Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 27, 1874, Page 8

TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. 1875. RATES OF EUESCRIPTION (PATANLE IX ADVANCE). Postage srepal 2 this Office ily, by mail. 13.00 | s Babee pt 1880 | Perts of a year at the same rate. To prevent delay and mistakes, be cure snd cive Post- Vico address in full, including State and County. Remittances may bomade oitherby drait, expreas, Post- ‘Ofice order, or in recistered letters, at our risk. ? ‘TERME TO CITY GUDSCRIDEES. Metis, delivered, Sunday excepted, 25 conts ner work Daily, delivered, Sunday included. 30 cents per weok Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corer aD Chicaxe, Dl. TO-MORROW'S AMUSEMENTS. “ ACADEMY OF MUSIC—Haisted street, between Mad- aanvand Moaros. Ingsyeizoat of Silas Clara Morris. Camille.” GRAND _OPERA-HUUSE-—Clark street, opposite Rberman Home. Kelly & Leon's Minstrels. ‘*Lo Petit Faust.” CHICAGO MUSEUBM—Monroo street, betwoan Dosr- Yorn and State. “Tho Iriah Cousin.” HOOLEY'S THEATRE—Randolph street, between and LaSalle. ‘‘Lod Astras.” ER'S THEATRE—Madison street. between pe aa ‘State. Engagement of Edwin Booth. *Blohasd IL” SOCIETY MEETINGS. R LODGE, No. 2, I. 0. O. F.—Tho elec; ect of this Lodge, for ‘the ensuing tern, will aoe at the next revular meeting, | tee Behe hall coraer of Clar= and Washington-ats. cent. Every momber is expeciod t0.b0 PENSEDY, Rec. Soo. LAFAYETTR CHAPTER, NO, 2, R. A. M.—Hall, 73 Monrooret. Stated onntosation Mtoadsy, evening, De, pee ae. By C1 FE Gh 1 oelook prompt, for Baten: TUCKER, Soc. PLEIADES LODGE, No. 478, A. F. and A. M.— ‘Thero will be a public installation of officers for tho ensu~ ing sear, at their ball, 20 and 22 West Twelfth-st., on Visitors invited. Mcaday ovening, Dec. 28. Visitors invited os co. AUNTLET LODGE, No. 4, E. of P.—All members ee eeed tobe prosént at their Castle Wall, north- West orasr LaSallo aad Adame-sts., Tuesday orening, Bees 3% inst,, for oloction of oficare forth: ensuing term, A toll attendance fa requosted, as business of importancs: fil bs transaced. . Viding ‘brethren are cordially invi- c. G. ted, By order of tha C; Gr. ACKRERMANS, E. B.S, WHITE, AND BLUE LOYAL ORANGE NOH, witl bold a Royal Arch Purple Mootine ening, Dee. 25. ome ox and brothers of tho A. P. Decree co 'E. HULSE, See. RED, LODG. in the bi on Movday fed to atten dally invited. NO. 20, K. of P.—The annual DIONYSIUS LODGE, convention will be held Wednesday evening, Dec. 30, at Fsoealeck, for the payment of duos, nomination and election of ticgrs. All members ar summoned to \t O Br order of $0 TEWS, K. of R. and S. Che Cheaga Tribune. Sundsy Morning, December 27, 1874. WITH SUPPLEMENT. The Pall-Mall Budget is responsible for the statement that Bismarck has declared that Naporzon was led by Jesuitical influence into making war upon Germany, and that he would have made an honorable peace at the last hour, had not intrigues planned at Rome prevented it. The Budget asserts, moreover, thot” Bissuzce has in his possession proof that the false report of the insult of Bese- peri by the Emperor Wou1ax—the report which stung the French to frenzy—was tele- §raphed from Berlin by Papal hirelings. A sudden outburst of religious fervor has vonvalsed the town of Cedar Rapids to its very town-pump. It seems that the good people of the town were in the habit of keep- ing their stores open Sunday. The Mayor tooked over the statutes and found that the State had a Sunday-law. He therefore order- ed the closing of all stores, and the rigid en- forcement of the city Sunday ordinance. Trouble ensued, of course; half the + $3,000,000,000. | are those who live upon their daily and week- H ly wages. ‘To teach, or try to teach, these men that any other money, or money that is subject to daily and hourly changes in value, is the money they need, is utterly indefensib‘e. It is worse than advising them to scek riches by investments in lottery-tickets. —_—_—_—_=_—_— Brssance’s last speech in the Reichsteg on the subject of Alsace-Lorraine was very plain. Reproached by an Alsatian Deputy with hav- ing founded the University of Strasburg in the interest of Germany, not of Alsace-Lor- raine, he retorted that this was precisely what he did, end what ho meant to do hereafter. He advised the Deputies of the conquered Provincesto remember that they were part of a body that represented ‘* the Imperial inter ests of sll Germany, not the church- steeple interests of Alsace-Lorraine.” He went on to accuse the annexed subjects with ‘undue dependence upon Parisand Rome. Their schools were ‘“ good for French schools, but bad judged by the German standard.” They were especially bad because treason was taught in them. The Imperial Government meant to change all this. It would interfero whenever and wherever itthought best, and the Alsatians must bear it as well as they could. He would always be glad, the Chan- cellor went onto say, to be honestly criticised by the rebellions Deputies ; but, “whenever the interests of the Empire and the Provinces clash, those of the Empire must prevail.” The French are planning another war, quoth Bisarox, and we ‘do not mean to be in- yaded through Alsace-Lorraine.” All this was hailed by uproarious applause by the ma- jority of the Reichstag. OUR REVENUE LAWS. The revenue laws of Illinois have been elaborately discussed, but new instances of their extraordinary character are furnished by every day’s experience. It will be remem- bered that the Constitution assumes that the valuation of property for taxable purposes is upon the cash value, but,in fact, this is not the case, The total actual value of all the taxable property in Illinois is not less than The Stste assessment is $1,200,000,000. Allowing $600,000,000 forper- sonal property not listed at all, the ectual property listed is at the rate of 50 cents on the dollar of its real value. If this valuation were uniform there would be no special injus- tice in this, but our law is framed as with the special purpose to make a fair valuation im- possible. There are 102 counties in the State, and an average of 10 towns for each