Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 9, 1874, Page 4

TERMS OF THE . TPIBUNE, /TRYMB OF AUDSONIPTION (PAYADLE I ADYANOE) Patkroetdys,oe:® BB ey, 5.8 Parts ot a 508t At thio same rata. 'P'o provent dolay and mistakes, bo sure and give Post Ofrco addross fn full, Including and County. ¥ Reomittances may e mado eithor bydeatt, axpross, Post Ofiice ordor, or fn reglatored lottors, at oue risk. TRNMA TO OITY BUDSCRIDENG, L'atly, dolivorod, Bundoy excoptea, 2 conte per weak. Laily, aolvered, Bunday includod, 50 conts por wook. Addron THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madison and Dearbornesta., Utleago, 1l TO-DAY'S AMUSEMENTS. VICK YIS THEATRI Mation steet, Joturan ) 1o Kngagomont o R e o Corapany, * The Long Stk and A Daugurous Toy," EATRETandoloh _atreal, bot e Raronent o Inere' Westormn Halstod ntreet, betwenn Mad. ? MUSI A O A evretmont of Dowinick Murrey. feon and Monroo, 1 1 ugapod from Stog 8o JATRIt-Dosplalucastroot, hotwosn Mad. oy aglon Eurlfinmcm.nl Tidwail & MoDon: Semreoups. < Tho Blaok Crook,"” IYERS' OPERA-IOUSE-Monroo atrcot, botwaon R o Arimitons Gortyo, and- Kembios Bt Buriesquo ol '+ Mazopps.” instrolsy aud comicalitios. THI: GREAT ADELPII-Cornar of Wabssh ayonus sbd Congross stroot, Vardoty porformance. N 10 TIALL—Olnsk siraot, botwoon PLhin e L A T veosta: Bfare-Cabia Cone cort." foot. DING- £ EXPOSITION | RUILDING- Lako, Blorey, foot of streot. Dubufo's Fainting of the Aiternoon and ovening. ES. T RS, TRUNK MANUFAC- Lo O HeuIar Attanlon 1o tho. mANufAG- tate of all kinds of samplo.trunl dor. A ln woll: Uhe Chicany Tibune, Mondsy Morning, February 9, 1874. Thoro is trouble [u St, Louis about tho Soial- Evil Hospital. The Grand Juty, in making their visits, a8 usual, to tho public institutions of tho city, woro rofused admittanco to the Hospital. Thoy silude to this nction in their report, and bint that scandalous practices bo- twoon the inmates and tho officials of the Hos- pital, which thoy might have exposed, were per- Liaps tho causo of their exclusion. The three Boston hotel-keepors who wore ar- rosted for violation of tho Massnchusotts Pro- bibitory,Jaw were bofore the Police Courton Naturdsy. Tho proprietor of the Tromont House ploaded guilty, and escaped with $50 fino and costs, Thetwo others ploaded mot guilty, and wore each sentenced to threo months’ imprison- ment at hard Iabor, beside tho payment of & fine of 875, Thoy have appealed, and will carry tho caso through the courls. [ — Philadelphia is not likely to get much help from tho Massachuseits Legielature for ler Centenpial, When tho Senato resolutions ap- proving the project came boforo the House thoy' wore tablod by avoto of 76 to 84, John Quincy Adams took part in the debate and sug- gested that, instend of gotting up such o elf- landatory show as the Contennial for July 4, 1876, tho day bo devoted to consideriug whother we are following out the principles of our fore- fathiers, and to prayor that wo moy be able to do 80 in tho future, - The Rev. Florence McCarthy pronched kwico yaatorday, in the morning in the strect in troat of his church, and in the ovening in the Wost Bide Billiard-Hall, He had large audiences on each oceasion, who must Lhave been adly disap- ponted to hear evangelical discourse instend of the repetition they probably hoped for of tho oxtraordinary snd indecent address of the pre- vious Bunday. The speaker made no aliusion to his troubles with the church, excopt to say that, like all consclontious and successful suvers of souls, he had been persecuted by the Devil. In the evening there wero two conversions. The extension of tho new branch of tho Balti- moro & Obio Railroad {8 lock8d forward to by tho wide-nwake busincss men of Baltimoro ag an event which must add immensely to the pros- cloned 3¢o higler, nt $1.21%¢ csal, snd $1.23@ 120}¢ sollor March, Corn wae more active and firmor, closing at 0030 cash, sud b67@ 67%o0 mollor March, Oats wore quiot snd unchanged, closing bt 41%0 cash, and 4230 wmollor Mareh. Rye was quict and frmor, at B0ige for regular, Darley wau dull nud wenlk, Live hogs wero in falr domand, and stondy at 35,00@0.00 for poor to beat. Cat- to sold to a fair aggrogato at unchangod prices, Bheop wore fitmn al $4.00@0.00. Captain-General Jovellar hus assumed tho oxtraurdinary powers conforred upon him by tho Spanlsh Cortes, and hns fssuod 8 proclamation declaring Cuba to bo in nutato of slogo, Trinl by court-martinl ls substituted for ordinnry Jjudioal processes whorevor tho Oantain-Gonoral mny choous to oxder {t. The rogulations for re- orniting the army aro ospecinlly sovero. All personsbetwoon 20 and 46 must bo enrollodin tho militia, and no porson subject to draft may loave tho island unlesu ho givos bouds to furnish a subatitute, and the Borlin authoritien is growing serious, As far a8 reported, bio has appointod forty-three priesta contrary to the now Gorman law rogu- Inting eccloslastical appointmeonts in tho Empire. Ho by olready beon flued 1,800 thalors, and boon imprisaned for hisncts. Having beon sume moned before tho District Court to nuswor a chargo similar to thoso alrendy proforred, tho Archbishop addrossed a lotter to the Court, in which bo declared that the law is not compatible with the principles and dogmas of tho Oatholic OChurch, ond that he cannot, without grossly violating his duties to- ward God and the Church, assiat in earrying out the luw. Mis position is warmly approved by tho Pope, who comforts him with the assurance that “ God is now, by tho unbridled offorts of hell, preparing the oventusl regonoration, and for a trivmph of tho Churcl:, at this moment doprived of all human assistance ; and that Ly tho visiblo manifestation of His powor Ho will compoel ovon the proudest hearts to obodience.