Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 1, 1875, Page 4

er nnn nnn ee een ee nee ————EoooyEeEEEo—TEE=E==EE—_z_z_z*&=z£*==*=_>={=a— TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. RATEA OF SURECAIPTION (PATARLE TH ADTARCE), Tontage repaid nt this Omce, 9 13.tK)| Weekly, 0 G30 | Five cont ‘Ten copie + ‘Wanrep—Une active agent in each town and village. Bpecial arrangements made with auch. Byectman cuplee sent froe. ‘To prevent delay ond inistakes, be ente and give Posts Office address in foll, inelnding State and County, Rarmittenceamay bemade either by draft, express, Poste Ole order, or in rexistered letters, at onr risk. TERNS TO CITY BUNSCRINERS, Daily, dolivered, Sanday excepted, 2H conte ner week. Dally, delivered, Sunday incladed, 30 cents per w Address THR TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Bindison and Dearborn-rt hicago, Tits FEY'S THEATRE —Mantotoh trent, hetween gigas table. ‘Low ia London” and ** Swise eatn. ADELPHI THEATRE—Doarborn atrest, corner Mons roo, Variety ontortainment, i "S$ THEATRE—Madlson treet, botween ee yantund Staten Logagement of Gorge Paweatt Beret tide Em's. aM 1G —-Halated atrent.hetwenn Sad~ ROAM Toroe, Kugagemont of Drank Cuanteat. -HOUSE—Olark at apatite siettten foun PRA e Eauu'e hilustroise The Dollos of tho Kitehor ONICAGO MUSRUM—Monroo strent, between Doar- boruand State, ‘Never Too Lato to Mead." “SOCIETY MEETINGS. MASONIC.—LaFayotta Chaptor, No. 3 ts suelal convention i hartatsndai) at. 5 Monday; Ce ined Yor ork ob ia Pe and Me fi Do TUCKER, Sec, jy order of tho HP. BUSINESS NOTICES. NOR'S COD LIVER, Ol, AND LIME.—PER- ents bern tabled Cod Lirar Olt wil bi pleaecd Iieam that Dr, Wilbor bas succeeded, from directions onal gontiomen, 1 combiaing the pura bi'snditmo io-aueh amannor that (tis plearant to tho laste, and tte effects tn lung complaints aro truly wonloe tale'Vary. many perruas ‘wicss cases wera pronoubesd fopeless, and wo bad taken, the clear oll fora louz time rithout inarked: casct, have gsm entirely aured bn psing eprepazation. Je "enee and gs Mange felerd by As B, WILLOR, Unewls!, Bustou, Bold by all drugcists. CAUTION TO HOUSUKEEPERS,—OWING TO THE Ineresaing cost of vanilla sed’ In the insnfactuie af Hatract Vanilla, epuriius compounds aro being thrown Spon the marsete, purporting to bo puro sanilfa, bub ropared principally from ‘Tongus Loans, ‘This nauseat- Be substitute costs the manufacturer less than onus fwentlotn part as tnuch asthe genuino egniila bean. It san readily bo detected by ite addr. | itis used principally by tobaccopieta for perusing anaff ani cigars, and was Aever intended {oho nsed ase Mavoriig tur the varlonn aro forthe human stomach, | flurnett's Yi fa prepared frou eniectod vanilla bealls, hos wal ted entirelyires trum Tonqus or other feloterioua substances, LLOWING TESTIMONIAL urmaus, saa uf tuo proTto- i HICH OF "AI Dec. 2 Ieid,—Ate, Ie ar Sir: 1 have derivod great from the tay of the Glow Flora Miferal Spring \Walerthiat T received from you, For the past elgutesn mouths [hove boen wuflering with adisordorod secrotion of urine, causing continual pain and soglety, and faited in find rom wodieal prescrt Fron tho tirst, Hw water acted st magically, Scompleta cure. I return ty will bo glad to have you Hil ant retura ft ble. ‘Truly ours, THOMAS 11 Che Chizags Tribum. Mondsy Morning, March 1, 1875. OLEN FLORA. woontelbuted by lore of tito btar and CENT Ml o by express, aad nas pase MANS, ‘Tho position of the now Wisconsin Senator’ with respect to the Republican party may bo ronsidered os settled, Mr. Cawnon express- ly authorizes the statement that he will act tu perfect accord with the Republican side of tho Senate. : ‘Tho ramor that the Hon. J.D. Wann, or anybody elae, is to have the benefit of tho re- moval of Gen, McAnrnun os Postmaster of Chicago is emphatically denied. No such re- moval is contemplated. Itis now proposed by the Kansas Legis- lnturo to distribute $95,000 from tho Stato Treasury in the shapo of a loan to the needy counties, tho money to bo divided according bo the degree of destitution and tho inability pf tho local authorities to take cara of their pwn poor, The fourth ond Inst of a serics of interest- ing letters from a young Canadian gentleman, well known in Chicago, is published this morning under the titlo, “A ‘Irip at Sea,” and embodying a graphic account of a stenm- ship yoyage from New York to San Fran- tisco, _ Merchandiso in the mails is the subject of au interesting report by Guoncx 8, Banos, Superintendent of the Railway Postal Service. Ho shows that the proportion of this species pf mail-matter has been greatly ovoresti- mated, and that, in reality, it has nothing to do with the Post-Oflce Department defi- ciency. Mr. Cannon, of Illinois, has been sovoral weeks proclaiming his purpose to move to “amend the Forco bill by striking out the sec. tions authorizing a suspension of the habeus torpua, and prociuiming his intention to vote against tho bill unless that part was stricken out. When the bill was before the House ho made his motion, but during tho night, for tome cause, weakencd, and voted against his own motion, and for the bill with the objec. tionable clauses in it! Mr. Cannon may be able to explain this; but, in the absence of iny explanation, Mr. Canyon bas simply mado himgelf ridiculous, eee There oro epprehensions of gravo results of the prolonged strike of tho white miners tm Clay County, Ind. Sullen, stubborn, aud vavage, os starvation stares them in the face, the striking miners persistently refuso to ac- cept fair propositions of compromise offered {a good faith by the operators, until tho Inst thance for a settlemont of tho difficulty toems to have gone, ‘ Molly Maguire ” no- tices havo been posted, and violence and bloodshed aro likely to follow. Meanwhile tho mine oporators aro firm, and are making urangements to omploy colored Inborers, In any event, tho strikers aro cortain to get tho rorat of the mattor, BSomobody roust stand from under ; whother Gen, Vnacy, or the Jlerald and Yimes, re- wains to boseon, Botwoen thom, they havo thoroughly groused Vicronta Woopnun, .Who threatens dire vengeance in consequenco of the reports in the Jerald, Zimes, and Brooklyn Lugle of Gen. Tracy's argument, In which sho is characterized ns “the most sotorious prostitute,” cto.; whercas, in the other