Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 1, 1876, Page 6

4 swmo——Tmes TERWS OF THE TRIBUNE RATER OF STDECRIFIION (FAYANLR 1N ADVANCE). an Prepald at this Office. B wr ol par- Ulub of twebty, Pt o The postae i nle 8 year, Bpecimen caples rent frec. ‘To pravent delsy and mistakes, be sure snd give Post-Oftice addrese tn fall, including Statennd Cotnnty, Kemiitances may be made eithor by draft, express, Poat-Offica order, or in repistered letiers, at our risk. TRRMA T CITY SUBSCAIDENS, Daily, delivered, Buniay excagied, 23 conts por week, Dy, delivered, Sunday fuchided cetita per week, Address THR TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madizor d Dearboru-ste.. Clileago, il T AMUSEMENTS, MOVICRER'S THEATRE—Madison street, belween Desrborn and Blale. Epgagement of the Ostes Opera roupe, Afternoon, * Gleofle-Girofis." Evening, * Madame Angot's Child," ACADEMY OF MUSIC~—Halated sirest, between Madison and Monroo, * The Two Usphany,” After- uoon and evening. HOOLEY'S THEATRE—Rsudolph street, between Clark and Lagalts, Callfornia Minstrels, Aftornoon ana eventog, . NEW CHICAGO TIEATRE~Clark sireet, between Bandolph sud Lake Relly & Leon's Minstrels, After- Boun and evening. ADLLPHI THEATRE—Deatbarn sireet, corner *Zonros, *The Forly Thioves.” Aftermoon snd evening, WOOD'S MUSEUM—)Monroe street, betwean Dear ‘born and Htate, Iorrnvon, * Cinderclla,” Afternoon and avening, * Red Riding-Hood " and ** Jack Hark- away's Advontures.” UALSTED BTREFT OFPERA-TIOUSE — Halsted #rea’y corner Harrison, Tour of the Loly Land. Aftar. A aven) Tbe Ehisngo Tribne. Baturdsy Morning, January 1, 1876, WITH SUPPLEMENT. #Let no guilty man escape.” Ring, happy b‘r.-llu,‘ndn‘nvlm the mud, Commencentent of tho second contury of American National Sovercignty. Groonbacks, st tha New York Gold Ex- change, yesterday, closed at 88§, ‘The two extrowmo prices for the year woro 854 and 89}, ; The pressure of 1atter Incident to the closing of tho year has necessitated the omis. sion from our column to-day of the usual Baturday Book Review, which will bs pub. likhed on Monday next. More rain {4 to be visited upon the patient aund the impatient to-day, sccompanied by a northerly wind, which will lightly reduce tho kigh temperatura of the past foriy-eight hours. An order has been issned in Columbus, O., directing the closing of all gambling estab- Ushments in that city. Anorder lLos been Issued in Chlcago, also, sowothing to the swao purport, but the gambling establish. wents don't 6eem o closo with anything like wagimity, The year 1875 was & good year for the precious metals. A statement of the produc. tiou in the States and Territories west of the Misgouri River, including British Columnbia and the western cosst of Mexico, places the .egate , vield at §80.509,007, ar increnso of 1.4, 87,082 over the prodnct oi* 1874, and tle grentest yicld over known, T.hers was o do- srease in Californis, Idaho, Utah, and Wash- Ington Territory, and an increw'se in the other districts, An nggregato yieldl of $90,- 00,000 is nnticipated for 1 A heavy robbery of diamonds and' jewelry wna one of tho closing episodes o4 the Old Year in Now Yeork City. Bexzpicr Hros. were the sufferers, and 45,000 was the sizo of the haul, 'This firm wera robbed of £60,000 worth of goods in 1866, and scem to have been especially singled out ns tho vie- tims of theft involving an extraordinary awount of skill and daring. In the lost in- stance chloroforin wng successfully employed i dealing with tho attendants in chargo of tho establichment, The last day of tho ycar 18756 was also tho fast day of the French Assembly, which was yesterdy prorogued aftor a continuous ex. Istence of over fivo years. Pruvious to ad- journment the Permauent Cowmittce was appointed, in accordanco with an sgroement tetwoen tho various pasties, which provided tliat the baluncu of power should remain with iho Lett, thatying having thirteen members, #hile tho Right wore given twelve. “I'he farowell nddress of the President of the Ac- seubly, tho Duke D'Auptrener-Pasquizs, wos bighly commendatory and congratulatory in tharacter, and with criss of * Vive la Nepul ligue!" from the Deputicaof ths Loft, the sotable body passed into listory. ‘Ihe now ?fih:n:xbon assemble on the 8th of Aaxch, 76, . We print elsowhero n list of the prisopers pordoned from the Ilinois Stato Penitentiary from Doc. 1, 1874, to Dec. 80, 1875. Tho list is o startling one iu lengih, and gives polnt to the comments which have been ro. zeutly made in Tax Trmusy upou the abuse »f tho pardoning power in