™ The violence of the Pope’s language partially roveals the bittor intonsity of tho struggle be- tweon Church aad State, perity of their clty, by putting it in closer con- nection with the great agricultural regions of the West. Oieago will be brought 172 miles nearer, and it s expeoted that the great inducoments offered in tho way of ship- mont of grain will divert much of it from New York to Baltimore. The American of that city publishes at some longth, and in a carefully-considered articlo, tho claims of Baltimore to & larger share of tho export trade of the country than she has hitherto en- Joyed. The goographical advantages of Balti- 1more, it is claimed, place hor200 miles nearer the navigablo wators of tho West thun New York, and 100 miles nearer than Philadelphin ; #ho can, by het proximity to the conl region, sup- ply to ocean stoamers the samo coal thoy got in Now York for $2.50 toss than thoy pay there ; und, being contiguous to the extensive oyater-bods und Irait region, she is the focus of tho oyster and froit-packing trade. In addition to all this, she Les in tho Chesaposke Bay a perfectly land- locked barbor, slways free from heavy ice. Hor two groat railronds, the Baltimoro & Ohio and Ponnsylvania Roads, were built at a much smallor cost than the feeders of New York, und can afford to carry frolghts at lower rates to tido- water. Transportation of grain can be had to Baltimore 8 conts a bushel cheaper than to Now Yorlt, the American bolievos, and the cost of handling, n transferring from cars to vessols, is 1 cont less, The Baltimorc & Ohio Rail- road has v prosent ono olovator with o ca- pacity of 500,000 bushels, and is completing an- other of twice that size. A third ia also tallied of. DBosides thoso, an elovator is owned by the Ponngylvania Rallrosd, and adde to the stor- &ge capacity of tho oity. Binco 1871, the graln shipments from Baltimore, which smountad then to 2,000,000 bushels, has incroused 1,000,000 an- naually, and an estimate {8 made that it will for tho current year reach 7,000,000 bushols, These figures appenr small to Chicago, but indicate that the sanguine expeotations of the good people of [ Baltimore are based upon some suror foundation chan mere conjectura, Tho Chicago produce markets woro staadler on Saturday, with morze doing In gralu. Mess pork waa quict and & shedo easlor, closing at 814.45 cash, and 814,55 selter March. Lard was quiot and stoady, closing at ©0,10@90.12%¢ oash, and $0,22§@0.35 per 100 1bs sellor Maroh, Mosuts wore quiet and firm at 5X@Bo for shouldory, T4@7360 for short ribs, 73@1736o forshort clear, and 03¢@10}40 for ewoot pickled hame, Dressed loga wore dull, and 100 per 100 lbs lower, at $0,50@0,60, Highwines were quiot and atoady, st 860 per gallon, Flour was dull mad unchanged. Whdad wae more active, and THE FORK OF THE ROAD, It i no less true in the moral than in the phy- sical world that & Bet of causos onco sot in operation will grind out their appropriato ro- sults, And retribution, in reachiug after the guilty, not infroquontly strides over and tram- plos down tho innocont. The process often con- founds s, but all efforts to arrest it are unavail- ing. When the warchouso monopoly ' lsid down " on tho grain trade of the Northwest, and by along sorics of oppressions ond oxtortions courted the indignation of the community, tew porsons supposed that tho outcome would bo a decislon by tho Supreme Court that the Legisla- ture could regulate their charges for storage. Most people looked for relief in another direc- tlon, It was commonly thought that tho ware- ‘house business would be thrown opeu to compe- titlon—that somo law, ordecision, or some nove- ment on tho part of tho railway companics would open tho door and establish freo trade in tho handling and storago of grain, Dut a shorter out has been found, Tho line has given way at tho point of least resistance. It hne boen declared by our highost Stato tribunal that while this monopoly oxists it is compotent for the leginlative nuthority to rogulate its charges for storage. ‘Tho decislon iteelf seoms to us to bo fraught with grave dangors, siuco the definf- tion of » monopoly is the last thing that should bo loft to the dotormination of & popular assem- bly, where malico and passion are most com- monly in the majority. It is not impossible that this doclsion has brought us to the fork of tho road, where the whole course of jurisprudence shall take s new doparture. It doos not necessarily follow that the Court will decide that tho Logislature can prescribe railway charges, telograph tolls, gns bills, ote., but if such decisions should come we should not now boe surprised. It doos not follow that this decislon, or this class of decis~ fons, will bo sustaived by tho* Buprome Court of tho United Statos; but, it susteined in that quortor, we should not be grontly astonished. 'fhe dissenting opiuion in the New Orleans Blaughter-House caso lncked only ono of & majority, and this dissouting opinton had for its contral and controlling iden tho principlo that it is the dutyof Courts to overthrow unjust monopolies, + It is by po mesna cortain that the recemt warehouse de- clsion in this Btate will not be sustained in tho tribunal of last resort, it it ever gots thero. Judge Brocse's opinion is open to criticism on the score of turgidity and infalicity of illustra- tion, but wo must not torget that it rocoived tha concurrenco of eminent Jawyers sitting upon the samo Bench, whoso learning and impare tiality bave never been brought in quos- tion. As a legal argument, Judge Mec- Allister's dissonting opinion s by far tho strongor. Duilding upon the familior moxims of Kant and Marghall, ho has coustructed o edifico of juridical reanoning as solid as those hitherto impregnablo foundations. Granting his promises, which aroe the premiscs of English and American law, there is no fault or flaw in Lio argument. And this dissouting opinion, so polished and so slrong, serves to givo groater eignificance to the inquiry whother wo bave not mrived ab 8 fork in tho road,—whother wo aro not, a8 & nation, turning away from Xent aud Marshall'and the principlosidentified with them, ond ontoring upon new paths altogether. For we cannot look upon the decinion of the Court as a foleclsm, a thing by iteelf, but rathor ssn symptom of public sentimont, and & sign of tho times, Whataver is public sentiment will soon- or or later be tha deolslon of all Courts, high and low, Btate and National. Aseumiog that this decision is tho embodiment of public sentiment in the Btuto of Illinois, it behooves us to keep in mind that fn a now and unknown path our