published reports of tho speoch, this form of invective is materially modified. If Tracy eaid it, sho will hold him accountable; tnd, if he was imisquoted, some nowspaper libel sulte aro promised, In cither case, the Woopuviy blood is up, and sho proposes to jas now, whether she is invited ér not, wero goner- Wy steady on Saturday, Mees pork was itive and declined 71-Zc per bri, closing at §18.071-2 cosh, and $18.40 for April, Lard wos active ond, o shade casier, closing at $18.20 cash, and $18,421-2 for April, Menta were in- fair demand and firm at 6 5-80 for thoulders, 9 6-80 for short ribs, and 9 7-8c for short clears, Drossed hogs were in demand tnd finn, closing at $7.60@8.00 per 100 Ibs, Highwines wore active and declined 1c, clos ng €1.05 per gatlox. Flour was quict and frum. Wheit was active ond stoady, ‘cleslay Opes at 858-80 cash, nnd 867-80 for April, Corn was active and atendy, closing at G4 1-80 cash, and711-lo for Moy. Oats were active and firmer, closing nt 633-8c. Ryo wasquict and stendy nt 98@931-2c, Barley wns active and irregular, closing nt $1.12 seller March, Hogs were in good domand at stendy prices, Sales at £6.25@7.0. Tho cattlo trade was quict, with prices ensy. Sheep were dull and nominal, ‘The Communist farce, which the Chicago Times undertook to sorve up asa sensational and bloody melodrama, was completely played out yesterday. Tho mass-meeting was, in tho main, composed of respectable, orderly citizens, who were presont in the expectation of witnessing somo excitement and listen- ing to violent speeches, but who found tho affair flat ond uninterest- ing. ‘hero were no bloodthirsty ha- rangues, no ineitements to an uprising. Tho talk was of tho harmless sort which tho pro- fessional speechimakers have found to be tho safest to indulge in just At present; and tho npshot of it all wasthat tho Common Council is potitioned to make another movement on the treasury of the Relief nnd Aid Society. Tho Jimes ean now pursuo the tape-worm topic to n superb clinnx, showing a terrible state of internal commotion among the out- wardly calm Coinmunists, Mr, Tuonxc having been expelled from the North Carolim Legislaturo Geeausa ho did not beliove in ‘the God of their Stato Constitution,” though he believed in Supreme Being, tho Virginia Sennto is now called upon to expel one of its members fora more practical of- fense. Sauven F. Mappox, a member of the Sonate, assigned his pay to J. Amnizn Ssirn, 8 member of Congress from Iich- mond, tocancel debt. Notwithstanding this assignment, Mr. Mappox drew his pay and pocketed it, and he was thereupon ar- rested for “‘stenling,” found guilty on that chargo, aud sentenced to four months’ con- finement in tho city jail. Tho Court held that the assignee had absolute ownership of the assigned pay, and that Mappox stolo the monoy when ho took possession of it, And now tho Virginin Senate hag Mr, Muappox’s case under consideration. Mr, Baner Causrizty’s explanation of his failure to vote on the ‘Lax-grab bill is alto- gether “too thin.” If we accopt the state- ment which he authorizes, then we must concludo that he was junketing about the country when ho ought to havo been in his seat in Congress to attend to tho public in- terest, for which ho was sent to Washing. ton, and for which ho is paid. But even if he can reconcile his absenco from Congress with his duty to his constituents, he onght to hava taken caro to “pair off" with some- body besides Mr. Fanwext on this ‘Tax bill; for ho knew that Mr. Fanwenn did not dure to voto for the bill in direct opposition to the interests of his constituents, and Sir. Caur- yreLp, in pairing off with him, really lost the opposition one vote without depriving tho bill of any, ‘Tho whole affair looks very much as though Mr. Fanwrin controls two yotes in Congress,—his own ond Mr. Caur- Fietp’s. Now it is in order for Mir. Wann to explain why Jie failed to voto on tho monsure, —__—— TAXATION OF BANKRUFTS, The foliowing Minois railroads have passed. into the hands of Receivers during the last six months, for the ronson of their inability to pay their way. ‘Tho list of miles includes only so much of tho ronds as lio within the State of Tlinois: Ratiroads, = Gilman, Clinton & Springfetd ... Hpringtleld & Illinola Southeast Hpringfeld & Northwestern, 49 Oalro & Vincennes 160 BI, Louls & South 203 ‘Tamaroa & Cheater.. 43 Rockford & Rock Tel ‘320 Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw... 240 Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western, 139 Toledo, Wabavli #% Wontertt,.. 682 Chicago, Danville & Vincennes .. Last September the Stote Board of Equali- zation met in solemn conclave in Springtield, and valued tho taxable stock and debts of some of these ronda as follows : Market Partion of | vatue os debland | ized by ators tn | State Board, Natroads, Hinnote, Giiwan, Cinton & B. Cairo & Vincennes, St. Louls & 8. Tocktord, T., 1, & Waraar Tit, 3, & Wea Toledo, Vi. tz We Chi,, D, & Vincant Total eves. All theso Companies substantinily reported their actual condition, but tho State Board, being a Inw unto itself, solemnly declared (hat the proport on of capital stock and debts of these Companies (confessedly and obvious- ly bankrupt) held in IUinols had o cash market yaluo oxcecding 65 cents on the dol- lar, and proceeded to tax them on thot basis, In one instance, they actually valued tho stock and debt at 112! Tho entiro capital stock of all these ronds has long since ceased to have any culue; it has been lost, and lost forever, ‘I'he ronds are by no means equal to the payment of thoir first mortgages, but by ao singular conception of legal and moral obligation of companics to pay tolls tho raflroad that has $1,000,- 000 capital stock, owes 2,000,000 of first mortgago, ond $5,000,000 of other mortgages, and holds tangible property valued at 81,000,000, is taxable on stock and allits forms of debt, or $8,000,000, less tho tangiblo property, which is also taxed. An. other railroad company which owes no debt, and has tangible property equal in valuo to its capital stock, ia taxed only on its tangible property, Tho morea company is in debt ond the more hopelessly it is baukrupt, the treater is its faxntion according to tho ignorant, barbarous law of Illinois, The law assumes that tho company has property to show for itu debts ; and, though the fact may