The morning call., 1893-01-31

The labors of Sisyphus are being cheer
fully undertaken by the railroad organ at
Sacramento in ap effort to prove that rail
road fares are higher in Europe than in
California. ANY one who is at the pans TO
collect the facts for comparison will per-
ceiYe how false is this position. Belgium
has fares so low as to cause the English to
stare, cheap as travelling is in their own
county. Holland is dearer. but not exorb-
tant. State railroads In Germany, which
has more iron-hOrse accommodation than
any other country in Europe, charge very
moderately, and Hungary's prosperous
zone system attracts travel instead of repel-
ling il, as our railroads do. In Great
Britain and Ireland the roads are all in the
hands of corporations, but the maximum of
fares is fixed by Parliament. On number
Of lines there are only two classes-the first
and third, the one almost as comforta as
the other. First-class fares cannot 90 above
six cents per mile; In practice they little
exceed four cents. Third-Class cannot ex-
coed two cents; in practice the rate is often
One-iOurth less. Second-class is perhaps a
farthing more than two cents. With the
exception OF one or two mail trains all ex-
presses take third class cars. Only first
C lass passengers can use the Pullman cars.
On the eve before Parliament meets it l.
customary for the Prime Minister to enter
tain his followers at dinner, and by way of
literary exercises TO read to them the
Queens speech. demonstrating the legls-
lative programme which the Cabinet has in
view. AS a matter of fact the speech is
drawn up by the Cabinet and approved be.
fore the Queen sees 1t. Her Majesty's APP
prevail is a very formal matter, although
she has the privilege of suggesting changes
or asking for information. Members are
by honor pledged 20 secrecy about the. con-
tents of the message, but this IS now Uader-
stood only to apply to the precise language.
As matter of fact the contents are AL re-
vealed as the members stream away from
Downing street. The various press ageD-
cies get copies upon the condition that they
are not TO be telegraphed until the speech
has been read In Parliament. As the post
Office telegraph service has the message all
prepared for dispatch by the Wheatstone
transmitter when delivered it is received
simultaneously in every town in the United
Kingdom within five minutes, and is also
flashed to Europe. India, Canada, Cape
Colony, Australia and the United States.
The London papers write on the speech in
n prophetic vein as il they were guessing
instead OF knowing
Phewl What winter they can have in
the south OF Russia. In the Dnieper VAL
ley the drifts reach to the housetops, and in
the Crimes, where grapes flourish and the
summer heats are scorching, the snow has
suppressed railway communication. AMI
| mails exposed to this visitation will be
swept away and the suffering is certain to
be wides pread when thaws clear the
ground. OF late Russia has been gries ously
afflicted. both in summer and winter, and
much of this Is D doubt due TO its want of
seabOard to modify the climate. Those
who doubt the meteorological benefits that
come from oceans may study Russia and
Siberia.
A somewhat amusing telegram is on its
travels. The English are anxious TO lay
hands on Jabez Spencer Balfour for alleged
frauds in connection with the Liberator
Building Society. Jabez is IN Mexico, where
! extraditi0n troubleth him not, and it is
actually proposed to prod him out of Mex
leo into the United States, where a warrant
will hold against him. OF course the fugi-
tive will say Mexico delights him as coun-
try for repose and fresh ambitions.
II the police can get hold Of the sports
who aided and abetted a chicken tourna-
ment on the road from Golden Gate to West
Berkeley 10 Is TO be hoped their sentences
will be exemplary. Rooster-fghting is just
AS brutal spectacle as dog-fghtiDg in the
opinion Of most people, yet, as a trial re-
Gently showed. there may be conscientious
differences of view. The practice has been
put down in England under the cruelty 10
animals act. All English Judges act on the
presumption that rooster combats are by
statute Illegal. But only few weeks ago
seven Judges of the Supreme Court OF Scot
land. sitting In bank. decided on appeal that
rooster is not an animal within the mean
Ing Of the statute aud some Of them went