Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 17, 1875, Page 4

TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. RATER OF AURACRIPTION (PAYARLE 1X ADVANCE), Postage Prenuld at thly Offre, BAN) | Weekly, ’ StI NG [Fes etnias ea adioo rent in each town and village, Poeetal arrang with auch, Speatmen coples sent free. ‘To prevent delay and mistakes, be sure and gire Post. ‘Ofico addres in full, including Btate and County, Remi:taucenmay be made either by draft, express, Poat- oi der, or in registered Lotters, at our risk, ‘RAMA TO CITY KUNSCHingne, Daily, delivered, andar excentnd, Bi conte por week. Dalls, delivered, Bunday included, QO cants por week. Address THE TRIBUNE Ut Corner Bfadiron and rho: TO-DAY'S AMUSEMENTS. ADELIMILTHEATRE—Doarborn street, corner Mon- ros. Varlety entertainmont. Afiernoon aud evening, ACADEMY OF MUSIO—Halsted etreet,botwaen Mad- fyon and” Monroe, | Enxagrmont of i te. 1, Toole, Dearvr than Life™ aod 9 Dodger." Afternoon and avaning. MVICKER'S THEATRI—Modieon street, between Dearborn and State, Engagement of Are. Mousby. “Tha Lady: ona,” site -! at it GRAND. OPERA TOUSE Clark atroety nalts 1 Sherman ffouse, Kel con's Minstrels, *! The efthe Kitchen." “Afternoon and evening. NMOOLEY'S THEATRE~Randolph, etreet, between Giark ant Salle," Honry Dunbar.” Afternoon and eroning. “BUSINESS NOTICES. BURNETT'S COCOAINE FOR THE HAIR HAS slood ths wst of tino and compeiltion, It hae extah- Ushed n ropatation for purity and eficacy in o Jer ot tha world, Pot twonty years it bes boo! vzith the poopie anda loader with the tr e oaina’ hae beoome A valiablo property. he nara We hare t Habed our sole right ta ita tise 13 sovceal anita at lave, thus protectiag the public and ourselves from imposltion, WILAOR'S COD-LIVER OIL AND LIME.—THE reat popularity of thia safe aud efficacious preparation ia dione attribntable to ite Intrinele worth, In the caro of 13 coughs, Golda, zAsthma, Mronohitts, Whooping-Cough, Scrotuious Ifaiuare, ond at) fy Consumptive Symptoms, tt t ye neglect the oar) he Cheaga Gribune, Wodnesday Morning, March 17, 1975. The bill introduced by Mr. Cusrumvos, pro- viding for the levy and collection, by local eutherities, of a tax for the psyment of in- («rest and principal of railrond bonds, yester- day passed the Houso. ‘The adoption or rejection of the new rules nuder consideration by tho Chicago Board of Trode will be sottled by a vote of the Asso- sistion, it boing stipulated that tho total snmber of votes cast shall not be less than UD, A powder explosion about five miles from Cleveland yesterday gave that city o very rlear iden of what n good squaro earthquake 's. Buildings rocked most uncomfortably, and the concussion was so great es to thor- oughly alarm the whole city, besides doing no inconsiderable damage in the way of partial and courplete destruction. Representative Stickney, of Cook, who was onca o Justice of the Peace, yearns for a restoration of the old system by which the J, P.'s were clected, and which gave ua an O'Maxzy, 0 Prenpencast, and—we will not add, a Sticgyer, though his proposition to return to the vicious old mode of selection nearly entitles him to a place in the category. Another day's-work on the Chineso wall to shut out foreign espital from Minois was ac- complished yesterday in the House, where a failure to obtain the constitutional majority virtually defeats Mr, Brapwrtz's bill, which contemplated the placing of non-resident and resident mouey-lonners upon an equal foot- ing as regards the power to enforce tho pny- auent of interest and principal by the usual conrse of judgment, foreclosure, and sale, The heirs of ox-Senator Sepastran, of Ar- kausas, have petitioned the Senate to expungo thot portion of the record of that body rela- tive to the expulsion of the said Senastian in 1801 for disloyalty. In the interest of -reconciliation, and with o view of removing the 6 from the escutcheon of that proud family, the Senate had the petition refer- rod to a committee for investigation, It has been discovered that the Senntor kerved bat two yenrs of his term, and, in the event of favorable action on tho petition by the Senate, these truly loyal heirs will be entitled to draw from tho Juited States Treasury the stm of $25,000, neing the ainount of additional ualary which the Senator would have been entitled to had ho served out his full term. As there were teu or twelve other Senators expelled at the samo time and for the same reason, it ia pro~ sumed that this fact will have its due weight in deciding the case, of Ohio leaves little room to doubt that old Bex Wane will bo the Gubernatorial candi- date in thot State next fall to contest the fleld with ‘Petticoat Anzzx.” Should this bo the case, the Ohio campaign will be the live- licat one ever known in this country. It will call in the best stump-speakers from every part of the country, and the contest will be a general melee in every city, town, village, and school district in the State. Ohio will be sifted down to the Inst voter, and if thera is any man who docs not vole, it will only be because he ia so near death's door that he cannot be carried to the polls, The interest of the campaign, how- ever, will centre in tho two leaders, Neither of them will neod any certiticata as to tho soundness of their political faith, When Ben Wanr takes the stump, Wittiam ALLEN will have to “rise up” higher than he ever rose before, They will strike fire overy time they mect. We doubt whether old Bey Wave yot belicves the War is over, and it is certain that “Foghorn” Atnen does not yet know there has been a civil war, or that slavery is abolished. With two such uncom. promising partisans pitted against each other, the pitch will bekept boiling hot, After that campaign, Writs Attew will never ‘ riso up” sgain, ‘The Chicago produce markets were very irregular yesterday, Mess pork was quite active, and 5c