county, making over 1,000 Assessors. Each Assessor deals with the property in his town. The aggregate of the several towns constitutes the assessment for the county, and the aggregate of the counties makes up the assessment of values Inid before the State Board of Equal- ization, This Board then proceeds by a system of percentages, in the way of addition or reduction, to equalize according to its notions the aggregate value of tho several Kinds of property in esch county. Thus, if the returned assessment of the Jands in a par- ticular county averages $10 an acre, and the Board think this too low, they raise ‘it, say, 50 per cent, and then each tract of land in the county, no matter what it may have been previously assessed at, is ad- vanced on the tax-books 50 per cent. Now, in the assessment of tho lands in that courty, some Assessors, who have ac- tually read their oath of office, assess the land at its full velue,—say $30 an acre; in other towns it is assessed at 220, others $10, and others $5. Certain specially improved tracts citizens of Cedar Rapids refused to obey the ordinance, and upon violating it were arrested and probably fined, though af this we have learned nothing. However, those who wished to legislate their erring brethren out of reach of blazes in the next world will probably find they have forced’ themselves into flames in this one. ‘The foreman of the Engine Company has is- sued an order to his men to observe the Sun- day-law to the letter, and not turn out toa fire under any circumstances between Satur- day midnight and Sunday at 1 o'clock. ‘The case of Dr. Kenzaty, the famous coun- sel for the Ticksorx& claimant, is a sugges- tive instance of the esse with which a man of brilliant talent, learning, and eloquence may ruin them all by acerbity of temper and resh- ness of judgment and action. In the conduct of the Ticenognz case, he had an opportunity to make his name famous the world over, but in place of that he conducted himself in such on unprofessional, abusive, and even scurrilous manner that the Lord Chancellor struck his name from the list of Queen’s Counsel. He then started a newspaper called the Englishman, which he made a vehicle of abuse, blackgnardism, and insulis to the Courts andthe members of his pro- fession. The benchers of Gray’s Inn, of which he is one, endured it until it reached & point where endurance was no longer possi- ble, and then ‘kicked him out. Thus dis- barred from the Courts and his profession, and removed from tho position as Queen’s Counsel, which he has held for six years, he hes the wretchedness of remembering that his swift downfall from his high forensic po- sition is due only to his own folly and un- governable temper, and that his brilliant abilities as lawyer and litterateur make little compensation for his lack of the elements that constitute the gentleman. The Workingman’s Advocate, of this city, edited and published by A. C. Oassenos, Esq., ‘began its eleventh volume on the 5th inst. The paper has been published success- folly in the face of many adverse circum. stances, but has long since reached a per- manent and prosperous condition. It has re- quired Isbor and perseverance to accomplish this end, and Mr. Caacenox is entitled to full eredit forthe amount of both he has dis- Played in the management. There have been many attempts to publish journals purport- ng to represent the labor interest, but they have failed because their Proprietors have at- tempted other things at thesame time,—that is, have used their papers as orgens for personal ends,—and have therefore failed to win or Tetain the confidence of the public whose Special interests they have professed to sup- may be put down at $50 or $75 an acre, their cash value. Now the practical working of raising the average assessment of land in that county from $10 to $15 an acro is to add 50 per cent to the assessed value of all the land, including that alrendy assessed at its full cash value aswell as that assessed at one- fifth its actnal value. Tho effect of all this is that in every case where the original assess- ment was at the cash valye, the owner is taxed on a valuation of $150 for property worth in cash only $100, while some of his neighbors, even with the addition of 50 per cenf, do not pay taxes on over 40 to 50 per cent of the real value of the taxobles. For this plain and palpable injustice, extortion, and inequality, there is, according to the Supreme Court, no remedy or redress. The action of the State Board of Equalization is judicial and final. The same rule applies to personal property. ‘Personal property” has a very extensive range. It includes horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, grain on hand, mules, household furniture, sewing ma- chines, monoy,. credits, etc, implements, andtools. Thus, horses and hogs may bo re- turned in a county at their full value, and yet the aggregate assessmont of personal prop- erty in that county may be deemed by the Board of Equalization as too low, and that ‘Board, to remedy that matter, adds to the assessed value of all personal property inthat county 100 per cent. Last August the assess- ment of Bureau County was increased 103 per cent. In this case, the owners of all horses and hogs have to pay taxes on that property at a valuation of $200 for every $100 of actuel property, and this through no fault of their own except making an honest re- turn of their taxable property. The case of the private banker in Chicago who made a return of $100,000 of greenbacks, and who, under an arbitrary addition of GS per cent to the assessed ‘value of perssnal property in Cook County, paid taxes ona valuation of $168,000, is but one of countless cases of that kind which are inevitable under our Rev- enus law. In the returned valuation of lots , in the City of Chicago, the property was val- ued at prices ranging from $2 to $3,000 per front font, according to location. The State Board, deeming the aggregate assessment of town lots in Chicago too low, added 100 per cent thereto ; this increased the taxable val- uation of the lower-priced lots from $2 to St per front foot, which