Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 24, 1875, Page 8

PEGE HEGTs THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 1875.—SIXTEEN PAGES. 2 TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. RATES OF BUBSCRIPTION (PAYABLE IX ADVANCE). Terie ‘Parts of a year at the same rate. ‘To prevent delay and mistakes, be rare and give Port. Office address in fall, including State and County. Tomi. tancesmay bemade eltberby draft, express, Post- Ot.cv order, or in registered letters, at our risk. TERMA TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS, Daits, delivered, Euntay exccptec, 25 cent por week Dails. delivered, Sunday incloded, 30 cents per week Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Comer Madison and Dearborn-tls., Chicago, 1. .TO-MORROW'S AMUSEMENTS. GRAND_OPRRA-HUUSE—Clark | street. epporite Beran Hours. Kelly & 1002's rele. “The ‘Crimson Scart." HOOLEY'S THEATRE—Randoipm street, between Glark and LaSalle, ‘* Magnolia.” CHICAGO MUSEUM—Monron strect) betwaen Dear Barn and State. "Uncle Tom's Cabin.” WYICKER'S THEATRE—Madhion street, | between Dearborn and State, Fngagemont of the Straloech Opere-Troupe. ** Travicta.” CADEMY OF MUSIC—Hatsted street. betwoen Mad- weosee ‘Monroe, Engagement of Mrs. Agnes Booth. ‘King Joba.” ab R—-Dearbora street, corner Mon- sh DELEDY anlerinmonte "The ‘Wiad Sf'tae Cloth SOCIETY MEETINGS. ASONTC.—The Second Masonfe Social of Waubsnsia x i ‘A.M, will be hoidea at Orl- ‘Thersday Eventug, Feb. 4, ured of J. H. Browster, 134 124 South Clarket, and A. NIC.—LaFayette Chapter, No.2 R. A. M.. ici Ge take Ae Jas. 2, for business and work onthe P. and NM. H. De- ad invited to meot with as. £, N. TUCKER, ATTENTION SiR. cage Commands Shoo Sy 165. Tor work Renlghts courteoualy in ozo Clark and eats moraine’ See age —— BUSINESS NOTICES. WE SAY.—FULL SET BRST GUM actin or maner refunded, Filling, first- usaalrates. MCCHESNKY, 73 Olark-st. The Chicane Crbune. Sunday Morning, January 24, 1875, The Hon. W. D. Kerrey, whom Pennsyl- vania hes inflicted upon a long-suffering coun- try for two more yeara of Congressional ex- igtence, got mad, as usual, when the “ Little Tarif bill,” otherwise known as the “ big tar- iff steal,” was being discassed. Brcx showed a characteristic steal tucked away in the bill, in the shape of an exorbitant duty on mixed silk goods, whereupon Mr. Kouuzy appeared in his well-known rok of The Harler. First, he “ hurled back on the gextleman from Ken- tucky the charge of theft,"—why, we do not see, since Mr. Beck has not been caught with his hand in somebody else's pocket, while a number of Mr. Keixzr’s constituents keep their hands in such a position, thanks to the robbers legalized by the tariff, mast of the time. Then W. D. K. hurled various c ler things at Beck. The air was fall of verbal missiles. Only one thing is needed to _ take Kerrey a complete success in his self- chosen charscterof The Hurler. Let him elutch his beloved shinplaster-repndiation- protection creed and hurl himself out of the Bepublican party. ——_—— According to the London Times, the pre- liminary trial trip of the swinging-saloon steamer ‘‘ Bessemer,” designed to obviate the eross-seas and accompanying nausea of the English Channel, bas more than given satis- fection, and justified the theories upon which she was constracted. With a low pressure of 19 pounds of steam, the engines making only 20 revolutions a minute, against a strong head-wind, and in a rough sea, she ac. complished 16 miles an hour, The double-wheels worked in perfect har- mony, the ship answered her helm, and no defects were discovered. It is in- tended that the ordinary pressure under which she shall travel shail be 30 pounds, with 30 revolutions of the engines, and run the speed up to an extraordinary figure. We are not told how the swinging saloon acted, but presumably everything was satisfactory. This is a source of satisfaction to everybody. It may injure the trade in French brandy and similar purely imaginary restoratives, but it will benefit the world at large: ‘Merry England seems to have had rather a woonrnful Christmas. The ceremonies began Christmas eve with a railway accident that killed thirty people and wounded seventy, sbout a dozen of whom are dead or dying. ‘The day itself dawned on a carnival of crime. Wolverbampwon contributed one dead father- in-law, whose throat was cut by his wife’s husband; one keymaker, stabbed in the back; and one Irishman, who foand leisure during the day to stab 8 neighbor eight times. At Liverpool, OwEN Wits divorced him- self from Mrs. 0. W. by cutting the mar- siage tie and her throat withaknife At ‘Wombwell, one brother slaughtered anuther. At Glasgow, an engineer got drank and his wife consequently got dead. In other parts -ef the country, an officer was stabbed by a private; a drunken singer was pounded to @eath; and an Irish farmer was shot by an assassin, The Pall-Mall Gazette records a number cf other murdera and an assortment ef saicides; but we have given enough in- stancea of the way in which Christ's birth ‘was celebrated. ‘The mission of Mr. Froupr, the historian, to South Africa, hes already created no little excitement in this country, inasmuch as its object is beyond the comprehension of those who are not familior with the condition of the colonies which cluster round the apex of that giant peninsula) The New York Times throws light upon it in a brief history of the country, which gives some idea, not only of what Mr. Froupz is expected to undertake, but of his success in accomplishing it. After several fluctuations, in the course of which it became alternately the prop- erty of the Dutch and English, Cape Ooast Colony became the property of the latter in 1806, being an English colony with a strong Dutch flavor, In moving eastward, the colonists hod to encounter the Kaffirs, whom they gradually drove before them as civilization on thia con- tinent has driven back the red man. The eolony at Natal was formed about 1810, and the Dutch, herding together, moved away from Britiah rule to a tract of land lying be- yond