The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-31
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The French in Tonquin have occu-
pied Namdin and have repulsed 4,OOO
Annamese, who attacked the capitol
of the district. Elated with this vic
tory President Greyy has sent mes
sage to the king of AMMAN advising
him not to resist, but to recognize
Frances protectorate, in which event
the integrity of his dominions will be
guaranteed. Ii the king believes this
he must be credalous individual.
Judges are sometimes subjected to
inconvenience from the operation of
their own decisions. In a Hamp-
shire, England, court lately Judgment
one of the inns of the town, and the
bailiff was ordered to seize the first
thing he could, which happened to be
the omnibus plying between the inn
and the station. In the omnibus was
the judge who had ordered the execu-
ton, and as it was not permitted to
complete its journey to the station,
the learned gentleman was obliged to
get out and walk. and he missed his
train.
New York and Illinois have had
experiences in building state houses
from emulating their efforts at archi-
tectural magnificence. The New York
capitol has already cost the nice little
sum of 1924, 222, 993, and it is estimated
that it will require about four and
three-quarter millions more to finish
the structure. making the cost when
completed only a few dollars short of
nineteen mill ms. 1t has staircase
hsoh ok 0ETn hoe, hi oh
100000 and single tower which
called for $4,000. 1t is thing of
beauty. but whether it is a joy now
and will be forever, is matter of
which the taxpayers are more than
mental figures and count up their in
dividual contributions to the grand
total.
A correspondent of the Boston Post
gives, upon the authority Of a gentle
man intimately related to Daniel
Webster's family, some explanations
of the circumstances attending the
utterances of the great expounders
last words He says that in answer
to question from an attendant at
the bedside of Webster neef his ply
sicians said in substance; "You may
give him spoonful Of stimulant at
: o'clock; another at o'clock;
another at = o'clock; and If he still
lives, anotheZ at - o'clock These
directions were foiaSwed with exact
ness until the arrival Of the hour last
mentioned, when the attendants
were undecided about administering
another dose, 1t was in the midst of
their doubts that the dying states
man partly raised MS head and feebly
remarked: 81 still live"
The futurs supply of gold. even for
coinage purposes. IS beginning to be
one of more than common interest.
Ancient history is respondent with
the prodigal display of gold by the
,,arharic peoples OF the Orient. Ara
bia. Egypt and Africa. according to
this same authority, were prolific In
their production of this precious
metal. Pliny states that Cyrus re-
turned from his conquest with $4,000
| pounds of gold (about $l0,OOOO0O).
Alexander the Great brought
| 9tOO,OOOOOo in gold from Persia.
| But 1t the present time these great
helds, SO renowned in history, are
barren SO far as the production OF
| gold is concerned, and it is evident
that Europe can be no longer de-
pended upon to perform any appre-
/ cable part in furnishing supply of
gold 10 meet the demands of the
/ future. Even in this country the
/ statistics Of production show con-
! slant and marked decline III gold
although the field is largely extended
/ and mining is more thoroughly prose
/ eutSd than ever before