Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1883 — THE RED SUNSETS. [ARTICLE]

THE RED SUNSETS.

The * New Speaker. —Hon. John G. Carlisle, of Kentucky, who has risen to National dis. tinction since his first election to Congress in 1876. is a native of Campbell, or what is now Kenton county, Kentucky,and was born September 5, 1835, being by several years the youngest of the three leading candidates for the Speakership, but the peer of any as a statesman and parliamentarian. He received, as a boy, such advantages as the common schools afforded, supporting himself by his own labor, ana is in the highest and best sense of the term a self made man. He studied law at Covington, and was admitted to the bar in 1858, beCominga large and successful practitioner. He was a member of the Lower House of the Kentucky Legislature for two years, was elected to the State Senate in 1866 and again in 1869, and was

electea Lieutenant Governor in 1871, serving until September 1875. He declined a nomnation for Presidential Elector in 1864. but was a Delegate at Large irom Kentucky to the National Democratic Convention in 1868, and was an alternate Presidential Elector for the State at large in 1876 Elected to the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Congresses, he was returned to the Forty-seventh without opposition, speedily becoming a central figure in the House of Representatives. As a , member of the Committee on Ways and Means, he has been efficient and influential, whether with the majority or minority, and has at all times advocated his views of revenue reform with singular force and eloquence. In matters of political economy, there is-probably no member of the -House better informed, and in respect to constitutional law there is no one who stands before the bar of Kentuchy with clearer or more comprehensive views. His speech on the tariff last winter was the con spicuous feature of a memorable debate. Besides being a member of the Ways and Means Committee in the For-ty-seven th> Congress, he was also a member of the select Committee on Law respecting the election of President ana Vice President, and of the Select "ommittee on improvement of the Mississippi River. He is dignified and courteous in manner, but plain, unobtrusive, and thoroughly democratic in his manner of life.

The causes of the recent rare and rich sunsets continue to be discussed by scientists. They omit to notice. however, that the sunrises of the same period were quite as gorgeous in their effects. Possibly they were not observed by the scientists, but night editors and printers had a good opportunity to behold them. The fact that at sunrise, or at sunset, the red rays were refracted strongly, bent down, so to speak, toward the earth, thus heralding the coming day, or lingering after its departure, is conclusive that the effects were purely atmospherical in origin, and were due to the unusual moisture held in the upper atmosphere. It also puts a quietus on the theory that the afterglow was due to the zodiacal light which is not visible in the mornings. An other fact disposes of that theory, namely, if it was the zodiacal light it would have presented itself in the shape of the segment of a cone. The meteoric and cometary theory does not stand for a moment. In 1861 the earth is supposed to have been involved in the tail of a comet, which had suddenly flashed past the sun, whirling its tail ’in this direction. But the comet was soon visible, and the tail de scribed its-shape in the northern heavens a night or two after! it had brushed through

our atmosphere. And s ich would have been the case now if the cause of the red light had been cometery in its origin. Had it been due to the meteoric shower there would have been a meteoric display after the sun’s rays had entirely left our atmosphere. No other theory explains the phenomenon so well as that of excessive moisture, possibly in the shape of an innnite number of frozen particles held in the upper atmospheric stratum. It ought not to be forgotten also, that the sun was almost at its greatest southern and its rays consequently having to pass obliquely tnrough a much great* er depth of atmosphere to reach the earth than during the summer and fall months. This alone accounts for the frequency of red sunsets during the winter season.- Cin. Commercial Gazette.

Mr. Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana, was in' town yesterday and is stopping with his wife at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. To* a reporter he said last evening: “I am going with my wife to Europe, and expect to sail on the Werra day after to-morrow. We shall travel through France, Spain and Italy, and see all that we can see in the two months we expect to be absent.” “What do you think of the general political position at present, Governor?” “You must excuse me,” he replied, with a pleasant smile, “I have for some time been thinking much more about my intended trip abroad than of the political situation, and in any event should be averse to expressing myself in an interview. I may say, however, generally,tha,t I regard the present outlook as nopeful for the success of the Democratic party next year.” J‘What of the prospects of your own State?” “Oh, I think Indiana may be counted on as certain. 1 don’t permit myself to doubt about Indiana at all.”

“As to the issues of the next Presidential contest which do you think will be the most prominent?” • “As things look at present I should say that it is on the question of tariff reform that the two parties will divide.” “And what are your views on that question?” “As I have said, I can’t talk politics. Wait till I return from Europe. I don’t want to say anything more than'to express the opinion generally that I think there should’be sufficient money raised for the expenses of the Government, those expenses kept down to the lowest point consistent with a wise economy.” “You would not then approve of raising a sju plus revenue and distributing it among the States for educational purposes?” “I would not for educational or for any other purpose. The only effect of that would be to create what might be called a corruption fund in each of the States. I think it would be an absufd idea to do anything of the kind, and I don’t think it would be approved by the people generally.” What of the tax on whisky and tobacco?” “I don’t think the people will look with favor upon the abolition of these, or even their reduction.” “May I ask if yon would look with favor on the desire of a great many of the party for the renoh.iination of what is called the old ticket?” “You may ask, certainly,” said the Governor, pleasantly, “but I have not tho’t enougn about the matter to give yon an intelligent answer, and I must end as I began, by declining to be interviewed on political matters. It will be quite time enough to think and talk about such things two months hence,” and after

wishing Governor Hendricks I a pleasant voyage, the reporter retired. —New York Special. Philadelphia Record: It is a very old fashioned idea, but none the less sound, that the proper way to reduce the burden imposed on taxpayers is to begin by cutting down the taxes on necessaries and after ward oa luxuries. Let us have cheap wares for the household, cheaper iron, cheeper lumber, cheaper coal, cheaper cloths, cheaper glass, and afterward, as we can afford to get along with less revenue, cheaper tobacco and whisky.