the lines of the colony, and there founded the Orange Repnblic, which was Recognized by Great Britain in 1854. From this, by secession, grew the Transveal Republic, which was organized in 1850, It was in the Orange Republic eat diemonds were first discovered, and fe excitement brought thousands of dis- gosed-banter thither. The Orange Repub- yes claimed licenss-money from the invad+ ers; a native Chief hereupon claimed the ground; a Dutch army was sent out against the natives, but withdrawn on making the discovery that they were under British pro- tection. By another chain of circumstances the ‘Transvaal Republic found itself face to face in hostility with the Brit ish Government, and- only by mov- ing on does it avoid’ a collision, Simultaneously with the discovery of dia- monds in the Orange Republic, the announce- ment of goldin the independent colony of Notal drew thousands.thither, and now ali the colonies are swarming with Englishmen, and they, the natives, and the Dutch have so complicated matters between them that the Secretary of State is as much puzzled over it asthe world in general over the Schleswig- Holstein question. The calm, analytic mind of Mr. Froupr has been retained to look into the matter and tell the world all about it. It is expected that the bill prepared by the Citizens’ Association for amendments to the City Charter will be bronght before the Legislature next week. In addition to the Committee having the matter in charge, it is stated that several of our prominent citizens, including Messrs. Wier Dexter, Coonnavan, Bowsy, and Gaxenesaus, will go to Spring- field for the purpose of fully explaining the merits of the proposed changes, and the necessity therefor. We are glad to hear it, and hope that no effort will be spared to in- duce the Legislature to adopt the amend- ments. We have already gone over them at some length and in detail. They provide fora simplification of the departments, a concen- tration of responsibility, two houses in the manicipal legislature (one elected by the peo- ple at large), a check on lavish appropriations, @ prohibition of the false system of spending city money before it is collected, and other indispensable changes, The'fact is that the proposed amendments are so essential that it is not likely the people of Chicago will vote to adopt the new charter unless they sre provided. Without them, we would be little better off under the present general law than we are under our present charter, and there would be no object in making the change. __ GEN. SHALER'’S IDSAS. ‘The class of people in Chicago who are in favor of carrying out Gen. Saaren’s ideasrela- tive to enlarging the Fire Department and protecting (?) the city against fires have sev- eral times questioned tho statemeuts of Tue Cascaco Trtpune in regard to the enormous expense which his proposed reforms will en- tail upon the tax-payers of the city. The recent detailed estimates of the Fire Marshal and Police Commissioners, however, have now fixed the expenses of the Szares ideas, and they confirm the statements of Tue ‘Tamons, and show that the Saates ideas, if carried out, will prove oppressive to an in- supportable degree. A glance at the details will show the cor- rectness of Tax Tamune's statement. Gen. Sparer wants 6,600 telegraph poles, 615 miles of wire, and the necessary apparatus to go with them, amounting to $181,865; he slso wants 18 more steamers, 16 additional hook and ladder tracks, 10 fuel wagons, 51 fire extinguishers, 5 fuel depots, 34 brick buildings, and 80 building lots, costing $547,- 854.55; -he also wants sufficient sdditional men to the present force to ent up $379,370, a machine shop to cost $10,000, and a river boat to cost $60,000. The sum total of the General's wants reaches the modest figure of $1,209,- 000! To this of course must be added the present expense of the Department, which will saddle upon the tax-ridden people of Chi- cago about $2,000,000 for this single Department. If Gen. Snaten had pro- posed this scheme as a measure to plunge the city into bankruptcy, 1t would prove emi- nently successful. As a matter of financial economy, it would be more profitable to burn Chicago up at once and have done with it. The million anda quarter extra to start with is only the first step in the expenditures that would be required. We have now more engines than water-supply. With the excep- tion of a dozen or two of blocks in the busi- ness heart of the city, the present force of engines cannot be supplied ata large fire. It would be necessary to double or treble the size of the present water-pipes to furnish the Department when enlarged to Gen. Suauzn’s ideas. The expense of doing this would be several millions of dollars; and how is the money to be obtained? And then with this enormous Fire Department would come a demand to double the police force, to give the firemen adequate aid and protection, and to man all the multiplied fire- alarm boxes. As one department is in- creased, 80 all the others demand enlarged appropriations, more pay, and higher sals- nes. But supposing Gen. Saaten’s ideas were carried out; suppose the city should be able to obtain a couple of million dollars annually in some mysterious manner, and to find the money to double the size of the water-pipes and pumping-works, and then proceed to buy up engines, hose- carts, hoss-pipe, and fire spparatns enough to put ont a big conflagration, what then? What would be the results of Gen. Suaren’s magnificent equipment? First, we should possibly get cheaper insurance, most of which in all probability would be worthless insur- ance. Second, having cheaper insurance, people would get insured up to their eyes, "Third, relying upon their insurance as a pre- ventive against loss, men would become reck- less, and go to bed at night without a thought or care -as to the safety of their prop- erty. They would not protect their buildings, they would expose their neigh- bors to danger with impunity, They would accumulate inflammable and un- safe goods without proper protection. They would pave the way for