higher, but closed 10c per br] lower than on Monday, at 19,05@10,10 cash, and $19,10@19.124 for April, Lard waa in wodersta demand and weak, closing at G18.64} per 100 the cash, and $13.65 seller April. Meats were quiet and -jc por tp higher, at Zio for shoulders, 100 for short ribs, and 10%c for short clears, Dressed hogs were firmer, at $€8.00@5.50 per 100 Ibs. Highwines were active and steady at $1.11 por gallon. Floor was quiet end strong. Whest wasactive aud irregularly higher, cloaing at, 9240 for March, aud Yo for ‘April. Corn was active and irregularly higher, losing at 680 cash, and 72} for May. Oats wero quiet and firmer, closing at Bajo for March, and 53$o for April, Bye was quiot and firmer, at 880, Darley was more active, snd stronger, closing at 91.03 for March, and 1.00 for April, Ou Saturday ovening lost there wag in store in this city 3,995,010 ba wheat, 2,190,628 bu corn, 644,514, bu oats, 12,360 ba rye, and 211,875 bu barley. Hogs wero in short supply and gold higher, most of the trading being done at 37.20@7.75, Cat. tle and sheep were quiet and without quota- blo change, For all tho progress made yesterday in the Brooklyn trial, the whole day's proceedings might be dropped out of the caso and notbe se- riously missed. Tho patience of the Court was sorely tried by the oxamination of five wit- nesses, Who simply corroborated Moviron's testimony, and whom, therofore, Judge Fure tentox declined to cross-examine. As though this were not enongh of immaterinlity for ono day, Assistant-Pastor Hautapay—him who would refuse to believe Mr. Brecnen guilty if an angel from Heaven marle oath to it—got well started in his version of what took place ata Deacons’ meeting, when be was brought ton atandstill by an objection from plaintif's counsel, which tho Court sustained, and poor Brother Wantmay, who has been for somo time darkly hinting at the tremendous ‘sen- sation” bottled up within him, completely flatted out, Tho Court ruled, and tho proposition is go plain as to excite surpriso that Mr. Brercurn’s counsel should for a mo- ment spluttor over it, that the oficial rocord of the Dencons’ meoting, aud not Parson Ifatuinay's highly-colored recollection of it, was what was wanted, In the testimony of the Bohemian Cooxr, nothing more iin. portant was elicited than that Mrs. Woon- nuit, in Triton’ presonce, onca offered him tho whole story to work up for the Now York Sun, but he declined it. The impression produced by this recital of lofty devotion to principle must have been somewhat modified by the admission, under cross-sramination, thatthe Sun had onco burned its fingors with a libel of this same witness’ ‘ working- up,” and that Cooxn lind just received $150 from Sreanstan in the shapo of ‘oxpenses” from Detroit to New York and back. And now there is a prospect that England and Russia may get by tho ears at no very distant time. Tho British Lion is lashing his tail and growling furiously at the Russian Polar Bear, which has been growling at hin. England having refused to be represented at the adjourned meeting of the International Conference for “tho Mitigation of Suffering in War," to bo hold in St. Petersburg this month, Le Nord, which is understood to be the Russian Emperor's mouthpiece, makes & furious attack upon her. It criticises En- gland's motives, characterizes her rensons for declining as hypocritical, calls Lord Denny a Pecxsyirr, ond irritates the British Lion with allusions to the bombardment of Copenhagen, asevent which Britons do not like to talk about, The Pall Mall Gazette and Saturday Review are vebuking tho insolenco of Le Nord, and charge that this constant abuso of Greut Britain is encouraged by the Russian Government. ‘The Saturday Recieo saya: “England is happily, notwithstanding the affected contempt of hack political writers, not yet reducod to the necessity of acting, under foreign dictation. Since the days of Narorron it may be donbted whether sny sovereign has until now advanced the preten- sion of insisting ag o right that on inde- pendent State shall accept against its will tho proposal of a conference or congress.” Per- haps one of the real causes of the bitterness of fecling between the two countries is the fact that the English are providing tho East Turcoman tribes with rifles and teaching them how to use them, The two nations aro evidently drawing so near on the Eastern question that thoy begin to chafo ageinst ench other. It is only a question of time how soon the collision must come, THE PERILS OF THE FUTURE, Somo months ago we mentioned that tho indications furnished by lost fall's elections of a probable return to power by the Demo- cratic party naturally suggested the changes which in such n case would take place in the policy of the Government, These chenges, we thought, were perilous, Among these perila we particularly suggested the rovival of the doctrine of State Sovereignty, as held by the Domocratic party prior to and during the War; the doctrine on which Secession was justified, nnd which, in the event of Democratic restoration, would again become tho directing principle of the Government. The Republican party having now lost con- trol of the legislative power of the nation, and the Treesury having passed under tho legislative control of the Democratic Houso of Representatives, wo invite attention to an- other peril which is much nearer than tha people think. Tho Democrats will havo near- ly two-thirds of tho House, Already thero is an exciting contest for Sponker. Sam Ran- pax, of Pennsylvania, and Frnxanvo Woop, of Naw York, are rivals; but both of these men are salary-grabbers, open and defiant, aud it is questionable whether the “ reform- ers” elected on that issue will consent to the election of either. The Southern Democrats willbe inthe majority, and ean nominate whom they please, Policy may snggast tho inadviaability of electing an ex-Confederate