The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-18
EDITORIAL NorEs.

Cable adyices state that the British Ministry
has Endorsed the leading features OF Chamber
lain's age-assurance scheme. His plan provides
that any man or woman shall be able TO 20 to
Postoffice savings bank and open an account
either by small payment or large payment.
This may be added to convenient, and re-
manning at 8 per cent compound interest
double the amount now allowed on ordinary
savings bank depOsitS) shall when the de-
posiIor reaches the age OF IS. and then only, be
Withdrawn In he shape OF fixed annuity for the
rest of his or her life. The plan has provoked
considerable criticism. A prominent represen-
tatlve Of the London dock-laborerS thus sums up
the situation: 81 don't see what interest there is
In any such proposal for men who have hard
struggle to get the barest subsistence, men who
cannot possibly save anything. And yet this Is
the almost universal condition OF the unskilled
laborers Of this country, men more than any
Others subject TO the pau,ei's lot and to the
pauper's grave. The difficulty 1 see Is to get
these people 10 live until they Go or even 60.
They are underied, ana for that reason mainly Il
great many OF them do not live to the age OF 30"
The fact that there were not more than three
bids for constructing the 100 large guns for
coast defense under the apprOpriationof 81 25O-
600 made for that purpose in the last Fortifca-
ton Bill Is attributed 10 the uncertainties of
coastdefense legislation In the Ftfty-seeoud Con-
gress. In order to undertake work of this char
acter for the Government costly plants would
have TO be erected, and would-be investors
cannot be blamed for calculating on the uncer-
tanties OF the future. One fourth OF the work
might have been done on this Coast If the pros
poets had been more encouraging.
The Alsace-Lorraiue passport Interpolation
provoked an exciting debate in the French
Chamber OF Deputies, but the Government was
nevertheless sustained by handsome majority.
Evidently the belief that it would never do to
provoke Ministerial crisis just now when the
nation should maintain bold front 10 assure
respect abroad prevailed. In spite OF Derou-
lede's sarcastic insnuatous De Freycinet is
carrying out the Ministerial pledge. made when
he assumed charge of The ship OF state.
Besides the war-shIps being constructed for
the Cars feet in foreign countries twenty five
new vessels, mostly ironcladS are in process OF
construction ln the Russian yards on the Baltic,
the Asoy and the Black seas, some with ton
age exceeding 1900 ana speed of twenty
knots or more. The Nov0ye Vremya comment
ing oD this notable fact says "Our friends of the
League Of Peace may be assured that we are
preparing TO uphold the peace OF Europe as
busily as they"
The twenty-four civilian candidates for au-
polntmept as Second Lieutenants in the army
lind they have undertaken no easy task, and the
successful ones may fairly reach the conclusion
that they have earned their commissions. As
preliminary precaution, the medical officers were
| directed that they could not be too rigid In the
| performance Of their dulles, as It was essential
that men OF only the best physical type should
receive these commissions.
In spite OF repeated declarations That the
| Treasury was empty. 1t has just taken sixty
| Treasury employees Two months 10 count Tie
money in Uncle Sans vaults at Washington
| The total amount Of money counted was S6l4
51l, 6S2 30. of which SIZE. $50, 900 was 10 gold
| and silver. LIE remainder heinr nanar Innev