Ilinols, From *his liwt it appears that in &l 134 criminals ave boen pardoned out in the luat year, of hom secenteen wers murderers, soven of Lo wera sontenced for lite and ought to 4ave becn hanged. In nddition to these, six- teen gulilty of wanslaughter and attempt to ki, sud sevunty-two thieves and burglars have Leen let lookn upon socioty sgaln, We commeud this st to our readers us veory in. structive rexding and full of suggestions for the New Year relative to the importuucs of Hoing somothing to stop this wholesals abuss 3¢ the pardoning power. ‘The Ohileago produce markets wers irrogn. lar yosterday, Mews pork was quiet and & @10a por brl higher, vlosing at $19.10 oash and $19.35@19.87§ for Februsry., Lard wus quist and firm:, closing at $12.17)@12.20 cash and §12.35@12.873 for February, Meats Wore quiet aud steady st 7o for boxed shonl. dors, 100 for do short yibe, and 10je for do short cleart Higbwines wera dull and un. shanged et '$1.09 per gallon. Flour was dull, Wheat was active and 1je higher, olos- Iug at 80]o for January sud 08c for February, Corn was active and excited, closing at 53j0 caah and 4330 fur January. Oats wero qalet sod firmer, closiug st 80jo cash and 30}o for February, Lye was dull st 67@07jc. Barlay was active and lrregular, closing ab 809 for Jannary and 9¢ for Februnry, Hogs wero dull and nnehanged, with the bulk of nles nt 6.60@G.50. Cattle wors quict and n pbade lower. Sheep were inactive, Ono hundred dollars in gold would buy $118.12§ in greenbacks at the elose, 12 any further nssurance wore needed that the United Stales Government is no respocter of porsons in its policy of meting out punish. ment for tho crime of ‘defranding tho rove. nuo, and that the President's memorable in- junction to Sceretary Bnistow was intonded o be taken in ita Lrondest and fullest sense, that assurance is furnished by the arrest in this clty yestorday of three prominent and well-known citizens of Chicago upon the chinrge of * conspiracy to defraud the inter- natrovenue.” That Messrs. I{xarno, Renst, nnd Afsrswn should be considered proper subjects for arrest npon this charge will be a matter of genuing surprise fo their many frionds in this city,—friends who will confidently ox. pect these gentlemen to succoed in establish- ing their innoconco of connection or com- plicity with the Chicago Whisky Ring, and who will beliove them innocent until unmis- {akably proven guilty, The ovidence upon which the nrrests were made is sednlously kept seeret by the revenuo officialy, and will doubtlers remain so uatil after the mew Grand Jury of the United States Court shall have comploted their Iabors, A Bremerhinven detective is now in Livor- pool engaged in a search for accomplices of ‘Tnoaassey, tho dypamite demon, and the suspicion hna been roised that the stenmer City of Boston, which sailed from New York in January, 1870, and wos nevermore leard of, was freighted with an jnfernal maclinoe which blew the vessol to atoms in mid-ocenn and left not a plank nor a survivor to toll the terrible story. This theory is strongthened by the fact that in Junoe following the loss of tho City of Boston Tuomassex and his wife went frum New York to Dres- den, taking wp thelr residonce in the Intter city, where thoy lived in stylo denoting considerable wenlth. The records at Liverpool fail to show any freight shipped by I'mosxassex on the Boston, but it is possiblas hat from the books in New York there may La gleaned a motive for tho Fus. pected plot. It appears that o narrow escapy was had in October lnst by the stenmer Celtic and her pagsengers, Tiorassen having made rovornl unsuccesslul attempts o effoct insur. ance upon o box suid lo contain %30,000 in gold. The refusnl of the insurance compa- uius to writo the risk without first verifying the contents of tha box prabubly averted the destruction of the Celtic and nll on board. It is believed that ‘firosassex had in Liverpool necomplices who may yet possess one or more of tho borrible mnclinvs. CHICAGO COMMERCUE IN 1875, Tho reuders of Tue Toiovse will find in the puper this morning a detailed reviow and suminary of tho business of Chicago during 1875, prepared by our experienced and acen- rato commercial editor, The aggrogato whole. sole business in produce, merchnndiso, and manufactured goods is HG57,000,000, against £639,000,000 in 1674. Lhis is tho valua of the things sold. The summary table of ag. gregate valucs is ag follows : 1874, Produce,ses sossesess $3Y,500,000 $232, Wioleasia merchandise. ... 244,040,000 Menufactures, veeres 104,500,000 Total... 