bo notoriously otherwise and tho actual property not equal to one-tenth of the nominal capital and debt, the law of Hlinois taxes the corporation on what it has not ! Wo submit to the Legislature of Illinois that horo aro one-thirdof the railroads of thia State, computing by mileage, utterly insol. yent, ‘Their outire enpital stock and unpro- ferred debt is wholly sponged out of exist. ence, ‘These roads aro osxential to the con- tinued prosperity of the State, and can only bo revived by the introduction of now capital aud the reorganization of the companies on a udw basis, What inducements docs the law of Titinois offer for the introduction of new capital in any incorporation in this State, and especially in railroad corporations? If twenty-five millions of dollars be brought hither to pay olf tls preferred debta of thesa ronda, and ten milllons wore bo invested in their re-equipment, what will the tar-gatherer have to say? ‘The companies will ba taxed on the propesty created by thoir THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1876. expenditure, and taxed on tho certificate of ownership in that same property; will be taxed on the rails, tho rond-bed, the Ind, the franchise, rolling stock, capital, and debta, at an average rato of Sto 4 percent. Cannot the Legislature soo that this double and triplicate taxation forbids tho introduction of eapital for any such purpose? Cannot they see that there enunot be any rovival of in- dustry, or railroad improvement, or omploy- ment of Inbor, until cash capital is mado free, and its use in Dlinois bo relieved of tho exaction of 3 to 4 percent taxation? In tho meantime, the wisdom nnd sngacity of tho State Board, as displayed in the valuation of the stocks of thesa bankrupt Companies, is respectfully submitted to tho careful ex- amination of the Legislature, Ee L, The Mouse of Representatives at midnight on Saturday passed the Lorco bill by a yoto of 155 to 114,—nbont 40 absent. Assuming that the Democraticjvoto was 80, it follows that over 35 Nopublicans voted against the bill and SC others refused to voto, ‘he Republicans jn tho Houso not voting for the bill, thero- fore, numbered 70. ‘The Dill passed by 4 yote of 9 less thau a majority of the whole House, Before being passed it was amended, 80 that the power to suspond the Habeas cor- pus was limited to two years, and the terri- tory within which it may be suspended was confined to the States of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Practically it authorizes tho President, if so disposed, to control the elections in these four States, or to havo their votes rejected in the Presiden- tial election of 1876. ‘Tho bill is ill-ndvised ond is unnecessary. It embodies the malignity of Ben Botien and of the rascally tribe of adventurers in the Southern States who have done so much to destroy the Republican party at the South and weaken itat the North, It is Burzen's parting legacy to tho Republican party and to the country,—a legacy which, should the Dill becomo a Inw, may prove fruitful of dis- aster, strife, and national excitement. Dis- carded and repudinted and ejected from Con- gress by his Republican constituents, this man Butter has devised this bill to punish the party that becomes responsiblo for it. Tho President might, with grent credit to himself, veto the bill and reject tho dictato- rial power placed nt his disposal possibly that he may use it to his own injury. Tho bill will reach tho Scnato this morn- ing, when it will find itself in competition with othor mensures, ‘The Tax bill is bofore it, and that Dill cannot probably be forced | through without a long debate and much op- position, If tho Opposition party in tho Senato and those Republicans who opposo this Forco bill aro so disposed, they can ‘‘talk this ovil measure to death”—a result in which the country will rejoice, and for which tha Republican party ought to feel grateful. @ WRONG SOMEWHERE, The following is on abstract from a con- versation held with one of the Communistic leaders during the excitement of last week, as reported in ono of the city papers: ‘The President (Knazmen) went on: “We are abused; woarocalled bad names; there ts no lane guage too Lad to bo applied to us, Yet what do we ask for? Wo ask for work, We want no tdlenoss, no means to live on other people, but we muatitvo, If ‘work ia given us, wo have done, and we roll up our sleeves and take toit, Thorefs something wrong in our Government; with our mountains full of fron and. our land full of trees, we, who might turn them Into riches for the nation, should not be hore, erying for work snd for bread,” ‘The reporter suggested that the polla were the places to correct these ovils, and citod the political thieves of the local Government, whose atealings come out of the workingman's labor, but Kearuen shook his head abatractedly and puffed at his pipe, “What do you ask,” was questioned, “of the manufacturer? His wareliouso Js full-of goods, ‘dui capttal{s Infd out, be must wait for a aarkut, Even if ho was antlous to givo work he coutd not do it.” Knaraen replied that it was truo that he could not, and then he acknowledged that the labor question wasa vory mized one, ‘Lam not oducated,” he sald, “and it takes one who has sachooling to aet th things right, Scholars hava nothing to do with us; Ley look out for themaoives, We know there Ja some- thing wrong somewhere,” Knarmen has unsuspectingly touched tho key-note of .all the actual sufferings of the working classes in this country. Wedo not now refor totho loafcra, blackguards, and “‘levelers” who congregate in third-class liquor-soloons and incite each other to in- cendiary acts with bad whisky and worse harangues ; this class would romain tho same in good times rnd bad,—whether work was plenty or scarce thoy would be lazy, restless, ond dangerous, Lut Knarsen is right in hia opinion that ‘there must bo something wrong somewhere" in a new and prosperous country, with mountains full of iron and Jand full of timber, a country teeming with hid- don wealth, when the {factories are closed, the blast-furnaces blown out, the waro- houses full of goods for which thero is little or no markat, tho workingmen thrown out of employment, and their families suffering. Where is the root of this trouble, this “something wrong somewhero”? It is not chiefly on ac- conut