steps should be governed by caution, Thero avo indicstions that tho Gon- aral Assombly may rush into all sorts of logislo- tion hostllo to what are called monopolles, re- gardless of tho praotical dififoulties involved. It I8 posaible, by o doing, to accomplish o vasb denl of harm, and to damsgo enormously the credit of tho Btato apd it inbabitsnis, If we have nrrived ut fork of the road, wo must look out fur pitfalls, The Bupreme Court Lns glvon notice that henceforth the responaibility 18 on tho Leglslaturo aud not on fisolf. It will no longer nnswer Lo pass lawa at random, aud leave the Courts to say whether thoy are right or This policy, o all ovents, s the one most iu hnr- mony with our systom of government. It I8 beat that the responsibility for Inws shionld rost upon thoso who mako thom, end ultimatoly upos the peoplo thomsalves, THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS. ‘The Cousorvative roastion in England hing proved strongor than ovon Cousorvatives tliem- solvos havo dered to hopo. Disracll will nob only Linve o strong worling mujority in tho Ilouso of Commons, but ho will bo froed from tho attacks of most of tho:free-1ancos of tho Inst Parlisnent, Almost without an excoption, the men who have idens of thoir own,—tho erotcholy mou, 18 the solid DBritons disdaintully term thom,—have boen dofeated, Prof. Fawcelt, the blind statesmon, whose wonderful spaoches on India have mnde him tho idol of Iiindo- stan, hay boon politieally bohonded for his ad- vaucod Liboralism. Thomas Hughos has again lost n soat is Parliamont through tho jenlousy of the small shopkoopors, whom his hobby of co-operation throws out of employ- ment, Jacob DBright, known as the brothor of his ‘brotber and as on ardent advocsto of womnn'a rights, atood at the bottom of tho poll in Manchastor, Tho Tower Hamlots, sup- posed to bo a stronghold of Radiealism, havo re« jeotod Capt. Maxse, tho Red candidato, ond have notually returuod oo Conaorvative besides: ono mitd Liboral, In Southwark, whore, sinco (ho number of membors hias beon increased, the votes cast for Odgor, in 1808, would now bave elocted hiin, o hns fatled to ‘gob thom. 8o fur, the only guarrilins eloctoed are Cowon, oxtrome Tadleal, from Newoastlo; Burt, Workingman's candidato, from Bwansen ; Plimsoll, ship-inspee- tion agitator, from Derby; and Bir Obarles Dilke, Ropublican, from Chelsea, Theso aro remarkablo rosults for aun election that was oxpected to put & dozen or moro Workingmen, Radicals, ¢l al. into tho House. Taking a broader viow of the situation, wo find that in Iroland, which was expected, in connection with Seotlend, to make up for Lib- oral losses in England, tho firat 61 mombors chosen were divided into 26 Home-Rulors, 17 Conservatives, and 8 Liborals, The most noted of the lattor—The O'Donoghuc—defeated tho Home-Rule candidato by but three votos, Even in Beotland, whore tho eloctor bolovos in his party ns he does in bis Church, regarding it as Dlasphomy to doubt the doctrines of cither, thoro are Consarvative gaina, . Tho causo of tho total rout of the Govern- ment is worth tho ptiention of American poli- wrong, wise or unwlse. Tho writton safogunrds of tho Constitution will probably be uphold by tho Judiclary, ovon agaiust logislative ignorence and capriolousuoss, but outside or thess, In the broad domain of common-law construation, it is most likely that the Courta will follow, aud nos impode, the courss of the law-making power. ticians, Tho party it lod accomplished its aims some timo =ago, Its leaders tried to furmsh now issuos, but the party upllt'upon them. Lvery fresh propesal drove the wedge {n forther. It isthe old story over ngain, A party formed to do two things cannot, save under very exceptional circumstances, bo lield togothor long euough to do throo. A va- riety of minor causod co-operated to producetho overthrow. Tho liquor question, the unequal working of tho Education act, tho want of tact and of harmony among tho Ministers, tho High- Churel touo of the Ministry, eapecially offensivo and {ll-judged in men who hind just disostablished tbe Irish Ohurch, the coquotry that has bean carried on with tho Red cloment, and tho hope- 1ces falluro to doviso & sottlomont of tho Irish ducation problom,—all theso have played thelr port in hastening tho decline and fall, Bix yesrs 8go, & man who wished to sit in Patliamont had but to climb » hustings and ery: I will sup- port Gladatono!™ THow ia the mighty fallon. For some time to come, Engiand will beliove Wit thero is but one political god,—Conservat- ism,—nnd that Dieracli is its prophet. THE ASSESSMENT OF TAXES. Tha collection of the persunal tax assessed for Blate and county burposcs has been in progross during the last ix weeks, and will continue for some weoks to come, 60 tant the subjeot is some- what conspicuously unpleasant just now. The facts and figures which wo have gathored and présent in snother article in fhis morning's vaper will not do wuch to mollify aggrioved taxpayers, but may possibly o direct tho atten- tion of the people to tho irregularitics and abuses of tho prosont systom of assessmont ay to lend to o roform. While almost overy indi- vidunl taxpayor has had ocession to note special instances of partiality, it is not lkely that thers Lias been n generasl comprehension of the enormity of the unjust diserimination prac- ticed, A may have congratulated himself on escaplng go lightly, or D niay have folc that he was poyiug doublo what he ought to pay on the basis of his mext neightor's assessment, but thoy have both probably regarded their cases a8 oxcoptional. The fact is that partinlity is the rule and not the excepticm ; and it cannot well Do otherwiso undor tho §zesent modo for ascer~ taining the value of prarsonal property. Tho mattor i8in the hands of! the Town Assossors, of whom thore arothrioe for tho entire City of Chicago. Under the Taw as it stands, the peoplo of Bouth Chiesgo - aro compelled to chooso thoir Assessc eat one voting-place, and the peoplo of West Ch jcago and North Chicago tho sama. It would o ridiculons to presumo that thore could be w fair expression of the choico of the poople while compelled to vote in this manner, Tho r2sut