General to the Speakerahip, and yet the only way to yet rid of tho Woon and Ranpatn ditlculty may be to take a Southern representative, Conspicu- onus among the Domocratio mombery of the noxt Congress will be Grnent 0, Wanger, ex-Governor of Virginia, and for- merly of Chicago, A manof imposing and dignified presence, good voice, agreeable man- ners, and politically acceptable to the Demo- crate of both sections, he stands a fair chance to be tha succossful candidate and bo the Speaker of the next House, In view of this pogsiblo, and we incline tothink probable, re- sult, ex-Gov, Wanxen's political plans for the future become of more then ordinary im. portance. Just before Gov, Warken’s retlremont from the Executive chair of Virginia, he sent a let- ter to the Legislature, in which he submitted, for the consideration of the whole country, two propositions, distinct in character, but Larmonious in their genoral result. These propositions were; 1, fhe assumption and payment by the United States Governmont of all the existing legal indebtedness of the soveral States. 9, A constitutional amend. ment prohibiting the creation of future in. debtedness by the States. ‘Those two propo- sitions ho urged in an elaborate argument, and upon this platform ho sought and was electad to Congress, in which body he will probably become & leading and dircoting mind among his partisan friends. He pub. lished a list of these debts, which foot up, Contingent abilities, —add...,.s.sssc000 Total debt to be sasumeds.....yyeee eG JZ, SUIS, Tho contingent dobt is in tho form of Stote indorsuments of railrosd and other bonds which the Bates will hove eventually THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 17, 1875. Ce aes re ee ee a to pay. Here isa direct bid for the support of those States, at tho next election, which owe largo debts, and of which, it is assamed, the people of such States would be glad to get rid. It is singular that the Democratic party is ina imajority in those States which aro thus heavily In debt, This table of in. debtednoss was mado up in February, 1873, aince which time many of the Northern States have reduced their lnbilities, while in tho Southern States the debts have beon in- ereased by two yeara of accrued and unpaid interest. We divide this table into three parts: 1, Lhose States which aro Demo- erntic, or conld be induced to vote for tho party that would relieve them of thoir debts. 2, The Republican States, 3, Those which the Democrats think debatable. We give, from Waraen's table, the whole debt of ench State, less the sum in sinking funds, and the Electoral vote of each Stato: DEMOCRATIC araTRs, Eleegorat tote, 6 3 4 i 8 a 15 10 05,009, 7 con) n ‘2,038,408 8 seve $4,000,000 +E no debs 3 A$222,205,509 BEPUDLICAM STATES. Now Hamystire, Thode Taland, Younsylvan Vormont ‘O VOTE TO HAVE THEIR DEBTS PalD BY THE UNITED &TATES, Electoral A Debt. tote, ‘Tho summing up of these figures shows that tho fifteen Democratic States, including Bonth Carolina, have a debt of $212,205,039, not including several years’ accrued and un- paid interest, while all the other States have 8 debt of 3109,000,000, of which $71,000,000 are duo by Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Mr. Watxen’s plan is that Congress shall by act of legislation assume all this debt, issuing national bonds therefor, and pay the interest thereon annually. In other words, thet over two-thirds of the poople, who owe less than one-third of the Stato debts, shall chango position ; shall assume the payment of two-thirds of the State debts now owed by less than one-third of the people. Gov. Watxrn, elected to Congress and tho probable Spenker of the House of Ieprescnt- atives, will lose no time in presenting his plan, whereby the indebtedness of all the fifteen Democratic States will be sponged out, and itn payment mado over to the Re- publican States. These Republican Statesnow pay three-fourths of the national taxation, and havo len taxing themselves for yents to pay off thiir own State debts. The transfer to them of the $212,000,000 debts of the Southern States, in addition to the cost of the War, already paid, and three-fourths of what remains to be paid, will be accepted by tho Southern Democracy as retribution for the War iteclf, Gov. Warxen, in hismessage to the Virginia Legislature, points significantly to the fact that all that is required to carry this schema through is a majority in Congress. Tho Democrats, it is truo, have not a majority in the Senate, and cannot compel the passage of this monsure at this time; butit is ona of the meagures on which they propose to go into the campaign of 1876, and, secure of the 130 votes of the Democratic States, they expect, with their promise torolieve Ohio, New York, Indians, and perhaps Pennsylvania, of all their debts, to win tho Electoral votes required to give them 2 mojority. Should the Demo- erats elect their President in 1876, there would of necessity be such a change in the Senate that the party, having both Houses of Congress and the Executive, will not hesitate to adopt thia measure, to which the Southern States all look hopofully for doliverance at the oxpenso of tho North. The assumption of tho debts of thege ex-Rebel States is one of the many perils which thronton the nation in case of o return of the Democratic party to power, ‘TWEED-HESING AND THE OITY GOvERN- 'The Chicago Journad and the Times, with indecent zeal, opposo any deliverance from the present city charter and its oumbersoma and intolerable evils. ‘The staple denuncia- tion is, that if there bea new charter Mr. Hesrxa can be a candidate for Mayor, and that, when elected, he will use the powers of the Mayoralty so as to convort the whole Government intoa Hzsina machine for the bonefit of Hesixa and his followers. But these papers ignore the fact that under both charters the eligibility of candidates