EXTRACTS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 246, 16 October 1874, Page 2

EXTRACTS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

Strange Phenomenon. — The Fresno Expositor of the 12th instant, says: — The early risers in this vicinity were treated to tho si^ht of a wonderful and beautiful phenomenon early on Suuday morning las\ In the horizon, just as the rays of (he sun were beginning to streak the eastern skies, a shining spot appeared just above where (he sun was about to rise, seeming, at first, not much larger than the morning star, but gradually increasing in dimen-/ siona until it looked as large as the fan moon. Wheu it had attained its greatest magnitude it threw out a fanshaped tail, and then gradually faded out of sight. Scarcely had it disappered when two others were discovered a little south of the first, and several degrees apart. Like the first, one, they commenced small and gradually increased iv size, aud at the same time gradually approached each other, and, about the time they had attained/ their greatest magnitude, seemed to join together, and again threw out a tail. As the sun appeared it gradually faded away. The appiuitiou lasted several minutes. S. W. Henry was the first to discover if, and he called the attention of James Young and others to it. They a!l joiued in pronouncing it one of the most remarkable phenomenons they have ever witnessed. How to Lighten the Bubden of Taxation. — The Sacramento Record says:— We are glad to see that the San Francisco Post has taken -up the views of the Record ou governmental economy,

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and is pointing out the truth that the ' only effectual way to relieve the com- ' munitj of the heavy burden of taxation ' is to reduce the system of government ' to itsJowfist denomination, or, in other words, io' simplify and condense in all possible directions. We recently showed that the weight of taxation in this; §tate arises from the cumbrous and absurdly expensive forms of municipal and county governments which have grown, pp on all sides. The truth is that the' whole State could be well and efficiently administered for between three and four millions a year, whereas the city and county governments now cost between six and seven millions, and" the State government between three and four millions of dollars annually. And one of the most serious obstacles in the way of reform arises from the fact that in establishing this cumbrous system we have created an infinitude of political prises, the possessions of which enlists the cupidity of a Standing army of politicians, and the . abolition of which is evaded by whatever ' party comes into power, for precisely similar reasons to those which cause* tha average Congressman to turn a cold shoulder to Civil Service reform. It ifi ; pOßßible that if we have a Constitutional, Convention there may be an opportunity to inaugurate some real changes for the better in this regard, butr^we. fear that reliance upon any political party for such changes muat prove delusive. As the Post observes: — ".Our reform State Administration is even more extravagant and expensive than the* Administration preceding it, whose abuses it was going to reform ;" and* this is the natural, we might Bay the inevitable, outcome of all sham reform movements, because while appealing t oJitw{ardly to the popular eye by professions of purity, they achieve their ends by following in the footsteps of their 1 predecessors. Of course, if the people resolved unanimously upon the reduction of expenses and the condensation- of public offices, and made this an isaSeiri every local contest, we should secure reform in the end. But the people cannot be got to pay sufficient attention to the matter, and though they growl when the tax-list is made out, and protest against the burdens to which they are subjected, they continue to go to the polls year after year, and vofe to elect scores of unnecessary officer^ l wboße salaries must come out of their pockets. Ascertain "Uncle James" of our acquaintance, whose execation is hot quite .equal to I 'his preference for the violin, Was paid a delicate left-handed compliment the other bight by his little niece, who, on being awakened in the small hours of the night by the hideouß performance of two cats under the window, naively remarked, " Mamma, I don't like to bear Uncle James play on the violin." — Providence A Herald correspondent has interviewed Don Carlos, who, as might be expected, represents himself as a muchabased and really magnanimous individual. He is reported as saying that his^task was to restore Spain to her ancient; grandeur, but be does not appear to have defined his ideas of that condition with sufficient precision to instruct whether he refers to the palfoy days of the Inquisition, or to an earlier period. One observation attributed to him is, however, deserving of notice. He is made to say, " When Spain's yrjemies are conquered, and my throne restored, then is the time to consider education." It is clear from this that Don Carlos does not see what is going 6a under his nose; does not realise the fact, perhaps the most absolutely necessary fact to him, that the education of the Spanish people is proceeding -at a very rapid pace at this mdtneii!, and that he is responsible for the fashion and tendencies of it. It is not in, schools alone that nations are educated, and there are few educational agencies so powerful as civil war. Don Carlos is training the Spaniards for ruffians and desperadoes and should thai 'unhappy country ever be cursed by his sovereignty, he will probably xeajp the whirlwind where he has sown the wind. Though the (ate comet presented the scientific world with such magnificent opportunities 'for investigation, it does not as yet appear any definite coocl usion has been reached as to the constitution of these wandering bodies. Analysis by the spectroscope seems to have produced dubious results, for it is not regarded as certain that the comet shines by its own light. The most careful examination, however, appears to support the hypothesis that the coma and tali of the comet are composed of solid or liquid' bodies, surrounded by a self-luminoos vaporous substance, a compoticd of hydrogen nnd-carbon, but in what condition subsisting is not particularly clear. But the greatest mystery, still remains unsolved, aod that a ls : the assumed repulsive force exercised by the sun on these strange bodies, since no process with which we are acquainted accounts for a repulsive force which.appears capable of sweepingmatf^ millions of miles in a few hours. 1 As an English writer observes, "if material repulsion is in question, wg aip introduced to a new and remarkable force in nature, a force compared with which gravity appears altogether feeble iv its action;" The^rgtaja. Chronicle suggests that there may be a relation between climatic influences, and hoodlumism (or, as we c^ ii,' , Urrieitin^m) in California. It says:-— "Precocity seems to be the " universal characteristic of everything ; *' ill California, aad the boys and girls

" develop into men and women there "at such an early sge that they have " not the time to learn the solid responsibilities of life until they suddenly manifest a disposition of in- " dependence." Such a theory as this is not required to account for hoodlumism, about the origin of which there, is no mystery whatever, and moreover/ the theory will not hold water, inasmucH as there are plenty of regions wheye development is far more rapid than in California, yet where hoodlumism /is unknown. What we call hoodlum fctn is neither more nor less than the reiult of neglect and evil training. Children that are never taught obedience /and respect will never be obedient or/ re spectfu). Children that are allowed their own way from infancy will trow up selfish and wilful. Children/that are allowed to roll in the gutter! will acquire dirty habits. CUildren that are allowed to consort with young ruffians will become young ruffians themselves. Childrec that have ignorant, careless, or brutal parents, will probably be ig lorant, careless, and brutal. There is i othing more .than this in the pheno menon. Hoodlum's are not spontaneom productions. They are quite aa much the results of education as their betters. They have learned all the evil they know by being thrown in contact] with evil associations, and their parents, in nineteen cases out of twenty, arelsolely re sponsible for their disgraceful! condition. -\