may have in some cases been just enough, but it increased the valua- tion for taxable purposes of the other lots $1,000 per front foot to $2,000, and from $2,000 to $4,000, and from $3,000 to $6,000, to the robbery and spoliation of the owners. The Aurora Beacon gives another illusira- tion of another branch of the Revenue law. The State Board has original jurisdiction ; Port. In saying this much in justice to the ? Advocate, Weenter a protest against any as- fsamption that we approve the policies advo- cated by ‘that paper, or that we think those pees ars in the interest of the laboring 8 or of society generally, We do not propose at this time to discuss those policies. But when paper insists that a depreciated currency, 88 & permanency, is, the: political end and aim to te : persistently sought for by the classes of s0- ciety who are dependent on their daily wages for support, we must claim that: it is a per- version of intelligence, to the special injury of that class, and consequently of all other elgsses, The mon,.of all othermen, most in assessing the value of the capital stock and franchises of corporations. The Challenge Mill Company of Batavia have o nominal capital of $125,000 ; of this sum $100,000 is represented by two patents, which vere putin asof that value, but really of no present value, ‘The Company has the rest of its capital in- vested in tangible property. After the or- ganization of the Company, the owner of the patents for some reason refused to assign them to the Company. Now, under onr law, this Company is taxable upon the nominal value of the capital stock added toits debts; the assessed value of its tangible property is State Board as the basis of taxation for State purposes is by law also the valuation accord- ing to which county, town, and ell otherlocal taxes are levied. Of course, the authors of our Revenue law did not overlook the taxation of mortgages; this, they insisted, was the great protection to farmers who had occasion to borrow money on their lands, Consequently, in Dlinois, we tox every mortgage, seemingly oblivious of the fact that the owner of the land not only pays the tax thereon, but also atax on the mortgage on the premises. As a: general thing, the mortgagee escapes taxation, but he never fails in including the tax ho is Hable to pay in the rate of interest he col- lects from the mortgagor. Our law-makers, in their frantic efforts tocatch the bloated expitalists, require that the holders of prom- issory notes shall pay a tax thereon. Thus, if A buy o horse for $150, and give his note therefor, our law taxes both horse and note, and the State Board may increase the valua- tion of both to $300 each. This item of the law was defended by # learned lawyer in the Legislature on the ground that, in a case where aman was convicted of larceny for stealing a promissory note, the Supreme Court held that the note wes “‘ property,” and that the Constitution required that ell “ prop- erty” should be taxed. This argument sug- gested, perhaps, Marr Canpesten’s, that he was obliged to take the “‘back pay” because the Constitution provides that Senators and members of Congress ‘“ shall receive” the compensation fixed by law.” Our revenue laws are 4 pitiable example of the results of ignorance and demagogism ; and the execution of these laws is attended with the grossest inequalities end oppres- sions. Had they been devised to excludo capital, and drive out manufactures, and pre- vent production, they could not have been more successful. They. are inquisitorial, and bristle with searching oaths and protesta- tions, and yet in fact are most inefficient. They fail to reach the larger part of the per-: sonal property, and thus throw upon the land, end upon the live stock and other ac- compeniments of the land, more than four- 4fths of the whole tax, State and county. It is to be hoped that the coming Legislature will do something to simplify this law ond to abolish the injustice now inseparable from it. Z PHILADELPHIA AND THE CENTENNIAL. Prof. James M. Harr contributea an inter- esting and instructive article to the Interna- tional Review on ‘Vienna and the Centen- nial,” the purpose of which is to furnish the Philadelphia people with some valuable les- sons from the experience of Vienna in fair- holding. A general resume of the World’s- Fair business is certainly not very encour- aging to the Centennial managers, unless they are wise enough to confine themselves within limits which they may reasonably hope to comprehend. Tho fact is that the only World’s Fairs that have been financial successes were the two held in London; that of Paris was almost self-supporting, but the receipts still fell somewhat short of the out- lay. All the other attempts have been fail- ures. The general conclusion which Prof. Hart draws from his observation is that a world-exhibition can only be held to advan- tage in a world-centre, This seems to be fully justified by the facts; and, though manifold errors may be traced in the preparations and management of the Vienna Exposition, it is not probable that any enterprise of its magnitude could have been a monetary suc- cess in acity of the size and geographical position of Vienna. The number of prying visitors at the Vienna Exposition is estimated to have been 5,000,000, while there were 10,000,000, or twice as many, at the Paris Exposition. The difference was partly owing to a material decline in the interest of the European people in World’s Fairs, but prin- cipally owing to the lack of facilities for transportation ond accommodation which every city in Europe, except London and Paris, has for so gigantic an undertaking. - Prof. Hanr is of the opinion that the Phil- adelphia Centennial prospect has some de- cided advantages over the Vienna Exposition, which may be enumerated in the order of their importance: The limitation . of the general plan. to the resources of the occasion; superior site for the loca- tion of the buildings, involving less outlay than at Vienna; a central and favorable loca- tion for the transportation of goods, and am- plo railrosd facilities for that purpose; and