The evening times., 1896-05-28
ST. LOUIS AWFUL VISITATION.

The country stands aghast today at the
terrible news that comes from storm
stricken st. Louis. Sympathy seems almost
like mockery in the face OF catastrophe
in which perhaps thousands of human be-
ings lost their lives without even a mo-
ment's warning. Within the memory OF
man no such calamity has befalicn any
community in the United States. The hor-
ror of it was not only in the completeness
OF the ruin wrought, the number OF lives
lost and the hundreds OF injured, but In
the fearful suddenness of the visitation.
AS If in breath whole families were
exterminated, and one OF the great cities
of the Union presents today the scenes OF
a battlefield. only that the misery of such
a one is multiplied a hundredfold. It was
such an outburst of the forces of nature
as reminds man how idle and trifling are
the boasts of his power and control over
them, and that the most massive OF his
handiwork is but as a house of cards be-
fore the playful breath of little child.
Yesterdays storm, or what is more cor
rectly described as a combination offs torms,
has been sweeping eastward with destruct-
i've force for more than a week, and
its path is marked by the wrecking of
towns, the devastation of country, and.
what is worse than all else, the loss of
many lives. 1t appears TO have gathered
strength in its onward course, for its
fury eliminated at st. Louis, its further
progress through Illinois and Indiana be
ing marked by considerably less injury.
As it approaches the section of country
lying east of the Ohio River its violence
will be checked by the Allegheny and
Blue Ridge mountains, 80 that no serious
damage will probably be wrought by it
there. Heavy thunder storms, however,
are more than likely TO manifest Them
our immediate vicinity make us measur-
ably safe against cycionic fury.
The origin of these atmospheric convul
sious which produce cyclones and hurri-
canes has not yet been satisfactorily de-
termined by the students of meteorological
phenomena. Our Weather Bureau would
do well to institute researches with a view
to make some sortof prognostication regard
ing these storms. The suddenness of their
development may preclude such warnings
as are sent out regarding. other atmospheric
disturbances, but it may be possible to col
lect data which will make it practicable
to give warning that coalitions exist in
given localities favorable to the sudden
formation of cyclonic upheavals. Perhaps
the peril to life may be lessened i'll this
way.
In the meantime, it is wen to consider
that the loss OF life resulting from these
visitations of nature is far less than the
aggregate made up of accidents such as
are met with every day. More persous
are killed by fire, drowning, in railroad
aud steamboat disasters and in such fear
full catastrophes as the electric car going
through the bridge at Victoria. than in all
the storms that sweep the country from
the beginning to the end of the year.
UNREASONABLE PUNISHMENT.
The eighth article of the Coustitu-
tion of the United States declares
bHdb EO tEutl puEtou-
ments shah be inflicted. 1t would seem
that this provision of the fundamental
law is flagrantly and wantonly violated
when a man is sent 10 prison for having
taken-stolen, it is oalled-twO and one
half cents worth Of milk frcm a grocer's
staIl, because in fifteen hours he had not
tasted food aud was nearly furnished.
Such spectacle was presented in the po-
lice court OF the National Capital yester-
day. The culprit presented all the external
evidences of rcspectability, nor did he deny
his offense. He did not even plead anything
in extenuation save to say that he was hun
CRY. The little jar OF milk was the first
thing that met his eyes. He took it, in
tending to return later and pay for it. Yet
Judge KimbaIl fined him SO, in very mock
cry of the poor fellows peuniless con-
| tlition. OF course, having had no money
TO buy food, he had none to pay fines. and
| consequently was ''sent DOWN together
with the usual herd of thieves aud va
grants and vagabonds.
He should not have taken the few cents
worth of milk, says the law and likewise
| the man who with well filled stomach sits
| on the bench TO administer it. True; but
necessity knows no law, and there is nc
necessity so dire as an empty stomach
Besides, there is law even higher than
that written on the statute books and dis
| pensed in more or less proportioned doses
| by police court judges. tits the law of hu-
manity, and that ought to have determined
this case.