of ‘ strikes,” for thero have been fow orgauizod attempts of lato to increase wages, or evon to pravent them from falling Sonsi- ble men have been content to work at any rato that will enable them to live. Whatis it then? We think that Mr, Knagsmen must look among his own claxs for the explanation, It ig not, a4 ho alloges, becauso the scholars will have nothing to do with him and his col. leagues, but because he and his follows have persiatently refused for yenrs to Ilsten to the scholars ond thinkers {or to reason, and have voted with selfish men, and forgelfish purposes, in favor of a system of abnormally stimulating “industry” which is false in principle, and which las proved disastrous in application. At tho East tho workingmen have voted with tho ‘' protectionists” for a high tariff; at the West thoy havo voted with the speculators for ‘cheap money" by means of inflation and depreciation, East and Weat they have united in encouraging excessive emigration to this country, swolling the population faster than thoro was actual capital to employ them, and forcing the dovelopment of the country at an unnatural rate of progross, ‘The high tarif, which the workingmen have voted for on account of tho supposed “protection” it gives labor, is tho primary cause of their present sufferings, To begin with, it bronght oxcessive profits to the pro- tected manufacturers which swolled their ranks, started factories that were not needed, sot up hundrods of iron-furnaces that are now blown out, and stimulated many lines of manufacturo far boyond the capacity of the homo market and actual requiroments of the country, In the second place, the advance in the wages it may possibly have afford. ed fell for below tho advance in the cost of living and of prices which the workingmen everywhero have had to pay for the necessities of life, In the third placo, it has shut out tho mechaufcal producers of the country from all foreign markets, by making tho cost of production so high that we are undervold abroad. Under a high tariff domestic goods cost so much to produce that the suanufasturcrs cannot export any. thing. ‘Choir fabrics aro too dear for ox- portation, aud can find no market except the " protected” home market, where the farmers and uuprotected classes aro compelled to pay doublo prices for thoir goods or go without them, which thoy are Inrgely doing at present, Henco the utter stagnation of manufacturing business, and the anfering among the unem- ployed mechanics and laborers, Under a high tariff wo hnve only been able to export sttch raw ngricultural products as foreign nations must havo to supply tho minimum demand. But we have beon de- barrod from tho sale of all merchaniliso abroad which forcign nations could get elsc~ whoro or by any possibility do without. Wo havo thus beou placed at the most serious dis- advantage with nil the civilized peoples and in- telligent Governments of the world, -En- gland, France, Belginm, Austria, Italy, ond Germany could not support one-half the In- boring population they now sustain if they were similnrly situated, if their products and manufactures wero persistently and syste- matically shunt out from ail foreign markets. How can we expect that tho United States shall bo au excep. tion? low can wo hope to continue to buy largely abrond, and sell little without grow- ing poor, without having our industries fail, without seeing our foundries and factories, mills nnd machine-shops closed, oud our workingmen thrown out of employment aud suffering for bread ? When Mr. Knaemer, and other men who profess to lead the working classes, shall in- duce them to give this and similarly impor- tant quostions a common-sense consideration, divested of the blind and narrow selfishness on which the advocates of a high tariff havo worked so successfully, they will accomplish ten thousand times more for their class than they can ever hope to attain by inflamma. tory specches, riotous demonstrations, and incendiary combinations. Their troubles aro lnrgely duo to tho ignorance, thoughtlessness, and selfishness with which thoy hava exor- cised their right of suffraga; and, when thoy fre certain that there must be ‘something wrong somewhere,” they can discover whore it is nnd how to remedy it by tho intelligent exercise of their franchise on the plainest, clenrest, and simplest principles of justice and economy, free from the influonco of self- ish motives and the dictation of sordid em- ployers, THE MINNESOTA RAILROAD LAW, Tho radical chango in public sontiment toward railroads which hns ocourred during tho past year is notably illustrated in the project for modifying the Porrer law in Wisconsin and the passage of an intelligont, just, and practicable law by the Legislature of Minne- sota, A year or more ago tho Grangora of our Western States demanded tho most sweeping and impracticable laws for tho reg- ulation of railrond corporations and their charges ; but the oxperienco which they have already bad with the workings of such laws has demonstrated their error in exncting too much. They have found that in rendering the operation of railroads altogether unprofit- able, they have damaged their own interests as much aswhen the railrond corporations wero allowed full swing in their policy of ex- tortion and discrimination. Tho Minnesota bill which has passed tho House by a large majority, and will probably receive natill larger majority in the Senato, is a good modal for railroad legislation, It pro- vides for ono Commissioner, whose duties aro, to inquire into any violation of tho Inws on tho part of tho railroads, to inspect the con- dition of the roads, to examine into and re- port upon their management, Ho is required to make o full annual statement of the rail- road transportation system of tho State, em- bracing an exhibit of the capital stock, work- ing condition, rates,. earnings, and relations to the people, ‘ho managers of all rail- roads, under penntty of a fine, aro re- quired to make reports to the Commissionor once a year covering all these points, aud to open their books and accounts to his in- spection, The only requiroments os to rates aro that no company shall discriminate against individuals or localities for sorvices performed ; that all concessions, drawbacks, special rates, etc., shall bo open to all per- sons alike under similar