The morning call., 1892-09-17

James Alexander Smith, who is wont to
prefix REV" to his name, but who might
also give il the affix OF convict" is under
going two years Imprisonment at San
Quentin for obtaining money under false
pretenses. But there is much worse than
this against this blackguard, who seems to
have put on the cloak of religion solely to
aid his villainies. He has had five wives,
and has robbed and deserted them all. he
has also bilked hotels and played the scamp
generally. He is anything but credit to
his native Scotland. The disclosures made
Will doubtless end In giving him fresh
billet in jail. II only he could be returned
to London or Scotland he would receive n
dose Of Imprisonment which would cure him
of his propensities
Not much wisdom is obvious in the inten-
ton of the elevator companies henceforth
to withhold reports of their stocks of grain
from BrddStreeFS and other trade papers.
They say that use is made OF these reports
to depress the market. But the use Is Just
as common TO initiate the market The
papers viii succeed, BY hook or crook, in
getting the Information, and il IL is lnaceur-
ate the companies will be In worse posi-
ton than before.
1t is somewhat amusing to ind Wash
iDgton lawyer, who Is an amateur astron-
omer, claiming the credit OF having discOv-
cred the fifth moon Of Jupiter with an
ordinary five-ineh glass. He says he saw
Il, but the question may be put to him
whether he can see it now with his small
refractor, hardly more valuable tor this
work than an opera-glass. Doubtless he
saw one Of the ordinary moons, all OF which
may be observed with fairly good opera
glass. The credit of the discovery belongs,
beyond all question, 10 Professor Barnard,
and the sooner he gives suitable name TO
the moon the better. 1t is not the greatest
astronomical discovery Of the century, for
stellar spectroscopy and photography have
all been brought into use within our time.
But it does rank high as an achievement
with the Telescope.
A contemporary wonders bow it is Great
Britain. lying close to infected ports, has
been able to keep cholera out while New
York has not. One reason may be found in
the fact that authority is a unit In England.
All is under the control of the Local Gov
ernment Board, and 1t Is not clumsy CEN
traliZation, for powers are delegated to port
and riparian sanitary authorities to act In
emergencies. AS soon as there was danger
of cholera an admirably drawn up explana-
tion OF how cholera operates. together with
sanitary and medical directions, was issued
and disseminated everywhere. They do
not appear to dread cholera very much in
England, even in the case of those who
nurse the sick. but the directions are very
precise how to stamp it out
According to the opinion rendered by the
Attorney-General, the powers of the Presi-
dent are pleDary with regard TO barring out
vessels OF any kind arriving from infected
ports. He can not only keep out ships with
cases Of epidemic disease on board, but ves-
sells of any kind. The President may act at
any moment II things get worse. The need
of such power is shown by two passengers
who arrived by the Moravia, getting sur
reptiiiously out of quarantine with all their
belongings and joining their husbands in
thickly settled community on Long Island.
They are Russians.