Morning journal and courier., 1885-10-08
EDITORIAL NOTES.


 A novel suit came up for argument on de murrer in the District court in San Antonio, Texas, recently. The suit was brought in the name of posthumous son, born seven months after the death of his father, against the Galveston, Harrisburg 6 San Antonio railroad for damages for the killing of his father, and the point raised by the demurrer was that no one but person who was in esse at the death of the father could main tain the action. Judge Noonan overruled the demurrer.
 Carrier pigeons in France are henceforth, like horses and mules, to be registered, as to be subject to military acquisitions when necessary. A decree issued recently orders owners or breeders to make an annual re- turn to the mayor of the number of their pigeons and the journeys to which they have been trained. The information is to be for warded to the military authorities. These formalities, however, will be confined to cer- tain parishes, list of which is to be settled annually, in November.
 The census of Massachusetts, which has just been completed, shows . population of 1, ,941 ,465, gain of 158, 380 since 1880, the increase being little less than two per cent. year. About half of the cities and towns have gained and the rest have lost. The gains are in manufacturing centers, the marked losses in the agricultural districts. In the twenty three cities of the common wealth there has been an aggregate gain of 119, ,922, or twelve and half per cent, since 1880. The population of Boston has in- creased from 362, ,s39 to 39O, ,4O6. This is . gain of but seven per cent, which seems small compared with the gains of nearly all of the other cities. It is explained by the large increase in Boston's suburban popula- ton, showing a growing tendency of people doing business in the city to seek homes in the suburbs.
 In Germany, since the first found ationat Prague in 134S, only forty-two universities have been established; and of these sixteen have, for various reasons, been given up or combined with other institutions. Only three new foundations have been laid in this century-at Berlin, Bonn and Munich; and of these, the two last were based on earlier undertakings. The new university at Stras- burg is, in fact, the revival of an old name. There are to-day, in so much of Germany as constitutes the German empire, but twenty one universities-ten in Prussia, six in South Germany. four in the minor confsderated States and one in the Reichs1ande. The drift of students toward Berlin, Leipsic and Mu- nich IS remarkable, these three universities having forty two per cent during the last semester which was under review. There has been an increase in the number of for eignsrs in attendance, but the importance of this element has relatively decreased during the last twenty years.
 The Journal des Debats publishes an &C., count of the lepers' hospital near Constsnti- nop1e, which shows that leprosy still main tains quite hold upon the eastern people. The hospital is located at Seutari, in the cen- ter of vast cemetery. In this contracted building are large number of human be- ings who have lost their sight; whose faces have been distorted out of all shape; whose hands and toes have dropped off; whose voices are nearly gone, and with whom breathing is carried on only with desperate effort Yet living with these wretchsd peo- pie were their children and some of their relatives, who showed not the least signs of disease, strongly confirming the medical opinion that not only is leprosy not conta- gious, but that it is only occasionally in herited. It is much more often acquired, the main cause being privation and want; and yet, curiously enough, in this hospital there is one man who owes his malady to having been struck by lightning. while second became leper after sudden fright.
 Clerical starvation is little less than literal fact in the Protestant Episcopal church, ac- cording to the assertion of the Church Press, which argues that when . man has been du- ly ordained to the cure of souls he is entitled to an adeqrete support for himself and fam fly frc- 0ne bishop by whom he has been set -.,art, and from the parish in which he tolls. The editor tells of a clergyman who was induced to relinquish mercantile po- sition worth A 600 year, and during ten years of ministerial life has never received more than $500 9 year, and now he has wife and four children; yet he is strongly endorsed by his bishop, and approved by his parishes. Another case taken as an ex- ample is that of man earnest and devoted to the work, good reader and fair preach CT. He has wife and six children. He is promised $500 year, and furnishes his own house. In point of fact he received last year less than $400 salary. He has parish toners now at summer resorts who have not contributed one dime to their minister's support.
 The law of New York makes it misde- meanor punishable by fine or Imprisonment to sell ''unclean, impure, unhealthy, adul- terated or unwholesome milk" and further