Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-29

hePupllcanS are reSpOnSlDie TOT the DlacK ballots.
 Governor Thompson, of South Carolina, has shown himself to be practical civil. ser vice reformer by reappointing all the public officers in the State whose terms of office have just expired. This was done in some delegations.
 It appears from the last official report of the London police board that in that city drinking impure water causes more deaths than are caused by drinking liquor in fact, that as between impure water and alcohol as agencies in causing increase of the death rate, the proportion is as five deaths from the former cause to one from the latter. If there is any ''morar' to this it is that it is better to drink pure water than either im- pure water or intoxicating liquors,
 Building has been brisk in Chicago during the past year. Since the beginning of the year 3, GAO building permits have been issued The street frontage covered with new struc- lures, Hneal measure, was about fourteen miles, and the total cost of buildings erected was about $2O, 900, 900. The larger portion of the new buildings are two and three stor ies high, about one hundred are four stories, seventy five five stories. and thirty six stor ies. There are few seven, eight nine and ten story buildings. The totals show that the expenditures this year have been about one half that of the year 1872, when the re building of the city, after the fire, was going on.
 A. H. Pugh, of Cincinnati, tried to use his change'' called up the <wrong per- son. Mir Pugh lost his temper and remarked to the operator: 'If you can't get the party I want you may shut up your damn telephone.' The telephone com pany took away Mir. Pugh's telephone on the ground that profane language had been used through it, which was contrary to the con- panys rules. Suit was brought to compel the telephone company to put the telephone back, and a ma jority of the District court has sustained the company. The opinion declares that the rule forbidding the use of profane language through the company s telephones was reasonable and that the word ''damn," whether it was to be regarded as a profane or improper expression, was in vio- lation of the contract and objectionable.
 The Australian and New Zealand colonies do not appear to be afraid of getting into debt. During the last five years they have added to their debts total of $1sO, COG, ,O0O, New Zealand being the worst offender, it's debt having risen in that time $55, 900, GOO. But If population were considered New Zea- land would be outdone by Queensland and at least equaled by South Australia. Queens land, with 227 ,OOO souls against the half mil lion in Now Zealand, augmented hex public obligations to the extent of $31, ,4S5, ,OO0,
 while South Australia with 293, 1000 souls, l augmented hers by $36, 800, ,OO0. Further points about these debts are that the aggre
 gate increase equals GO per cent on the total
 for 1876, and at the end of last year the colo nies owed in all $490,0O0, 900, exclusive oi
 their local and private borrowings from banks
 and land companies. At the end of the pres
 ent year GSS2) the years borro wings vii
 have made the total about $500, OOO 900, o, l about $175 pea head.
 | An Iowa clergyman wrote to Governor.
 elect Click, of Kansas, recently, inquiring ii
 it was true that prohibitory liquor Legislation
 had minimizsd crime in Kansas so greatly
 that the penitentiary was empty, and if il | r~o A. k1. F-