44 $083,800,000 $703,223,00) Lass manifscinron cdea " Sy 10 wholesalo merchundise.. 43,800,000 46,229,000 039,000,000 $657,000,000 It will bo scen that the only falling off has beon ‘confined to tho transactions in farm products, and this is due largely to the less number of hogs, Tho hogs bronght to Chi- eago in 1874 wero unprecedontod in number, the prices offcred inducin~ such shipmenes to minrkot s to leavo the cuuntry compara- tively bare. The crop of hogs in 1875 is, therefore, shiort as compared with last year. ‘Th's shortage of hogs is goneral, and Ly no menns confined to Chicago, The number of hogs brought to Chicagoin 1875 was 8,912,110, agoinst 4,236,379 in 1874, The falling off in tho nnmber of hogs caused, of course, a corresponding docline in tho quality of pork, lard, cut mentg, ote. In cattlo there has been an incrense from 811,966 head in 1874, to 920,543 in 1875, The totul receipts of grain in 1875, reduc. ing flour to Lushels, were 79,605,050 bushals, against 95,611,718 busbels in 1874, —n decline of 16,000,000 buslels, of which over 8,000, 000 bushels were in corn and 5,500,000 bush- els in wheat. 'Tho declino in corn ruceipts hins been largely duo to the condition of the corn crop in the districts tributary to Chi- cago. Tho summer of 1875 was so cold and web that much of the corn in the northern districts did not mature—thnt is, ripen and harden—as rondily as in ordinary years, and, therofore, was not shipped to market before the closo of ihe year, A large portion of the uanal corn districts has, theroforo, forwarded no corn, or o reduced quantity, this yoar. Thero bas aléo beon considerable grain taken up at pointa north and wost of Chicago, and carried forward to the East without coming to Ohicugo, tho railroads, in thoir zoal to dis. criminate against this city, carrying grain from pointa 100 to 200 miles west of Chicago to tho Atlantic far less money than from Chi- cago, Most of this graln, bowover, thus seut nround us, though not passing throngh hero, has beon owned and controlled by our erchants. The wholesnle sales of morchandiso show on jucrcaso of 26,000,000 over the preced- ing year, ‘This {e an Increaso of the vilue of the goods sold, But theso figures do not aliow the incrense in the volumo of business, Prices Iu 1873 nveraged 10 per cont less than in 1874, and consequently tho aversge bulk or quuntity of goods handled was over 20 per cent gresier than fu 1874 Thy same is true of tho nales of mavufariared goods, ‘To the increase in value must bo added the Inerosse in quantity neceasitatod by the reduction in prices. In the salew of mauufactures given in the tables thore are includod nothing but the sales nt wholesalo; consoquontly the tigurcs do pot embruce tho large sales by mannfac- turers at retail. For ths dutails of this anuual exhibit we must rofer the reader to the carefully.com- piled tables given in tho roviaw., To show the ateady growth and progress of the busl. ness of Chieago, und liow our commerce trl. umphed over ihe panio of 1873, which so oveswholiied the trade of other pointy, wo give the aggrogutos of the several branches of business for sovoral years, The records for 1871 were dostroyed by the fire, und nine mouths of that yearand threo monthy of 1872 werp owltted : ‘Total wholesaly Lusiness, SH54,00,000 439,000,000 a. 057,00,00 Theso fiqures show the steady growth of ke aggr. . ta wholessle Lrade of this olly during the last cight years. It has not been rpaamodic nor inflated ; the growth has been regular and fixed. The fire did not in. terrupt or deatroy ity nor dil the ponic ar- rest or wenken it, Notwithetanding tho re. duetion fn prices, the increased quantities produced and sold linve maintained the regu- Iar incrense in the aggregato values, showing how substantinl andhow progressive ia the trado which flows to this city. It will Le seen, by comparison of the do. tails of this year's busivesy with the details of pravions years, that the genernl trade in grain has steadily increased fromn 1854 to the present time, Temporary causes, like that of the failure or partinl failure of the crops, may reduce the aggregates in cortain sonsons, but the incrensa hins been regular and large overy year, At tho samo time, while Chicago i4 thus confirmed by each year's increasod busivess ns the groat grain market of the country, and the great market for all the products of the farm and the forest, thero hag been even a greater annual incroneo in nanu- factures and wholesala trado in wnerchandise. Wo ndd ench yenr to our lines of mnrffac- tures, and