The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-07

According to Lieutenant Totten, an ar
tlllery officer who was trained at West
Point and has seen sufficient active service
To entitle him TO be called a soldier, the
world is coming to an end soon. He sees
forecast in the auroral displays that have
made the midnight sky brilliant of late. but
not in our region. Many there have been
who have predicted cataclvsms and desola-
ton to this planet on account of The sinful
ness OF man, tut the day of doom passes
ana the world wagS its way and laughs at
the prophets OF chaos. In the first centuries
OF the Christian era the belief was preva-
lent that the end Of all things was at hand.
The people who surrendered their senses
10 tbs belief knew little or nothing about
the age of the earth or mans career upon
1t; they had loo few facts of any kind upon
which TO form sound opinion. But vati-
cinatlons of impending dissolution have
never ceased, even in enlightened times.
There was tie Rev. DIR. Cummins, for iG-
stance lie professed to hold the key TO
the weird and enigmaticai language
OF tho Book OF Revelations, and
he kept large numbers of people
in terror at the approach of the last day.
Date after date was fixed, and all was found
TO go on upon this fo0tstool as formerly.
The doctor had apparently no abiding con-
hdeDce IN his own calculations, Tor he took
lease OF house for number of years
succeeding one of the dates which he had
the earth not be allowed to cool off into
state Of changeless death like the moon?
We know enough OF the magnitude and con-
ditlon OF tile universe to perceive that we
are drifting on almost impeTceptibly to that
fate. but it will he millions Of years at the
present rate of decay before the seas are
swallowed up and the atmosphere absorbed
There Is perhaps time for another Shake
speare 10 arise. Man need not concern him.
self with the destruction of the earth. The
npr farf lima inn a If hta
Lie is quite sufficient to occupy his thoughts
and ne should put to flight all bogie5 that
MAKE him melancholy.
No wonder Mr.. Foster. Secretary Of the
Treasury, came away with a poor impress
sion of speech aking in the House of Com
mons. He was not charmed with the
drawing manner or utterance and no doubt
he was distressed at the total absence of
gesteulaton. A member of Parliament is
not considered in good form if he saws the
air with his arms, if he pounds his hands
together, If he stamps with his feet, or
shrieks, or froths al the mouth. 1t was not
always the caSe-in the days of Burke and
the Pitts for instance. Etiquette now re-
CURES member 10 think as cogently as he
can, deliver his speech in a quiet gentle
manly tone and avoid theatrical dis clay.
de who offends against these rules only
gets laughed at or is considered eli
gible for briefs at the Old Bailey.
MIR. Willis, whn is more familiar with jurirs
than Parliament. once knocked an unoffend-
ing members bat down over his ears by
cIenched-fist emphasis. He is a truly dread
tel man when excited. Had Mr.. Foster
gone TO the House of Lords he would prob
ably have fallen asleep. Their lordships
are much given to talking In whispers, and
few OF them are too feeble for anything
else. Why should they care for an audience
or the public? Theirs is an atmosphere Of
calm and imperturbable deliberation except
when vested interests are threatened. Like
sensible men, they rarely miss their dinners.
No part OF New York is sacred from the
Invasion of surface or elevated railroads
except the upper part of Fifth avenue. No
street in New York is kept so we'll paved as
that fashionable thorougbfare. Elsewhere
rough, uneven pavements are the rule. and
the noise of traffic is deafening; but on
Fifth avenue the pavement is carefully laid
and maintained in good repair. and yehicu-
lar noises are so very moderate as TO occa-
sion little or no annoyance. The reason is
not far to seek. Fifth avenue is the home
of the millionaire, and legislation is easily
arranged by millionaires In their own inter-
est Other parts of city may be neglected
and left polluted or unhealthy, but not the
mlllonaires' quarter In cartoon entitled
What We Are Coming To-" the New York
W nTIu SHOWS tollgate thrown across Filth
avenue and carriages aud pedestrians passing
under the arches. Over the ticket-offices
the rates are indicated-men and women 10
cents; children cents; dogs cents, and
carriages of every kind are charged rates
running from IL cents 10 81. The explana.
ton is given in these words: This idea for
facilitating corporate ownership of public
streets has not vet occurred t. our repre-
sentatiyes at Albany, but 1T is possibility
of the near future If present legislative ten
denotes go unchecked" At Albany the
rule Of the bosses prevails. We have to go
back many years to find it otherwise.
Bosses do not corrupt legislators and reduce
them to servile obedience at the expense of
their own pockets Il hind the boss is the
wealth of men who profess to eschew poll
ties, but who have always some schemes
under incubation to compensate them for
fiair