is, usually, that the in- dividuals who desire ithe town-oflicos, and aro familiar with tho processes of drumming up votes, carry the election. Then red tapo intor- venes in such » manner as to give the Town As- dessor but six or oight weeks in which to make up his ossessmant-rolls, To do the work in the time allotted, he cmploys from {flfteon to twenty dopnties or As- sistont Asscsgors, who nre choson malnly with roference to thair seirvices at the polls, A scoro of men,—all of the/m inoxperienced, most of thom ignorant, and a part of them corrupt,— start out to asacss the proporty, In somo cagos thoy are deceived, in others bullied, in still othiers bought off. Tl ropults, somo of which aro upecifieally givon izi the article reforred tor aro the most glarig Inconsistencies, TLargo houzeholders a11d busdacss firmu aro omitted al- together ; many~ are placed nt an under-valua- tion that s, palpebly abeurd; and tho greatest burcien, im proportion to tho roal valuo of property, falls upon the small dealors and modout houscholders. Ouo of tho very richest men in Ohicago pays & personal tax of only 820 , and nnothor of only 817, while it 18 not unt sual for salaried men to pay from $30 to §50 on housohold furniture of unpretentious charaste' ¢ and comparatively Insignificant valuo.. ‘Tlie diff proncos in the resoysmont of well-known busine s firma nro sivikingly unfalr, In ¢ gnnootion with & portrayalof theabusos of preef nt system, wo print, aleo, tho snggostion of cert ain yomediss from gontlemen who hava given the ,gubject considerable thought, Ono of them is ‘ospecinlly worthy of attoution, It s s P soposed nubstituto for the prescut eys- ¢ ;om of ralslng rovenus by personal taxatlon, The propoaition, in Lilef, s to do away with tho nssoxsmont syatom of ascortalning valuos, and rajeo the ravonuo by a nytom of lconses, tho prico of which shall depoud oithor on tho charnctor of tho busiuess or the amount of grosy recolpts, or to somo oxtont on both, The smount of rovenuo Which the personsl tax of 1873 wna to ralsa {n about $1,012,000, Ilalf of his Ia paid by tho farmors, on their live-stoclk, implomouts, oto,, and this {s gouorally colloctod. Of tho othor half nvory small proportion {s col- lected, slnco n Inrgo part of it s placed fn - oitios on proporty which cannob bo go pummarily seiz- ed, If the tax bo not pald, It costs, moro- ovor, from 14 to 18 por cont of tho onthie iax to collect it. In & word, it Lns beon falrly onti- mated that not moro than 50 por cont of the por- gonal property Is nssossed at oll, aud that not more than 60 por cent of tho porsonnl tnx-lovy actually mado finds its way into tho Siato Trons- ey, oud that this much is drawn unequally from tho poople. T'ho propasad loense systom, which 18 sustnined by tho Constitution, would, nccord- ing to tho gentloman who . proposes It, ralso moro than o million of dollnrs promptly snd equitably, and it would not cost moro than 1 por cont to colleot it. . Tho showing made olsewhore is scaudalous in many respocts, snd, 1f our peoplo wore not n patient peoplo, thoy would protost sgainst it more loudly thau thoy do. Wo will mention but one more fnatanco of tho barefaced fraud of the sssossment ystem :+ ‘Tho total valuation of all tho merchandiso nescssed lu tho Btato is bub $38,000,000, whilo in Chicago alono tho sales for Iast yenr, by wholosale, wore ©450,000,000; by rotall, s much more; sand, throughout tho Stato, os much ngain. A porusal of the dotailed workings of tho proaont systom cen scarcely lonvo a doubt that some roform is imporative, A PANIO IN RAILROAD-AID BONDS, Thoro is & paulo tmong the holders of Tilinols railvond-nid bonds. It extonds to tho .brokors aud agents oil over tho conutry who havo beon shoving thom upon crodulous peoplo, and to tho speoulators who have not yeb got rid of them, Wo have alrcady exposed somo of tho falechooda published in tho advertisoments of theso bonds, and notably tho glaring one sotting forth that the Biate bad gusranteod tho interest on them. Tho causos of the panio aro two-fold, Tho firat 1s that in onein- stance of tho issuo of half o million of bouds tho Suprome Court has decided that thoy were fraudulont ; that tho protended act of the Log- islature undor which they wero issued was nover poesod ot all. The suspicion of lilio froud in othier cases exlsts, and suits are now ponding in various partsof tho Stato totest tho validity of the procecdings antecedent to their imsuo. Thero i8 & goneral improssion that fraud and ir- rogularity attaches to a very large portion of the thirteon millions and more of bonds which aro now outstanding. Tho socond circumstanco breeding this panic ia the provailing opinion tiat the Supremo Court will hold that the grab-law ot 1800 is unconsti- tutional. If this beso, it will leavethe payment of the principal and interest of the bonds ex- clusively with tho municipalities that issued them. It willleave the creditor to his romody against the debtor, preciscly as all othor oredit- ors aro Joft by tho lawa of every civilized State. Thoe lnw of 1809 was ounningly dovised to on- trap the Stato into a practical assumption of this debt. It provided thatall tax collected for Biate purposos on the incroaso in the valua- tion of taxablo property, in any county or town owing such bonds, over . the valuation of 1868, should be paid into the Stato Trensury for ten yenrs, and constitute & fund for tho payment of thoso bonds. As thero was no substantinl in- creaso in the Btato assessmont from 1800 to 1873, tho Inw 2ttracted no attontion and worked no guch injuryas to provoke resistance. When, however, the bondholders in 1873 so manipulate od nffalrs ab Springfleld as to have the Stato as~ sossment incroasod from £485,000,000 to 81,841~ 000,000, and neceaeitatod tho levy of an additional tax of 2 million dollars upon tho Btato at large to mako good the deficiency in tho Btato revenue, thero was & disturbance of the first magnitude. Then, for tbo fivst timo, brought face to face with this law; aud for tho firat timo the question of its legality was pre- sonted in a fonn for tosting it, This has been done in many casos, prosenting the iniquitios and inequalities of tho law in all its