The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-01

Almost for the first time In Is history the
Pacific Mail Is bent upon encouraging
American commerce by reducing rates to
ribbons. The fare to Colon is now to be
$40 instead of $50, and freight tumbles from
SO TO So per ton. No through rate to San
Francisco is announced. Passengers will
probably have to pay separately for the
journey across the isthmns as the passen-
gers do by the European lines. As long as
the Pacific Mail had monopoly Of through
rating all was serene and equitable, but
now that the tables are turned there viii be
wincing. Every one understands why
these concessions are made. If ever the
competition of the y orth American Nav-
CATION Company is beaten off merchants
viii have reason to reflect en- the degree of
genuine goodwill in this graciOusness.
Meanwhile the Panama Railroad Company
is determined to put in action its new plans,
and the news that comes from New YORK
appears To be satisfactory to the Traffic AS
ISOLATION here.
In view of what Is now occurring in the
Pacific the cutting Of the Nicaragua canal
assumes vastly increased Importance. An
expenditure Of 500. 0O0.0O0 or less in FIVE
years would give the United States water
way between the two great oceans which
lave her shores, saving 10000 miles Of yoy-
age by the Straits Of Magellan. Were the
canal in existence al this moment the
naval demonstration we are making would
be strengthened by the addition Of some OF
Admiral GherardPs vessels, which could
easily be intercepted on their way north
ward.
The excitement about Hawaii occurs at
the right moment to discomfit the lobbying
machinations Of Mr.. Huntington and his
agents at Washington. Mr. Warner Miller,
the president Of the Nicaragua Canal Com
pany. has no doubt that the Southern Pa
cifc is doing all the mischief IL can TO
damage the project. This may be predicted
There may be delay, but the canal will be
made. Perhaps it wonld be easy to obtain
the cauital in Europe. This would be a
wrong course. The money should be- raised
in America, and the canal must be con-
trolled by our Government
The Supreme Court Of Idaho has granted
a new trial on a novel point in an action to
recover a sum Of money. The jury in the
case arrived at a verdict by striking an aver
age-a not uncommon form of compromise
Each of the twelve put down the sum he
thought should be awarded and the whole
was added and divided by twelve IL is held
that this is resort to chance in fixing dam
ages anG is Illegal II the secrets Of the
jury-TOOm, considering the form oil OATH are
thus to be pried into many verdcts will be
upset Strictly speaking a court has only
10 do with the prom Ouncement Of the jury in
court. Apart from bribery Chere is not the
smallest little Of right TO inquire about the
process by which conclusion is reached
and juror might lawfully refuse to answer
all sitting questions as no better than i'm
pertinence. 1t is required that juror
keep his own and his fellows counsel 1t
is well known that many verdicts are de-
pllpu nv tossing coin and finding bn ba
guessing stands.
The revelations about railroad dscrim-
nations in favor of the Standard Oil Com
pany are going to be very spicy. kilograms
and letters disclosing the jumping jack con-
spiracy process by which rates were
lowered to suit the Standard while it filled
up Its reservoirs and raised when 1t did not
require to ship carry the exposure into the
broad light of day. There always has been
suspicion of gross discrimination. Proof
was what was wanted. Some SOFT of an
swer will no doubt be fu1ged up in the
litigation. Lawyers are paid to cudgel tf.eir
brains to that end.
The steam locomotive Is doomed to be
considered slow machine, even at sixty or
seventy miles an hour, If all is realized in
electric locomotion. A line is in course of
construction on which the passenger is To
whisked from Brussels to Paris. 1872 miles,
In eighty mlnutes-just about time 10 settle
back on the cushions and smoke a cigar.
Austria has also got an electric locomotive
calculated to run 125 miles in an hour. The
Chicago aud 81. Louis line will have to inn
prove upon its schedule time of 100 miles
per hour.
& bill has been introduced In the Assem-
bly, making the monstrous proposition that
street car companies should be allowed to