to tho smounts and values of thelr respectivo products. Alongside this per. manent and substantial industry I8 our genernl wholesale trade, which is assuming sttch immenso proportions. The explanation of this i3 nn easy ono. It js n natural result of naturnl causes, Chicago is in tho very centro of the great grain-producing district, and the point most conveniont for a general wnrket for hogs and enttle. At'this point aro to bo found tho great nataral facilities for cheap water transportation, Grain is worth wmore here, and must continue to bo, than at any other point. Here i concentrated the iramense eapital necessary to pay on delivery for all tho grain and live stock that may bo produced. 1ere, too, may be found in manu. facturors’ hands and in tho hands of import. ers overything whicl ig needed by those who produce from the goil, the mines, and tho for- est. Hero in thero.that genoral market or gen. oral oxchange which exiats nowhero else out. sido of Now York. Our transportation facilities aro such that Chieago is rapidly becoming the grent distributing puint for all imported or domestio manufactures, and for articles of general use, like tes, coffoe, spices, and im. ported fruits. Itia an immense storeliouso, located within one dny's travel of the homes of fifteen or more willions of "consumers, who naturally purchase what thoy need atthoe niost convenient poiot where thero is o gen- eral warket at which they can sell their own productions. ‘These obvious conditions serve only to confirn Chicago a8 the natural nnd best point for thess consumors and pro- ducers fo oxchange thoir own products for thoso of others, and houce tho inercnse of Chicago is regular, keoping pace with the pro. duction nnd consumption of the country in which it is the centro, THE OUTLOOK OF 187G, In our Just issuv wo took a retrospect of the year which has just closed,—its great struggles, movements, and accomplish wonts, In thia issue wo cowplots the work by foreeasting tho events of tho yoar which has just comwmenced, more particularly thosa of national importance which have already projected thomsclves so far that their out. lines aro distinetly visible. The lives of individunla are bounded by years; of nations, by centuries ; and 1870 brings us to the first landmark in our national history. A century lies betweon us and the scenos of that time enlminating in Indopond- cneo Hall when the nation was born, Tho ovents of this yoar will very cloarly ahow what progreas wo have made a3 & nation in tho oxperimont of solf-government, It will solva many doubts of the porpatuity of the Republic, whick have grown out of the decadence of public and privato noral- ity. It will put the question whother our pairiotism i3 ns sincera and solf- sucrificing ag that of our ancostors to aso- vere test. It will elaborato the facts and statistics of our social, edueational, political, financinl, and commercinl growth. The peo~ plo at large will colebrate this memorablo year with ringing of bells, finng of cannons, peals of musie, hoisting of flugy and showers of fireworks, and tho American Eagle and the Star-Spangled Banner will be elevated to the very zenith in panegyrio and prean. This is all very well, for thero must be some ontletto superflnous and superficinl patriotism ; but beyond this thoughtful peoplo will look with sowe anxiety to tue solution of the great questions which will eowe beforo the Ameri- con people, and in the great crowd of for. eignors who will flock to our shores to par- ticipato in our national festivily there will bo mauy critics who will not hesitate to insti. tuta close comparisons between our own and Enropean forns of government. ‘Thero will bo notable atruggles this ycar, involving paramount ixsucs, Legislation in Congress will be adopted which will go far townrds solving the question whether the na- tion will relurn to the suro and solld founda. tion of redeemablu currency, nnd once mora resumo its course in tho old channcls of lo. gitimato and prosperous businoss, or whethor it will incrcase the present volumo of irro- deemablo serip, and provent a restoration of financlal ond commorcial credit and confl. donce, and thereby avold panics and bank- ruptey ; whethor the money of tho world or printed rags shall be our circulating medinm; whother business shall be condncted with o dollar that means a dollar, or a dollar that has o differont daily value,—a dollar recognized by o untiona as a dollar, or a dollar that is s irredoomablo rag, and with which no man can make unconditional contructs. The po- litical