and the qualifications of the votors are the same, and that, while Hesma may be elected under tha now charter, so Kant Kurxos may be elected under the old ono, There is no office under the new charter to which Mr. Hesrxo may aspire, that he cannot equally contend for under the old charter, Whoever may be elected Mayor under the now charter must bave a majority of the popnlar vote, and that majority cannot be influenced cither way by roaxon of the clection being held under ono charter or the other. It is claimed, however, that undor tho new charter a bad man elacted to the office of Mayor can curround himself with bad men of his own selection, his own ‘' creatures,” and, with these subordinates, can run the City Government in his own interest, and it is aswumed that the new charter furnishes special opportunities for this purposo, To emphasize this assertion they say that Hesixo will bo Mayor, and call upon the poople to behold the horrible spectre, Let us soo how Mr, [estne, or Kai. Kutnay, or Ald. Campari, or W. F, Sroner, if elected Moyor in 1475, could act if so dixposed, Under the old charter, the Mayor can appoint the Comptroller, the Corporation Counsel, and ons member of the Board of Public Works, subject to the approval of the majority of the Common Council clected at the same time and on tho same ticket with himself, Under the new charter ha will be able to appoint the Comptroller, Corporation Counsel, Com- missioner of Board of Public Works, and Comunisuionors of Fire, Police, and Health, with the spproval of the majority of se Board of Oounsilora elected by tho whole people. Under the old charter’ the Mnyor's appointees ore as much his ‘oroatures” ns thoy can possibly be under, the new ebarter. Under the old charter tho Board of Publie Works makes all the con. tracts, appoints all the aubordinntes, and con- trola all its expenditures, without responsibil. ity. The same may be safd of the Police and Firo Commissioners, Under the new charter all the contracts and expenditures must bo made with the knowledge of the Mayor, Comptroller, Counsel, and the heads of all the various departments, and made subject to the approval of a majority of theso ofttcers, with a public record of ench act. Enchodlcer ix responsible for the acts of all the others, Under the old charter no officer of one de- partmont, including Mayor, Comptroller, or Counsel, has any knowledge or fis nny why rogponsiblo for the acts of any other oflicer of the city; cach runs his own office to suit himself, ‘The ayerngo render will have no difMtenity in Judging between a Government mndo up of six or eight branches, each independent of all the others,‘ and responsible to no one,—not even to tho people, bevauxe thoy cannot bo temoved,—and ono whore nll the oficial acts of each officer havo to be made of public record, and have to be approved by tho exec. utive, legal, and financinl officers of the city. We do not question that a dishonest and corript Mayor, surrounding himself with the nid of a corrmpt Board of Aldermen, with corrupt subordinates, contd pillage and plunder the city ; but he could just ns rendily do all this under tho one charter as the other, Under tho new charter the Mayor can neither remove nor appoint an ollicer without tho approval of the Council. Under the old charter he can appoint no one without the approval of the Council, aud soveral offlcera are beyond any power of romoval,—being uttorly independent of Mayor and people, The City of Chicago levies general and special taxes ranging from (28,000,000 to 310,000,000 nnutally ; it owos a debt, in. eluding floating debt, of, say, $16,000,000 ; it affairs require the services of hundreds of oficints whose salaries constitute large pro- portion of the expenditure, The City Government in purely a business burean. How long would a bank, a rilroad or pri- vate corporation, or a wholesalo or retnil busi. ness house, be able to maintain itself if tho various subordinates were each independent of the proprietors, and freo of any control, supervision, or direction of any other em- ploye? Make the Cashier, President, teller, nnd bookkeepers independent of each other, and each at liberty to run his own depart. mont in his own manner, and how long would 2 bank be able to maintain itself? Yot that is just the way the City Govornmont of Chicago is managed. Mayor Coxyry, with all tho bost intentions in the world, and if gifted with the wisdom of Sonoson, is powerless to prevent abuses or to correct thom. He hes no authority to direct or control, and no voice in the adtministration of any depart- ment of tho City Government. ‘Tho fact is, if no one but competent and honest men would seek or could be elected to office, it would bo immaterial whether thero was any charter or not. But exporionce has shown that legal restrictions are essential to protect the public from its own officers, and especially is this true in regard to City Govarnmonts, To the credit of popular intelligence bo it said thero hava been few instances whera the Mayors of cities have proved: corrapt and unfaithful, Certainly, there has never beon elected a “Mayor in this city whose integrity in offico or whose devotion to the public interest has ever been seriously questioned. We do not think it likely that any man who may here- after be ablo to be clected to that office will forfoit tho esteom of his fellow-citizons by proving dishonest. Still, an election is a lot- tery, and the people have to take the chancos. Somebody must be trusted with power, and to oppose an amendment of the charter bo- couse at some time the people may elect a dangerous man Mayor, farnishes an equally atrong reason for not having any Mayor at all, or any City Government, Thoruloof safety isto surround the public oflicers with logal restraints; to require of them rigid eecounts- bility and responsibility ; and to make tho tenuro of their