an arrangement of the buildings which is better adapted to the purposes of exhibition. But there is one scrious obstacle in the way of a satisfactory and self-sustaining outcome of the project; and, unless Philadelphia pro- ceeds at once to provide a solution of the problem, the Centennial will be as great o failure as was the Vienna Exposition. We refer now to the limited hotel accom- modations of Philadelphia. Vienna began to prepare for entertaining the guests at her Exposition full three years before its open- ing. In 1871, the Grand Hotel was opened with 300 rooms; in 1872 and 1873, the Aus- tria (160 rooms), the Donau (320 rooms), the Britannia (190 rooms), the Metropole (425 rooms), the Wimberger (200 rooms), the Im- periel (150 rooms), and the Union and the Ho- tel de France, both large houses, were thrown open to the public. Besides these, a mass of lodging-houses, hotels garnis, restaurants, and cafeswere constructed, and the old hotels were remodeled and enlarged. It may be safely estimated that 2,500 or 3,000 opart- ments for the accommodation of guests were provided in addition to the hotels and lodg- ing-houses that Vienna had before possessed. In spite of this enormous incrense, it wes noised abroad thot there would be a Inck of accommodations for strangers, and this im- pression gained ground to such an extent that everybody remained away at first in order to avoid tho rash of the opening. Those who went were fleeced so outrageously that every man who left Vienna warned his friends and acquaintances to wait until the Viennese came down in their prices. The natural conse- quence of this chain of circumstances was, that the rush came at the last instead of the beginning; and, during the months of September and October, the hotels, first and second class, and the lodging-houses were crammed with people. Inexperienced travelers who neglected to en- gege their rooms in advance were obliged to drive around for hours in search of apart- ments, Every place was crowded and un- comfortable; prices went up to extortionate rates; service of servants was poor and inad- equate, and tha inn-keepers impudent and grasping. If Vienna had an experience of this nature, after all the preparations that were made for housing the strangers, what must Philadel- phis expect if it does nothing? The Centen- nial Exposition is a foregone failure, unless then subtracted from the gross value of the stock and debts, and the remainder is put acepty interested in sa honest money with 5 Poraitnent value, subject to no Auctustions, down as the texable value of stock and fran- ebise, Tho valuation thas reached by the this problem of taking care of the stranger is solved beforehand. Thereare but three cities inthis country thathave hotel-accommodations at all commensurate with the demands of a THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1874---SIXTEEN PAGES great Fair, or other enormous gathering of people. These aro New York first, Chicago next, and San Francisco next. Of course San Francisco is too far off to one side ever to collect more people at one time than its handsome and spacious houses could accommodate; all other cities in the country aro in this danger, how- ever, and Philadelphia most of ell. Phila- delphia is essentially a home-city. It pro- vides excellent nccommodations for its own people,—one house for every five persons, an unusually generous .sllowance,—but it is utterly careless of the traveling public. The habits of the Philadelphia people aro such that thoy can scarcely comprehend the gathering of an immenso concourse of people from all parts of the world. Philadelphia has bat ono large hotel,—the Continental,— and but two or threo European hotels; the number of boarding-houses and lodging- houses is small. Now, if the people expect to make the Centennial Exposition success, thoy must provide some adequate and decent accommodations for the visitors. If they fail to do so, the visitors will fail to make their appearance in any such number as to assure the financial success of their project. Mr. Hanr suggests that there. are 100,000 accessible houses in Philadelphia, each of which could spare one room for strangers. Perhaps it will be necessary to resort to some such plan ; but the utmost generosity of the Philadelphia people will fail to make it practicable unless there is some organization and system about it, The Philadelphia newspapers should take this matter in hand immediately, and keep the discussion conspicuously before the people until some good working system may be agreed upon by which tho private residences can be made to serve the necessities of the Centennial rush. Otherwise failure and dis- aster store them in the face. THE HINDOO POPE. The Popo of Hindostan has died. Until he died, very few peoplo outside of India knew that he had lived. The obituary arti- cles of the English press havo consequently. been long and interesting. We call the Maharana of Oodeypore a Pope, because that title more nearly than any other describes his position to American readers. He would have felt insulted, however, had he heard the name applied tohim. The Maharanasof Oodeyporo suton their thrones for 1,200 years beforo Sr. Peter made that dubious visit to Rome. Twelve centuries before God became incer- nate in Carisr, Vishnu, so the Hindoos say and believe, was incarnate in Rama, the monarch of Oodeypore. Rama's family still rales Rame’s realm. Their ‘‘ divine right” todoso is unquestioned by Hindoos. The Oodeypore Maharana, or, more simply, Rana, is the first Hindoo. His jurisdiction is temporal and spiritual. He can quash a Brahminical excommunication. No Hindoo sovereign can be consecrated save by him. He is the embodiment of the old faith, and is regarded with intense, super- stitious awe by every devotes of Hindooism. He is a remote relation of Vishnu, by virtue of his descent from Rama. Harm to him is hurt to the great god. His death is really the greatest grief his immediate subjects can know. When the last Rana died, the “most ancient community in the world”—so the Spectator styles it—gnve itself up to an sbandon of