The Portland daily press., 1889-03-27

THE PRESS.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. MARCH 90.
We do not read anonymous letters and commu
nications The name and address of the writer
are In all cases Indispensable not necessarily for
publication but as guarantee Of good faith.
We cannot undertake to return or preserve
communications that are not used.
The Halifax Herald says that the revival
OF the modus rirendi is preparatory to the
negotiation Of satisfactory settlement of
the fisheries dispute.
Gov. Hill of New York in vetoing regis
tration bill INDUCES in lecture ON ballot
reform. Hill in the role Of a reformer is
spectacle for gods and men.
Altogether the funniest objection to pro-
hibition yet given 70 the public comes from
Pennsylvania minister, who says he SHALL
vote against It because he believes il lin.
scriptural
The New York Legislature has voted
down the bill to confer on women the right
of suffrage in municipal elections and cleo
tions for excise officers. The kansas idea"
does not take in the East.
Who will take the next census. Robert p.
Porter or Carroll ID. Wright? The politi-
clans do not know and the people do not
care. Both are capable gentlemen; and
either would ask the usual number of
cheeky questions about business and family
affairs.
A long fight is apparently impending in
the Rhode Island Legislature over the cleo
ton of successor to Senator Chace Yes
terday's voting revealed a great variety of
opinion. Mr.. Dixon led. with Ex-Governor
Wetmore good second; but half dozen
other persons received votes.
Attorney General Webster's position be-
fore the English public just now is not an
enviable one. He appears to be convicted Of
consenting to Parnell being accused publicly
for two years of crimes Of a most heinods
nature. when he knew that the evidence on
which that accusation rested was good for
nothing. l.i.
Gen. A. S. Twitchell of Gorhan,, N. H., is a
candidate for naval officer at the port OF Bos
ton. and Is receiving the hearty supported the
veterans Of his State. Gen. Twitchell Is ih
every way qualified for the office, and bis
appointment would undoubtedly be accepta-
BILE not only to the Republicans of New
Hampshire. but also to those of Maine who
are acquainted with him and know his sterr
ling qualities ~
Rear Admiral Luce. U. S. n. was retired
Monday. and will hereafter reside in New
port, r.. L.. In such peace as that secluded
spot affords. Captain Scott. c. B. F. Cana
dian Bushwhacking Fleet retired some time
ago. Whatever future fishery troubles may
come. Admiral Luce and Captain Scott will
never enjoy again the fame that the sum-
mer cruises Of two years ago gave them.
Mr.. Willitts, the new assistant Secretary
Of Agriculture, has for the past six years
been principal of a Michigan normal school,
Presumably, therefore, he Is not very deep
iy versed In farming. That, however, does
sAoe SoaoeAhavS . NtoAuabASotipus ely low
OF the members Of the cabinet or their assist
ants have special knowledge of the branches
with which their departments are specially
concerned. Gen. Tracy, who Is Secretary of
the Navy, is not specially yersed in ships.
neither is Redfield Proctor military man.
The growing GOODNESS of the Monarchists
towards Bonlanger probably grows out Of
the fhafb a hac af haa fail In
tearing down the Republic as they hoped
and anticipated. The only reason they ever
tolerated him was because he apparently
furnished the most available means Of bring
ing about that state of anarchy which was
an essential condition precedent Of their
selling upon the government. That they
ever had the slightest intention of aiding
him or allowing him to assume the reins Of
government, after the manner of Louis Ma
poleon, is improbable. They wanted him to
tear down, but they intended to build on the
ruins.
The determination Of the Dominion gov
eminent to issue licenses the coming season
Under the m0dus uivendi indicates COM
piete change Of front A while ago Ii was
SAID, and apparently an authority, that no
such licenses would bv issueu,~nd the public
were led to expect renewal of the persecu-
tions Of our fishermen of two years ago. The
reason for this change can only be guessed
at. Very likely Great Britain has limited
to Der ward that the latter was getting too
obstreDerous, and very likely, too, there has
been growing sentiment In the Dominion
In favor of friendly relations with the United
States. which Sir John Macdonald, shrewd
politician that be is, has deemed it wise to
recognize.
We regret to observe that Gen. Neal Dow
is furnishing arguments both to the friends
and the foes of the Massachusetts prohibi-
tion amendment. Its friends quote this from
letter recently written by him to the Brook
Ign Eagle:
In more than three-fourths of our TMaine1 ter
ritory, containing far more than three-fourths of
our people, the traffic Is practically unknown. an
entre generation mas gr0ton up there, neuer hor-
ing seen rum shop or the results Of one.
Its foes are quoting this recently written
by the General In the Lewiston Journal:
For more than twenty years have been 10
every Legislature In Maine, often with hundreds
OF petitions asking for such amendments 10 the
law as would make 1t thoroughly effective. These
efforts have always tailed and che Qro0 shops
Keep on pretty much as they did ttcenty gears
ago. t-ss
The permanence of the native American
stock In the New England States has been
the subject of no little speculation and much
incomplete investigation. 1t has been quite
generally believed that the families Of for
slgners are larger than native fan lilies; and
that there must be charged off against the
native stock not only the depletion of the
great migration from New England to the
Western States, but also the slosness of in
crease Incident to small families. Statistics
upon this subject are easily obtained; but
their bearing it is exceedingly difficult to
construe correctly. Iti we'll known that
the families of foreign extraction are gener-
ally larger than native American families;
and 1t is also true that native American fami-
lies are smaller than thav uara a ganarat;o,,