circumstances ; and that every company shall provide suitablo facilities for receiving, handling, and trans. porting at reasonable rates the usual kinds of freight after proper notice shall havo been given. Finally, it provides that the rules and practice in cases brought under this law shall be the samo as in other civil actions, and that the rates and commission catablish- ed by the law of Jast year aro repealed. Had Mlinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota set out by adopting so reasonable and fair n sys- tem for tho regulation of railrond corpora. tions by law, much bad feeling and gront loss of money might have beon spared on all aides, THE PACIFIO MAIL FARCE, Tho members of the Ways. and Means Committee have monopolized all tho leading parts in the Congressional porformance now nearly concluded, ‘Choy have played in trngedy ond farce, In tho tragedy entitled “Tho Tax-Grabbers; or, The Victory of tho Protectionists and the Whisky Ring,” thoy illustrated how the mnss of the poople may bo oppressed and trodden under foot by the select clnsies with tho asaistance of false Ropresentatives. Tho farca is called ‘Tho Pacific Male; or, How Not to Do Jt,” in which thero lias been a very Indlerous repro- sentation of the difiiculties which beset men who profess to bo doing one thing and arareally doing another, ‘The Waysand Meang Committee have professed to trace the cor rupt uso of Paciflo Mail moncys to Congross- men, while they have actually been engaged in tho effort to show that none of those mon- eys ever got into the hands of Congrossmen, ‘They havo ected the farce with the genuine self-satisfaction of your tmo amateur, and logo their ears to the criticism of thoir audi- euco—tho public, ‘The report on the Pacific Mail investigation jaalamoand impotent conclusion to an in- complete and slovenly examination of tho subject. But the conclusions of the Committees sro tiso of variance with the partial testimony offered. For in- stance, the report intimates a belief that no {part of the corruption fund was paid to any member of Congress, while the fact simply is that no such payment has been absolutely proved, on account of tho failure to follow up the evidenco actually given, and that suspicion strongly pointed to averal members of Congress, ‘The Commit- eo also express the belief that the greater part of the $1,000,000 corruption fund was used by Stockwell in stock speculations, while the testimony bofore tho Com- mittee clearly proved that between 600,000 and $700,000 of the money was paid over to lobbyists, frionds of Congrossmen, and middlomnen, and not used in stook spcowlations, Thiv portion of tho report is therofora unwarranted by tho evidence, and intended to deceive the public, Tho Committee wore unusually alort in their efforta to run down every obscura newspaper- roportot whose namo was mentioned in con- nection with the job, but they failed lamontably. to follow any scant that might possibly lead to tho conviction of a Congressman. Toth Re- publicans and Democrats agreed on this, Their troatment of Scnustaner and Kine is wenk to tho Jast degree. Tho most they thought thoy could do was to certify theso enses to tho next Congress, As Mr, Kixo kept out of the way, perhaps there was noth- ing elso to Le dono in his enso, though bis Pporsistent stay in Canada was a confession, not only that ho received the monoy said to havo beon pnid to him, but thot he madesome use of it which he did not want to reveal. But in Scnusaxen'’s caso tho Committeo might have shown their purposo of nscer- taining the facts if thoy lad ontertnined such a purpose, They had ovidence enough weeks ngo to warrant a recommendation of Scnumarrn’s expulsion, which the Houso would have adopted. Theroupon Mr. Scuv- Maren could have been arrested and forced to toll what ho did with the $300,000 which he received. ‘Tho investigation has been a failure in the manner in which it was conducted, and in all its results, oxcopt thnt it led to n repeal of the subsidy which was fraudulently procured, 'This repeal is proof that Congross does not beliove with tho Committeo that most of tho corruption fund wns used in stock speculn- tions, THE CIVIL-RIGHTS BILL, ‘The Senate having passed the Mouse Civil- Rights bill without amendment, it now only roquires the signature of the President to be- come slaw, ‘fhore is no question but it will receivo this, The only vital objection to it as a Inw, now that it has passed both Tfouses, is its doubtful constitutionality, and this is a matter for the Supremo Court and not for tho Presidont to pass upon. Itisa subject for gonoral congratulation, howovor, that it be- comes a Inw at o timo and in a shape when it is caloulated to occasion but little excitement. Had it been passed whon it was beforo Con- gress o year ago, and with all the pro- visions it contained at that time, it is not unlikely that it would have caused sori- ous disturbance at the South. At present its effect will bo mainly political. It will be used on tho ono side to retain the hold of the Republican party upon tho negroes of tho South; on the other, to oxcite now opposi- tion to the Republican party among tho whites, After tho provision for enforeéd mixed schools had been eliminated from the bill, it became a comparatively insignificant mens- ure, even in the minds of Southern people, not likely todo much good or much harm, The only reason that could be cited for its adoption was that givon by Judge Hoan in tho House, that it wasn sort of Declara- tion of Independence, affirming and promul. gating rights that had alresdy been secured to the black race by tho Constitntion, and of which they may avail themselves ns soon as their social and intellectual progross shall have caught up with tho sudden chango and amolioration of thelr condition, ‘The strongest reason why it should not have passed is be- enuse it should be tho policy of the Ropub- lican party to concilinte tho whito peo. ple of the South rather than fight them or keop alive their old resont- ments, so Jong as this can be dono without sacrificing any of the fundamental principles for which the War was waged. Asit is, wo do not apprehend that the passage of tho bill will havo any appreciable rosult one way or the other, The question of tho constitutionality of the law is now tho most interesting ond im- portant