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attention to the wishes of the people. It is now twelve years since we have petitioned them to have Telegraph Hill converted into a volcano, so that, at appropriate times, we could have eruptions for the benefit of tourists who write books in Boston about California dynamiters, and eruptions of the skin are but poor excuses for a real volcanic eruption. This community of honest, harddrinking taxpayers is entitled to at least one volcano. We have been frustrated in our dearest wishes; nevertheless, we have to be thankful, especially as it would not help to be otherwise.

SOME REMARKS ON THE SECRET RELATIONS BETWEEN CHEMISTRY

AND POLITICAL ECONOMY.

THERE are but few problems left for the investigation of the modern scientist. One of the most interesting problems is the still insufficiently explained relation between politics and alcohol. We have spent much of our own valuable time in the study of this problem; we have distorted Darwinism into the most impossible shapes; we have invented a long series of evolutions; we have experimented on our own system by exposing it to the action of alcohol heated up to the production of vapor and then again brought it in contact with a glacial period sucked through a straw. Then we have searched history, ancient and modern, sacred and profane, but mostly profane. The re

sult of these investigations was an enormous accumulation of collateral facts, and in regard to explanations a new hypothesis.

Homer in his Iliad is one of the first authors offering instances of the mystic relation between patriotism and drink. Wherever this reliable historian describes a meeting of the enlightened nation of the Greeks, he never neglects the aithopaoinon-the fiery wine. He minutely describes the depas amphikypellon used by the venerable Nestor when engaged in state affairs. Learned philologists explain the two handles so expressly mentioned by Homer as means to handle more easily a cup of proportions unusual even in the heroic age; for the inspired poet and historian states at the same time that ten mortal men as they are nowadays could not have emptied it. Alas! the world degenerates, and the cups of our days are small and have very thick bottoms. Homer also carefully notes down that before any decisive step in politics was taken the heroes took a quantity of

wine in proportion to the importance of the case: "Autar epei posios kai edetyos ex eron hento." A similar custom must have prevailed amongst the Romans. We are not quite certain, but we think it was Cicero or somebody else who first pronounced the axioma: "Vox populi, vox whisky." We now recollect distinctly the passage is to be found in Cicero's book "De Officiis," or, The Surest Way to Get into Office.

Julius Cæsar also, when about to cross the Rubicon, spoke the historical word: "Iacta alea esto,"-Let us shake for drinks.

Now, the same phenomenon related by the ancients is witnessed, and let us say ligiously observed, by our contemporaneous generation. But you will see a very material change in the system of administering the alcohol. With Homer it is always the kings and heroes that do the drinking, and the people the paying; but during the republican government of ancient Rome the people do the drinking, and, exactly as it is in our own country, the wealthy or those that

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