constant fires and large confiagrations, as they would have no incentive to carefulness or watchfulness. Fonrth, a new wave of corruption would roll over the City Government, which would be irresistible, To bry all the iron for water- mains, and oll the lots and steamers, to put up these hundreds of miles of telegraph, to erect all these buildings, must require the making of innumerable contracts, and the public need not be told what the making of contracts implies in Chicago or any otherlarge city. It would open avenues of frand, and bribery, and corrapt favoritism, and the city would be swindled as it never has been be- fore. Dishonesty and extravagance would sprend into other municipal departments. Fifth, the Fire Department would be increas- ed several hundred men, to be selected by the -bummers of the wards and doggories, and thus a political machine alrendy felt at the elections would be incressed and rendered more powerful and dangerous in the hands of the tax-eaters. ‘5 ‘There is another point to be considered. After ths people have been loaded down with Wess enormous expenses and affilcted with the evils we have indicated, after spending millions of dollars for fire apparatus and water-pipes, after opening up innumer- able avenues of corruption, and after being taxed almost to death every year to keep up this gigantic fire establishment, even then nothing will have been done to prevent fires, Millions of dollars will have been spent to put ont fires, but not one cent to prevent them. Elaborate rules and regulations will have been devised to extinguish fires, but none to protect property from catching fire,as is done in mapy American and all European cities. On the other hand, everything will have been done to encourage carelessness and recklessness ending in the destruction of property. ‘This enormons increase of the Fire Department, and this enormous expenditure of money, at a time when money is wanted for oth- er purposes than to make insurance “cheap” and corruption universal, are recommended; when the thing needed is greater precaution and prevention, more care and circumspection, a more stringent fire ordinance and building law. But, unfortu- nately, these cheap, sure safeguards against conflagrations do not commend themselves to contractors, tax-eaters, corrupt rings, and public plunderers generally, who revel and rejoice in magnificent expenditures of other peaple’s money. In behalf of economy, official honesty, henlthy politics, reliable insurance, and the safety of the city, we protest against this pro- posed criminal waste of money, especially in our present financial embarrassments, No emergency exists, nor can exist, forauch a prof- ligate expenditure. Gen. Szauen may be an excellent disciplinarian, but he is altogether too expensive a luxury for this city in its present fiscal condition. THE AGENCIES OF CRIME. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, en- couragements to crimo in this city is fur- nished by the establishments known as pawn- brokers’ shops. There is no more reason why the business of a pawnbroker may not be honestly carried on than there is why the dry goods or auction business should not be honest; nevertheless, with few exceptions, they are nothing else than schools in which liberal prizes are offered to thieves, and in which a convenient and legal ahield is offered to crime. A recent case, but one of a class that is occurring daily, will illustrate what we have said: A boy 14 years of age, employed in one of our hotels, recently roubed a guest of jowelry valued at $1,930, Eventually, the boy was arrested, and he confessed what he had done with the jewels, He had sold a diamond cluster worth $1,000 tv a pawnbroker for $35 He had pawned s diamond pin worth $800 to the same pawnbroker for $3.50, and disposed of the remaining $30 worth of his booty oth- erwise, Leaving ont of question for the mo- ment the boy’s criminality, here was a case where 8 man whose business made him a judge of such articles, and who of ne- cessity was able to discriminate be- tween the real and the fraudulent gems, who took from this boy two piecos of dia- mond jewelry worth $1,800, and paid therefor to the thief the sum of ten dollars and fifty cents! The law stamps the boy with the brand of a thief—s felon; it recognizes the other party to the transaction as a ‘mer- chant" doing 8 legitimate, honest, and com- mendable business! We much mistake the moral sense of the public if its judgment of the relative honesty of the dey who stole and the man who bonght the jewelry does not differ from that established by the law. We refer to this particular case with no purpose to select this pawnbroker for special censure or condemnation; the law acquits him, and therefore ha is not (?) criminal; but we refer to it becanse itis a fair Mlustration of the general business done daily and openly in all parts of the city, under the license and protection of the law. The Grand Jury of this county have, we understand, investigated this case fully, and, such is the state of the law, no one can be indicted or convicted save the child. The adult rascal who purchased the stolen goods, knowing themfto be such, escapes, Thereader will, of course, reach his own conclusions as to this particular case; but we wish to suggést the probable circum- stances under which this class of trading is done, A boy wants some money ; he steals a watch, or article of jewelry, or a picce of silver-ware ; he knows by previous observa- tion that certain benevolent gentlemen in the city are willing to advance mon- ey on such articles, The boy presents himself at the counter of one of these three-ball establishments with a set of diamonds worth several hundred dollars, and asks how much the man behind the counter will give for them. The article is examined critically, its value discovered with exactness by the expert, and the man, holding the dia- monds in his hands, boldly accuses the boy of having stolen them, and announces his pur- pose to keep them for the owner. Naturally, the impulse of the boy would be to ran