office dependent on fidelity and intogrity. THE TRIUMPH OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. Disnaext forshedowed the present policy of the Tory Ministry in o speech made in Mauchester in April, 1872, whon Guanstonn was at the height of his power and the Lib. erals soomed to havo a leaso of England for n century or so, The shrewd speaker doclared that sanitary improvement waa the greatneed of England, and that the Torice would givo it to her when England was wise enough to re- store thom to power. Ho was taunted with having only a ‘policy of the common sew- ers” to oppose to the great achemes thon being pursued by Grapstonxz, but tho reault has shown that the common sew- era had a charm for the common pco- plo, who wero living on undrained strata of filth, Once in power, ho has! followad the policy he outlined early in 1872, The notablo bills submitted or to be submitted by his Ministry are nearly all in the category of sanitary logislation, Among them aro the law for the improvemont of artisans’ homes; a law to provent the pollution of rivera; and a series of amendmonts to the health laws, Tho river-pollation bill fa au especially admirable measure, Izaak Winton would rival Bun- ton in his melancholy if he shonld see his beloved trout-siroans in this uncleanly lea. Tho Nation correapondont writes; ‘ Be- tween the suwago of towns and the offscour- ings of manufactories, distilleries, broweries, and the like, every atream and river in the country is poisoncd and rendered wuitfit for domestio use." Ruszm has boon dilating on the same fact in his curious ‘Fors Clavigera,"—which the Zimes is ta tue habit of calling ‘ Force Clauriger.” Besides these strictly sanitary ineasures, the Blinistry has introduced some other bills which also fall within the wide feld of social selence, The recent great reform in the administration of law is to be followed up. The appointment of Public Proxecutors, as they aro called, is proposed. Oddly enough, this moasure of the Ministry is not well ro- ecived. If the experiment of State prose. cution of criminals had been tried and found asueceas only in the United States, it would not bo strange if British hatred of “Yankeo inventions” should prevent any reform, but the system has worked well, not only on the Continont, but in Bootland, at the vary doors of England. Novertheless, English lawyers have strenu- qusly opposed its adoption at home, A mur. derer must bo prosecuted by tho friends of lis victim or by nobody, ‘‘Tho State will not raise a finger or spend a penny to help them.” Tho series of laws proposed by Mr. Di- Bartimay fairly be considered as tha firut reat poliiical recognition of the work doue by the Social Seionce Association of Gront Dritain, ‘The value of the theorist has at Inst been recognized by the practical man,—the mnn “inside polities,” Social science is the acienco inost needed to-day, and its triumphs in England will give fresh impulse to its study everywhere, ‘Tho evila which it combnts have hitherto been insoparnble from the rapid ac- cumulation of wealth and the concentration of masses of peoplo in great cities. It iy only tho stringent application of tho priuciples of the aefence which can provent misery and poverty from keeping pace with comfort and wealth. Jt is atrauge, nevertheless, to rea Disnaenr following Iuxtry, and taking the* Inttor's ensny on “Administrative Nihilism ax his text-book of politics. THE PROPOSED NEW CHARTER, The action of tho Common Council in passing a resolution condemnatory of the bili now pending before the Legislature for amouding the General Incorporation act in its application to Chicngo was to bo nn- ticipated. It ought to be the best possible recommendation which tho bill could receive either befory the Logisiature or when it comes before the people for adoption, ‘Tho Common Council is the fountain-head of all the corruption that has flooded the City of Chicago for years, and it has becn impossi- blo under the presant city clartor for the peo- ple to protect themselves ngainst the Ring which has been forined there. This opposi- tion of tho Common Council to the new project for tho City Government would seem to indicate, theroforo, that the Ring fears dissolution under the new charter, nud op- poses its sdoption on that account. For years the people of this city, including our largest tax-payers, our leading public men, und all the newspapers, have cried out against the irresponsiblo system of our City Government. We hove had to contend agninst aloose, disjointed, exponsive, aud cumber- Frome organization, under which there havo always been infinite resources for corruption aad limitless power for the expenditure of money, but no one officer nor any member of a Board could be hold responsibie bofore the people or in tho courts for the mischief done. fhe Mayor, except during the brief term in which the Mayor's bill prevailed, has been a mero figurehead. The Common Council hrs ‘beon chosen under the ward-bummer system of pot-honso politics, and there has been no timo in several years when o ring could not be organized in that body upon any matter that had money in it. No rystem could pos. sibly bo devised so loose in kind nnd fo well. adapted to the exercise of individual corrup- tion. It has simply beon a vehicle of politi. eal patronage, in which ench department has pulled in an opposite direction from tho oth- erg, but all alike scrambling for patronage and appropriations, It was not until tho formation of the Cit- izens’ Association that there was an organ. izod effort to break down this hybrid con- trivance, and substitute s homogeneons and harmonious system in its place. The State Constitution provided the way, ‘Tho Citi- zens’ Association secured the requisite num. ber of signaturos for a potition to organize under a gonoral law. ‘This was the first step. Tt was thon thought that the general law, which