The Delta independent., 1888-09-25
impending Danger.

ny anu proper Tor The Amerf-
- .aitor to mpart to the general
public such items Of news as may be
, conducive to its happinnss.
Tho reader should be told when he
may change his dannels without ncur-
ring the danger Of having TO don 3
subsequent sarcophagns. He should
be warned in time not to inhale the
loaded cucumber. which goeth about
like roaring lion seeking by whom it
may be devoured.
1t is to the newspaper that the public
should look for advice for whom not to
vote. and how often.
1t is the province of the newspaper
to give the pubic reliable Information
at what drug store 10 procure the
proper an.idotc. # he is suffering from
digniiied liver. A digniiied liver is
one that has become high-toued. and
refuses to work.
In II word, while there is no kind of
useful Information that should be
withheld from the public, yet we do
not think that the editor should tamp-
er with the planetary system and pre-
dict that the earth will be treated like
an offensive partisan.
For instance, art cles have been 60
ing the rounds OF the press to the effect
that the earth is gradually becoming
cooler. and that in short time all tue
lower brute creation-including, of
course the human race-would be de-
stroyed by tho cold. These pred c;ions
have often brought on the hottest kind
of summer. and people have suffered
from prickly heat and disappointment
in consequence.
On other occasions. the prcss has
warned the public that the planet was
getting hotter. and such predictions
have usually been followed by cold
waves that made the readers howl with
face ache. and ruined the trade in sum-
mer clothing.
This sort OF thing destroys the con
fidence which the people reposes in the
press and is calculated to lessen its
influence for good. People simply say
that an editor is little better than
liar.
Just now. for instance. there is an
astronomical article going the rounds
of the press to the effect that the pub
lie should be ready to dodge as star
known to the police by the name 0,
Arcturus, is ba'! Indian and is headf
ing this way. and unless he is captured
by the U. S. troops and put back on
the reservation he will make it livcl;
for everything that wears hair when he
strikes the white settlements.
This is what Professor Proctor says:
''rhe result of the observation of
these doings, recently made ut the
Greenwich observatory. numbering 200
and extending over per cd of five
months. is the clear establishment of
that star s movement toward the earth
head on at the rate OF something more
than so miles II second. 3. 600 miles u
minute, 1SO. 600 miles au hour, and 4
800. 600 miles day"
As we have already intimated. we
deprecate sensationalism. Prof Proc
tor and all the other star inspectors
may understand their business. but the
public has been fooled so often that
nobody is going to pay pew rent and
lead an upright life on such encour-
agcment as is contained in the above
quoted paragraph.
May not Arcturus' high rate OF
speed be accounted for bv the supos-
ton that f,e IS being pursued by II
nOrnet. OF Il ucpuly snerIH, OF MIS-,
Arc,urusP May he not be smoe celes-
tial bank cashier who having heard
about Canada. is ANXIOUS to join the
American colony at Montrealo
We have casually examined Arcturus
through a quart telescope with the
stopper out, and can see no cause for
alarm. We believe that as soon as
Arcturus sees that we are not going to
scare worth II cent, he will discover
that his motion is orbitnl. Fora time
he will appear stat onary, and then
recede with his tail coiled up between
his hind legs.
At any rate. we will not let Arctu-
rus get the drop on the reading public.
We shall continue our observations
from time to time with telescope Of
increased magnitude. and if we see the
butt of pistol protruding from be-
meath the horizontal coat tail of the
heavenly visitor. we shall issue an
extra in time for regular subscribers
to load their shotguns.
Now is the time to subscribe
as Sittings.