away, but he is not allowed to depart; that is not business; the purpose is to get the diamonds and pay as little os possible forthem. The boy is then ternfied by threats of arrest, and finally signs a receipt for $20 or $50 for the ring, pin, or other article, and is paid 45 and is allowed todepart, The boy, of course, spends the $5, does not attempt the impossi- bility of returning the fictitious $20 or $50 he has receipted for, and in due time the dia- monds are forfeited as ‘‘an unredcemed pledge.” We submit that, morally, the pawn- broker in such a case is a deliberate thief, whether the law recognizes him as such or not, What is the future of that boy? Hav- ing onoe tasted blood, having once stolen and enjoyed the proceeds, having had his de- sire for money gratified, thongh altogether insufficiently, and knowing that there is & pluce where he can convert other peo- ple’s property into money for his own use, he repeats his stealings again and again, until at last he becomes a convicted felon. Now, if all the pawnbrokers and jank-shops of this city be multipliod by thirty, the result will be an approximation to the number of boys and girls who are just now stealing from their homes, their employ- ers, and from others, and selling direct, or technically pawning, their stolen goods at these licensed and pablic establishments. But these boys and girls, thus encouraged and invited to steal, are not the only purvey- ors to these receptacles of stolen property. ‘The regular professions of pickpockets, burg- lars, and thieves do not steal watches, dia monds, pearls, plate, clothing, or other prop- erty (except money), for their own uses; they steal them to ounvert them into cash. These pawnbrokers know every thief and burglar; any pretense on their part that they do not know one class of customers from another is a denial of theix own intolligence and a con- fession of their unfitness for business. They dictate their own terms, and the thief have ing stolen goods to dispose ef must socept whatever these nominal petaubrokers, bot real receivers, choose to give them, which is never over 20 per cent of the real value of the property. Any porson who is robbed of valuable property may, as a general thing, re- cover it upon offering more than the pawn- brokers, ‘Thus, s man losing a watch worth $200 can readily have it returned to him by paying $75 or $100 and asking no questions. When stolen property is found at o pawnbroker's, the latter will freely offer to return it-upon being ‘‘refand- ed his advances.” Tho claim for advances is probably three times the amount actually paid to the thief. The owner has to comply with this demand or resort to law, in which case he will have to prove impossible things to the satisfaction of a jury packed by the receivers of stolon goods, be denounced by the standing counsel of the thieves, aud either lose the case or have to spend the whole value of the goods to get them back. . It is a remarkable fact that hero, in the last half of the nineteenth century, in this free Republic; with a National Congress and thir- ty-seven ‘Sovereign State” Legislatures an- ually making laws ; with 2,000 Courts, and 2,000 Grand Juries, and 2,000 Prosecuting Attorneys, engaged in enforcing the law ; in an age when the pulpit proclaims God’s ven- geance for drinking weak beer,—a people who have invented the telegraph, who have util. ized steam, chained the lightning, and caused rivers to flow up hill, stand, confessing their inability to frame alaw which will reach the case of these men, who realize oponly and ostentationsly from 75 to 85 per cent of all the property stolen by the thieves, burglars, and pickpockets. They and their nefarious trade, their open dishonesty, and fingrant en- couragement of andinvitation to crime, are above law and defy Justice. ——— LANDLORDS AND GAMBLERS, ‘The investigations within the last month have'developed tho fact that, under the law of Ulinois, it‘is not possible to convict the owner of the premises used and occupied for gam- blinghouses. It seems that the law, as con- strued, requires, in order to convict the lessor for renting the premises for gaming pur- poses, there must be proof that when the premises were rented or leased they were 80 rented or leased for the purpose of being used for gaming. Gamblers pay liberal rente, as do the keepers of houses of prosti- tution. In fact, they pay much greater rent than any tenant would pay, or could afford to pay, for decent, honest, and legitimate busi- ness. Many landlords, therefore, knowing the law, ask no questions. When they are offered 100, per cent more rent for their premises than they would be glad to accept, they very readily sign lecsea to Mrs. Szna- parva Bawp, or Gzoror Wasurxcton Carrs, and ask no questions. When the house in a few weeks blossoms out as a house of prostitution, or the rooms become notorious as a gambling den, the Inndlord is, of course, very much shocked, but he, nevertheless, continues to collect his double rent, and goes to church, and proclaims his personal sanc- tity, without any visible compunctions of con- science or effort to dislodge his illegal and disreputable tenants. Can the Legislature of Illinois devise an amendment to the criminal code that will reech these persons who thus directly collect a large share of the profits of the nefarious business carried on in their buildings? It seems to us that.the necessary law could be easily framed if there were an earnest pur- pose to do so; and this law need not be a very long one, Such a law might declare gambling-houses, or premises used 28 such, to be illegal; that any lease of such premises thus used may be set aside upon the application by the lessor to any Court, upon showing the indictment and conviction of the teoaxt, or sub-tenant, or other occnpant, for gaming, or permitting gaming, or keeping a gaming house on those premises; and that such conviction shall be such notice to the owner or lessor of the un- lawful use of the premises as to furnish prima facie evidence of a knowledge and con- sent on his part that such