4S2, ,562, ,OS3.4I and
Spain paid for it by ceding to us the
Philippines, Porto Rico and few other
small islands. When the anti-expan-
sionists say that America has as much
right to China as to the Philippines
they are more sentimental than sane.
INDICATIONS OF PROSPERITY.
Placer Leader: Telegraphic reports
from ten different States show that
during the first week of the present
month very material increase has
been made in wages of operatives in
many lines of trade. The new Sched-
ulea restore the rates of wages received
in 1892, or previous to the election of
Cleveland, and in many instances the
In almost every instance this increase
has been voluntary and is warrante1 /
by increased volume of trade. The
States mentioned are Maine, New
Hampshire, Massa sachusetts. Rhode ISL
and, Connecticut, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Ala
bama The industries affected include
cotton mills, iron, steel and brass
,.ty f,0
manufacture of shoes brick, nails, tin
plate, chain, bolts and nuts, wire, etc.
In the manufacture of cotton goods
about 125,OO0 operators are concerned; !;
in the other lines about 10000 are af-
fected. This is a total of 10000 per-
sons who are to be benefited by the
increase announced during the first six
days of the present month, and speaks
we'll for the financial condition of the
country. These items, which interest
| the great majority Of the public, are
the ones which our Democratic friends
cannot see, and dislike to mention
when they are brought to notice. How
ever, an era of prosperity dawned when
William Mckinley was elected Presi-
dent, and the present condition of trade
but emphasizes the facts.
A MILITARY mAl1Eh-
Fresno Democrat: Governor Gage
has given his stamp of approval to
| measure which will help much in
Strengthening out the apparent hope
less tangle in which the National
Guard finds itself 1t is the substitute
bill appropriating $4,000 to be used in
part to pay arrnory rents, armorers'
wages, ETC., consequent upon the, mus
tering in of the National Guard into
the United States volunteer service.
The State has withheld all allowances
to some companies ever since the be-
ginning Of the late war, and by so do
ing made it incumbent upon private
citizens, members of military organi-
cations, to bear the burden and ex-
pense of maintaining these organiza-
tions. There are notable instances. in
cluding Company F in this city. where
this neglect and failure by the State to
meet its obligations was short of moth
ing but outrage.
BEEF AND NUTRIMENT.
Fresno Republican, Most of the con-
fusion in regard to army beef is due to
misunderstanding of two very simple
scientific points. The soldierszand Off
was boiled out of the beef, while the
packers bring evidence to show that
not more than per cent. of nutriment
could be boiled out of it. Both are
right. There is practically no nutri-
ment in beef tea, beef extract, or clear
soup. On the other hand, the human
stomach is SO constructed that it will
not long tolerate a diet of beef from
which the extract is removed. while it
can be deceived for some time into
thinking it is getting along very we'll
on diet of innutritious beef tea or
beef extract alone. The stomachs of
our soldiers are not chemical labora-
tories, and it was almost high treason
to treat them as such. The other point
is that climate has nothing to do with
the keeping qualities of canned beef.
If the beef is properly canned it will
keep indefinitely in any climate. If it
is not properly canned it will spoil,
sooner or later, in any climate unless
it is permanently frozen The ordi-
nary canned beef of the market is pail
atable enough and will keep and does
keep in any climate. The beef fur
nished the army by the same packers
was not fit to eat when it was fresh
and would not Keep. These facts alone
are sufficient to condemn the contrac-
tors.
WOULDN'T KNOW IT.
Los Angeles Times: The sort of lib
erty that the Porto Ricans and Fill
pinos are bowling for is license. They
wouldn't recognize liberty if they saw
it coming down the road.
THE OUTLOOK.
Stockton Independent: We have had
one and half inches of rainfall so far
in the present storm and indications
promise that a fall of two inches will
be recorded before the weather clerk
makes his weekly statement. This re-
moves all doubt of a grain corp in this
county and valley, even if not another
drop of rain falls. 1t means also a re-
vival of pastures and abundance of
feed for suffering stock 1t means a
resumption of placer mining in the