The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-22
EDITORIAL NOTES.

EDITORIAL NOTES.
Steel rails are little easier, and Que
tauons are $50 to $50 so per ton at the
mill The mills are fall of work, bur
il is thought that fesr or foreign CON-
petition vail keep prices down. Iron
rails also are little lower. Quotations
vary from S65 per ton at the mill, FOR
heavy sections, up TO $12 for light
rails, and even SIS in small orders. Old
rails are very dud and quotations nom
inal II $50 10 $40 per ton 10 PhiIsde,-
phia-
Collins Dixon, formerly of Fsuquife
county, Virginia, was killed recently
in Colorado. HIS later, Henry T. ID
on. was killed in street fight with
DR.. N iddox, IN Alexandria, Virgins,
aud his brother Henry wss killed in
Louisiana. This family was as noto-
rious IN Virginia as the Aston family
in South Carolina. When twenty years
of sge Mr. Dixon fought duet with
Commodore Howe, and up 70 the war
was in numerous fghts. The family,
once very wealthy, were types of the
Old Virginia stock.
The United States Circuit Court has
made faal decree ratifying and APP
proving the Compromise agreement
which Is to end al litigation between
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and
the Denver s. Rio Grsude railway COM
psnies. l. wall b. rememb ered that
THE agreement provides for a division
oi disputed territory, the RIO Grsnde
10 nave the line through the Arkansas
canon and 10 Leadvills, and the right
IL bull TO the 'SA1 Juan Region, while
the Santa Fe Is 10 have the New Mex
Co business thet is, tie Rio Granie Is
to have al he tsirl,oiy west and
northwest Ci Pueblo, aud the Santa Fe
all south ana southwest of that place.
The RIO Graude is paY the Santa Fe
company about 81 600 600 for work al
ready done in the Arkansas canon, and
for material cougtt fer that line. The
agreement is now finally fixed and de-
termined, and is to stand for ten years.
Count Louis Melikoff, said to be
natural soa of the Gear, is now prscti-
caliy dictator oyer all the Russias.
By the ukase OF the twenty-fonrth of
February, the Gar transferred 20 him
his own unlimited powers, and constl-
tured him Chief Of the Supreme Admin
istrative Commission, to be composed
OF MT mbers chosen hy Melkoff himself
Measures adopted by HIM will have the
Immediate force % law without Iequir-
lag the ratification OF the Car, who
only reserves the right of countermand.
ing the decislone OF the Chief. The
man thus suddenly called to the diff
cult task of restoring order to Rus
STA, aud of crushing the mysterious
aud elusive, though dauntlees organ.
,zstion of the Nihilists, is an Ar
menian by birth. He speaks Rus
sian with slight foreign accent, but
is man of education and intellect
He won the rank of general in the
Russian service, distinguished himself
in many encounters with the enemies
of the country, and achieved q world
wide fame by the capture of Ksrs IN
the late war. with Turkey. His ad-
ministratiye talent was demonstrated
while lie held the post of governor of
KhsIkoff. It was he also who sue
ceeded in stopping last yesF the terri
declares that he undertakes the task
which now devol7es upon him with
the aid OF God and the Russian people,"
Has reliance upon the people is express
ly stated in his first proclamation, and
it is certain that there is no other safe
reliance, even in an autOcraCy.
IA industrious statistician has gone
over the financial records of 1879, and
finds the world bankrupt; that is, the
aggregated debt Oh the various nations
is more than there is money to pay.
He siso dIs0oVeFs that the debt is H.
crossing annually, that some of the
nations are bopeiesslY swamped, and
wonders when the whole thing is GO
ing to smash, Tue European civiliz4-
ton, 'transplsnted and grated in
America, and the great English belt
which glrdles the world has cost more
in money than its people can ever liqui-
date; and IL docs not look honest. The
AsIatic civilization makes far better
showing of that kind OF morality
which consists in performing promises
and giving unto every man his just dues.
Take China for instsnce-a nation of
40 OUO OUO people, tue greatest en-
pre- in the word. China lives within
her means and never 5wipdles her cred
,tOrs Her annual revenues amount to
$125, 900, 900, snd her expenditures are
rot more than sac 600 600, leaving q
surplus of $45. 900 600 Cnins never had
national debt until 1874, and her con =
municatiun with other spendthrift ma
tons since that time has resulted in
'he contraction of foreign Gebt of
IS. 1873 400, and domestic loan OF
Sc. 021 @ o. making in all an iDsignlG-
cant national debt OF $11, 1850 400-or
only 26 cents head for all the Chinese,
China could liquidate her bonded in
debtedness at ouce, Other oriental na-
lions that have mingled more with Eu-
ropesns and adopted some of their
ways, are in no better financial condi.:
ton than Europe, 1hlch is literally
eaten up by its wars and i;s rulers.