Men, Women & Things.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 21, 30 July 1887, Page 2

Men, Women & Things.

" A mad World, my inutera.’’—Ovd Pur.

So the little Canadian, Hanlan. hM turned the table* at lut en Hie Yahlnld dptfflndnt G&iidadf, and CoUiiu or. «uoh ot him ae is sportingly inclined, will no longer becock-a-whoop with Joy. There seems something queer about the race, rowed as it was "in semi-darkness" and further and more detailed wires may throw more light oh the question, Gaudaur, it ia eiainied, suffered aoaie alight injury difrliig tlidxXqa; 8d fiarildn rday Have ildcfiing to Bdait of after , all. If the race were known to have been all square, why then fieaolf’s taoliera wopld feel aoqie anxiety «a to whether the Toronto man would not " put through " their champion on the Nepean this year, but, from Gaudaur'a form on the Thames, the probabilities are that the report of an accident to him having occurred is correct. However, time will show whether thia aupposition be true, but in any case, there ie little doubt now but that Hanlan will once more try oonduaions with hie old antagonist. Il GauddUr and Teenier come also; the Sydneyites will have a grand treat. .Since writing the above another telegram has oome to hand by which it may be surmised that some very crooked work has been going on. If it results in Hanlan and Gaudaur both coming out to Australia, Sydney lovers of sculling will forgive them.] -

Paris can Hardly be a very gay plaoe for the average Teuton just now, when the antiGerman spirit is being stirred up again. The French workman detects His German confrere almost ae much for the latter's competition in his own field as from any particular national antipathy. But because a few Parisian watchmakers or cabinetmakers or any other particular class of workers feel aggrieved at the German invasion of Paris, it is hardly right for French politicians to encourage and wink at the systematic bullying of poor Hans or Carl. Why Paris is nothing to London for Germans. London swarms with them, especially the East End, yet John Bull does not go and shy stones at the window s of the German Embassy, or hustle the “ d—d furriner ”in the streets. He simply growls, but virtually grins and bears it.

The worst of all this pettyfogging persecution and annoyance is that it may lead to a bloody and terrible war. From “ such slight causes do great issues flow.” A few words spoken in anger brought on the war of 1870-71, and what with the frontier squabbles, the sympathy with the Alsatians who are forced to serve in the German army and the bellicose bunkum of tuppenny hapenny Parisian rags, General Boulanger, if he really be wishful to goad the people into a new war, is having his task made easy. I hope the moderate party will hold firm, for if France had another struggle and were unsuccessful, the Republic Would as surely be killed as was the Empire by the last fight. But these men who deliberately use their eloquence and energy to urge on a war—what about them ? They are accursed murderers. Better pitch all the Presidents, Kings, Emperors, and the whole gang ot rulers into one vaet cockpit and let it be a survival of the fittest. Truly, says an old Writer: One to destroy is murder by the law, And gibbets keep the lifted hands In awe ; To murder thousands takes a specious name, War is glorious art. and gives immortal fame.

Oh this pitiable, perpetual clamour of politics which is overwhelming the Colony. From Dan to Beersheba, from the Bluff to the North Cape, it ie all over the came, nothing but one big struggle for plaoe. And the candidates too, wnat a lot! Talk about the personnel of the laet House being poor, if some of the would-be new members are to be successful, Heaven help the Speaker, the reporters, and the public. But after dll, the public may be pretty safely trusted to look after themselves. Here and there a blatherskite gets in, but as a rule, the best man wins. Every year too, by dint of our education system, upon which beware of laying a sacreligious hand, the electors are better fitted to judge wisely and well, and, however much we may deplore political ;heat and animas, we must admit that political excitement is after all much better than political apathy.

While on politios, I am reminded of the political creed of one of the Wellington candidates, Mr Menteath, a creed brief, pithy, and worthy of being fallowed by any Rouse.' Says Mr Menteath, a speaker, who, by the way, made a distinct hit the last two sessions. "Govern less, spend less, and speak the truth." This would be an excellent text for a political sermon; but I would only refer to the first admonition, " Govern less,” No one oan deny that we are terribly over-go-verned. Every year sees a lot of knockkneed, hastily-devised, ill-digested measures placed upon the Statute Book, only to be the laughing stock of the Judges, the profit of the lawyers, and the cause of the public's annoyance and pecuniary loss. These wretched bills go through a course of amending and revising often ending in repeal, but not before they have been the cause of endless trouble. The whole of the code wants simplification and reduction, Instead of that still further entangling trape are laid for the unhappy litigant, until he ie enmeshed in a mass of contradictory and complicated Acts and amending Acts, to the impoverishment of his pocket and the enrichment of the legal gentlemen. Not that I blame the latter much for it is their profession—the real danger lies at the door of the legislators who legislate too much. By all means, let them “ govern less.” We are confoundedly over-governed, and the sooner the whole machinery of legislation is reduced to a reasonable degree, the better.

There is a good deal to be said for the London Socialists after all. They certainly should not break windows and frighten old gentlemen at the Clubs out of their lives, or even plunder hard-working bakers, but the contrasts of wealth and poverty at Home are terribly exasperating. By a London paper of recent date I see the Duke of Portland, a gentleman who enjoys the nice little income of £370,000 a year, has the cheek to draw £2,500 a year as salary for his arduous task as Master of the Horse. Another nobleman has a picking into the public revenue of £1,200, as "Hereditary Grand Falconer.” By the same paper I see that “ the distress in the East End, though notes aggravated as it was, is still very great. Over 1,500 people were supplied with hot soup and a quartern loaf at the Cable Street Refuge in three days.” Meanwhile the Hereditary Grand stick in the Mud, the Master of the Buckhounds and the Gold Sticks in Waiting bleed the publje purse, and the Tory howls down any man who dares to say such thingsjshould not be.

I suppose one would be called Puritanical and Pharasaical if one objected to Sabbathbreaking, but considering how the “ hupper suckles ” at home are such ardent supporters of Church and State, their high jinks on the Lord’s Day. are, to say the least of it, peculiar. Here is a par. from a Society paper of recent date: —“ On Sunday afternoon last an army of fashionable people went to the

American exhibition to witness a private performance of the Wild West. Show. At night, dauosa were given in smart houses, and entertainment* of various kinds at • number of <rfob„" Now, it Brsdlaugh is ,M M denounced, tor Saoularistic Isottirp* on Sunday nights, ledtdres ifidiniy attended by the "lower fire,” why ehould the “upper ten” " carry on ”as they do, with impunity. The most popular institution in London io the Now Club, which is extensively patronised by H-EiHi, And yet at this institution svety Sunday night are, held select musical kpd dramatics) perfornjsnde*; AttemWd b the arietocraoy. Belles of tfie ballst hob nob with peers, and Hiedslok's Dry Monopole i* drgnk in buckets-full by men who in Parliament deny pill Syke* of the Seven Dial* ..the right of having his modest " erf pint" before church time on Sundays. It's beauCiluliy evbnly oonstituted world, this ot ours, isn't if.—Touchstone.