premises are nsed for such illegai purposes; and subjecting such owner upon conviction to the same penalties prescribed by law for the keepers of such gaming house It seems tous that, if there were a desire upon the part of the law-makers torench this class of landlords who rent their buildings for these dishonest and disreputable occupations, it would not be impossible to do so by a law, that could be enforced. The present law fails utterly to reach them. It is immateria) that they receive extraordinary rents, and that the premises are notorious gaming houses, the present Isw insists upon direct proof that, when the lease was made, the owner knew it was for a gambling honse. Subsequent knowledge is not admissible, and the landlord is at liberty to go on collecting the rent from the proceeds of crime with en- tire immunity. We think, if this matter were laid properly before the Governor and the Legislature, the legal omission might be remedied, and the partnership now existing between landlords and gamblers to rob and fleece people might be broken up and terminated. THE OPERA SEASON, The economical tendencies of the times are plainly manifest in the treatment which has been accorded to the opera during the past week. People, as arule, are bound to be amused, and, when they have an econom- ical streak, the theatre and the opora are the last things to be given up. When thesesuffer, it may be taken 28 proof positive that the times are hard. There is no other theory which ean account for the bad business which Mr, Sruaxosce has done. He has bronghta very strong troupe here, much stronger than the average, more fully equipped than the average, with a chorus which is good, and on orchestra exceptionally excellent. At the head of this troupe is an artist whose name is Amown all over the musical world, and who stands in the same rank with Nissos,: Lucoa, Dz Munsga, and other lyric celebrities, and her associates are all ex- cellent artists. The performances have been remarkably smooth, even, finished, and en- joyable, and the operas have been placed upon the stage with great care, The reper- toire has embraced ‘Travinta,” “ Lucia,” “ Faust,” “ Eronni,” “ Mignon,” and “Aida,” all of which are popular works which usually draw, and ‘‘ Lohengrin,” which was a novelty. ‘The prices have been moderate, as opera prices go, and yet, of the operas men- tioned above, but two, “Lohengrin” and; “*Mignon,” have succecded in drawing houses safficient to remunerate the manager for his ontlay, and “Mignon” probably would not have done so had it not been given as a mati- nee. It has been another noticcable fact that, although the patronage has been canfined more or lose tothe wealthier classes of the city, there has been no- display ef dress, There have been no dis- tinoltve gpera coxtumnes, a8 is usually the case; Og Bee other hanil, ladies hava appeared’ in thal ebreat wear. ,All this shows that the people are economizing and retrenching in every possible manner. It may not be very comforting to Mr. Srrazoson, but neverthe- less such is the fact. He can console him- self, however, that he is not alone in his calamity. ‘The theatres and other places of amusement are running out of pocket. ‘There is not a traveling concert organization in the country that is making money, and but one opera troupse—the English—which may get Out of the season without getting into debt, It is not aquestion of excellence, nor have the people any doubt that they will get an equivalent for their money. The opera troupes are headed by Aupani, Kettoce, and Amsz, and the concert troupes by. Dz Monsgs, Apetame Pamuirrs, Casmina Unso, and other favorite artists, who in other sea- sons have been most liberally patronized. The attractions are as strong and numerous as ever, but the money is not in the people’s pockets, However distressing this may be to the managers, it is a hopefal sign, and the economy of this year will make good their losses to them next year. Fortunately, the most of them are in a condition to wait until that time, when they may look for crowded houses, silks, satins, and diamonds, Just now the people are on short rations, and, much as they’love to listen to the singing-birds and air their fincries, they must go very slow in. the indulgence of their desires. “THE PROSPECTS OF WAR IN EUROPE. ‘There has for many months been a sup- pressed apprehension on both continents of a European rar in the near future. This apprehension has more recently taken form and expression in the newspaper press of England and America, where alone such o topic may be disenssed with freedom. The turning-point in the transition from peace to war is set at the death of the Pope, an event which is soon expected ; the war to be a polit- ico-ecclesiastical struggle, in which all the European powers must take part on one side or the other. Even Mr. Disnaer is now made to do service asa prophet. The veri- fication of his prediction of the Franco-Prus- sian War of 1870-71 is cited to give his “ Lothair” musings the color of authority as to the religious wat to be waged upon the death of the long-lived Prus. While we sdmit that the Enropean situa- tion is sufficiently complicated to warrant serious apprehensions, we can hardly conceive that Europe can at this day be plexged into 8 general war over a theoretical dif. ference as to Church dogma or discipline; and this is now all that the Papal question means, The temporal power of the Pope bas been dofinitely disposed of for all time. Italy has settled that question without prac- tical help on the one side or practical opposi- tion on the other. Civilization has advanced too far to be now absorbed in gigantic struggle of peoples over a dogmatic disputa- tion, The struggle is one of Intelligence and Reason against Ignorance and Supersti- tion in our age, when the latter must giveway before the superior mental forces of the former, and is denieMeven an appeal to its sole resort of arms. In any general European war, growing out of aggressive tendeucies or national traditions, the Ultramontane quea- tion might exert an