The morning call., 1893-02-27

Fishing craft and small trading vessels
coming TO an anchor within the territorial
waters of Lower California have fair warn
ing that the Mexican authorities may insist
upon searching them for struggled goods
The smugger Is doubtless prepared TO take
the risk for the sake Of profits. there being
heavy export duty on gold. and the supplies
carried on shore for miners and prospectors
being also subject to tariff. There Is the
further fact that the coast is very little
patrolled by the coast guard. If such term
can be applied 20 the lew men who
put off occasionally In small boats
TO overhaul small craft. Four schoou-
ers which bad put into San Quentin
during rough weather bave been fired upon
rather rudely by Mexican officers and two
OF them have been seized and their crews
sent to jail. This is an outrage which Will
have to be inquired into although II doubt
less is due to ignorance and the pitiful asser-
tion OF brief authority.
Probably William w. Astor gives himself
little concern about what the English papers
say of him and his hobby Investment. the
Pail Mall Gazette, which he has converted
into an ultra-Tory organ. Ii is unkind TO
assert that he acquired the paper for the
purpose OF becoming influential in aristo-
cratic society. because there Is no bar to
man Of his culture and wealth being intro
dnced anywhere. The mere possession of
political organ cannot eXalt him, but may
bring him under acrimonious criticism as q
foreigner meddling in politics which are not
his own. and for which he can have very
little heart. Tories may fawn upon him
and beslobber him with fattery, but on the
other side Of politics such knight errantry
in journalism can only provoke laughter
and derision. 1t is said that Mr.. Astor has
been asked 10 naturalize himself as an Eng
iishman. That he certainly will not do.
Property interests are more powerful than
Anglophil sentiment. But II many rich
men were to initiate Mr. Astor and resolve
to reside permanently abroad. some special
tax would be devised by individual States TO
put check upon ahsenteeism. 1t was by
a threat Of that kind that Pittsburg OBJ
tanned the gift Of its finest park.
Quite joke has been played upon the
residents OF district in Michigan. by two
venerable brothers, who came into life at
the same time and have gone out of 1t
together, whether by suicide or natural
Pickering out of life's candle is not known.
The twins were so years of age and they
made life happy by being misers. The good
age they attained is proof that penurious
habits may be aids to longevity. They were
wealthy and they have left their ducats to
be hunted for by the world in as mysterious
manner as did Pedro Garcia when he
buried his treasure and called it his soul.
A note found in their miserable hut home
states that all their money is buried in
place where il will never be found, and the
useless information is added th at the world
is made up OF villains and robbers. The
news that treasur Is buried has drawn the
neighborhood into the prospecting industry
with an energy that suggests the eagerness
and claim jumping Of placer mining.
roll of bills for $4,000 has been found in
the house hidden away in corner. but it is
possible there Is much more In old stock
ings or up the chimney. The world takes
its happiness in various forms.
1t is to be hoped there is no fooling this
time in undertaking the construction of the
Stockton and Lodi canal, which would bene-
cit by irrigation wide area of land An
Eastern syndicate has taken up the pro-
posal, and a number Of farmers are under
stood TO have agreed to take the water over
an area of about 10000 acres. The results
of irrigation in this State are so obviously
profitable wherever the experiment has been
made on sound lines that the wonder is the
large accumulations OF capital lying idle do
not find investment in reproductive works
of this class. Eastern capital is not TO be
despised, and farmers are glad of its aid
when none other offers.
Five brave men have lost their lives on
the coast of Massachusetts in the effort to
rescue a shipwrecked crew, whose vessel
was fast going to pieces on the rocks. No
perils arise at sea which men of courage
will not face to save lives In danger Fire.
men run serious risks frequently, but not
more frequently than sailors and fishermen,
who are so accustomed to exposure that
they think lightly Of hard struggle with
the elements. When the lifeboat goes out
there are always anxious relatives and
friends on shore who have misgivings that
all may not return. The consolation and
reward of this volunteer work on the coasts
of civilized countries Is that thousands Of
seamen are annually snatched from q
watery grave.
The local option proposals Of the English
Government place it in an.agonism to the
be er and whisky interests of the country.
and furious will be the storm of opposition
Some years ago the Liberal party was
wrecked on beer and all the tricks OF the
liquor interest will on this occasion be ex-
erted to destroy the Ministry. To place
inns, hotels. public-houses and beerhouses
at the mercy Of a two-thirds popular vote
renders the prosperity Of brewing and dis.
filling very problematical. But landed
proprietors who own townsites have this