The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-12-18
Editorial NoIes.

Editorial Notes.
Corn is selling in Iowa at from ten to
fifteen cents. per bushel, and the crop
of that State is estimated at near 200,-
060. 600 bushels.
The fashieable young lsdies of Phil
adelphia now want to be photographed
in theatrical costumes, aud some of
them pay $50 for Black Crook ti,-out.
The Rev. Robert Collyer believes in
sleep as divine institu,ion-a good
long eight hours sleep. He is entirely
sound. The hours that are stolen from
sleep are either given to the Devil or
are paid for by nervous prostration and
premature decay.
Three million bushels of oysters is
the estimated yield of the Virginia
oyster crop. The average value of
| oysters at Norfolk and Portsmouth
Norfolk county, is thirty-tve cents
bushel, and the average value of the
entire crop Is about $50 900 a year.
The London Daily Nelos states that
the Bishop of Natol, in letter dated
September 90, says: "You msy take
it as certain that the Zllu war has cost
not less than 5000 900, instead of A.
SEQ, 900 as estimated by the Chancellor
of the Exchequer. have the best au
thority for wnat l have stated above
Secretary McCrary asked that army
officers be punished for gambling.
Apropos of the proposed reform some
one brings up case where the captain
of cavalry company wen every cent
from twelve of his men ard two of the
officers of the company. all having ju.t
received their pay. Il twn days pro-
fessional gambler won all OF Ihc cap
tain's winnings and the captains entire
salary as well.
William H Vanderbilt has sent to
the Treasury Department to he regis
tered five million of fcur per cent.
bonds, which, it is understood, he has
purchased with the proceeds of his late
sale of New York Central stock. He
already has five millions OF four per
cents registered at the Treasury, and
his new purchase makes him probably
the largest individual holder of United
States bonds in the world.
Immigrants are coming by thousands
| L
year preceding the first of November,
there was total of 162 7i5 arrivals at
the port of New York, against 119, 069
for the previous twelve months. Sub
tracing the sojnurneIs and the citizens
of the United States, returning, there
is total of 124 ,615 genuine immigrants
for the period in question, against S0,-
l4S for the equal period jast preceding.
The whole area of Ireland is about
twenty millions of acres, two-thirds of
which is owned by 5000 persons, few
was acquired from the natives of the
soil is matter of history. Henry II
gave away one-third nf the island to his
barons. In 1856 600 ,000 acres were
Coz fscsted in Munster alone. James 1
took 450, 600 with pen stroke, STRAIT
ford seizad 240, 500 IN Connaught, and
Cromwell confscated 7.70S, 237 acres.
At the close of the reign of William III
10, 500, 600 acres had been confiscated.
Early IN the eighteenth century the ma
tive Irish held only one-eleventh of the
soil. During the last five years 400, 900
have gone to waste because the tenants
would not pay the rent demanded, the
landlords would not reduce il, ard evic-
ton followed. These facts have di-
rect bearing upon the present sgt stion.
In truth, they are the very foundation
of it.
Some recent statistics show that the
weekly wages of lsborers in San Frau
cisco average little more than eigh-
teen dollars week. This includes
nearly all classes, from the domestic at
five dollars week up to dre-s-mskers
at twenty-six. The average is from
FIVE to.sx dollars more than is paid the
same classes of work men in Europe.
Ordinary articles of food, too, are
cheaper in California than here, and
the general cost Of living essentially
greater. Under the circumstances it
doesn't appear that the Chinese have
seriously disturbed the white labor of
the Pacific coast. There is, no doubt,
much to fear from too many Cinnamon,
but they are not likely, as the statistics
show, to encroach generally upon the
trades; there are some trades the Chi
nese do not seem able to work at, and,
with the present pay of the CaliforDia
workingmen, they do not seem to have
much cause to rail against the heather.
After John e. Owens, the comedian,
had retired to his chamber in the Palace
Hotel, in San Francisco, tho ether
night, he caught theso Of something
crnoline in the hall and heard gentle
tap on the door of his room. He opened
the door. He shut it again. For on
the mat outside lay pretty baby boy,
who was Growing lustily. Pinned to
the baby's clothing was the following
note: ''My Dear sir: 1 have seen
your performance of Higgins in 'Dr.
| Clyde, and consider it one of the finest
personations 1 ever witnessed. The
only way in which / can evince my
gratitude to you is by offering you one
of the loveliest infants l could select
from the orphan asylum. Take 1t and
cherish it, and may God bless you and
prosper you. An Unknown Admirer." !"
Mr.. Ovens struggled with conflicting
purposes for few moments and then
summoning all OF his friends that could
be found, solemnly announced that
ba5y's adoption as "John Z. Ovens,
Jr."