important influence; but it could not of itself call Europe to arms. War isa temporal institution, and religions wars belonged to the times when Kings were instruments of the Popes and whole nations swayed by the priesthood. That time is long since passed. The temporal power of the Church is no longer dominant; it needs no general war to put it down, We must look elsewhere for an explanation of the apprehensive feelings which unques- tionably exist as to a Enropean war, and which found a significant expression in a re- cent “inspired” editorial in the London Times. We may group the possible causes of war in Europe as follows: (1) France’s hos- tile disposition towards the German Empire; (2) the alleged greed of the German Em- pire for the acquisition of territory and the extension of power; (3) Russia’s designs on the Dardanelles and that portion of Turkey commanding the Black Sea; (4) the jealousy of Austria and England as to Russia’s proposed acquisitions; (5) the approhensions of all the European powers, except Russia, as to the’commercial and mili- tary growth of the German Empire. Any or all of these provocstives to war may be mod- ified by the Ultramontane question ; in some cases it would exert an adverse, and in others a favorable, influence, but it cannot in itself precipitate a general struggle. The warlike powers of Europe to-day, so far asa general wager of battles goes, are narrowed down to three,—Russis, Germany, and France. Great- Britain could only be drawn into war to defend her possessions of commercial value, and hardly for that purpose. Austria’s weak- ness was demonstrated by the six weeks’ war of 1866, which cost her so dearly, and sho would only take pert as on ally, if at all Italy is foo happy in the solution of the Bourbon and ecclesiastical troubles which have distracted her for centuries to court any trial of strength that may be averted. Spain is torn by dissensions at home which she cannot control, and will have enongh. to do to hold Cuba. The smaller powers—Belgium, Denmark, Holland. Sweden, Norway, and ‘farkey—only tremble at the vast armaments of their neighbors, and will only fight in desperation for self-exist- ence. War to them means disaster and bank- ruptey, and perbaps annihilation. % Narrowed down to France, Germany, and Russia, we find: France, eager as the tiger to spring upon its traditional foe, lacks the tiger's strength, It requires more than four years to obliterate such an experience as France has suffered, She has had no time nor system for recuperation; if unable to cope with half-united Germany four years ago, it would be sheer folly to attempt it now against united Germany. France still lacks the physical strength, the military system, and the educational enlight- enment for o war with Germany. The French family is too small to battle with the German fumily, Its avernga number is four, with but ono efficient male membor. The father, married late in life, is old and decrep- id when the single son becomes of fighting age. France is decreasing in population at the rate of 100,000 a year, though she suffers nothing from emigration ; once a Frenchman, alwoysa Frenchman. Germany isincreaxingin population at the rato of 500,000 a year in spite of the constant drain made upon her adoles- cence by America. The German family gen- erally numbers 1éx to ten souls, and when one son falls there is another to take his place. The result is that France has but one anny, and that light weight; Germany has three armies,—the standing, the militia, and the reserves,—hale, strong, efficient, and systematic. France is in no condition, alone and single-handed, to renew tho attack ou Germany, ond Russia is the only power that ‘could, by any turn of eventa, be broagkt iato ‘at alliance. But Russia, alone of all the ‘European powers, may contemplate Germany's advances without alarm. Russia enjoys the serene consciousness of an equal prowess. She has already adopted the German military and edacational systems. When she shall hhave perfected these systems, Russia will sve nearly double the prowess of Ger- movy—just in proportion that Russia’s popu- lation is greater than Germany's. Russia and the Germen Empire can have no quarrel, Russia wants no territory which Germany has, and Germany none which Russia has, ‘heir lines lio in different di- H rections. ‘There only remains, then, the , desire which Germany may have to cripple | France again, and permanently, before the latter can recover her lost strength, Having already assured the possession of Alsace and Lorraine, and achieved the unification of the German States, the German diplomats must feel too secure of the Imperial power to waste their strength and resources in man- gling a weakened and wounded foe, In spite of all these reasonable arguments against the praspects of a European war, the they are expected to unite in attacks ‘apon all the outlying settlements. ‘Aly these Indians,” say the dispatches, “ are splendidly armed with Henry and Winchester rides, ammunition for which they ean secara without limit at the Yankton Agency and Brole City.” South of Nebraska, horse. stealing and man-slaying are even now brisk, The tribes whose horses were recently shot by our troops are walking alung the war-path and replacing their lost 3 by raids on the settlers. In the extrem, Soath, there is tronble along the Rio Grande. Some 33,009 Comanches threaten the fronticr, ‘The telegrams ara silent on this point, but we presume the Indian ring has farntshed them, as it has the others, with everything needed to make murder ensy. When the fierce thirst for blood has besa, glatted; when enough scalps have been iorn from living heads; when the say. ages, are satisfied with the number of homes they have burned, the men they have murdered, and the women apprehension is pronounced, and the Great | they have. tortured, they will come back to Powers are maintaining the full complement’ of their standing armies and strengthening theix armaments, ‘This is what called ont the London Times’ article, which has caused the sensation, and which was