Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1888 — Corncob Bricks. [ARTICLE]

Corncob Bricks.

A word of common sense has come ta last concerning the so-called enormous ‘canals’’ on the planet Mars. Thesecanals were supposed to be vast irrigating channels, thirty miles in width to 100 or 150, and in length 2000 to 3t:00 miles. They occur generally in pairs, running parallel. The supposition that the Martians or Mareites were engaged in such gigantic enterprises required a good ' deal of credulity. Prof. Pickering,of Har- . vard, pow tells, ns that they are probably belts of vegetation, or possibly areas of land under cultivation. This supposition, while it may not accord with fact, does not conflict with common sense. We have had so much trouble with the Mormon question that any chance of getting rid of them is gladly greeted. But if they really are going to Mexico, let pur neighbors understand once for all that they go with the intention of ultimate sovereignty. If they get occupancy of a present Mexican State, they will make-it a Mormon State, and either declare independence, or dictate terms to. thg General Governmi nt. What they despair of accomplishing in the United States they hope will be possiblein the ease of Mexico. It may be best for us to let them quietly slip off if that is’their intention; but we wish no ill will to our neighbors. It « evident that the question of Canadian annexation is to be a popular question on both sides the lakes, until the two parts of a common land coalesce. The change will be somewhat similar to that accomplished by the framing of our Constitution. At present treaties constitute between us and Canada some-, thing equivalent to our colonial” confederation. We are not much more independent of each other than were Georgia and Massachusetts in 1780. Emphatically we are one people, with common interests, and there is no reason why w«! should not dispense with custom houses, and have one flag. Our present rela*tions are unnatural, and liable at any time to be strained. Let us drop the word annexation and use coalescence. The European scare of a great new repartition of the continent, under the auspices of Germany, Austria and Russia, is not quite so idle as it may seem. All schemes that do not conform to the race problem are talk and empty gossip. But the idea that Russia shall at last gobble down Bulgaria and Constantinople, Germany absorb Belgium and Austria the western part- of Turkey is quite apropose to the race issue. It is part of the programme that crowds England and France into growing insignificance on the Continent. It is almost certain that the small States of Europe will soon be absorbed by the larger. The destiny of the Saxon and the Slav is westward. As for England, she has the unnatural problems of India and Ireland on her hands. A queer state of things is found to exist as to using a religious test on the witness stand. Twenty-six States and Territories forbid the exclusion of testimony owing to the religious belief, or unbeliefs of the witness. These States are: Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Cohimbia. Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana. lowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska. Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Wisconsin, Texas,-Utah and Vermont. This leaves twenty States and Territories that still apply the religious test, to their disgrace. Early Christians, in heathen courts, refused to take oaths; and the authority of Scripture is fully against it; but the usage came in as the ages grew corrupt. It is to be hoped no State will long retain this relic of barbaric intolerance. It is well known that the oath is valueless/ Africa has been long known as the Dark Continent. At the present rate oi research it is soon to be properly known as the Light Continent T t is already as well known as South America, and there is no small section of North Amerca still unexplored. Africa is not only being well traversed by explorers, hut, he progress of Arabic invasion from the East, although accompanied by some evils, is nevertheless laying open the ( land to commerce and a certain degree of civilization. Add to this the impulse given by the enterprise of Ethin Bey and the fate of Stanley to send out ’ European armies with the purpose of opening the land to travel and trade, and the probabilities are .that no portion of Africa will remain secluded from the world at the end of another decade. It is not improbable that the end of the twentieth century will leave Africa the most important continent on the globe. o The proportionate influence of Europe already wanes.

Building blocks made of corncobs form the object of a new Italian patent. The cobs are pressed by machinery into . .fottns similar to bricks and held together by wire. They are made water tight by soaking with tar. These molds are very hard and strong. Their weight is less than one-third of that of a hollow brick and they car *iever get damp. The complaining witness—The one whom the shyster lawyer browbeats.