The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-06
CURRENT OPINION.

Boulder Age: Prof. T%raphagen, of the
College of Montana, at Deer Lodge, has
made analyses of the kerosene oils sold in
Deer Lodge and Helena, the result of his
Investigations being such as to convince al
most everybody that Montana is made the
dumping ground for the poor and danger
Gus oils which the older states will not per-
nit to be sold within their borders. The
people of this state are compelled to pay
high prices for oils which do not give half
tho light which they should and which
besides expose life and property to destruc-
tion through their high explosive properties.
AS a consequence of Prof. Iraphagen's in
vestigations. there is a movement on foot
to secure the enactment of q law to prohibit
the sale of oils below a certain standard,
both as to lighting powers and explosive
properties. This movement will have the
hearty support of the Age and probably of
all the people of Jefferson county.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: The %lepisla-
ture, if it has time at this session, might
pass a law defining tho term colonel as
applied to civilians, and declaring who
shall be entitled to wear it. Lately it has
become the practice to apply the prefix to
persons whose most striking characteristic
is that they are fat, or swear shockingly, or
drink a great deal. This is abusing an
honorable title. Among those civilians
who undoubtedly have the right to bear the
appellation are great editors, like Colonel
Henry Watterson: great orators, like
Colonel Patrick Henry Winston; poets,
like Colonel Eugene Field: men of science,
like Colonel Peter jackson, or eminent
politicians, like Colonel Nick Owines. A
colonel must be a gentleman: must be a
man of the world; must be popular i IN the
community. Kentuckians are not all en-
titled to bear the name; and a militia
colonel becomes plain NM at the close
of his term of service.
Portland Oregonian: 1t is high time the
international seal commission set abont its
work of sitting truth from falsehood in the
matter of the origin and habits of seal life
in Boring sea. A deal of very perplexing
mendacity is abroad on the subject. On the
one hand, the Smithsonian agent reports
that the seals are fast disappearing, through
the ravaging of their sole breeding ground
on the Pribilof islands. On the other hand
atlidavits from persons living on the north
west coast aver that they are breeding in
immense numbers all along the shore. 1t is
necessary to reach some approximation TO
the truth about the habits of these beasts
before the government can come to any
practicable agreement for their preserva-
ton.
Spokane Chronicle: Senator Gallinper, of
New Hampshire. will sit just as comfort
ably in his senatorial chair as if he came by
the right to warm it honestly. And Sena-
tor Squire will swell sufficiently with pride,
70 doubt, to physically fill his purchased
arm chair.
Philadelphia Record; The enormous wa
ter power of Lake Superior is the next nat
ural force to be utilized. IL has been cal
culated that the actual velocity and volume
of water falling at Saute Ste. Marie is 1872
600 feet per second-equiyalent to 236, 600
horsepower, and it is proposed to con-
struct very extensive works in the vicinity,
including blast furnaces and shipyards, pa
per mills, pulp mills, -four mills and other
industries. The learning of science and
the ingenuity of inventors are daily sue
ceeding in diminishing the waste of energy
that is met with in the mechanical world.
and doubtless before the century shall have
closed even greater triumphs will be re-
corded.