San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-07-05

tuOOlLt THESE ulNtGBtHl luehs, anu uhhe
of these orOss-grained timbers a smooth
standing place for the feet Of the ambi-
tious ones. The political gymnastics
that will be evolved In the eff
fort to maintain an upright pO-
sltiOn on such wibblety wob-
blety platform will be great sport to
all nations, but death to the democracy.
MEXICO is continually developing
more liberal railway policy. Year by
year she enlarges her concessions to the
railway corporations and places herself
more directly in the line OF railway pro-
gress. The Central Mexican and the Ma
tional have both been granted sslIghtly
increased rate on low class freights, and
time extended them in which 10 COM
plete certain unconstructed sections Of
their roads. The Central gets subsidy
of one per cent OF the customs revenue,
and the National one and one-half per
cent; both subsidies beginning next
January. Other concessions are being
considered for the Texas, TOpOlObampO
4 Pacific and will probably be given.
THE PUBLIC school examinations that
have been ordered In this city, com
menCing to-day, will be watched very
jealousy. 1t is an open secret that the
charge has been made against these ex-
aminatiOns that they were ordered for
the purpose OF forcing out unwelcome
teachers, those who were not in favor
with the political ring that has shown
its fine Italian hand in an attempt to
make the school service subserve
political ends. The LIGHT has not taken
any stock in these rumors, preferring to
give every school officer the benefit Of
the doubt until demonstration comes.
Now that these examinations are on
deck, and concerning the prOpriety OF
them there can be no question, the
LIGHT looks to see so impartial and alb
sOlutely unbiased an inquest made into
the qualifications of teachers as will
leave no just room for accusations. Be-
yOnd this it lie useless to look. These
examinations, IL proper tested of teach
ing fitness, will be absolutely impersonal.
having reference solely to qualifications
irrespective Of the person In whom these
qualifications are sought. We believe
such an examination is being conducted,
and in that belief sustain the school
board in Its work until the contrary is
shown.
THERE are some men in Texas, whom
it is an objectionable sin to criticise;
men who have earned such a reputation
for research so profound, for Observa-
tion so acute, for analysis so minute,
that to question is to confess ignorance;
men who are SO approved of themselves
and their press admirers for wisdom in
fallible, for judgment unimpeachable,
for language unimprOvable aid for con-
illusions incOntrovertible that their
critics can only wonder and perish. Such
a man is Professor Dabney, OF the State
university, ''in his mind" and that of
his adOrer and WOrshipper of the States
man.
RUSSIA has determined to stir up the
Porte against Alexander Of Roumelia.
and is leaving no means untried 10 pre-
cipitate conflict in that quarter.
Alexander will need the wisdom OF the
serpent conjoined to the doves harmless
ness If he escapes the snares that are
being laid for him. Russia will not let
the eastern question rest so long as BY
agitation she can keep pitching her
moving tent nearer the Bosporus. So
long as the car has his eye on Constan-
tinople so long will there be no substan-
tial peace for European Turkey.
So PAR as heard from the results ofthe
English elections are not favorable to
the hopes of Mr.. Gladstone. The indi-
cations are that at least as large a ma
jority will be returned against home
rule as was found in the late parlia-
ment when the question came to an
issue. The manner In which the con-
natives are yielding to the unionists In
the matter OF candidates, even in
bOrOughs where the conservatives are
known to have q majority, and the unan-
unity with which conservative votes are
cast fer unionist candidates, show that
that there is q secret understanding
between the conservatives and unionists
that is definite, distinctive and quite
formally accepted. There is little
change in the situation from the COM
plexiOn OF last parliament. The losses
and gains are pretty equally distributed.
The conservatives have not made such
inroads upon the old liberal vote as they
anticipated, neither has the Irish vote
helped the liberal candidates as was ex-
pected. In three notable instances this
Irish vote has defeated the ministerial
candidates and given the election to the
conservative opposition. Glsdstone's
hopes in the last election were placed on
the country votes. This year they center
there and in Scotland. So close is the
contest and SO determined the opposi-
tiOn that the result not only trembIes in
the balance but will very likely remain
unsettled until the last vote is polled.
Even then the issue may not be clear
until the lines are actually drawn in a
division OF the commons on some test
question. The problems raised by Glad
stones Irish policy are not destined TO
an immediate solution, If one may haz-
yard an opinion from the present mixed