The San Francisco call., 1898-02-20

Several ladies have done me the honor to write concerning an article in this column last week. The article was based upon the statement of a minister that prayer as an institution was dying out. With evident intent to take exception to my expressions one lady asserts that I am worm of the dust, which is possibly true. A proper spirit of humility forces accept ance of the idea that we are all worms of the dust, even the lady herself nea cessarily coming under this rule. But as there are grades among worms, gal lantry compelS the admission that her wormship may be greatly superior to my own. Having relieved her feel fngs without hurting those of anybody else, trust that she may have the joy and peace of an approving conscience.
 
 Compliments to the Rev. w. T. Thurston of Boston, and will the gen. tleman explain why he chooses to chat ter with the intelligence marking the request of a parrot for a cracker |? Recently Boston was visited by a storm which did much property dam age and resulted in some loss of life. Thurston announced that the storm was visitation, due to the fact that wickedness existed and that it was in- tended as call to repentance. In other words, the Heavenly Father whose goodness it is the Thurston duty to make clear to sinners fined some of his subjects and killed others in order that they might turn from the error of their ways, although of course the ones executed did not have much chance in this direction. Probably Thurston did not realize that he was ascribing to the Almighty traits of meanness which he would rightfully feel insulted to have ascribed to him. self. In the friendliest spirit I would counsel him to devote more time to thinking and less to expressing an ab- sence of thought.
 In common with every other citizen who has gas bills to pay, I take the liberty of wishing the projected com petitor the most complete success. To openly express such a wish Is to invite the active meter to a livelier gait The gas furnished in this city cannot prop erly be termed an illuminant It is merely questionable substitute for darkness. As to the quality of the dim religious light it assumes to throw off, comparison with any self respecting kerosene lamp would be an insult to the lamp. But the utter dis regard for the rights of patrons is the a int of grow accustomed to groping in the gloom, but they never learn to love to pay high price for bad gas they do not burn. I cannot believe myself to have been singled out by a mighty cor poration to be robbed, and therefore reach the conclusion that the aggre- gate stealings of the gas outfit would in themselves constitute an imposing dividend. It Is only candid to state that the size of my monthly bill has little to do with the amount of gas used. Once, seized of the spirit of economy, we provided lamps. and for thirty days burned them almost ex- clusively, it is safe to say not using more than one-tenth the gas that we had the thirty days just before. The bill came promptly. It was higher than ever. No explanation would be received at the office. Then the lamps were discarded, and for thirty days more the household devoted itself to the consumption of all the gas possible, this by way of experiment. The next bill was trifle less. I have been pained to notice that the absence of the family for three weeks out of a month had absolutely no effect upon the size of the bill. Now, if this is not stealing, what is it? One who has been victimiZed for years has a nat ural curiosity to know how common the practice is. For myself I do not believe that reduction to S1. thou sand by the present concern would not be of the slightest benefit to consumers The meters would simply be keyed up to concert pitch, and reach the figures they attain now with irritating and neverfailing ease.
 My interest in the art department of this paper is merely that of associa- tion. It really is no concern of mine when the Tacoma News takes a pie ture from The Call, representing a wharf scene in San Francisco. and publishes 1t as representing a similar scene in Tacoma. Yet it is always better taste in instances of this sort Of enterprise to eliminate the name of the original artist. The Texas lar cenist who elopes with a horse always removes the brand of the owner. Sure ly the Tacoma News does not wish to be reckoned behind horsethief in per- spicuity.
 There has never been in Journalism more cruel and silly display than Hearst Is making of himself. If the man has not gone daft he must by this time feel within his being the unwonted emotion of shame. His offer of $5O,0O0 for the apprehension of the person who caused the wreck of the Maine was not only brutal, but vulgar beyond all expression. He knew there was no more possibility of obtaining an exclusive" explanation of the tragedy than there would have been of having an exclusive" account of a total eclipse. The proposition was a boorish bid for cheap advertising, nothing