sorrow. Men shrieked and beat their breasts in the streets. Woman were in afrenzy. Only English in- terference kept troops of them from the Rana’s funeral-pyre. Most wonderful of all, the whole people, who guard their beards from insult with prompt and bloody violence, shaved their faces clean, This was the ut- most proof of sorrow, for the beard is to thisraca what the pig-tail is to the China- man, and more too. The Ranas of Oodey pore are “Children of the Sun.” The sun is their symbol. This deity, who has preserved his chosen family intact for 3,000 years, has unfortunately now endowed the race with an embarras du rich- esses, He has provided two children of the Sun. Both claim the vacant throne. Each is backed by asmall. army. The dispute has now, however, been referred to the Viceroy of Indis, He will play the part of an Ecu- menical Council. There is no appeal from his decision, and so Hindostan need not fear a strife between Pope and anti-Pope. THE TROUBLES QUIS, Troubles are growing up for Lorne, and as they grow the Marquis grows more forlorn. His light was very brilliant at the outset, but slights, and snubs, and gentle reminders are gradually extinguishing it, His ancient lineage, his Captaincy of the London-Scottish Volunteers, his authorship of a single, soli- tary, and somewhat sorrowful book, his ora- tory, his services in Parliament and the India Office, and the Icarned labors of his father, the Duke, alike seem to have been powerless in saving the Marquis from constant rebuke for his temerity in overstepping the bounds of his social circle; nor does the succession of these rebukes from equerries and goldsticks seem to teach him his position. Although located, beyond all hope of change, in the second rank, he is continually making des- perate leaps to the first, and is left hanging and dangling for the fun of gods and men. His first slight was at a party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace, where he attemptedto enter the tent of royalty, and was met at the door by a pompous equerry with the per- emptory message forbidding him to enter. ‘There was no first tent for the Marquis of Lorne. The equerry’s message was an in- timation to him he must always be in the second tense. This was a settler for tho Marquis at home. | Perhaps, however, brighter stars might shine upon him abroad. One fine morning, the Marquis took his wife and carpet-bag and ran over to Borlin to call upon sister Vicronra at the testy Kaiser's Court, where thereare three circles, the first of which sarrounds blood royal, the second, the nobility, and the third, literary men, students, butchers, beer-sellers, old women, ministers, show-men, and other small mis- cellancous truck. Tho Marquis, with hope- ful heart, sought to enter the blue-blooded circle, where his wife ond sister-in-law sat, but was met by the official Nemesis with tho announcement thathomust stepdown and out into the Zweite Stayfel. Mrs. Lorne protested and the sister-in-law begged and interceded, buf all in vain, and once more the Marquis of Lonxe’s light went out and he buried his sor- rowsinatankard of beer. Again—and this time upon his native heath, in the home of his ancestors—the iron entered his soul. The Princess herself desired that when she went to the paternal fireside of all the Lorxe’s, she should be recognized as the Marchioness, but when they drove up the grounds, behold tha venerable paterfamilias smiling at the door and calling out to the assembled tenantry to give three cheers ‘‘for my daughter, the Princess,” and the Marquis’ brother making fomiliar allusions to the Queen as “ Lorna's mother-in-law.” By wuch slighte as these the Marquis oi | Lonse has found his definite position with re- lntion to the Princess. He may band my lady to her carriage, but he may not ride in it, if it heppen to be a state carriage. He may take her to the door and leave her with the usher and go where he ‘pleases, except inside that door. At the state dinner, he may sit at the foot of the table. Such is the penalty of marrying into tho royal family, above your rank,—tail of the family, butt of equerries and chmnberlains, second fiddle to feminine flummery and royal rank. There is but one resource left. Let him take the lovely Princess and come to the Unijed States, and settle down in Chicago. Hero aro no class privileges, no distinctions of rank, no nonsense, Here every man has the right to go whero his wife goes, and every woman tho right to go whero her husband goes, except to the Lodge. Man and wife are one in privilege and pocket-book, sit at tho same table, put their dimes in the ‘same contribution-box, stand upon the same footing, and have night-keys alike., What is good enough for the wife is good enough for the husband, and tice versa. Instead of be- ing a whipper-snapper for Princes, a door- opener for Princesses, ard a flunkey for roy- alty, he would be every whit as top-lofty as the Princess, would be Jord of the household, and play second fiddle to nobody. - This, we take it, is better than having a British Queen for a mother-in-law, and eating her leavings, ora Prince for a brother-in-law, and sitting in the pit while he lolls in the boxes, THE FRUIT OF THE SEASGN. Last year the season immediately succeed- ing the Christmas holidays was blue and dis- heartening in a business way. But two or three months previous, the panic had struck the country, and its effects were beginning to be felt farand wide. After the excitement of the scare had died away, the actual strain upon the business community became the heavier, and without o stimulant. Many of. the retail merchants had kept up by promises and “shinning” in order to avail. themselves of the benefit of the holiday trade. But this did not save them. They had laid in heavy stocks early in the season, with all the confi- dence of good times that immediately pre- ceded the panic. There was probably never a time when the retail stores were fit- ted up with so much lavishness. 