point in tho controversy. Senator Oanrenter, who spoke and voted against the Lill, prodicted that the Suprome Court will hold the law to bo unconstitutional; ond, when a question of constitutionality is involved, Senator Carrentrn is cer- tainly high authority and likely to be right. It would not be surprising if the first test-case on this question should come from tho North; for, whilo tho num- ber of people in tho North who now deny auy of the political rights of tho negro is very small, tho number of thoso who enter- toin social prejudices is still yery largo. Tha practice of excluding negrocs from the public dining-rooms of first-class hotels and the choice seats in first-class theatres and operas jaas generalin the North asin the South, ond a test-caso is as likely to go to tho Supramo Court on ono of these points‘ from Chicago, Boston, or New York, ns it is from Now Or- leans, Louisville, or Richmond. At all events, the issue is fortunately disposed of until tho Supremo Court shall tako it up for review. THE URY, The Grand Jury has adjourned, and in its report makes somo very excellent recommend- ations, Tho report confirma tho statements which have beon mado public concerning the general insecurity of tho County Jail, and the recommondation that the weak points should be strengthened, that the cells should be more carefully examined, and that the guards should be increased, ought to receive imme. dinte attention, With reforence to gam- bling, the Grand Jury also mako somo excel- lent and practicable recommendations, and ono cf theso ig that the practice of assessing fines by the Justices of the Pence has n tendency to rotard tho ends of justice, ‘There ia no doubt of this, In almost every instance these fines are nom. inal, and ore no punishment whatever, while in the enso of corrupt Justices the gamblor escapes altogether, ‘I'he facts in the cnse aro not bronght out because the gamblor pleads guilty, knowing that in such a cago the fine will bea small one, and even if he should not plead guilty, tho means for procuring tes- timony ara not exhaustive, and tho full guilt of tho prisonor is not known, If, ivstead of fining them, thoy were bound over to appear before the Criminal Court, the whole testi. mo.y in each case would be brought out, tho facts would be thoroughly sifted, and a pun- ishment proportionate to the offenso would be dealt out, Prosecutions before Justices of the Peace aud the imposition of fines have been in operstion in this city for years, and have nover affected tho business of gatn- bling in the slightest degree, Gamblers caro nothing for Justices of tho Peaco or fincs, but ‘they do dread prosecutions in the higher courta and the ordeal of Grand and Potit Juries, ‘ho final recommendation of the Grand Jury, relative to the lossos of goods exposed by retail doalors upon the sidewalks, is more important than appears upon the surface. Such exposures offeran inducomont for crima, ‘The butcher, for instance, hangs in front of his shop the juiolest and most tempting bdité of meat, Tho grocer covers tho sidowalk with potatoes, ogga, buttor, and fruit, sonic. times eo profusely that it ls diffloult to puss along the walk, ‘The clothior hangs out conta, vesta, and pants, and the shoomaler o full assortment of boots and sliocs, and so on, ‘These goods nro always of a quality which is peculiarly tempting, becauso thoy are samples, and they nro almost always without pro- tection, so that nothing stands in tho way of their appropriation by any person furtively disposed. A poor man going homo at night to o family of children suffering from hunger, who, perhaps, don't taste ment once a week, or sufforing from tho cold for want of suitable clothing, is sorely tempted to put Bit his hand and take tho piece of ment, justas a hungry dog or ent would, and for tho same reasons, namely, to appease hunger, and hunger knows no law in man or beast. Another person, impelled by the thonghts of the suffering at home, will carry off somo article of clothing. Of course, tho act of the man, morally considered, is nono tho less roprohensible, and no apology ean be made for stonling, But at the samo time, retail donators ought not to tompt this class of the community by expos- ing goods in such a manner that it is ensy to carry them aff, Tho Grand Jury display a great deal of compassion and a very natural humanity in sympathizing with criminals of this class. The temptation is tooalluring and the impulse istoostrong. ‘Tho destitute per son reasons that here ia an opportunity to provide his family with food, that no ono is looking, that the proporty is small and will not be missed, and he takes it. If discovered, ho is sure to go to the Bridewell or Jail, and if the property is valuable, to the Peniten- tiary, for the poor” aro always suro of conviction. Itisn very little thing for the ownors of these goods to remove the tempta- tion by so protecting the goods that they can- not bo taken, THE ALDERMANIO CONTEST. The decision in the Kint-Conconan ‘Alder. manio contest in the Twentieth Ward will detormino whether it is possible to have a fair and freo ward olection, and whethora eandidato defeated by the most palpablofrand and corruption can have any redress, ‘Tho statement mado by old aud respectable citi- zens of this ward, in yesterday's Tamuxy, relative to the manner in which Conconan se- cured his clection tothe Council, ought to en« gage tho earnest and serious attention of the public, The fact that the election is over and its excitement has died away ought not to induco forgetfulness of such disgraceful ocourrences as aro charged. ‘Their influence reaches farther thnu tho present, Every year that theso ontrages are passed over in silonco not only adds to their number, but makes it moro difflenlt to correct them at the next election. The statement to which we hnve referred presents a succession of frauds which are more barefaced and bold than any that have been perpetrated by tho ballot-box stuffers of Now York and Philadel. phis, ‘The worst of theso frauds aro alleged to havo taken place in the First Precinct. Tho tabulated vote of this precinct shows that Conconan, a Democrat, runuing upon the Re- publican tickot,—a wolf in sheep's clothing,— had 656 votes; Kinr, Independont, 41; and O'Brrxz, Opposition, 72; giving a total of 669 votes for the