provides for the rotention of all the provisions of the old city charter not actually ropealed, was doficient in some of the very reforms which have been .s0 universally de. monded, The Citizens’ Association, thore- fore, propared ao bill for amendments to the gonoral law to supply these omissions, and presentod it to the Logislature with the pro- vision that, if passed, t¢ b¢ submitted to the people for approval or disapproval. This bill was printed in the public newapnpers when it was first presented to tho Legislature, an2 invited criticism whilo there was amplo time to amend it if thore wero ossontials wrong or dangerous. It was not attacked or crit- icised in any quarter until two or three days ago, and after it had pasaed toa third rend. ing jn the House. Then, of a sudden, 5 great humbug huo and cry was raised in cer- tain quarters that it is a Twrep bill, conceived and prepared in the interest of Hesrya! This was followed by an almost unanimous decla- ration againet it inthe Common Council, and general pressure on tho Legislature not to pass it, Now why thia particular kind of tactics ? Why was thebill not attacked when firat introduced and published? Why at- tempt to scaro the Legialature from passing it when it is only 8 bill to permit tho people to voto whether thoy will adopt the now project or not? Is it because the Common Council, and the others whoso interosts aro threatoned, feer to go before the people? Why do they oppose tho right of the people to voto on it? Ava thoy afraid to let the people choose their own form of Mnnicipal Government? It would corgainly seem so, Tow can we other. wise understand their action ? Tho glaring evils of the present city charter are too familiar to need recapitulation. All except tax-eaters are ngrocd upon the neces. sity for a change. The only queatlon, then, is whether we shall organize under the General Incorporation act, or under that act as amend. ed by tho bill before the Legislature, To defent the bill beforo the Legislaturo will do. prive the people of this choice, nnd the Com. mon Connell hope that the people will vote against the goneral law if the amendments are not submitted. Then the presont hydra. headed despotism will remain,—and that ia jnst what they want, and that is the secrot of their opposition. Under the general law, for instance, the Common Council ix left practically’ as it is now. Tho power for lotting contracts not belug xpocifically defined, the Common Council will exerciao ita discretion, and let them to suit itself. The power of the Mayor to removo ig limited to “any officer appoint. ed by him.” The old system of po- litical patronage will remain in all the departmonts, and there will bo the same embarrassments in getting rid of in- competent or corrupt officials, high or low, the heads or the subordinates, The amond- ments are designed to remove these objoo- tions and to limit the almost pbsolute power of ® corrupt Common Council. The chief of these are two, viz,; the formation of a second House, the Board of Conneilars, to bo elected on a general ticket, whoso concur. rence ia necessary to all snunicipal legislation, and the appointmont of individual heads of departments, who form a ‘' Mayor's Cabinet " or Executive Board. The Board of Councilors ig chosen by the city, and it will provide a permanent and efliciont check upon the pres- ent reckless and corrept practices of the Common Council, Hoenew the opposition of the present Coinmon Council to ita adoption, ‘The Mayor’s Cabinet is constituted as fol. lows: ‘The Mayor, together with the following named off. cers: Thu Comptroller, the Counsel to the Corpors- (ion, the Commiasioners of Public Works, the Com. raissiouers of Health, the Fire Commissioner, and the Commlsstoner of Police, shall, for the purposes bere inafter nanied, meet oncein each week, end shalt be known and styled “ the Mayors Cabinst,* This Board is appointed by the Meyar, but has to bo npproved by a majority of the Board of Councilors. Objection lias beon made to the power of this Board, which is that of approving all contracts for public work over 8500 in amount. Now each mem- ber of this Board is the head of his own dz~ partment, and the law prescribes that avery contract shall be Iet to the lowest rexponsible Lidder. These bids nro opened publicly, and become of record, After the contract is let by the head of the dopnavtment to which it belongs, it must bo approved by a majority of tho whole Cabinet ona yes and nay vote, “fof which a public record shall be mnito,” Ax it is now, tho Hoard of Publie Worka makes its own contracts, the Board of Police its own, tho Board of Henlth its own, and so on; aud there in no check whatever. Under the system proposed, evory contract must be exposed tothe Mayor and seven men and tothe public before it becomes valid, This system, which scoms ominently conservative and safo, has been made an excuse for the charge that a “ring” could be formed for lovying taxes aud prescribing ordinances, similar to the “ Bonrd of Audit” in Now York under Twrep, This is not true, as all appropriations must originate in tho Lower Houso of the Common Council, which neither appoints ner confirms the oflicors who constitato the Mayor's Cabi- not. Thus the Bonrd of Aldermen become a check upon the Mayor's Cabinet and the Board of Councilors, just a3 the Mayor aud the Board of Conncilors aro a check upon the Board of Aldermen, by tha veto power of the one or the non-conourronco of the othor, At present, the Common Council is without any check, the various Bonrds ara without check, and the Mayor is powerless, There have been various misrepresentations concorning the bill of amendments, made in order to identify the measure with Mr, Hes- 3Na,—as, for instance, concerning the city printing, Tho bill of smendments includes the following provision : Each Doart shall keep a correct Journal ef its