The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-01
RANDOM SHOTS.

DSSVSh hCiUtb WHICH gives Ht ~ W6hTJ lepl-
ing. Here it is: 1.-TWO computers for the
National Almanac are wanted In Washington
and the salaries are about $1,000. They must
be expert mathematcians and must submit
to rigid examinations in algebra, geometry
and trigonometry. And yet the applications
for these places nre said to be coming in by
the score. The fact illustrates anew what
singular fascination Government job has
for all sorts and conditions of men, who
could easily make more money in private en-
ployment." True, $1,000 q year is not a
large remuneration for all that knowledge
but as there is no compulsion in the matter
fail to see why any one should become wroth
because Few young gentlemen who possess
the required scientific attainments apply for
the positions named They probably do so
from much the same feeling which prompts
a young attorney to seek the position of
deputy prosecutor. 1t is honorable employ
ment in the line Of their profession, employ
ment which will enable them to advance in
knowledge and at the same time become pro-
fessionally more widely known. They will be
employed at a congenial task, and their hours
Will be such as will enable them to extend
their studies into the higher and more abstruse
branches of mathematics or other sciences.
Washington is splendid place for student,
and the young men making the applications the
Herald SCOTS at probably know and appreciate
this, though the Herald presumably does not.
The salary will enable them to live and their
opportunities for learning and advancement
along the difficult paths of science will be
ample, and they will be surrounded by those
who have both the ability ana inclination to
help them. These considerations doubtless
weigh more In the eyes OF the true votaries of
science than those of merely financial
character.
But what especially makes me weary is the
Herdld's chatter about the fascination Gov
ernment job has for men who could easily make
moro money In private employment. Doubtless
there are men In the Government employ who
could make more money In private life. So
there are judges on the Bench who could
make more money practicng law than their
salaries amount to. And 40. too, there are
men In Congress who could make more in
private life than they receive as Senators or
Representatives. On the other hand, there
are judges and Congressman whose salaries
are greater than ever their income was in pr-
vate life, and some Of them very good judges
or able public men. As to those holding
Government jobs, meaning thereby clerkships
or other minor places in the Departmental
venture to say that the majority are making
more money than they could make In private
life, and they have the sense to know it and
to hold on to their jobs. The Heralds out
burst, sort OF sympathetic sneer quite in the
superior Bostonian style, is out of place.
There is no occasion for the sympathy, and the
sneer is not justified. Government employ
ment is honorable, and in the lower rounds is
better paid than similar work and responsi
bility are paid in private employment.
Mrs. Helen NJ. Cougar, of Lafayette, Ind,
lisa female Prohibitionist of the vrulent type.
In arecent stump speech-for she is that kind
of a woman-she scored President Harrison
mr. lntfi ifrI6n
and charged Mrs. Harrison with the henous
crime OF serving Roman punch at her recep-
tions at indianapolis. Some people are for
tunate In their enemies.
During his last year in New York DR.. Will
liam A. Hammond is credited with having
earned the largest medical income in the
United States, $l5O,OOO. Earned ?
In the course OF his little speech at the
Methodist Ecumenical Conference on the day
whom "International Arbitration" was the
subject, President Harrison said among other
things: sit is a curious incident that some
days ago, and before was aware of the theme
or the occasion which we have here this morn
ing, had appointed this afternoon to visit
the great gun foundry of the United States at
the Navy-Yard. Things have come In their
tion meeting bsfore 60 to the gun factory"
There is more meat in that short passage than
in all the President said or In all else that any
OF the delegates said about international arbi-
tratfon Without perhaps intending it, the Pres
ident summed up the whole question. Arbi-
trate first and tight nfterward. Arbitration
without the power to enforce the decision 10 a
mockery. Without holding with Won Noltke
that peace Is dream, and not even beauti-
full dream" dictum that would not be in
dorsed by peace congress, 1t is easily to bo
seen that the road to international arbitra-
tion is long one and beset with serious diff
nculties. Arbitration for the settlement of
private controversies is not shining success
III 1t were the courts, with their complicated
and costly machinery, would be abolished As
1t Is, tho party who loses in the arbitration
appeals to the courts The decision of tho
court is effective because it has the physical
power to enforce 1t, the entire strength of the
state being behind 1t. The simple underlying
fact Is that government is based on force All
the arbitration In the world could not remove
the British from India or keep the Russians
out OF Constantlnople. 1t is mere question
OF force In each case, abstract right not en-
teEing into 1t at all.
There is man In this town who is a
stoskholder in one of the local breWeries.
When the Catholic Total Abstinence Union
met here some time ago this man subscribed
thousand dollars to its fund. AfterWard
when he was called upon as property owner
TO sign an application for a retail liquor IL
censo he refused unless the applicant would
agree to take all his beer from the brewery In
which the signer owned stock.
One OF the strongest temperance arguments
ever hAArd WAS uttared ~ N old s,anf1auoao