The morning call., 1892-07-31

blame. A merchant who Is handling tea or
silks as an ordinary trader Is hardly the per-
son to invest with judicial functions Of the
highest order. OF course the rest OF the
Europeans are much incensed at the En-
perOr'S decree.
The wine-growers appear 10 be much de-
pressed at present owing TO low prices and
dullness of sales. Home consumption in
California and generally i'll the United
States is not active, but ii is not denied that
a vast quantity of foreign wine is consumed.
1t should be the aim of our growers to beat
this foreign wine, and they can In all but
the very highest brands IL only they will
refrain from selling immature and bad wine.
Our good wines are palmed oil In the East,
il is said, as French or Spanish or Hun
garian, fetching, of course, a high price,
and our poor wines are sold as genuine
Californian, giving the State an inferior
reputation. We ought 10 achieve much
greater success in Europe than has yet been
attained. That market should be pushed.
England will not discriminate against our
wines any moro than those of France.
Morocco appears to be in lively mood
to assume risks and responsibilities not re-
concilable with her strength. She recently
brought on a serious quarrel with England
by showing breach Of faith in the neg0tia-
ton of a treaty, and now a quarrel with
Spain has been pTecipItated, n gunboat hav-
ing been fired upon. Spain can do no less
than demand an apology, and after much
palaver this may be made by the Sultan.
Francs will hardly like the turn of events,
because if Morocco must be brought to
book, or suppressed or partitioned, she
would like as large share of the plum as
she can obtain.
1t Is grayely stated that when the Duke of
Devonshire WAS asked by Queen Victoria
what could be done to avoid making Glad
stone Premier for the fourth time this de-
bonair statesman replied that the only way
was for her Majesty to abdicste the throne
Tbs may be happy or laughable inven-
ton, but IL is sheer moODshine. The Queen
has much sagacity in politics and has
abundance OF tact. She would no more
put an insulting question like that TO q me-
| diocTity like the DIXIE of Devonshire or to
anybody else than she would ask his Grace
| Tor advice on whether il would be prudent
| on her part TO marry again. Detested as
! Gladstone is ut court, the Queen knows
| when TO give way.
| Lord Sherbrooke, better known as Rob-
| ert Lowe. was for a time the most uuDop-
| ular Chancellor of the ExeheQuer who ever
held Office. He was tried in the position as
an experiment, and he failed sadly. one
! OF his blunders was an attempt to put tax
on matches, wax or otherwise, his reasons
| being that as revenue was wanted this
commodity was in every house and every
body's hands, and therefore everybod
| would contribute TO the tax. He might Just
| as well have put tax on lead-peneis OF
| speetacles. lie was compelled to abandon
his proposal. and Gladstone's Ministry suf-
Tered by the agitation. The late statesman
was phenOmenally snOrt-sighted. Figures
! written about two inches long were held
| close to his face in order 10 be seen In
| almost The last speech he delivered In the
| House of Commons he broke down from
| inability to read an extract, and he fed
from the chamber in fit of temper and dis
| gust. ct his bad eyesighr did not dis
| qualify him from being an enthusiastic
bicyciist in the last years of his lie.