Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-09-06
DAILY SENTINEL.
DIsORDERED PUBLIC sen RI
MENr.

DlSORDERED PUBLIC sen RI.
MENT.
Public sentiment is terribly out OF
Joint. That Is to say, it is seriously
afflicted with chronic crookedness, or,
In other words, Is not what it once
was or should now be. Modern pub
lie sentiment will strain at a gnat
and swallow a camel. The right or
wrong Of human action in the public
estimation depends who the actor
Is. That which might be considered
an enormous sin in one, would be
considered rather an unfortunate cir
cumstance in another. The poor man
who steals . peck Of potatoes for his
starving family, would be heartily
condemned by public sentiment, while
the rich man, who is above the reach
Of want, steals a railroad or a million
Of dollars. public sentiment applauds
him for his shrewdness and sudacity.
latter is courted by society. Even the
SO called President of the United
States, in spirit, conforms to the de-
mands of public sentiment. The cross
road or village postmaster, the little
one.horse Federal office. holder, is re-
quired to put a paddock upon his
mouth and let politics alone, while the
most prominent officers are allowed to
swing around the circle, and labor for
the good of the cause" and public
sentiment views the outrage with the
most serene ~complacency. How can it
be expected that we shall have an hon.
est government administered by honest
men so long as public sentiment is so
badly at fault? The Government and
its administration is just what the PEG
pie make it. When public sentiment
and the popular will change, then will
the administration Of the Government
change, and not until then. The peo-
pie have themselves to blame for all
the evils that exist, and when the peo-
pie get ready for ard determine upon a
change, the change will come.
THE BALANCE OF TRADE.
We suspect that a too rose colored
Interpretation is put upon the recent
publication Of statistics showing alarge
excess of our exports over our i'm
ports. If we were not so heavily in
debt to foreign countries the fact that
We are selling them more than we buy
from them might justify the exul:ant
differences of some of our contempora-
ries. If We were out of debt the bal
ance would be redressed by large re-
mittances of gold to this country. But,
10 point of fact, q large part of the
value of our exports Is absorbed in the
payment of interest on American se-
curities held abroad. 1t is estimated
hat the American Government bonds,
railway bonds and other bonds in
European hands, amount to not less
than two thousand millions, on which
the interest. computed at six per cent,
Is one hundred and twenty million
dollars per annum. 1t is necessary to-
deduct from the excess of our exports,
which appears so favorable. not only
this vast sum, but the freight
charges paid to foreigners and
the considerable sums spent BY
American travellers in Europe
before we get at the real
balance due to this country. Moth
ing is more deceptive and misleading
than differences drawn from the bal
ance of trade If we leave out other de-
bit and credit accounts. England has
had for the last year q large balance OF
trade against her and We, she has been
constantly importing gold, instead of
exporting it to liquidate the balance OF
commodities. But the paradox disap-
cal when we recollect that her peo-
pie have large investments in almost
all foreign countries and that the re-
turns on those investments overbal-
ance the excess of her imports over
her exports. The United States have
been exporting more than they have
imported since current balances
ceased to be met by sending out new
supplies of bonds. Until both princi-
pal and interest of our vast indebted
ness are finally discharged there will
be an apparent but delusive balance Of
trade in our favor. The American
people may as we'll keep their heads
level respecting this feature Of our
commercial situation.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Tybo correspondent of the Bel
mont Courier makes some comments
on the question Of public schools
which are eminently sound. The fol
lowing sensible remarks are from his
well-guided pens: "The common
school system Of America ia the bull
-...x - tee lsh>.ficc AhnIiah thio SUc.