The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-09-30


of earthquakes is beginning in the south
ern states. He thinks that it would be
safer to speculate i'll favor of immunity
for the future on the ground that expert
ence shows that new line of cracking is
not as likely as an isolated settlement.
The professor states that knowledge of
the causes of earthquakes is in the highest
degree speculative, which shows how
ridiculous it is for anybody to put faith
in the charlatanism of a "prophet' like
Virgins.
4 Il 4 = *
Martin Irons goes to jail, and com
plains bitterly that he is left defenseless
and utterly deserted by the thousands
who followed him so confidently a few
months ago. But what else had he a
right to expect? How could he hope that
humane feeling would move men whose
deeds under his leadership were marked
by savage cruelty toward unorganized
workingmen? How could he expect that
they would be faithful to him, when they
had been faithless toward employers; rea-
sonable or just to him, when they had
been most unreasonable and unjust in
their dealings with railway companies
and the mercantile community:
He wonders that he is no longer cared
for or respected by the men who once re-
garded him as their leader and benefactor.
But Irons forgets that he served these
men only by taking the lead in injustice
and crime. Men who do that are despised
even by those who follow them Trusted
/ and Obeyed for the moment, i'll the mis-
taken idea that in Justice and crime may
secure desired ends otherwise beyond
reach, and supported because they are
known to be bad enough and desperate
enough to lead unhinchingly in a career
of crime, leaders of that sort are con
demned by the consciences of the very
men whose ends they serve. The most
reckless of men still have within them a
monitor which teaches that bad faith.
brutality, injustice and the shedding of
innocent blood are means to which no.
body has any right to resort, whatever the
aims sought, and those who are willing to
resort to such means are at heart distrust-
ed and despised by the very men who
blunder into belief that the real good of
workingmen can be promoted by lawless
violence.
Then Martin Irons failed. and, the
world over, failure in wrong doing Is ia
tai. He who seeks a worthy end by
worthy means may be defeated, and yet
may win imperishahle honor and the
deathless affection of those for whom he
vainly struggles. Laurels that will never
fade rest on the brows of men who never
won single victory, but strove grandly
for noble ends. But the man who fights
60 mi, o,,I ari,,
as his weapons, must succeed in order to
gain even the most leeting applause.
TO him defeat is dishonor and utter ruin.
Martin Irons chose that course and re-
sorted to such means, and there is not an
industrious workingman in the land to-
day who does not at heart despise him
for what ne did.
NEW YORK WORLD.
As congress has neglected. its duty Of
preventing treasury surplus by reducing
the war taxes. 1t is tine duty OF the prtsi.
dent to abate it, so far as he lawfully
may. by payments upon the pl bic debt
The receipts of the treasury since Sep
TENDER lst exceed the expenditures by
Sl1,0OO,000 the surplus above the $780,
100000 reserve and the fractional silver is
now above S70,00O,000. There are still
over S90,0O0,00O of uncalled three per
cents. They should be wiped out, the in
terest stopped and the Unnecessary surplus
added to the available money of the coun-
try, instead of remaining a temptation to
congressional extravaganza.
This government was not instituted and
is not maintained to supply a profitable
basis for banking. The redeemable bonds
should be redeemed.
s i = * s. &
Now that the president is back at his
pos. of duty, refreshed and reinvigorated
by his vacation, it is to be hoped that he
VIII indulge IN some of those actions
which the proverb says, speak louder
than words"
Two months ago President Cleveland
issued an executive order reminding the
officeholders that they are 1.-The agents of
the people, not their masters and ad-
monlshing them that their influence
should not be felt in the manipulation of
political primary meetings and nominal
ing conventions" with more to the same
effect, We suppose it must be known to
the president, as it certainly is to pretty
nearly everybody else, that this order has
been openly disregarded by federal office
holders all over the country. They have
manipulated" caucuses and conventions.
and are now participating in the manage
ment of campaigns, with an unconcern
that can only come from a good-natured
belief that the president did not mean