Smyrna times., 1879-10-29

LOUISIANA votes for President this year.
That is to say, the Legislature will have the
power under the Constitution about to be
voted on to choose the Presidential
electors, and it is expected that that power
will be exercised. An effort is to be
made to carry the Legislature for the Re-
publcans, and lively time is anticipated.
The spirit of speculation is so rife that
money has become very profitable. The
best proof of this is that on a market
where 7 per cent. is the ruling rate of in
terest the United States per cent. bonds
are advancing in price in consequence of
the desire of bankers to have them to
hypothecate in the United States treasury
as a security for the issue of more national
bank currency. This time last year the
current set in exactly the opposite way,
though per cents were then bought
because there was nothing else, that was
secure, would pay better.
IN its political and military aspects the
Afghan problem continues to perplex the
British authorities in India. General
Roberts is exacting bloody retribution for
the massacre of the Embassy, but, as the
desperate attack on the British camp at
Shutargardan, has shown the natives are
intensely hostile, and ready at any moment
to attack an outpost or overwhelm a con-
voy. Had not General Cough fastened
from Cabul to the aid of the besieged
troops, it is probable that they would have
been overpowered, and the important pass
which they hold would have been again in
Afghan hands.
AND now the foolhardiness of ballooning
seems to have reached a point beyond
which nothing foolisher can be reasonably
expected. The ascension made by aero
naut Brayton from st. Louis on Saturday
was even sillier than if he had gone up
astrlde horse attached to his gas.bag, as a
Londer performer once did. Brayton, who
dlsdained a basket, had only rings to hold
on by. His purpose was to make but
short voyage, but the wind soon blew him
out of sight, and as he was but thinly
dressed and could not manage his balloon
very well, he has probably either persisted
with cold or been dashed to pieces.
IRELAND seems to have second O'Con.
nell In Mr.. Parnell, the Home Rule party.
The English press is becoming alarmed at
the fire he is kindling, and some of them
advise his forcible suppression. There was
an antirent demonstration at Belfast last
week, at which Messrs. Parnell and Bippar
spoke. Resolutions were passed declaring
tnat at no time in the history of Ireland
was the want of a native Parliament more
clearly demonstrated than by the present
alarming distress and by the continued
and deliberate hostility of the Fnolisb
Government to Irish prosperity; that the
establishment of peasant proprietary was
inc only practical and final solution of the
land question.
TIE Memphis quarantine has been raised
~ last by the appearance of frost and ;ca
once the disease broke out there bavs
oeen about fifteen hundred cases. and
between four and five hundred death,
.AeFe from it. This, however, represents
Out small part of the losses suffered NV
the afflicted community. Thousands Of
people have been driven from their homes
in'o an expensive exile, the costs and in.
conVeniences of which they could i'll bear
All business has been suspended for months
ana the city cut off from all but telegranbic
communication with the world outside
ne dreadful scenes of 1878 were repeated
IN 1917 on smaller scale, to be sure. for
Tue reason that there were fewer persona TO
'aNe the disease. The question is: Will
~ yelio" fever return to Memphis in 1902
- !, IL should, the proposition to abandon
.He present site of the city for one which
- Tess thoroughly saturated with the germs
Oh pes'llence will probably be seriously
considered. ''
' :, Inc Hoods that overAowed Szegedin.
~ 'ou'neastern Hungary, last year, BY the
me river Thesis, no such dis |
zen recorded as that which few
y Jays ago swept over the plain of Murcia. in
"pain' causing immense destruction of
properly and an estimated loss of two
= Zen ri
'HouSand lives. The fruitful plain, bounded
on each side by naked hills, became ono
vast lake, stretching away for a distance of
=, y leagues. In the town of Murcia.
'ne capital OF the province of that nan,s
one thousand persons are officially rsportad
70 nave been drowned. In the npnaror.
villages scattered over the Mundo ond
oegura valleys the number of deaths v,..
tttaopor'ionaoly much greater. Property 70 |
value OF ten million of dollars !. go
nave been destroyed and ten thor.ora
eOple left destitute. From Jamaica aI.o
80" s' Ndings of destructive food which |
~ over the eastern part of the island |
esuSeo great loss of life among tba |
people returning from the usual
fuAy market at Kingston. Manv Of
- country people, caught in the rayines |
in'ersect the mountains and discbaro.
u, streams for which they are the chan.
~ INTO the Kingston harbor, were carried
LIE Municipal Council Of Bsr,;. H..
week, recommended the universal 80
lion OF the practice of cremation. -
oack TO the custom which, accord;na
Aacitus, was in use among the Germa,,.
thousand years ago. There are indications
too' that the English may also return. in no
very distant future, to the ancient usapes
OF their Saxon forefathers in this re.pect