The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-31
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Lieut.. Very, of the navy, leaves
with a party for Patagonia, where
he will observe the transit of Venus
in December. Prof NewcOmb goes
to the Cape of Good Hope tor the
same purpose, Prot. Smith TO New
Zealand and another party to Texas.
Congress appropriated $4,000 to
pay the expenses of these scientific
expeditions.
The British government is doing
better in the way of providing hos
pital service for the Egyptian cam
paign than it did during the Cri-
mean war, when the arrangements
for months were abominable. Now
modern appliances in abundance
have been sent forward, together
with ample reserve medical stores
and surgeons who have had expert
ence in the late Afghan campaign.
The property valuation in Phila-
delphia upon which the tax-rate OF
1888 is based is $571, 49,, 255, an ad-
vance of $18,0O0,O00 over the valua-
ton of 1882, attributable to the erec-
ton of valuable buildings by corpO-
rations and merchants. In conse-
quence of the increase the taX-rate
will be S1.85 next year instead of the
present rate-$198. A building
boom is good thing for every city,
or rather for the taxpayers.
In view of the prohibition amend
ment recently adopted in Iowa, the
Chicago and Northwestern and Chi
cago, Rock Island and Pacific COM
Lanies have issued orders to their
dining car attaches to close their
bars while passing through Iowa.
The wine list is suspended as soon
as the train enters the state. This
is prudent on the part of the railway
companies, but grip sack can be
made to hold a great deal oil q
pinch.
The proclamation of Jehad o
holy war, according to Mohamme-
dan ecclesiastical law, absolves the
Mohammedans from all foreign in
debtcdness Tins if the sultan dared
to shake the Sandjak Sheriff at Con-
stantinople, he would consider his
Indebtedness of about 81 ,000,0O0,0OO
to Egyptian bondholders cancelled,
and likewise the Egyptian foreign
debt of about $450,O00,O00 would be
cancelled. "Jehad" is a convenient
method of reputation under the
sanction of religion
About 1000 ounces of mutilated
silver coin has been redeemed at the
Philadelphia mint, and the business
of the debasers has been narrowed
down until only three classes are
great sufferers from the mutilation
The saloon keepers and the brewers
are naturally at the head of the list,
but next in order are the churches.
The authorities state that q great
deal of silver that cannot be passed
in any other manner, finds its way
into the church contribution plate.
While England is preparing for a
decisive blow at her Egyptian enc
mics, Russia is also said to be show
ing signs of warlike activity. The
rumored concentration of $4,000 men
in the Caucasus is, indeed, officially
denied. nor does it seem probable
that Russia really cOntemplates so
duudClOus u NcHIuIC DIS du duN duCc
through Asia Minor to the BosphO-
rus at this unhealthy season, es-
pecially as she has just lost the only
general who could have attempted
it with any hope of success.
But the assumption by Rus
STA of a menacing attitude in
order to wiring some further con-
cession from Turkey, by bringing a
pressure to bear upon the latter
while hampered by her strained re-
lations with England, would be quite
in the traditional style of Russian
diplomacy. 1t was by exerting a
pressure of this kind upon China in
1860, when the Anglo-French troops
were at the gates of Pekin, that Rus
STA added large slice of Mancburia
to her Asiatic dominions, and the
revolution which has just broken
out in Corea may offer her an oppOr-
tunity of executing a second stroke
of the same kind in the far east.