offects aud forms, A striking case is furnished by the fol- 1owing exhibit of actun} taxntion as affocted by this faw. We first give tho sescssments in threo countios owing railroad-nid dobts ; Vuluation Valuation 10 1608, 1 187J, $10,608,002 €33,008,000 12,519,800 Y 9,740,431 $80,005,731 Increaso n 1873 over 1808, + 47,401,508 In throo countios owing no such debts tho valuations were : Counttes, Valuation Valuation n 1803, fn 1874 Cook,...s $85,000,000 $306,000,000 Steplicnson, 5,003,690 12,151,000 Kano..... 16,871,680 21,872,000 $104,670,180 $340,02,000 Increnso in 1873 OVer 18Bu.soeerssssees 2BAG3H20 Under this law, Cook, Stophenson, and Kane will pay o tax of 8 6-10 mills on §840,000,000, alt of which will go into tie Stato Treasury for State purposes, whilo McLean, Saugamon, and Peorin Counties will pay the samo tax on $83,004,183, to go into tho Treasury, and on $47,401,698, to bo paid over to the hdldera of thoso bonds. The oxtent of the robbery mny Lo scen in the fact that & rate of 2 7-10 mills would hiave been sufll- clont to have ralsed sl tho State ravenue need- ed, but sn additional rate of 9-10 of o mill was . roquired to supply the deficionoy cn\;:m\ by the dlvorston of tho State funds to pay theso local, debts. The whole robbery for this purpose ex- conds this yoar 81,000,000, In order to uphold this iniquity tho Supreme Court s to decide: that the Legislaturo can pro- vide for ilio lovy nnad collection of a taxin Win- nobngo and Clintcm Counties to pay dobts con= tracted by the Cityy of Springficld and tho Oity of Pooria; and further, that the Stato can lovy and collect this tax undor the authority to raiso rov- | onuo for “ Btate' purposes. ‘Tho almost unan- imous judgment of the Bar, that tho State can levy no taxes excopt for Btate purposes; that taxes lovied for one spectfle purpose cannot bo appliod to any other purpose ; and that the poople nnd property of one couuty cannot bo taxed to pay the local dJobts of any other county, and that tuerofore the uct of 18069 is vold, has, of courss, produced & panio among the bondholdors, ‘What fato bo the outcomo of this doolslon, should the fiupreme Court propounco agaiost the grab? Tho bondholdors must look to the municipal bodies which have fssued the bonds, Dut tho oporation will not conso there, Theso ‘bonds were all given for capltal stosk in rafls road corparations, aud in n mojority of casos were ihe only ona flde enbsoriptions to tho capital stock, In tho caso of tho Gilman, Olinton & SpringQold Rallrosd Company thore was only 9,000 paid for stock, save what was pald by the towns and countlos, These railroads have bean wero the people | E CHICAGO DATLY TRIBDUNE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1874, covorod all over with mortgage-bonds, and eap- ital stock has been given away by tho million, and thon the roads inve beon lensed in porpotuity tootborcorporntions. If the towns nud countles own, o4 in noarly overy easo they do, & majority of nll tho capital atoek in thoro railrond cor- poratloug that s over beon paid for, thoy ‘must oxorciso thelr rights and take posscssion of tho property of which thoy owna controlling propriotary intorost. Tho property thus falling into thoir handsis probably worth what they have paid for it, sud thoy must mako that prop- crty pay tho princlpnland nterest of tho town and county bonds. This will fuvolve a chinugo in tho propriotorship of these railronds, but that.will ‘o ouly tho recovery of stolen properly. LAW REFORM, % Thoro is ronson for congratulation upon the pronpect that the Legiulsturo will pass Mr, Brad- woll's bilt for stmplifylng the forms of pleadiug. 1t would have satisfied tho public oxpectation and convonienco more complotely if tho Sonate 1nd not sholved Mr, Uruitt’s bill, which not only pimplifiod forms of ploading, but slso dId away with tho antiquated and lumbersome practice of apocifylng forms bf action, such o assumpsit, covonnnt, dobt, trospans, trospass on tho cose, trover, detinue, ote,, aud included oll porsonal actions in *tho threo divistons of contract, tort,tand replovin. By the rojoction of M, Truitt'a bill, litigants will still bo compolied to state forms of action, but an important stop will, novertheless, bo gained if Mr, Bradwell's bill is pussed, The declaration filed by Mr. MoVioker agniust Mr. Mawico Grau, & fow doys mince, furnishos an admirable iilustration of tho necos- ity of this reform. The deolaration, which was printed verbatim in Tue TrivunEe, as our roaders will romombor, ocoupied just s column znd a kalf of nonparcil type, and fully nine-tonths of this motter was litoral ropotition, which aid not strongthen the declaration, but only served to confuse the reador and lumbor up the records. Undor MMr. Bradwell’s bill, this column and o linlf of matter would hinve beon atated as follows : Brats or IiLriNots,} In tho —— Court of — Coun- Gounry 0¥ ook, ty, — Wormn, A, D, 1674, 3. 11, MoVicker, by A B, L attorney, suea Maurlco Grau for the rent of McVickor's Theatro for two woeks, and tho plantiff claims $0,000, money psyablo by the defoudant to the plaintiff for the defondant’s uso by tho plaintiffs pormission of tho thoatro of tho platntiff, There is nothing vital to the caso in fho dealaration which has been filcd which is not contained in the abovo form. Iiverything clse, tho datos, dotnils of contract, ote., are mattors of evidence ; and, oven wero it necessary to incorpornto them, tho firat scction of tho bill providos that * nothing herein contained shall render it erroneous or irregular to dopart from tho lottor of such forms so long as the substanco is oxprossed withous prolixity.” The simplification of forms of plording is but onoof meny reforms which are needed, and which have been indicated muny timos in Tur Tripuse; but, evon if this can bo Insured, it will be ono stop forward, which will bo followed by othors in time, It will bo an advantage to guitors, to lawyers, and tho courts, will moke litigation loss cxpensive, and will romovo.a very sorious obstruotion to the business of the coun- try. The only resson why tho prosent systom bas boon rotained 8o long is, that it has been & wmourco of profit to clerks for needlegs