strnggle this year involves one of the most important Presiduntial eloctions in tho history of the country. It will be n contest Letween the two great parties, with a third party in the field mado up of reckless, broken. own speculators and equally recklcss, broken- down politiciany, without any atanding in the old partles. Tho real straggle, however, will bo between the Itepublican and Democratio partics. Tho former purty is rapidly clearing itsolf of nhuses, and coming back to its old. time principles, which will be advocated with all tha enthuelnam and forvor that character- ized its campaigny in the days whon it warred with elavery. Thoss who wandered off in 1874 aro returning to their allegiance, and the Twopublicsn arny will go into the fight with ita ranks closed up, to prospect of victory if ite lender—yet to be named—shall bo a foar. lossly hounest and incorruptible man, who hing been triod and not found wanting. The Demoerntio party has ulready commenced to yield to Confederato downination, Jealousies and divisions have already broken out in ity sanks, Tho reforms which it boasted in 1874 were not accomplished in 1875, where it had powor and opportunity, and there {4 reason to beliovo that in 1870 thoso dissensions will in- crcase instend of Lealing, and that the losses thuy incurred in the fall of 1876 will be in. cronned i the fall of 1870, | The new year will be characterized by two gront movemants, tho ons lu raligion, the other in educntion. Tha revival inaugurated in Eastern cities by the ovangelists, AMoonr and Savxey, does not bid fair to bo g0 re- markable in its personal results or individnal conversions as in the goueral nwakening of intercst it hns cauged in the churchea. Thero has boeen a commeotion among the dry-bones, and tho churell militant is burnishing up its armor proparatory to moviog opon the works of Sxtan, Tie iofluonce of their labors has been felt in all the denuminations, and the result must bo a higher standard of the untional religions life. Tho educational movemont is just as prononnced ns tho re. ligions, The declarations of tho Prosident in his DesMoines letter and message, relative to tho abolition of sectarian teachings at tho publie expeuse in the frce nchools, tho absolute divorco- of Church and State, and thu necassity of clomentary educa- tion ra n condition of tho perpetuity of the Ropublic, are o diroct roflex of the popular Aoutiment upon these questions. ‘¢ Educato tho children of tho people” will bo one of the rallying cries of 1870, and in this fact thera is greak hopo for the future, There i3 great hope for the future also in tho fact that never before bave the people Leen so earncst and unanimous in thoir de- termination to reform American polities and administration, somo of the resulls of, which will bo made apparent this year. The people have nlready commencod to free thomselves'| from the domination of corrupt rings, which aro tho outgrowth -of tho infamous Tammany school of politics. They have nlready slown the disposition not to submit to tho dictation of caucuses and convontlons managed by scheming politicions. From ~ve ¢ud of the loud to tho other comes thod."* " """ ' r lonesty in poli. tics, and tho respec ''s undlaw.abiding peo- plo ars onforcing that demand by working and voting with results which have already been conspiouously shown in Now York, Bos- ton, Brooklyn,: Chicago and other Iarge citios, whoso corrupt rings lave been smaslied or nf least interfered with more or less. The peoplo are looking for honest men ta flll their offices of trust; moen who have sbility, instesd of ‘partisans nominated by rings, to control office and divide plunder with them. ‘This determination will grow in intensity during the year, and at its closo wo may witnosa a return to the patriotism and incorruptibility which characterized the youth of tho nation, The new year opons in the midat of & war upon corruption. The lightningis flashing in oll directions, and men who bave ocoupied prominent pincos kud’ been held in high osti- rantion by tho people are golug down befora its wrath, Tho Sccvetary of the Trensnry is meroilosaly enforcing the injuuction of the President, ‘Lot no guilly man o cape,” and the peoplo are upholding both in their vigor- ous progecntion of offeuders. Tho feeble but desporato offort of the whisky thioves and their newspaper organs to stay the arm of Government by libel, slandor, and defuriation s alrendy fallen still.born. ‘The work will go on until ovory defrauder of the revonue is punished, and although mavy who have