pro- ¢eodinga, and publish the samo as mny be prescribed by ordinance; and all thocity priuting suisll be done in conformity with such ordinances ss the Common Council shall ensct, This provision cortainly cannot bein tho intorest of Mr. Hrstno’s printing, es it repeals the present law requiring the publication of theso proceedings in the Gorman nowspapor having the largest cireulation—the Staate. Zeitung—ox well asin English. EH has also ben aszerted that the approval of bonds is left to the Mayor, This is not true. All bonds must be approved by the Board of Councilors or the Common Council, except tho Public Worka’ Commissioner, and we understand that he is now included, having been omitted by mistake, The objections noted by Comptroller Hayes have also beon removed, 23 we aro informed, by tho addition of a clause creating o Finance Committee which shall have the powers now excroised by the present Finnnca Comuinittee, and by giving the Comptroller tha same power in the Law Department which he has now, The fact is, that the bill of zmondments prepared by tho Citizons’ Assoctation is a project fora responsible City Government to take the place of an irresponsible City Govern. sent, If thore shall bo corruption, extrava- gance, incompetency, or neglect under tho new systom, each official will have to answer for it, either to the people or in tho courts, as provided by goneral act of incorporation. ‘Lhe passage of this bill by the Logislature simply gives the people of Chicago the privi- lege of deciding wheather thoy will adopt tho proposed reform or not. ‘The only present question, therefore, is whether or not tho people of Chicogo shall hava this privilege. “THERE'S IONS IN IT!” Tho old idea that capital is timid must be abandoned. Putting o safo investment on the English market is a slow ond difficult matter, but scalawags float swindles with ap- parenteaso, The man who owns an aban- doned rajlrond, an exhausted oil-well, a workod-out conl-mine, an acre of sand with o half-carat diamond in the contre, or a myth- teal canel, ins only to presont himself at London and distribute prospoctuses there to find that his job has millions in it—for him. It seems that tho Arizonn dinmond-fiolda and the Emma Mine might heve tamed the Brit- ish Investor and oxhausted his capacity for being gulled, but thoy merely whotted hin appetite for bubble bonds and speculative stocks, Tho English courts have been dissecting the manegement of va. rious wild-cat companies, and tho House of Commons has appointed a Committee to con. sider the ways aud menns of rescuing the idiotic cepitalist from the clutches of Col, Setixns and his forelgn comrades, Somo of the facta stated before the courts and the Commons are almost incrediblo, In 1867, Senor Gottennez, the Minister of, Hondurss to Great Britain, kindly gave the British public an opportunity to lend £800,000 to Honduras. The public grasped at the chance. The loan was nominally to bo used to construct 8 railroad acroza the borrowing State. This was to bo aship-railway. The cars wero to carry versols of 1,200 tons burden, cargo and all, from ocean to ocenn, ‘Tho prospectua had a pice ture of o ship under full sail traveling along the road. Thisacheme, utterly preposterous for a tiny, half-barbarous State like Hondn- ras toundertake, was «nflloient for Guriznnrz’s purposes, Ho got £800,000 in London, in 1867; £2,000,000 in Puris, in 1869; and £3,000,000 more in London the following year. For all these loans, security in the shapa of a bond was supposed to bo deposited in the Bankof England. Whon Gutrennez appliod for £12,000,000 more, in 1872, sus- piclons were at last aroused. Inquiry was made at the Bank, and it then appoared that the “security” consisted of n locked tin box, which might or might not have something in it! So tin box, a few printed lies, and o Ministerinl commission from a barbarous country, swindled London and Paris out of £4,800,000, Another great awindlo hails form Canada. ‘Two unworthies, Parce and Lononorrox, offerod nine exhauated oil-wells for ealo in London, Lonozorrom was the nominal ogent of Parver. Ho presented the testimo- niols of various mythical “Mayors” and “Government Surveyors” to the worth of the wolls; produced railroad receipts for heavy shipments of oil (these were really the oficial statements of all the oil handled by the roads in question) ; and paraded a certifi. cate under the seal of Mr. Hewans, British Consul at Buffalo, that the wells yielded 760 barrels aday. Thisaction of Hexaneis os yet unexplained, although he is accused of Jhaving received 8 feo of! £5,000. Armed with thess credentials, Lonazor- tom bought the use of some eminent names for £600 a year apiece, formed his Dircctoruhip in this way, and tegan to sell stock and bonds, One of the Directors visit. ed the property with Loxazortos (‘ which, ” as the Chief-Justice sald on the trial which showed these facts, was like sending the gooss with the fox”), and was doped on the spot, utterly and hopelessly, Falso accounts worse shown him; his correspondence wee intoreeptod and falsified ; oil was ponred intg the wells at night and pumped out ngain be fore him in the day-time. He went back te play tho part of an unconacious atool-pigeon, When suspicion crept into the Directory minds, on account of lack of receipts, th, sent another investigator who washoodwinked for fourmonths, but finally discoverei that the thing waa ‘a complete swindle.” Befory thin tine, howover, Parxce and Loxanortoy had got their money, and the London dapeq iad nine holes in the ground, somo wel), printed cortificates, o set of falsified Accounts, and a Jaw-suit in exchange. Such folly is almost incredible, Men gnilty of it cannot bo saver! from loss by courts op committeos, Yot overy such achemo tnnkeg it moro diMeult to raise money in Lombarg atroet for logitimate business purposes, Peo. plo who aro dazzled