The morning call., 1893-03-27

their families or otherwise in England have
TO send SO per cent more money than was
needed a quarter OF a century ago, and
those who retire on pensions have to make
ends meet on 62 per cent of the income
they hoped to enjoy. II is strange that
under these ercumsta tances the only native
representative of India in Parliament
should have supported Mr.. Gladstone on
gold as the standard in recent bimetallism
debate. He even declared that silver should
be allowed TO sink until 1t stops at its level.
France has not delayed to raise her Min
lister at Washington to the rank of Embas-
sador, in keeping with EHgland's example,
Other powers will doubtless make similar
changes and the United States will In all
likelihood follow the example. 1t does not
follow that higher salaries will accompany
the higher titles, but promotion in diplo-
matte rank Is a personal satisfaction. The
lot of ambassadors and Ministers is not the
difficult and painful one it used to be in the
pre-teIegraph days. Much of the work is
now done In the foreign Offices, and the
representative has only 10 obey orders and
show tact and courtesy. Weeks and even
months used to elapse before Minister
could send or receive dispatches, and he had
considerable degree of liberty for his own
Initiative. Now lie is very much reduced To
the position OF a mouthpiece, speak ing and
acting under instructions. Socially an EN-
bassadOr or envoy may gain by less respon-
siblity, for he has more time to while away
at ease. Very commanding abilities are no
longer necessary in the diplomatic service.
The fear of catching disease by contagion
has led to an optional method of taking the
oath in the English courts. 'Kissng the
book" is no longer imperative. AS a rule
the courtroom New Testament has become
filthy by usage. The often neither solemn
nor reverent oscillations of generation of
witnesses and jurors may have saturated
the binding with greasy pollution, and the
microbes of ulcers may hover about the pre-
cincts of truth. Some cautious people have
taken the oath judiciouSly by opening the
volume and kissing the pages, but In that
case they may leave half of it unsaluted.
and then casust may ask whether the
function Is properly completed. The Scotch
form OF the oath Is now permitted The
witness follows the Judge, each with the
right hand uplifted. in repeating these
words: 81 swear by Almighty God, and as
| shall answer TO God at the great day of
judgment, that will tell the truth. the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth, in so far
as ! know, or as the same shall be asked of
me- The reservations at the close are pc
culiariy characteristic of caution. What
ever the form, there is no guarantee against
perjury creeping in. but the microbe is kept
at respectful dis ance by the Scotch
method.
Although not supposed to have health
sound enough to undertake fresh literary
work Mr.. Ruskin is able to give orders on
publication business. His publisher, George
Allen, is about to issue couple of volumes
OF selections from his works, each to con-
tain a portrait. The first volume is to
appear in May. 1t viii contain extracts
grouped under the following h heads: 'Scenes
.f al
Painting and Poetry" painters and Pic
lures, Architecture and Sculpture" and
Ethical ana Didactic." Strictly speaking,
Ruskin is his own publisher, Allen only
holding the position under a very strict
business arrangement as 10 style, price and
terms with booksellers. AS a business man
Ruskin has succeeded much better than
Scott in the hands of the BalIantynes.