3er- chants of all classes hed renched out away beyond the dictates of commercial pru- dence. They had agreed to pay rents which required a vast increase of business over what they had ever done before. They hod bought heavily on credit. Competition was rife, and, at the best, the retail merchants would have scarcely been made good for their extravagant outlays and reckless risks if the panic had not come. On the other hand, the purchasing public had been suddenly brought face to face with hard times. They were forced to the realization of the fact that they had been living beyond their means. They foresaw a falling off in the profits of their own business. Salaried men were forced to contem- plate 1 reduction in pay. Many of them feared the loss of their situations. The re- sult was a universal disposition to retrench, and the holiday trade was poorer, as a rule, than it had ever been. Families contented themselves with fewer presents at Christmas, and these were usually inexpensive, or of a useful and necessary character. Within a short time after the holidays of last year, therefore, there were many failares, compromises, and settlements among the re- tail merchants of Chicago and other large cities. Those who suffered most were the jewelry firms and dealers in costly apparel and fancy articles. It was in the luxuries —the things that people could best do with- out—that retrenchment began and was car- ried farthest. Instend of the unusual de- mand for jewelry, fancy-goods, laces, silks, diamonds, silver, nnd that class of merchan- dise which had been anticipated and prepared for, the demand was almost nil. Those who had succeeded in postponing theirsettlements until after the holidays were almost as badly off as ever. One of the pernicious results of this postponement was that the failures and settlements came all together, and thus superinduced a general apprehension that there was going to boa panic in the mercantile community as general and destructive as the panjc in the financial community'a few months before. Fortunately, this was avoided by an adjust- ment between debtors and creditors on the best possible basis; and, after afew weeks of unusually ‘‘hard-sledding,” the mercan- tile interests resumed, in this city at least, an equable and substantial position. We do not apprehend this year anything like tho graveness of the situation felt at the corresponding season last year. The mer- chants have been duly forewarned, and, it is tobe hoped, have trimmed their sails accord- ingly. There has been a material reduction in the expenses of carrying on the fancy busi- nesses as compared with last year. Stocks have been selected with greater care, and with due allowance for the gencral spirit of economy.. The credit system hes been used more sparingly. Besides, the holi- day trade, materially assisted by the extraor- dinarily mild and pleasant weather, extended 1 so far into the winter, has been much better than last year. The result, altogether, can scarcely be other than favorable. It is to be expected that there will be a briefera of inac- tion and commercial dullness, and, withit, the croakers will come out in force, and hard times will be the refrain of their song. But, for all that, we are of the opinion that thera will be a gradual and uniform improvement from January 1 forward, in striking contrast with the condition of trade and industry after the gloomy holidays of last year. WORTINGWOMEN. Not long ago, this head-line wonld have meant seamstresses and washerwomen, aud nobody else. This is nolongerso. One of the most marvelous events in recent history has been the change in the position of women. With very many of them, labor has become something to be sought, not shaun- ned. ‘They have outgrown tho theory that women’s only sphera was found in the kitchen ond the nursery. The half of the world’s brains hitherto shut upin feminine heads is beginning to count for something at Inst. There are even signs of the good time coming, when it will be thought as disgraceful for a woman as for a mannot towork. The positive advance made by women has been greater abroad than at home, perhaps on account of greater pov- erty and o consequent stronger spur to exer- tion; perhaps because tho iden of ‘women’s working was less repugnant to other men than to Americans, who treat women with a courtesy which does not exist outside of drawing-rooms abroad; and cer- tainly because the bubbling-over energy of English and German women has not been wasted in talk, in the American fashion, but has been devoted to work, ‘The movement has made itself felt in nearly every country of Europe. In England, the University of London holds its doors ajar for women to enter, and will doubtless soon open them wide. Over 300 young women atiended the University last year. The admission of Girton College, at Cem- bridge, at which women only are taught, into full membership in the University, is only a question of time. Oxford and Cambridge both hold examinations for women every year, on the plan which Harvard has tried to intro- duce into this country. A medical college for women was opened this fell in London, where, a few years since, Mrs. Garnrrr- AwnpEnson was obliged to hire, at a great cost, the entire staff of a medical school to give her, in private, the lectures which they deliv- ered publicly and cheaply to men. The English Government telegraphs employ a great num- ker of women. Women are working in every branch of art. Tho most admired picture et this year's Exhibition was painted by a woman, Miss Tuomrson. Yet it is only two years since women who sent pictures to the Exhibition attached men’s names to them in order to insure their being accepted end sold. This state of things in England findsa parallel, more or less exact, in Germany, in France, in Austria, in Holland, and in Sweden and Russia, In Germany, the emancipation of woman has the powerful aid of the Empress that is and the Empress that is to be. The civil-service of Austria is full of women, all of whom have had to pass a rig- orous examination in order to be appointed. ‘The ‘telegraph-sefvice of the Continent is largely in feminine bands, In Germany, the feminine telegraphers have been ad- vised, in an official circular, not to spend so