The morning call., 1892-12-19

In acc pting bids for public work it is not
always good policy to give the preference to
the lowest bid. A contract under the very
lowest bid often requires more vigilant
watching. ana consequently a higher ex-
penditure. Contractors who allow them
selves margin and do not propose 10
snatch their profits by scamping the require
ments Of the specifications may be allowed
a longer iether Of trust than those who
grind he price of their services down to the
lowest figure. Cramp q Sons of Phila-
delphia have given in the lowest bids for n
battle-ship and cruiser. The Secretary of
the Navy has the power 10 award tie con-
tract 10 a higher bidder. AS Cramp & Sons
have already S20OO0,00o worth of naval
contracts on hand, IL may be right to give
some other firm a chance. Scott of San
Francisco is just little below Cramps bid.
and the work for one vessel should come
here. Artifcers IN the building of warships
are needed on this coast, and the only way
10 encourage them is to give them employ
ment
A Colorado representative has introduced
bill to esta blish a national floral emblem
of the United States. Well, France has
tue lily. Germany IT'S blue cornfower.
England the rose, Scotland the thistle and
Ireland The shamrock. America Ia entitled
TO adopt some vegetatiye sign of disiinc-
ton. 1t has choice among a few in
digenous plants. The tobacco leaf is as
beautiful in form as any plant affords. the
Indian corn is highly decorative. and the
humble potato, enormously called Irish, is
available. lt would be better to have any
OF these than the pansy or heartsease, or
any Of these garden civilizations which
have long ceased TO be as intimate with
nature as with gardeners. The emblem
selected should belong 10 the soil as far as
possible. Any motto will harmonize with
an emblem culled from nature. Justice.
liberty, union, culture and peace" will
adorn Gala lily about as well as q wreath
of yiolets.
The venerable Ferdinand de Lesseps will
not after all suffer much from the proseeu-
ton Of the Panama canal directorate. He
is believed to be insane, quite unconscious
Of what is passing around him and quite
incapable OF forming an opinion on the
movement to bring defalcators and corrup-
tionists TO justice. He is on the verge of
the grave, and this Intervention of nature 30
spare him shame Is mercful Personally
be is not guilty intrguer He is at the
worst tool of others. who used his great
name, acquired In connection with the SueZ
canal, 10 magnetic France for the Pana-
ma project BE thought that the ease with
which he carried forward the SueZ canal en-
terprise could be transferred to tho Isthmus
of Panama. He forgot that he had the
assistance Of the ruler Of Egypt. and also
unlimited fellah labor at nominal rates. He
forgot that while be had level country
between two seas to deal with in Egypt he
had IN the other billy. tropical country
with an immense rainfall, and that be had
also TO pay nigh terms for labor. As to
interchangeable slightest neglect wrecks it.
De Lesseps made his name on one isthmns
and most assuredly he has lost it irretriev-
ably on another SO he loses as much as he
gains In reputation.
Mr.. Stetson, an artist In the East, is suing
for divorce on the ground that his wife
has deserted him for the sake Of indulging
literary tastes in tho quiet of Independence.
She has gifts as writer on social subjects
and appears to be an ardent deyotee of Bel
lamy theories. At present she is In Cali
fornia, while the husband follows impress
siOnisms ON canvas in New York. The
situation of divergence of interest recalls
the famous Jackson case in England. That
was, indeed. cause celebre Of incompati-
their marriage. He sailed for Australia
and she remained in England. His long
absence in Australia without business suc-
cess soured Mrs. jackson and when be re-
turned she refused to live with him. She
had good deal Of property ard the bus
band thought himself entitled TO both the
property and his spouse. So he seized his
spouse coming out of church one morning
and carried her off to house which he had
proylsioned and fortified. But the LAWYERS
OF Mrs. jackson took her case 10 the courts
IN London: One Judge decided that SHE
naa no grievance and must live with the
man OF her choice. On appeal the Lord Chan
cellor and two other Judges set the decision
aside and laid down the law In the most
ueAnite manner that vile cannot be com.