The Globe-republican., 1902-05-15
EDITORIAL COMMENT.

EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Eugene F. Ware has been commits
stoned and confirmed as Commissioners of
Pensions. He Will not take charge of
the office for some days.
The Chinese have a proverb which is
commended to people in all conditions.
1t is this: lyon cannot prevent birds
of sorrow flying over your head; but you
can keep them from stopping and build
ing nests in your hair.''
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The destruction of ST. Pierre, city of
1000 people, the Island of Martin
-ique, in the West Indies, by a volcano, is
an awful catastrophe Volumes of hot
mud and molten lava coursed down the
mountain sides and overwhelmed the
people. Fires took place and the people
were burned to death. 1t is said the
destruction of the city was complete In
three minutes.
The passage of the Grout bill, which
the President has signed, has advanced
the price of butter four cents pound
This benefit will go, not to the creamery
men, but to the men who milk the cows,
says w. F. Jensen, Secretary and treas
of the Continental Creamery Com
pany. The claims made that the
dairy business will be improved under
the Circuit law. But the increase of oleo-
margarine will continue. In Chicago
there is three times as much oleo-
margarine sold butter, and the ratio
is constantly increasing. Now the COW
has chance with the steer.
st. Pierre is described by a former res
ident of the place, a veritable Garden
of Eden. You don't see any boxes or
barrels of garbage in the back alleys and
yards of st. Pierre. All the people have
TO do is to dump it in the canal and away
1T goes to the sea. The sanitation and
hygenic regulations of the place
faultless, and no sickness is known. Be
1ieve me when L say that / never saw
fly in st. Pierre, because there is nothing
for them to feed on Morality on the is
land is at low ebb. The principal pro-
duct is rum. The natives live fruit
and fish. The actual labor is done by
coolies imported from the East Indies.
Many of the negro citizens of st. Pierre
are worth oyer 500, 900. Money comes
easily, and there is nothing to spend it
for. The climate is delightful
The people OF ST 5Ierre were killed by
the fumes of volcanic gases. The island
is one vast charnel house, and the ste nch
is appalling. 1t is estimated that at least
30, 900 people are dead With great diff
ficulty a landing at the island effect
ed. Not one house was left intact. Wis
cid heaps of mud, of brighter ashes, of
piles of volcanic stones were seen
every side. The streets could hardly be
traced. Here and there amid the ruins
were heaps of corpses. Almost all the
faces were downward. Careful inspec-
tion showed that the fiery stream which
SO completely destroyed st. Pierre must
have been composed of poisonous gases,
which instantly suffocated every one
who inhaled them and of other gases
burning furiously, for nearly all the vic
Tins had their hands covering their
mouths We're in some other attitudes
showing that they had sought relief from
suffocation. All the bodies were carbon
lied or roasted.
1t is said there is chance for the old
men. The ST. Louis Globe-Democrat
says: Gen. E. 5. Bragg, whom the
President has nominated for consul gem
eral at Havana, was one of the most strik-