much money for dress! Women can attend most of the continental universities, except in their medical courses. Leipsic and Zurich wre almost the only seats of learning which instruct women and men together in medicine. Tho result of the ex- periment has not been flattering. There is only one feminine student at Leipsic. She has a very hard time of it. At Zurich, there has been gross immorality. This is almost the sole shadow on the bright picture of progress. Frenchwomen are largely em- ployed in warehouses, and counting-rooms, and shops. Austria and Holland maintain a number of commercial schools, in which girls are fitted for business life. Italy gives wom- en artistic work in abundance, and has made room for them in her railway offices, Russian railways employ 2 few women. The scattered facts which we have here grouped together are but hints at the magni- tude of the change in women’s wants and work abroad. If Lecry is right in saying that woman's position is the surest index of civilization, then European civilization has made a wondrous gain within the last decade. A CASE FOR THE BOARD OF TRADE. We have already called the attention of the Board of Trade of Chicago to the fact that the recent decisions of the Courts have re- moved all doubt as to the power of that body to protect its transactions from all crime and dishonesty, by the expulsion of any of its members guilty of commercial impropriety. The long reign of the free-and-easy system, and the loose administration of discipline, had produced great demoralization. It wes too commonly the casa that when a man was charged with misconduct he could turn upon his accusers and say that he had done nothing but what they had repeatedly done, and what they would do again if the opportunity occurred. Matters had finally reached that point where it wes an open question whether the Board should not dissolve by the retirement of the mem- bers who engage in legitimate business, and leave the others to have things their own way. Fortunately, upon a test, matters were found not to be so bad as they seemed, and the re- spectable members saw that they had the numerical strength to execute the powers which the Court says the Board possesses, The duty of the Board is a clear one. It must vindicate its own character. It must establish and maintain the highest possible character for integrity. There must be no further toleration of irregularity,—there must be no irregularity at.all. The practice of corners and of “puts” has grown up here in the past. Though for years they were of questionable propriety, they have of late degenerated into disgraceful violations of law and of commercial good faith. ‘‘Honor” ceased to govern,—and therefore these trans- actions sank lower than the ordinary affairs at the gambling table. The Board of Trade cannot maintain its character so long as it recognizes transactions which the law de- clares illegal. If members get up a corner, and bet upon it, and sell “ puts,” they must be made to do so upon their personal respon- sibility as participants in gambling transac- tions, wholly outside of legitimate and honest trade, and money Jost or won in such transactions must be paid or repudiated like money lost at cards. The Board can take no cognizance of them, nor undertake to adjust differences growing outof any un- lawfal transactions. A caso in point is the substantial eorner which is understood to exist in corn. It is understood that one firm has bought 120,000 bushels more of old corn than there is in the country, This corn is to be delivered (?) be- | fore 3 o'clock next Thursday. The occasional cer-londs of old corn coming to the city are offered to this firm at 80 cents per bushel, which is promptly paid. All this is legiti- mate enough. But what is to be the result when December expires and the corn sold to this firm is not delivered, because of the fact that the needed amount of such corn is notin existence? The difference between the selling prices of No. 2 now corn and old corn is 15 cents a bnshel; this difference is not the measure of any real difference in the value of the two grains, but is confessedly fictitious, and o grab. The law requires that the contract of sale shall be executed by the delivery of the corn,- and not otherwise, It makes any implied arrangement for the setile- ment of differences in cash illegal and void. Incase of adefauit next Thursday, and the non-delivery of the corn, what is to be done? Tho purchaser tenders the money, and de- mands thecorn. It is not delivered, and whatthen? How is the measure of the pur chaser’s damages to be determined, and who is to determine it? On the part of the pur- chaser, he is in the linc of legitimate dealing, and is prepared to pay the money for tho goods purchased. On the other hand, the sellers have sold what they have not, and what they cannot get. Qne or the other side is outside of the law, and has made not only & voidablo but a void contract, which the law stamps as “gambling,” and for which it pro- vides legal penalties. Of course these differ- ences may be settled privately between the partiea, but, in case they are not, what is to bedone? Shall the Board undertake to enforce the contracts by disciplining the members, and can the Board recognize any mode of settlement peste by ue law, which is the @ corn? Here is a rf | there be a conflict Between on tot parties, must bring the Board to ee id fair, and square decision whether jj ie recognize transactions of this king eed ey by law illegal, or whether it will 1 a a those who engage in them thy sac’ ® of difforences arising outside of an trade, Sanction oO Save that Aelivers cr eCitimors AN ECCENTEIC RECTOR, That was a very singular preparat divino service which the Rector of St. yo). Church, Cincinnati, indulged in on Che! is Day. By way of illustrating the bea duties of peace on earth and good will 6 he drank copious libations of that immane | Christmas drink, egg nogg, and vent 2 church ina happy frame of mind, not an fanoying he saw tho ster of Bethlehem 12 several other stars nearer home thay Bath. Tehem. By way of still further fortii us a inner man and bracing up the spirit, he week on araid among the communion vires a drank many healths to Christmas and i, Rector of St. John’s, until atlast the foren draughts from the wassail-bowl settled hin the conviction that he wouldi’t go homer morning, and that the parishioners of Fa John’s were all jolly good fellows, Ia ts happy and exuberant frame of mind, ron, ning over with love for all manking and especially for his flock, which was trig os large as he had ever seen it before, he zn, zagged into the two pulpits befors hin, .