most likely prompted by the desire to urge the British Gove.nment to put its house in order for the emergency. The “Sick Man of Europe” is still the most dangerous element in the inter- national politics-of the old continent. A s0- lution of that problem is suggested bya Washington correspondent of the New York Graphic, who professes to have learned of a proposition which Bismarck has made to France and Russia, on the following terms: Firat~That to France shall be surrendered Alsace and Lorraine, with Delsium and all the country on the west bank of the Rhine, Second—That Russia shall be allowed to tare pos- session of Constantinople and all of the Turkiah pos sessiona in Europe, together with the Hungarian and ‘Slavonic populations in Austria, In compensation for these immense concessions to Russia and France, Germany asks to be allowed to extend her rule over the $,000;000 of German popu- lation in Austris,—which would give her Vienna and Tricate,—and also to take possession of Denmark, Holland, and all the country on the east bank of the Rhine, This scheme would involve the blotting out of Austris asa nation, of Turkey {2 Europe, of Den- mark, Holland, and Belgium, It is also understood that Braatuicx demands that Russia absll purrender to Germany the Bultic provinces of Russiz, which ae inhabited mainly by Germans, This scheme is not altogether so specula- tive and visionary as most newspaper prog- nostications of great alliances and national transformations, It has a basis in the diplo- matic thought and discussion of Germany, but that isall, The details of the scheme are conspicuously inaccurate. Germany would never cede to France the left side of the Rhine, a portion of which is included in Alsace, as this is claimed as original German territory and is necessary to the unity of the Ewpire; bot it might part with Lorraine for the considerations named. Germany might also be willing that France should possess itself of that portion of Belgium contiguous to it, including Brus- sels, which may be called French Belgium, bnt not that portion which may be called Dutch Belgium, including Antwerp. Ger- many wants that grand port; seaports are her special envy; Antwerp would be worth more to her than a whole interior kingdom. Nor will Russia consent that Germany :tc- quire Holland and Denmark without gniat compensation. which may involve the inte- pendence of Sweden. But the Ultramontsne question, most of all, prevents at present so radical a solution of the intricate Europtan problem as this scheme snggests, The German Empire would gladly absorb the nine millions of German popula- tion which Austria contains, but it would have. to take with them the six millions more of the Slavonic and Bohemian peoples of the same Empire who are mixed among them. On this basis, the German Empire would have 2 preponderance of Catholic population. Bismazck will not consent to this, as he has already openly declared, nor strive for it until he has disposed of the Ultramontane difficul- ties that he has already on hand. Any such reconstruction of the map of Europe as is outlined above would bring about a general war, indeed, in which Belgium, Denmars, Turkey, Anstria, Holland, probably Norway and Sweden, would make a desperate but ineffectual straggle for resistance. They might have the aid of Englend, but this is doubtfal. The time hes hardly come for such a atraggle, INDIANS AS USUAL, The stereotyped dispatches of this time of the year are coming over the wires. We pre- dicted, last fall, the annual Indian outbreak of the spring, and advised frugal rural editors to keep our prophetic telegrams, published then, on hand in order to save the expense of using the wires at the appronch of warm weather. Here we have the threadbare truth: St. Lovts, Mo., Jan. 21.—It is altogether likely that, ‘as soon as the mows havo melted snd the grass begins to grow, the army will be celled upou to repress Indian disorders, . . The Crows and Sioux will renew bos- ties with the spring. . . The Indians threaten to take the work of expelling the [Black Fills) miners into their own hands, as s00n 28 the anow goes. . . It is gravely to Le feared that the navsges wil! not stop when they have cleaned out the goli-seakers, So the dispatch runs. Two or three months from now, when the snow has gone and the grass has begun to grow, tho tele- graphed verbs, put into the past instead of the future, will tell the yearly story of out. rage, Thore are, however, certain peculiar circumstances connected with the coming massacres of 1875. In the first place, the whole frontier is threatened, On the Upper Mis. souri the Crows and Sioux have beon scalping stray white men during the fall and winter as a sort of preludo to the murderous joys of tho spring. In this neighborhood ‘outrages aro to be looked for,” say the wires. Coming down the Missouri to Bismarck, we find that the Indians around that dreary outpost have had their delicate sensibilities shocked by the arrest Of Ram-Facx and Was-pa-pa, simply because these interesting persons have varied the winter's monotony by chopping up stray settlers from time to time. Snch high-handed interference with one of the inalienablo rights of the red-face—his pnr- suit of happiness, which, being interpreted, is the pursuit of ecalps—could not be borne. The Agents around Bismarck hava kindly furnished the grieved children of nature with ammunition for their breech-loaders, so that murdering white men has been made eaay, From Bismarck down to Nebraska, the sav- ages are angry because miners have gotinte the Black Hille. There is some rea- son in their rage, for the faith of the Govern- ment is solemnly pledged to keep the miners out, Gen Cusrxn’s expedition to this sec. tion ecems more inexcusable than ever, now that. it hss attracted there the men whose presence is to serve as the pretext for bar- barous warfare. Tho tribes which range this conntry are supposed to be in leiigue with the Northern ant Sonthorn bands, . When they Mave tasted blood by murdering tho mivers, their reservations and expect to be supported