sorvices, The passago of Judge DBradwell's bill will not only cut off this usoloss oxponso, but 1t will aleo cloar caos of o great desl of littor, and lumber, snd use- foss confusion. Tho lawyers in tho Benato, fonring that litigation might bocome too easy, squelched Mr. Truitt's bill. Thore is no danger, Bowoever, evon if Judge Bradwoll’s bill should bo possed, that tho praotico of law will becomo any too casy or simple. Reforms aro needed in overy dopartment of practice. If tho Legisla- ture will only remove this ono load of lawerub- bish, they will confor a blessing upon eufforing litigants, and remove ono obstruction which stands in the way of the business of the country. M. TAINE ON UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. M. Taine, so well and favorably known a8 & aritio, historian, aud philosophor, has recently triod his powere as o statosman, and turned his sttention to tho question of univorsal suffrage. 1In a pamphlet recently published in France, but which haa thus far circulated only among tho bottor-educated of the nation, among whomalone M. Taino finds hearers, he has given to tho world his views on that important subjoct. While wo live on in this country ss if our metbods of electing our represcntatives bad nlroady roached perfection, M. Taine has beon inquirivg whother tho French eloctoral system, which doos wob differ cesontially from our own, ocnnnot bo improved. It may bo said that M. Taine rathoer does not opposo univorsal suffrage than that ho favors it. 1o finds tho vation already in possossion of it, that tho nature of domocracy domands it, that it 18 in perfect barmony with the dootrine of the equal rights of all mon before the law, and ho anys thorefora lot it stand. But whilo ho grants tho right of suffrago, ho thinks that tho Iaw rog- ulating tlo election of ropresontatives Ehould tako into account tho intellectual status of the votors. Ho does not want tho voter to bo con- sidored an abatiact ideal boing, and thinke that a low which might apply as well to tho voters of tho year 2000 as to tho yeor 1878 a vory unwise, fmpolitic, nnd unphilosophic law. In sayiug how a man shall voto, for whom, undor what condivions, roatrictions, ete,, we must uot constd, or thom as if they wore all aliko, all of the samo condition, tho same ocoupation, the uame dogree of Intolligenco, sinca in fact thoy are not. Ie would hinve it remembored that somo voters aro farmors, somo laborors, some mochanics ; that somo live 1 villages, somo in towns ; that ono is drossed in o blouso, anothor in brondeloth. The law reguinting tho suffrage must consider this tangivle concrote boiug, this thing of flesh and blood, and not tus ldenl man Who has no ex- fstonco but in the imagiuation, Aftor thus stating his principles, M. Taine proceods to on annlysls of the French consus rotwrng, Ho estimnates that thoro aro 88,000,000 Frenchnien ; that of theso 20,000,000 live in tho.. country or in small towns; that, of 10,000,000 votors, 5,000,000 sro farmers, pmall proprictors, or agricultural la- borers; thot thoro aro 2,000,000 laborora of othor descriptions, 1,600,000 traders, ma- chonles, contractors, eto.; (here ho puts thoso known 08 tho demi-bourgeoisie) nuothor'1,500,« 000 sunuitants, large manufacturers, eavaus, offlclals, and othors of the highor classes of so- oloty. In overy twonty votors, theroforo, thoro aro in Franco, ho oalenlates, ton farmors, four Isborers, thtee small traders or mochanics, anil thren of tho wonlthior and best-educatod classes, Now, ho argues, the law regulating the suffrage should taka cognlzance of thoso facts, and os- peclally of the degreo of oulturo and enlighton- mont of tho farmers and laborors, traders, me- chsolod, etow who have over 14 volcos In ovory 20. Ifo cstimates that 99 out of evory 100 wmon in France cannot road,—and this 30 por cent of tho wholo population nro found lnrgely nmong the farmers, lahorors, amall traders, ote. Thoroforo, over half of tho 1411 20 oannob rond. From all of which M. "aine concludos that this portion of tho nation stand to thelr reprosontativesin a rolntion some- what akin to that of doctor and pationt, ot~ tornoy and client,—a confidoutial rolation, in athor words, All that this elasy of pooplo oan do by thelr voting in to designato in whom thoy pluco tho greatost trust, Doyond this they can- not go, and M, Taino argues that, sinco thoy cannot, thoy should have no right boyond this, and that tho law of sulfrago shonld bo such as to onnblo them to designate by their votes the porson in whom they have most counfidence. But to dosigoato in whom thoy have most confidence, personal acquaintance, or an acquaintance 88 good as porsonal, is necessury. Honco e would have the voters of cach parish chooso electorsto moet at the prmcipal place of the district, who should olect ropresontativos to the Nntional Assombly, or other ofllcors, as tho caso wny be. M. Talno thinks that inthis way an amount of ignorance would bo eliminated from the voting body of the untion. Tho people, in the first instance, would cloot tholr best, honestost, and ablest moen ag olectors. The elcctors thus obinined, standing on g higher plane of intelligenco, and still ropre- sonting the whole poople, being, in fact, elested by thn whole people, would fecl grontoer rospon- aibility, end bo much moro likely to sond to tho National AsgomDbly a higher order of mon,— men vory different from those who might bo del- egated directly by the laborers, uneducnted farmorn, small tradesmen, etc. This syitom of double clection is essentiatly & precess for tho oliminntion of ignorance and tho loast desirable olomonts in popular represonta- tion, It scems to us thot the process would work well in this country ss well na in Franco, an opinion in which we are confirmed by the fact that Thiers agrees with Tajuo, that Do Toque- villo rocommonded this system long ago, and that ho went go far as to say that only by this syatem of double eloction could he soe how po- litical frocdom could bo mudo accessible and ad- vantageous toall classos of tho people. The systom is essontially the samo as that bronched by Dr. O, C, T, Clark, of Oawogo, N. Y., last your, which attracted a good deal of