Morning journal and courier., 1881-01-13

graduated according to the numerlcal Impor- tance and character of each constituency, and which forbids any one to lay out more money in electioneering than is provided by that schedule. Things must be very bad in deed when such a measure as that is thought to be necessary.
 At recent conference in Philadelphia on the care and education of children, Professor Goldwin Smith announced that he had no great faith in compulsory education. Upon this subject public opinion and law are so diverse in different countries that he felt un- able to give a general opinion, though he might do so respecting certain localities. If he had to deal with Canada he thought it would be difficult matter to enforce the law, owing to the opposition of parents, and said that he would hesitate about taking child away from them. He had no great faith in suppressing demagogism unless it be done by suppressing demagogues. He could not see why anybody claiming the suffrage should not be made to show that he can read and write, and said that this would serve as 0 stimulus to the schools. The necessities of the State do not go beyond reading, writing and arithmetic, and knowledge of these should be more generally diffused.
 The annual session at Paris of the Phyllox- era Commission attracts considerable atten- tion among wine growers So far as the spread of the disease is concerned the report presented to the commission is not very fa- vorable. Forty-one departments are now of e d s,,fa kal s,ct 1iv{vv nine last year, and it does not seem to be cer- tain whether the official report covers the whole mischief. As regards the results of remedial measures, the account is more cheer ing, and the best means of keeping vines free from infection and restoring those al ready attacked are pretty well known. The autumnal submersion of vineyards, where it is possible, keeps the disease in check from year to year. When thisis not possible, treat ment with sulphur of carbon is, when re- sorted to before the plants are weakened by the disease, equally effective. For the reno vation of vineyards practically destroyed, nothing seems to answer SO we'll as the graft ing of the original vines on to plants import ed from America.
 The Civil Service Cooperative Society of England has been wonderfully successful, and some members of the civil service in Bos ton see no reason why similar society should not work there. They have therefore formed one, whose object is to supply employees in the civil service and their friends with groceries, provisions, and other articles of household and personal use. at the lowest possible prices. The goods will be sold at sufficient advance over their cost to cover the expenses of the business. It is proposed to establish central store, for the sale of groceries and provisions, in a con venient locality, as soon as the first $1O,00O is subscribed, and to open branch stores in East and South Boston, Roxbury, Charles town and other local districts, when at least 300 members and 100 shares of new stock are secured in either of those sections. meeting of the corporation was held Tues day, at which it was stated that about one half of the capital stock was already sub scribed for. None but members of the soci- ety will be allowed to trade. The fee for membership is $1.5O year for persons not connected with the civil service, and $1 for those who are. Holders of the original stock will be admitted as members free, for one year only Six per cent. interest on the capital stock will be included in the expenses of the business.
 William Walter Phelps has done good thing for the neediest class of depositors in the broken Bergen County Savings Bank at Hackensack, in New Jersey. Telegraphing from Florence in Italy, MT. Phelps has or dered his agent in New York city to pay all deposits in the bank of one hundred dollars and less, principal and interest, and to charge the amount to his account. This is the more noteworthy because Mir. Phelps had no con nection with either of the broken banks in Hackensack, and could not, therefore, be considered in any way responsible for their mismanagement It is estimated that the total sum needed to execute this benevolent purpose will be very nearly twenty thousand dollars. The New York Eoeniaag Post says of this noble deed: ''Mr. Phelps political services may perhaps suggest to some minds the thought that this gift is made with pur- pose. This is true, but the purpose we be- lieve to be entirely disinterested. Mir. Phelps has had the political support of Bergen coun- ty in his recent political efforts, and when the next election for Congress comes round two years from last November-by the sys- tenn of county rotation which prevails in the Congressional districts of New Jersey, it will | not fall to the lot of Bergen county to pro pose candidate. MT. Phelps has done many good things in his lifetime, but this is cer- tainly one of the very best. If sincere grati- tude possesses any curative quality, Mir. Phelps may be expected back in New York soon in perfect health"