through the winter. Then is the time for justice. Hang every brave who has been marauding throngh the spring and summer, and enbtract from the allowances given the rest the valneof the property they have de stroyed. Apply these two remedies, ond the Indian ontbreaks will cease with this spring, ——— PACIFIC MAIL DISCLOSURES) The scandal grows apace. It seems to ont. ran the Committee. Every new day brings anew surprise. ‘The investigation is spread. ing out its nets and gathering in the mos miscellaneous string of fish, big and litte, and of every variety except suckers. ‘The Jast book of revelations has been no respecter of persons. It has even attacked ono of the Churches, and threatens the most serious di- visions in that “noble body of martyrs,” to quote from Inwry. He says that he paid ex-Gov: Ranpatt, of Wisconsin, now do. ceased, $35,000 to sqnelch the opposition of the Methodist Church, as represent. ed-in the persons. of Danmu Dzew end ex-Senator Harran. And now comes Mr. Hannan, who rushes to the front through the columns of his Washington Chron, and indignantly denies that he entered into any such combination with Daszex Drew, and says that there was no organized combination in the Methodist Church against the subsidy. We wish there had been. We sincerely re- gret that it hnd not marshaled its forces and smashed the lobby; it would have been ket- ter than any mistionary work. |__ ‘Then the historical “ brotherin-law “comes in. He changes places with the myth calfed “¢Wuirney,” and blooms out into ‘Warr. ma,” allied by marriage with ex-Senator Corz. It is sweet to be a brother-in-law to a man in a high place. In this in- stance it brought 100,000 bons-bons, with dollar-marks written all over them. The Pacific Mail people had been down on Core, —poor King Core, not a jolly old oul, ba cause he had been defeated for a second term inthe Senate by the adverse inflcence of Pacific Mail It was only fit and prorer, therefore, that Pacific Mail should give Core’s brother-in-law $100,900. Of course it was not intended to influence Senator Cote (?); it was only intended to do the fair tLing by the family. Cbzz’s losa tvas the brother-in- law’s great gain, and coals of not fire bat greenbacks were heaped on the head of the angry Cone. The two Kings sre also found to have played queer pranks. ‘They were an ex-ellent pair,—in fact, the winning hand; but the average was unfairly made. There wrs the Hon. War1as Kix, who had bungled things in the House and had to be sent over to the Senate; he raceived $125,000. Then there was Sax Waap, “the King. of the Lobby”; he only received $10,000. Here was rink injustice. Here was ancta- ble failure to apply that high idea of honor and foir-dealing shown in the case of Mr. Coxz and his brother-in-law, and recognized, it is said, even among thieves. . But Mr. Inwrw has already told so mach that we live in hope that even Scoomaxer, the forgetful man, may recall something. If he shall finally trace those $1,000 bills to their final destination, we think Congress ought to endow acollegiate professorship of Mnemei- ics, and call Scuumaxer to the chair. THE PATERNITY OF ALPHOESO. A paragraph bas been going the rounds to the effect that ALPHoNso should not object to psy ing the debta owed by bia gay sod dissipated mamma, because if she had not been so unprin- cipled he might havo been the son of her poor, feeble husbsad, instead of——mbat he is ‘This aseumption shows a degree of ignorance of contemporaneous history quite wonderfal io & Journalist, though natura! onongh in anyont else. The truth u, that if Isapexts had guided” her conduct by the strict line that most ladier follow, Avruosso and his brother snd sisters would have been doprived altogether of the questionable blessing of mandane existance. Most peopte have heard of the “ Spanish Mar riages,” & great socio-pelitics] intrigue and eal dal of the reign of Louis Punsser. That crafty old rat schemed to throw the Spanish sae ceusion into his own family through the Duo D8 Moxrrenstzs, bis fifth son. He would have ma ried the Duc to Queen Isanares herself, then marriageable, but this would be too glaring 2 attempt to make French inflaznce predomioste in Spaoish maztara, Neather the neighbor ing monarchiea nor the Spanish people would bave borne it a moment. Whe was the next thing to bedone? The isfamcws plot devised, matured. and carried out was as for lows: The Duc pg MonTPsNsixR was to tha younger sister of the Queen, end the Queen herself mated with ber cousin, Faascols p’Assisis Marte Femprnanp, Duo px Cant, $3 important imbecile from whom no heirs were! be expected, The remarks ot the Qaeen-Moiber (Cupistzxa) 00 the subject of this mazrisgo were very pointed, though scarcely quotable. Safice it to say that sho commented on the Due's piy- eique and his voice as of such a ebarsoter a t® provokes doubt as to his manhood, while ket daughter she kaew to be of a verv different coo" stitution. Nevertheless, the double marrisge were performed and carried out ss far ss Chureh and the law conld go. Tous the cblldren of the Duc pr Mowrrensizs, the i of Louis Purirrs, the cousins of our fmsods the Comte pz Pazis and the Duo px Caspiis and the nephews or nieces of our fnend Prince px Jorxvinte, were finally to come to the Bpanivb throne. p ‘All very fine, Messieurs Conspirators. A beantifal pian.—nothivg conld be more sstits ff not admirable, more notable if not nobly more Bourbon if not beneficent, more Orlesns if not honest. There wan one little flaw to the structure, one weak link in the chaio; it wi this: A party having a contiogcat interest i the bargain was not cousulted. If only this Ur tle defect bad Been remedied, the whole megaite cent scheme wonld have proupered. trivmpbed succeeded, pasted into the unwritten history god out of the memory of Europesa Xing craft. Tuo non-consulting party in interest was young, buxom, lovely bride, Iuabolin Queea of Spain. Almost as xocn as the plan was coe @ummated by the double marriage and the 1° auqnent davelopmenta, the young Senots (6 Bouorta) discovered 1k and Geauvyed it SBE