attention at tho time. THE IMPEMDING FAMINE IN INDIA. Indio is peenlinrly liablo to famines. *Rice tho grout staple of agrioulturo, is largely dopend- ont upon the periodical raing, and, whon theso fail, not morely a period of carcity follows, but wewilt and torriblo doclmation of the populn- tion. In tho famino of 1769 threo millions of porsona perished. In 1868 tho increased facili- tios of trausportation, and afavorable turn in the weather, provented the extonsive spread of the famino, slthough, boing following by a sen~ son of cholera, tho suffering was very great. Tho Eoglish press is now discussing the pros- pecta of & famine in the progont yoar, owing to n failuro of tho lattor rains of 1878, and tho fato of Bongnl is stated to turn upon the weather of, the first thres months of 1874, If thoso provo favorablo, the result may bo mitigated into a novero scarcity ot food; if unfa- vorablo, tho worat danger may bo apprehended, Tha dificultios in dealing with the question are suficlently cowplox Lo causa much differenco of opinion a8 to how tho work of rolief is to bo a compliehod. Tho simplo mattor of needful ap- propristions of monoy ig the lesst of those, and tho acoumulation of the supply of rice but an ns- sured cortainty in comparison with the work of diatributing it.” At tho prosont timo, a singular anomaly 18 presented by tho fact that the Gov- ornmentof India is importing rice into India, whilo the morcantile world isas rapidly exporting it. It would seom that the domand, and an in- crensed valuo In the article, would have a ten- donoy to check oxportation, but this is explained by tho fact that, whereas the increased price of & fow farthings per pound in England has Jittle offoct upon tho consumption, tho same difforence in India exorts o marked offcot 1 simply placing it boyond tho reach of tho consumer. Dr. Hunter, & valuablo suthority, says thaf in Bengal two farthinga make tho whole difforence botween & faminc-warning and nctual des- titution, and threc-and-n-half farthiugs per pound the whole, difforenco botwoen a time of plenty and & time of famine. Tho Bengal laborer earns O cents por day, and upon this sum an avorago number of three persons have to bo supported. Usunlly, four pounds of rice may bo bought for 8 cents, In famine yoars tho prico rises to 6, and evon 10 conts at the pinch, which {8 & cont over tho total esrnings of one- fourth of tho families in Bengal. The result may readily be apprecinted. A resort is bad to roots and various sorts of groen food. Tho children and weaker porgons die, and, as Dr. Tugter grimly expresses if, # the rural popula~ tion entors a famine asjafrigate goes into battlo, clearad of nll useless gesr and inefliciont mem- bers.” i To save this ‘ useless goar™ and to mitigate this sufforing is tho problom to bo solved, The omployment of the laboring population (none agricultural) upon public works is ono menns, and this has nirendy taken place in scme dis- triots, Tho quostion of the probibition of tho oxport of ricois looked upon 8 alnst resort. To do too much, in the way of the purchase and distribution of supplies, draws from the ryot's (tho sgricultural lnborer's) pocket more in the shape of taxes than it puts into his stomach in the shapeof relief, To do too little, in the hope that the worst may not como to tho worat, is to dolny 8o long that the very cavsingo of supplies at the Inet moment menus & cortain sacrifice of human lifo ero the aufforors can bo roached, Not the least of the troubles of tho Govern- ment is found in tho poesible complication with tho native dealers in foods, and in 80 regulating sho special efforts of tho Governmont as not to interfere with them. A simple adistribution from the nuthoritles in every village would bo jmpossible ; rellance musb bo hod to a great extent upon tho doalers, Jgnorant, eusplelous, and awed by s sonso of the omnipotence of tho ruling authoritles, thoy are liable to bo fright- ened away by tho improssion that tho CGov- ornmont intends to enter into competition with them, or to placo an ombargo upon their transsotions. The Governmont is unablo to mature and proolaim a plan of roliof for fear of the effect upon theso doalors, The pross, tho merchants, and tho peaplo of England, entortaining varlous opiu- {ous, are dosirous of knowing what is tobe done; but tho suthoritive, boyond assorting that noedful meusures are being undertakon, vay nothiug, Bo, whilo Englishmon are acoustomed to 60 tho work of Govornmont, in oritioal tlmes, done in open day, they are rostive under the forcod rotloonce of tho Indian Vicoroy aud the Booretary of Blato, For, toroveal thoirintontion in London In the morning i to roveal it in Cal- cutta in tho sftornoon, whenco, quickly sprond throngh the intorior, n vast tmount of injury might result through misanderstauding or sus- picion, 8 Tt will bo soon hat & task of no small magul- indo thus davolves upon tho rulers of Indls, and undor what a welght of rosponsibility they labor, Tlus i not the placo to dscuss the quoation of the English ocoupation of Iudls, but in this con nootion may be pointod out, in onclusion, & vory suggestive remark from 3Ir. Bagehot's * Physies and Politios,” which may stand for a partinl ex- planation of the. rolation oxisting botwoon the Governmont and the nativo denlors, o says: “The experience of the English in India shows ~if It shows anything—that a highly-civilized, rocs moy foil in producing a rapidly-excols lout offcct on a loss clvillzed race, be- couse it ls too good and too different.' The two races are not en rapport togethor; tho morits of tho ono aro not the morits prized by tho ofher ; tho manner-languago of the ono 18 not tho mannoer-languago of the other. Conuequontly, tho two races have long lived to- gother, ‘moorand yot far off,’ daily secing ono another aud doily interchanging auperfcial thoughts, but in the dopths of their mind sopn- rated by & wholoors of clvilization, andso affoot ing one another only a littlo in comparison wnith what might ave beon hoped.,” And this very differenco, in such a critieal timo as the presont, may ronder nugatory tho best of intontions and, though & misconcoption of . tho spirit which prompts it, bring