The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-19


The tendency of public opinion now is to
extend the non-political zone rather than
to encroach upon it. This public opinion
requires not only the observance of the
rule in theory but in practice. II 1t is bad
to discharge man on the ground of poll
tics. 1t is worse to trump up charges to
effect his removal. In one case a man goes
out with a clean character If with an
empty purse, while in the other he suffers
IN reputation as we'll as in money.
Mr.. w. S. Chapman takes a sauguine
view of the osslble output of gold il Cali
forBia, did capitalists get seriously to
work in sinking deep mines along the
mother lode. He sees no reason why the
yield this year should not be $50, 600
instead Of $4,000. 600. and why in the fol-
lowing year it should not be 500. 600, O0O
These results are tempting. The ex-
PLANTATION. why they are not jumped at
is two-fold-the possibility that the
speculation might not turn out 80 we'll as
calculated and the probability that
the capitalists who incline to min
ing are already deep in invest
ments more or less profitable. The
gold is very likely in the ground, but it re-
qulres enterprise and the courage of TAX
ing risk to get ii out. One thing can be
SAID In favor of enterprise. The modern
processes OF extracting gold from ore, as
exhibited in the South African
workings, leave not speck of the
precious metal in the rock and a
very small percentage pays the capitalist
All the mining superintendent are conf
dent there is plenty of gold in the Serras,
and would back their opinion by WORK if
they had the capital. But if the capitalist
Will only move slowly there are hundreds
OF men who with pick. sb ovel and rocker
can still pick up livelihood along the
river courses, aud they should be encour-
aged to test their fortune.
W. A. White. the Director of Naval
Construction in England, in responding to
a toast at an engineers banquet stated that
he had not only in short time spent
100000 of public money in shil-build-
ing, but 100000 900. That. it appears.
covers his ship building programme during
eight years, being at the rate of 500. OO0 600
year. Still the cry is go ahead with more
SHIPS IN order to maintain that phantom
policy OF supremacy on the seas. During
the last five years seventy vessels of vari-
Gus sizes, but mostly battIe-ships and cruis-
eTS, have been begun and finished, with the
exec cotton OF nine, which are we'll advanced.
Undou btedly this represents a great effOr;
and illustrates the resources of materials
sessed by Britain. Other countries are, OF
course, not standing still. When one
builds the others follow, and they all pro-
test that the activity is nj st harmless and
only intended Tor protection in the last
resort and TO insure peace in the mean
time. Some revelations about France
show that big building projects there do
not mean urgency in completion. Ships
are laid down and after a little work on
them operations are suspended.
Solomon Smith. in a volume of ESSAYS he
has penned, speaks with downright seorn
and reDrObation of the worship of titles in
Canada, and protests against colonial peer
ages and kDighthoods. He states the case
poin tedly in this passage: Anybody can
guess what titles and title-hunting in
colonial society must beget. The acco-
ade does not confer chivalry. In the
Pacific Railway scandal. out of four men
implicated three were knights at the time.
the fourth was afterward knighted, and as
knight got into other serapes of tie same
kind. A knight pays with a place in a
government department a printer who
has stolen proofs from his office for the
use OF the party at IN election. A baronet
employs without shame, for political pur-
pose. private letters, the property of other
persons. which he cannot have obtained
ia an honorable way. Few can believe il
possible to plant aristocracy in the New
World. By the good sense OF the Cana
dian people IL is regarded with aversion,
and IL 1t depended upon their vote il
would come to an end" This is a pretty
homily for the set in the United States
who worship titles and grand alliances
with The very common species of noble
who swaps his escutcheOn for money
and wife added. 1t would be harsh
TO say there is no love in these
matches. but it Is not of conspicuous
order OF devotion and self-sacrifice. Some
Ihackeray is needed TO scourge tie aber-
ration in another series of Snob Papers.
applicable 10 changed conditions. The
snob6ery is now International. Titles are
mostly contemplate anywhere, but thew
are ridiculous in republic.
Surgeons do queer things. They have
been known to provide a cow with a
wooden leg and to successfully splice a
hens leg. One almost expects to learn
that some day they will put a guilIotined
head back in positon-a feat which has
been accomplished in fiction. Setting the
leg bone of a lion is feat they have re-
Gently performed. 1t was a young lion of
co nslderab!e value 10 a circus, and lioness
had crushed one Of its hind legs in re-
sentfu! ut. Before being placed on the
operating table he was anestheiiZad
with morphia and atropine. When we'll
secured with stout ropes the leg was
explored, and the broken surfaces of bone
placed together with stocking, cotton
batting. splints, plaster of paris aud
bandages, so that the wrappings were five
times more bulky than the other leg.
When the lion came to he realized that he
had still his leg, but could not move it
much. This, it will be admitted, is much
more difficult operation than pulling out a
thorn, and is also superior to the dental
operation or elephants, the extraction of
whose molars almost requires block and
tackle.
Estimates OF the exports of nitrates in
Chile during the present year give yield
of 20,000.0G0 Spanish quintals, but this is
supposed to be much under the mark. as
changes in the combination which exists
are imminent and some Government prop
erty is to be sold. The exports last year
were 2l,000000 quintals. 1t appears
that since Chile got Tarapaca
in 1880 the value of nitrates and
iodine produced is $685., 900. of
which the profit to the treasury was
Sl6l, eco. 000 Complaint Is made that the
Government shoul1 reap a gain OF S13 a