by 20 por cont profits ang have ouce tnstod the perilous joys of specy. lative gambling profor them theroafter to thy safer and surer invostmiont, which promises leas and pays mora than Arizona diamond, fields or Canadian oil-wells, AN IRIBHMAN ON EVAND, Mr. Goprtx, tho editor of the ution, iy an Irishinan by birth and cducation, Li, overy other Irishman yet heard from, hois¢ gradunte of Trinity Collego, Dublin, 4), though it is not lus habit to wade through the mud on tho 17th of March and carry a greg banner in honor of a non-cxintent Republic, his right to discuss Ireland and his know, edge of tho subject will probably not beg. riously questioned. He snya, in tho last Nation, that Trelang, despite the wrongs" of which we hearg mueh, is getting along pretty well after al Tho Tonure-of-Land act, passed under th Guapstove Ministry, has mado the averg) Irishman 8 rather prosperous being. Hej; no longor linblo to forfeit any In. provements ho makes on hia leasehol, and he has a chance to buy tho grour} he rents. He is consequently putting hy money where it will do the most good, undis not sponding it all on whisky and wakes, 1) 186f, the Irish invostmonts in Governing, fonds and joint-stock and savings banks wey 274,410,000. In 1874, they smonnted t $346,000,000. Figures like these mean d) fusion of wealth. Thero is something more than mater’) prosperity, too, The frish mind is essertls; itsclf with moro freedom. It is fast emer pating itself from clerical control, Ti priesthood find politics too strong for it, Fenianism and Home-Itule have nover ke favored by the Church, but they havo thriva without much regard to clerical oppositis, opon or secret. Tho Irish Catholio prelties owe much of their influonce to the px sition they have taken in opposttoa to English dominion and — legislatts, but if they lost the chance to oppose, if In. land were govorned by a roystering Pari. ment at Dublin, the hiornrehy might sink in. to the comparatively insignificant position <t ponsioned sorvants to tho State, If Ireland freed itself from English rule, it would g01 restive ere long, the Nation thinks, wir Papal rule. Cardinal Ountry kuows this and profers living under Prine Mio’ Guapstonz or Disnatit to oxisting wkt President Wouam Swerxex or Protects Jonny Mironrz, This fact, howevor, dos not seem to have made 6 deep impretsir npon the electors of Tipperary, or of any. whero else. : ‘Thero is evidently substantial progress ia tho Emerald Isle, As wenlth and eduction increase, and religion aud politics an c: vorced, “poor Ireland” will probably baczt “yich Iroland.” Then heroic ralda acrt tho Canndian frontior may censo, ond 4 Fenian Brotherhood will disband for waste ‘wrongs to redros: —_— An effort has beon mnde to compar {1 new charter with that under which Tw: and his associates committed their robbey 2 New York. The facta prove the mver Under tho old charter of that city duringtt timo of Twrxn's reign, tho City Governxc was apportioned off into independent Burl precisely as Chicago is now. Theso Buri had exclusive jurisdiction in expendituns just as our present Bonrds have, The Yayet waa powerlesa,—n nonontity,—as the presct charter makes the Mayor of Chicago, Wha Moyor Hazn, of Now Yorl:, was put on tr before a court and jury organized to cc him, he merely presented the city chart showing that cack department of th Goyernmont was independent of his co! that no ono of the thioves was responsit! him ; that he was oxoluded, os is tho Marit of Chicago, from all power to ental, supervise, or direct ony"of his subordiretss and upon that showing of his oxclusion fr:3 all authority he was promptly sequi‘ted The remedy for this stato of things in Net York was the creation of a now cbs making the Mayor responsible for tha 0 duct of all his subordinates, with the port to enforce hia controlling authority. Ot present charter is generally the same os the undor which Twxzp end his susaciates robbd and plundered, It provides for half a dies independent governmonts, excluding bg Mayor from thei all, and each resposit's tonoone, ‘Tho proposed new charter deel what the now charter of New York di: blota ont thess irresponsible organization’, reduces tha Government undor one geen executive contro), and makes ach brine: of the Government responsible and soto: nate to the wholo. Tho Journal declines to answer our alte whother it bollavos that A. 0. Heard be ze eloctod Mayor noxt fall undor any city cb fe but says tbat "if he ahonld be afraid to uae the ofilea bimsolf, ho would bring bis pet? rd tactica into play in order to got a tool of oA a to that oftco, with the understanding thi bimeolf should bows tho whole oneal in holding the poaltiou of Commisaloner of a Works, whora he would have the mao of nome $10,000,000 of contracts,” ato. ai ‘Very woll; {f ho can solect « "toatl an him Mayor under the proposod charter, © ety not do the same thing thia fall under the Fre” sot charter? ‘There ie Commissioner of ai Uc Works to be sppointed by the Mayor | December. What is thero to prevent the" of a Mayor” from appointing him sich Co rata sloner whore he woutd have the ' mspipyl sapot of the contracta"? It would not take bis “nn and » pilent Coramon Council « great wtih got rid of one of the other Commis all whose place could be filled by a man ths! tit act wilh Hesma; and thus wo aro 00 valet form the tyranny of this fights “Boss ‘ 0 old than undor a new charter. If it bea fact that the pooplo of Culertor under the control of A. O. Hesria, patie to do his bidding and gratify bis enbiton makes precious little difference what cha! a havo, a8 one will bo as fimpotent to rest eon asanother, But if the majority of bert oh are not at his back, are not anpportiog hil van {nflict no harm on the publio under a7 of a chartar, Again wo proteat sgainstthe mad-dog Gis it “Yes is coming!" It is ap impror' dishonest goxt ef eppoaition. Leb ws r) 4 ae = * ms