sufforing and denth to thou- sands of human hoings by marring the best and mimplest schome for their relief, A cosusl luvostigation into tho cnse of a woalthy goutiomnn who lad at Park Hospital, New Yorl, and was subsequently buried in tho common trench on Hart Tslaud, with nearly 700 others, has roveslod o sickoning history of vonality and brutality among tho employes of the Chnrity Commissionors of the motropolis, Complalut is made by ono woman that the body of hor husband, who had boen drowned four wooks previoualy, and of whom a description had boen loft at tho Morguo, togethor with her ad- dress, was carelessly thrown into tho trouch. Hor applicetion for its recovery was rofused by the oflicial in chnarge, on the ground that his negli~ gonco would bo exposed aud cost bim his place. Another woman, on applying for the body of ler falhor, whoso namo and residence wers known b tho lunatio ssylum in which he died, and given to the authoritios at the Morgue, learnod that it had been ** given away * to a med- ical collogo; and only by tho intorforanco of o {riond id sho succced in rescuing the mrutilated romnins, It ia bolieved that fuller invostigation will upearth nenrly a8 many frauds as those practiced upon tho corpses in the Pottor's Fietd. The Germsn Govornment, in prossouting ita war agalnst the Ohurch, hns detormived that no interforeuco shall bo toleratod on tho part of any other power. France, as tho whilom champion of the Holy Father, is tho special objeot of time- ly warmng, Tho North German Gazetle, somis official, asserta that ** & Franco submissivo to tho theocracy of the ecclosinstical Stato Is incom- patible with tho peaco of the world,” and declares that, if the Tronch Government become o mero satellito of Rome, & rupture must ensue, Franco has always stood botween the Church sud her enemies, and it is not im- poseible that a pretext for tho bitter war of rovengo with - the now Empiro will be found in the roligious complications of the presont. It i apparcnt that tho orafty German Chancollor is working might and main to carry out hir plans beforo Franco shall have sufficiontly ro- coverod horsolf to bo a sorious obatnole to thel accomplishmont, —_—— At & recent meeting of the New York Episcoe pal ministors, tho Rev. Dr. Rylance read an essay on tho rolation of tho Church to amuse- ments, He argued that tho prosent atate of affairs promoted hypocrisy. Obristiams abhor operas and g0 to concertd, shun theakrea and patronize tableaux, proscribe novels in genoral and read particular ones. Those who hoar operans and playsare apt totry to slip in scoretly, lest thoy should be eeen. Dr, Rylanco thinks that this is all wrong. He wishes each individual to choose for himself, snd then to do boldly what ho considera it right to do. ‘This common- sense viow of the mattor found but one _opnp~ nent among all the ministors prosent, — T March 2, 1867, Congroas passed an act increay- ing the dutieson wool. It provided that the in- croase should take effoct * from the passage of this act.” March 4, President Jolhnson signed tho Dbill, but antedated bis signatura two days. Clis, it Booms, is the invarisblo custom. The President's sign-manual is dated on the dayof the voto by Congross. Maroh 8, N. D. Carlile & Bon, of Naw York, o'atered at the Custom-Iouse there a largo lot of wool, They paid, under pro~ test, the incronsod duties, and thoy now sue in the United States Circuit Court for the surplus ovor tho old rmtos. Thoir pleais, of courso, thag tho nct was not in force till March 4, Thedo~ cigion will oatabliah whern a law becomes a law. The incidental oxponses of the Senate during tho session of 1872 wa: o swollen by the cost of 2,017 pounds of sugar, 70 boxes of lemons, 50 pounds of tea, 87 gallons of Cologne, 10 gallons of bay rum, 402 hair-briashos (82 to 93 each), - 800 or 400 combs, Fremsh cosmetics, toilot pow- dor-puffs, ete. No ona who reads this list will wonder hereafter ot ‘Sonator Conkling's back Diir and benuteous conaplexion, A mau who is givon every yoar eix briaghes, five combs, halfs gallon of Cologne, and. & modicum of bay ram, besides & gonoral assjortmont of powder-puils and French cosmoticsy, ought to be more * trim and trig fra’ top to tos, " than John Anderson over dreamed of being. O There is nothing ko reading the columus of a Boiritunlist newspaper to find tronsuros hiddon from the world uf sight and (common) wonso. © Goms of ronson,” *' oarnest lifa lossons,™ # goholurly works," atc., sbound. It fs in such Jurking places that A. J. Davis sonounces big woolkly quarto, and that ** Cosmologies " appont at o rate that ‘would make Fumboldt pale with envy. Tho nvorage Spirituahst is cortainly on- thusinatic, but his ravings are wearlsome when taken by tho squaro foot, —i Hero arothe ton commandmonts of Buddhs 4 Farat—T'30u abalt not kil Second—Xhou shult not take for thyself what bolongy to another T, Z'hird-—Thou shialt not break tho laws of chastily, Fourth—Thou shalt not lic, J'i/th—Thou ubalt not slander. Sixth—Thou shult not speak of njuries. Seventh—Thou shalt not vxeilo qustrel, Highti—Thou ghalt not hate. Ninth—Tave faith in holy, writings, enth—DBelieve in lmmoxrtulity. Not » bad lot, - - NOTES AND OPINION, Of tho Iate Democratio caucus in Springficld, to declare o now doparture in politics, the Pooria Democrat says: I ho peoplo of tho Stato propose to make a party orgunizution, thoy cortaiuly bave n right (v suy whi shiall act nu thoir ugorts . elfocting that objedt, I v muy Juidyo by tho laws puswid by tho prosent Les fulature, it 8 fulr to pregamo that tho people would 310t soud the men who mufe theut to_organize u party 10 gorvo tho interests of? tho peoplo, Tho romarka made by Gov, Hondriokw at the cavous were svideut) intonded us 8 gentlo bivds that it would bo wike to wfs Journ the causus aud 19, the peoplo meke thar own porty. —'T'hio Mt, Carmol Register (Republican) do- clares that Bountor George W, enry (Ropub- lican), of that distriot, **iu a strong advocute of tho new party.” ~—Sonstor Williwm R, Arocher (Domocrat) writes, in tho Pitst old (IIL.) Old Flag: Dut Little would se/ to romain for the Legialature to do bul finlah 0 reviaion, all of which & think