Morning journal and courier., 1881-04-15

rested for drunkenness, and that one-fifth of
 the population of Ireland is ever lowering
 between work houses and starvation. The
 remedy suggested for this unhappy state of affairs is the reclamation of the waste lands of Ireland so as to increase the number of acres that can be made productive, and the
 reduction of the population by some system
 of emigration, compulsory if. necessary
 The two correspondents of the Toronto
 Globe who have been investigating the opera tion of the prohibition law in Maine, travel ling over the State and recording their ina- pressions, have completed their work, and the Globe sums up their conclusions in it's is- sue of April 18th. One of the correspon- dents was opposed to the law and the other in favor of it, but their conclusions are sub stantially in accord. They find that an over
 whelming majority of good citizens of the State believe that prohibition is good for Maine. Their correspondence was projected by the Gzo6e for the purpose of assisting pub lie opinion in Canada to decide whether or not prohibitory law would be good thing for the Dominion.
 
 MT. Thurber, of the Girls High School in Boston, read before the recent meeting of the Massachusetts classical and high school teachers an interesting paper on admission to college on the recommendation of the teacher. He considered this the best meth cd. He touched on the evils which react on the school as we'll as the college in the admis- sion of pupils improperly prepared, and said that the best favor the colleges could confer on the schools would be to send them back. Then, he claimed, the influence of the school and the authority of the teacher would be reinforced. The trepidation and the cram ming incident to an examination were evils to be avoided. The teacher had the best possi- ble opportunities of estimating the quality of pupils from long familiarity with their attachments; and the consciousness on the part of the pupil that his own conduct and proficiency as tested by his career in the school, and not by brief examination, would govern his prospects, would have good eff feet. There is a good deal of sense in this.
 A well-written article in the Peoue Pol iHqaIe, said to be from the pen of a noted Russian diplomatist and literary man, sketch es the character of Alexander III, outlines his future policy with regard to his own sub- jects and to foreign powers, and gives him high credit for determination and courage. The writer gossips about the Czar's private character, mentions incidentally that he is the only one of his race who is chaste, says that he has always been so and has on all occasions condemned the irregularities of his relations. He adds that the Czar is neither French nor German in sentiment, but that he loves Russians and Russians only; that the Germans in Russia are not entirely agree able to him, but he thinks that for the Ger man nation the Czar will endeavor to main- l tain the friendship which his father showed. l All the stories, says this writer, of open man. | ifestations of hostility against the Germans l by Alexander III. are pure inventions. That | he may show 8 certain sympathy for the | French Republic is probable, as he has long | been well disposed toward French liberalism, | and only withdrew from open favorable ex- pression with regard to it after the excesses of the Commune had little shaken his faith | in freedom in France. The writer denies 1 that there is any probability of reforms in Russia in the very largest sense, of the crea- ton of Constitution and independent legis- | lative assemblies, and so forth but believes that Alexander TIL, as an honest man, can- not refrain from correcting the abuses which now exist in the administration of finance, of the army and of landed estates, and that he may possibly consent to take the advice of a legislative council, provided it does not con- aiet too strongly with his own opinions. This | parsonage concludes his mono graph by remarking that the Nihilists need | have no hopes of converting the new Czar to | absolute liberalism by their threats or by | open attacks. He will grant such reforms as | he thinks fit and will suffer no dictation.