The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-29


 - to dispatches the outbreak oc- 1 cured at o'clock last Saturday morning but news of the finale has not yet had time to reach us. Three cannon shots were fired as a signal for hostilities to begin, but whether the rusilade was fur ther continued is not stated. This time the inhabitants of Monte Christo, La Ligne and Moca have very good reason for as- saulting Santiago, namely that of custom frauds. Vice President Deschamps has decamped and it begins to appear that the government of Nos Gil of the comic opera name, is doomed to temporary ob- livion. The general, who was elected President in June, has done very well to hold on until this late date. The little South American republics have so many little woes that Uncle Sam has not the time to keep up with them in consecutive order Frequently revolution is finished and new executive elected before we hear the news and then of course 1t is too late to worry. If General Wos is over whemed this time he will merely make one of those customary flights aboard a friendly vessel and leave his office to a luckless successor. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" should be amended to read uneasy lies the head of a South American President, so long as it is per mtted to remain on his shoulders"
 The Harvard observatory has ordered faI1 scope and this famous institution will now be even better equipped for astronomical research. The new instrument will make two of similar design which will be used co-opera lively at Cambridge and at Are qupa, Peru. Recent experiments with this reflector in observing stellar motions in the region of Polaris, where the radius is very limited, have proved remarkably satisfactory, a photograph of the north stars companion being clearer than has yet been obtained. Although astronomers do not create much stir in the world ex- cept when they anounce a big comet to arrive they are the most patient of toilers. man who can spend his entire life jug gling with few sets of figures deserves the respect if not the applause of men. The Harvard observatory has done a great work for the science and announce ments from Cambridge are heard with in- terest in all parts of the world By hay ing two antipodal stations work is great ly facilitated, since the heavens viewed from Peru and from Massachusetts pre- sent marked differences.
 Secretary Loeb desires to brighten the White House by the introduction of gay apparel for employees in and about the buildings. Last week eight messengers were ordered to blossom out in uniforms of blue with shiny nickle buttons. This move was merely a feeer If ridicuIe does not become too great it Is proposed to equip all employees in a similar man. ner. Even the ushers will be sumptuous- ly clothed and rumor has it that their uniforms will be so respendent as to properly impress a titled foreigner with the importance of this big country and the man who is it's president It is said that MT. Roosevelt has given his tacit consent to the scheme. but he has wisely arranged matters so that if there is any blame it will fall upon the shoulders of Secretary Loeb. This project has been tried before but unfortunately MT. Me kinley was not agreeable and the first time his doorkeeper appeared in full regi- mentals he was displeased. After that the matter was allowed to drop. Every now and then some of our officials wake up with the idea that we do not put on enough show to impress visitors and set about to remedy the evil, but thanks to our democratic notions they have not yet met with any success It is all right for an officer in the army or navy to wear his uniform whenever he so chooses, for it lends dignity to Washington assem-