precinct. Since the elec- tion a careful canvass of the precinct has been made by two of its oldest residents, and they find that the whole number of legal yotes docs not exceed 276. They further examined the registry list, and found 881 names, which, added to 150 votes sworn in, would make a total of votes provided for in caso of neccssity 1,031, which, in ad- dition to its palpable impossibility, would also present tho remarkable spectacle of a general election in which but ono-half of tho people of the precinct voted. It was furthor found that these names had been rogistered against vacant lots, lumber piles, and ware- houses; that houses where 10 men, for instance, boarded, registered 80; and that six little saloons registered 111 votes, of which number abont 16 wero logal. In ad- dition td these facts, it has beon found that the judgos of election rofused to allow a challenger intho room, that the police re- fused protection to Kix voters, that tho yote of tho Firat Precinct wos not announced until after oll the other precincts, which gave Mr. King 248 majority, had been heard from, and then that the ballot-box was taken to tho Hatch Houso, owned by Conconan, and kept there three days before it was given to ils legal custodian. In tho face of such ex- posures og theso, it iano wonder that tho re-” spectable pcoplo of the Twentioth Ward have determined to content this olection, not so much from thoir determination that Mr. King shall hove his seat, as from tho deter- mination that their ward shall no longer bo ropresented by men who obtain their elec. tions by the most unblushing frauds, Tho cose iy now in tho courts, and, as a lost resort, the attorneys of Conconan aro seok- ing, through a technicality of phraseology in tho city charter, to transfer it from the courts and carry the contest into the Com- mon Council nnd mako that body the judge. ‘This would unly be adding an insult to an in- jury. Tho trial of the case in the Comncil would only bo a farce. It would be talked about, wrangled about, bandied about in committees, and deforred from timo to time, untilthe ends of justice would bo defeated. The only thing for tho Council to do is to await tho decision of tho courts, and if it shall show that Mr, Kix was defented by such frauds, it only remains for the Council to bundle Mr, Conconan out, neck and heels, and placo Mr. King in his scat. The very fact that Mr. Conconan scoks to transfer tho case from the courts to {the Council, shows that he has lttle hopo of legally maintaining his seat, AGREAT MONOPOLY IN BMALL BUSINESS, The sale of the Sacramonto (Cal.) Union, ono of the ploneer nowspapors of tho Pacific Coast, ag wollos one of tho ablest and moat honest journals in the United States, the particulars of which we give bolow, fs little lesa than an out- tage, and one of # national charactor which bhould engaga yery geveral attention, The Union haa boon established for twouty-flve years, and in thls time tts conductors mado it a firet- class newspaper. Since the building of the Central Pacitio Railroad, tho Union haa baon its most Littor oppovent, and has sought by every means in ite powor to dofoat ita grasping scbomes and corrupt in fluence. ‘Tho firat’ reply that was made by the Rallroad Company was tho catablishment of the ecord as its organ, Vindluy that this did not affect the Union materially, they doaug- urated «bolder mode of warfare, ‘and brought buch ® pressure Haier 3 upon tho merchants of Bacramonto that the Union has bad to succumb, ‘The nowepapor established. by the Railroad Com~ pany was givon the exact size, type, face, and formof the Union, and was gratultougy dis. tributed from door to door. Allthe business the road could control was driven trom the Union, It was banlshed from the cars and its galo was forbidden in the dopote, All this told upon the Union. It was a most con- ardiy use of woalth and powor agalost an inde- pendent journal, but it is doubtful whother it would have aucosedod had it not heen for the pressure upon the marchants of Sacramento of whiolt wo have spoken, A committes from thay city receutly visited San Francisco, to cong with the Pronidont of the Contral Pacine tolatire to tho ewtablishment of somo rolling tune and was flatly informed that thoy’ fink choos botwaen =the Union amt in farther Investmouta by the Railrond cp pany in Sacramento. <A public meeting was called, the sentiment of which Fa that tho intorests of Sacramento wore with ibe Railroad Company. Subsequontly many adver tisoments wore withdrawn from the Union, nd ‘8 proposition was mado to tho propriotors, tn the namo of sevoral citizons hoavily intereste| i" real ostato, for ita purchase, Tho proprietors, figding that they woro pushed to tho al) u the meriless corporation, agrecd to torms, ang the papor was sold for about €65,000 anq will be mergod with tho Iecord, thy name of tho new concorn belog tho Union and itecord, Thero Is little doubt thay the Union has made somo mistakes fn ite bitter gy. tacks upon tho road, especially in attributin, corruption to all its measuros, and making a per, sonal warfaro upon its offleors. Its criticism was not alwaya within the bounds of diecreticg or truth, and was sometimes advotaa to tho reat intoroata of Bacramonto; but, maklog thea a, Towances, it waa stills cowardly act upon ty partot this gigantic corporation, anda Moat dangerous precedent, Tho following comment of the San Trancisco Chronicle will Coho the gonoral sentiment of tho country: Tho Union ia worse thon dead, for ita mame ts foreeg toaurvive in connection with tho other journal tty han Leon the instrument of its death. Wo base lat our own quarrels with tho Unton. ‘They tnve it open and manty ; but wo Lave been no bircliug tun mont of corporate vengeance. How tha penpie of qy Stato will regard all this long endeavor to derizoy it Union, or how the pross of tho State will comment the trdatment tt haa received ab tlio aside of the ne rout corporation, woo uot kuow, aud we ‘walted ¢0 find out, aera nh Wo aco again » confirmation of the fact that whene moueyed monopoly determines to crush itv ctemig 4 dora wo with a cold-blooded romorsoloaaness thet re members nelthor pant favors nor gratitude, ond dog notutop at any measure that rendera its ‘venger moro Kure, We sco iu the power of money alitity ty destroy tho press, to intimidate and