-3 commenced the most remarkable serpy St John’s had ever heard. After haviz> ey cussed Christmas, the Finance bill, the betes of holly and mistletoe, predestinstion, women’s bonnets,.the Apostolic stecesion * and the best mannor of mixing punctes, thy congregation came to the conclusien th: their shepherd was not only growing desa, tory, and leading his flock into unpleassy byways and strange pastures, but that he ve: very drunk. Then the Deacon solemnly arose and madeasignal. He started for the door, and the flock, in single file, followed him, and they left the Rector in the middle of | his sermon, just as he wes warming upon the superiority of “mixed drinks” How long he continued is not told. We do rot know whether he ever finished that ser. mon, He may have succumbed tc the force of circumstances, and lid himself down for s nap. He may have gone on pleeding and -remonttreting | with the pews and organ, and expcunding to them the unutterable glories of Christmas; or he may have gone back and finished up the communion wine, and then commenced s clerical spree in the solitude of the sanctuary, singing many a beautifnl carol and dancing many a devotional dance of David up and down the aisles, at last falling limp and loose among the wreaths and festoons, and Christ- mas stars and anchors, a mournful min,a sad memory, o suggestive warning. Wa leave the good Rector sleeping off his egg nogg and communion wine amid the fragrance of pine and cedar, and sm rounded with the glories of camellia, and jx. ponica, and tube-rose, without questioning toa closely concerning the dreams he must hava had that Christmas-Day, or the kaleidoscope of Christmas memories which must have whirled through his dazed brains yesterday morning when he awoke and tried to accoumt for the remarkuble blank in his dsy’s expe’ ence. His fate, however, suggests the folly of mixing liquors on Christmas-Day, or any other day, especially for a clergyman who ha asermon to preach: He may presch from the spirit, but he should not attempt to se~ monize from the basis of mixed spirits. ha’ 5 to A remarkable trial has recently been concladed in France, the issue of which will be received with satisfaction by the lovers of freedom and progress the world over. The teacher of one ot the schools not under the protection of Catholic Church was noted for the excellence cf his system and the proficiency of his pupil. Certain Catholic brotherhoods charged him wih mental and moral unfitness for his placs traduced him shamefally, and aucceeded in o> taining his removal. The Council of tho De- partment condemned him, and the Prefect glu. ly diagraced him. He was a Ropublican snd 2 advocate of secular education, and had tofzhh _ almost singlo-handed the vast influence of § Church. The teacher appealed to the Soparicr Council, and, after s tong and patient investiga tion, waa reinstated. France is- the battler ground of # tremendous struggle. The power which struggles to close the public schoo'sf Amorica will fight to the death against the erts- lishment of purely secular inatruction m pues ridden France. A CHRISTHAS-BOL Leading edttorial in the Stants-Zeltuno, Det. 5. The Christmas-pox for Chicago is s rst! solidly-worked Ring. With a-vote 99 to & on the engrosement and 32 to Gon tho passrze, have tho Republicans and People’s-party tar in the Common Coancil passed the missral’g swindle of » Wabash avenue railrond, hae the interests of the tax-payers in general, on the residents of Wabssn avonue in particas have been betrayed and sold out; and Mayor Colvin (tho Peoplo’s-party candidste) has cor firmed the insolent job with his sigratre. Now it is possible that, among the thirty thirty-two Aldermen who voted for the propo sition, there aro zome numbskulle who have ba operated with their corrupt colleagues mine simple ignorance. It is possible, ‘but not prov: ble, Not probable indeed, because the vantages offered for the railway franchise other companies were 80 incomparsbly a thanewere those. of the existing boree-t a company, that there could not be an honot difference of opinion thereon amoug # saa men. Aa for the objection that the oxiating' i il Compe? tract with the present City Railway prohibits the granting of the tranche ther company, it coald oaly have hen the Gournen Council bad received the! en trustworthy legal opinion as to the validity ect of this eontract. ore ie ie, all considerations of felrness wane ‘be able to take away from tho publiothe 00°} tion that the majority of the Common Com without respect to party, themselves with a corrupt Ring, and that et Colvin bas allowed himself to sorvo #4 the: upon this Ring. rot the thirty-two Aldermen who voted for ts railway-job, the Germans are Eckhard, aes Lengacher, Schaifner, and Jonas. ‘Those g' 3 men must best know whst basinducod becet of assistance in the consummation of the job: pnt must, however, allow tho pubiio to have own opinion about it. Of this they may rest assured: The en press, which gave such important aid vite tory of the Peoplo’s party, is not in theless, clined, out of ccnsideration of the “Pa wi Vd place» padiock on its mouth, or to ce aw cover up the misdeeds of such | officials have been elected by the People’s aie oh; ‘People’s party cannot carry out 3 sath more honorablo administration of panes ee] itdoes not deserve to livo, a2 aah | would not give s bad penny for its 01 Tho, jobbery and thicvery in city ee vhs? must be bronght to on ond, 00 ™m mites kind of a combination of honest and leing citizens is necessary thereto. in this connection havo as © national politics as has the