cruslia jour that hss tho mantiness to dare to criticise its sete. Yo should be appalled at the dauger of rucht precedenuit wa bad not an abiding faith tat with an enlightens people an {utolligent and fearless press has tore, power snd permanent influence than aby combinalin of mouey, ay CURRENOY CREMATION, To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune + ‘Ontcaao, Feb, 27,—Will you please explain howitty “creination” of gtcenbacks, proposed by ‘Mr. b, nN Wits tu his recent proposition, will tond to put mon money inta elrculation, or, i other words, mils monoy moro plentiful in tho hands of the pro} Bome of our “soft money” frienda ridicule the {is that tho policy of destroying $26,600,000 of grcentactt avery month will produca any other result thao ty enuno greater stringency than now exists, Will youts kind enough to answer thro! B apecttullyy FE Ear Wo explained, in tho editorial on Mr. Wey plan published Feb, 17, that tho effect of a fie) polioy of gradual contraction would bo to ir ¢rongo tho purchasing powor of tho currency, to inspire capitalists with confidonco, and tht thoy would thérefore mako long loans, which i usually needod for legitimate business purposs, instoad of confining theie operations, ay they d9 now, to short loans, which aro usually songhs by apoculators who fly thoir thirty and sixty-diy “+ kites” recklessly, and chock instead of haste tho production of substantial wenlth, In this way, and by the gradual improvement in th value of tho curronoy, ‘contraction, instosd 1 diminishing the amount of money, moagured ty the gold standard of value, and available forux, would really incronse it.” Wo suggested, bor fh over, an inprovomont on Mr, Wexta’ pln &y Instead of taxing the peoplo $20,004 bs a yoor in order to bny and bor BY that amount of greonbacks, wo would have tte Government isaue a4 por cent gold bond, me ning thirty or forty years, and lot anybody whr fi2 wished fund groonbacks in theso bonds Th }% notes would be burned, as soon as funded, inf thus contraction would never go too fast, sd tho only taxation nooded would be to raise thi |} money to pay tho 4 per cent intorost. The bonds would pass from hand to hand, in Ise transactions, at tholr value plus accumulated i» terest, and would thua rellove any momeniary etringoncy. Moreover, the froe bauking hw makes lt utterly impossiblo that the county should suffor long from any such atringency, Whon anybody with $100,000 can start a bank ieaue, suy domand for more papor {is surs tobe supplied. ——_-+__—_ LEGAL HOLIDAYS, To the Eidlior of The Chicago Tribune: Gatva, Ill,, Feb, 20,—We hove had some discuta in our town as to whether Wanhington’s birthusy 3 Tegal hollday or not, We, ontiemon, with setal others having clained st to be ao, but hud no prot substantiate our statement, We rite to you for yort opinion on the subject, and if wa are right, for tifot mation n regard to proof, An early reply’ will eet oblige, yours, 4B ANSWER. The logal holidays in this State wora entablith ed by law in 1801. The provision of that act # incorporated in tho Rovised Statutes of 1874, i Chepter 98, Section 17, page 720, It reada: ‘The following days, to wit.: The 3ut of Janus commonly callcd New Year’a Day, tho ath of July, the 25th of December, conumonly called Christat i Day, and any day appoluted or recommended by bt Governor of this Btate, or the President of the Uail Btates, as a day of fast'or thanksgiving, aball for a purposes whatsover, as regards the preauuting fot payment or seceptatice, the maturity sud prottts and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchats Dank-chocks, and promissory notes, or other 2° gotlnble or comercial pape or inetrurents, 4 treated and connidored ae {a tho Sratday of the wh commonly called Sunday, etc,, etc, This ig, we holievo, the only law on that mb ject in force in this State, and it dooa not > pear, therefore, thatthe 22d of Fobruary it legal holiday, > The announcement ja mado on good sutbority that a young busincaa man of thin city, 3r.D! Loss W. Cuasviin, haa drawn a prize of 633 in the Loutavillo tottory, The bare sunounc mont of this fact ts fraught with danger totbt community at large, and, much as hie frends may feal liko congratulating the succossfal spe ulator, thoy cannot forget the injury which bt success éutails, The fact that a palpable pot! from gambling fc lotterioa has come withio oxperionce will havo tho effect of inducing bit dreds, if not thousands, of othors tu inves a similer hazards, and logs what thoy invest in U4 remote chanco of drawing @ prize amount of public domoralization that must fo or low Mr, Ciaurzin's prize ia incaloulablywe cosa of the profits to the community * would occur from tho rapid ciroulation of thst sum through tho ordinary channols of bt 2 Itgivoa an ompliasis to gambling, aud cult! glamour over crimo, As for Mr, CuaMptiss ¥ - undorstand that his clrcumstancos are cesy- t fia in thia sum of moneycapital for investme! which, if used with avon ordinary caro a0 ye denco, should yield him a handsome fortuae ) and by. But tho tomptations of tho Tat Trade oro trong, Unless Mr. CiaMPLin’s | be tory is deatined to be uttorly different from s * of most successful apeculatora, tho mone bt. hag drawn will bo all spent by this day te i. month, carrying with it all ho now posses a and loaving him tho victim of habits of eke & Jesaneas, impatienco, and idlenesa which + work his ultimate rain, We hopo not, At Ps ont, Mr, Onamrriy is a free agent. —_-__—_ Harper's Weekly for Waroh 6 has, aciong Yt Pe minor political cartoons, one of tha brighed te tho soason, ‘ho dramatis persone #0 " gueted Republican” and ‘Satisiled Domo : Tho formor ia wading through » swamp it f tha knees in wator, and exclaims, “dont the country iw in an awful condition.” per a ter cries to blm, ‘ Why don’t you comé sos our side?” ‘Tho hoads of two Batiailed ™ crate ato juat visible above the wurfece slough, their locality carefully marked cratio Road,” ———-———— Tho Now York Evening Post celle attention 4 i the obance for profitablo investment of Het capital in the Honnepin Canal. tt ekry') the scheme ie woll worth investigation. a of Govorument is going into the busine univorval ditch-digger, it hed botter ee particular ditoh among the fist. Bab if oor and, for that matier, ia sny erenh—the would probably be done boter and more