beon with us in 18756 may Vo in the Penitentiary in 1876, their enforced absence will be compen. sated for by tho reflection that at lost they are doing tho Blate honest service. Wo have briefly glanced st the new year from the national standpoint. The outlook is a hopeful and promising one. From tha individual standpoint, as betweon Tux Cmi- oaao TripuNE and ita ronders, it only remains to wish each and all a Happy New Year. THE TAX-PAYERS' NEW YEAR, Perhaps tho Chicago tax-psyers who have been served with by notices of thefr per sonnl taxes have nboi¢ “hnusted their pow- ers of inveotivn, o=¢'™ ° uparad to give up swearing at tho tax-th..s.a becouse unable to do tho subject justice: Dut the matter must not bo dismissed at this, Tho trouble fa primarily with the systom, and if this Lo pormitted to stand tho same outrage will re. cur overy year. It is well, thercefors, that every citizen-tax-payer should keep tho sub- ject in mind with reference to a final curo of tho evil by a romoval of the permeanent causo,—the syatem itsolf. Tho firat thing to Do dono ig for the people of Cook County to vote themselves out of thie sbominable town. ship system which has been so absirdly ap- plied to o great city like Clicago. 1t sa system well enough suited to townships made up of farms and little villages, where an over or under veluntion i immediatoly known and understood throughout tite eutira township, As applied to Chicogo, however, tho assess- ment of $150,000,000 is intrusted to ono man, instesd of that of five hundred, and the tax thercon nmounts to soveral millions iustend of several thousands, In the city, too, tho nolection of Asscesor s intrusted to two rival factions of bummers, thiever, and bal. lot-box stuifors, and the result is tho choico of one of the most incompetent anddishoneat men in the community, inctead of one of the most compotent and lionest, as in the rural districts, The first stop toward relie must bo to rid Cook County of the rural township system, which can be done by the volers of, the county at the noxt general election. Having done this, the mezt step will be to provide an Assessment Board cerrespond. jug a8 noutly ns moy bu to thnt which has herotafore been kept up by the city, Fora loug term of years the cily sssessment of property bins been fair and uniform, There waa 8 Board, appointed by thoe Mayor and Council, composed of aus Assessor for each division of the city, and a Tax-Commissioner whose fanclions wure supervisory. This Board was in seasion all the year round, and performod its duties in a syatomatic and business-like manner, 'The eity waa properly districted and mapped, »2 that the Assess. meut Board had a rou | _avery Jot and ovory house in the city , ws advantage of tho ausessment of thepravio 14 yoars asaguide, Ihe nssossment books were opened to tha public for a nmnbor of weeks for the purpose of correoting crrors, and evon up to the time of the ouforced collectic. of the tax any gross error could be rectificd. By this means the tex wes equitably distributed, and it s ouly by such a systom that the aaseasmnent of # great city like this can be fairly made, While this excellent systan of city mssess. ment was maiotained, the asscsument for Btate, county, and town parposes, made by the Town Aescswors, was leas objectionabla thau uow for two reasonst (1) It was the practics of tho Town Assessors to follow the regulur oty sesesamont. The latler was mado on & basly of the cash value of the property, eud it was the ocustom to takea oertaiu percentage of this,—40, 50, or GO per ceut, acconding to tho proportion of the cash value assosspd in the other parts of tho State, ~—and this was cxtended ag the valuation for Btate purposes. Before there was an arbl. trary Btate Board to add on 83, or 78, or 98 per vent aftur the sisessment had boen made, this practios yielded a very fair and uniform valustion, (8) The Btate valuation hersto. fore has applied only for the ralsing of the THE CHICAGO 'T'RIBUNE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1876—TWELVE PAGES, s et S e e ey Btate and county taxes, which wero never .uore than onedthind of the city taxes pnid Dby the property- owners insido the city, If thore wure irreg- ularitiea or diseriminations in the county ns- sessments, they wero not o rorious, na they affected only a small portion of the total rmonut of taxes paid. Now, howevar, when the Town Assessors have cut loose from the city assessment, and value the properly of the city for themselves without anysystom, unloss it be that of favoritism, blackmail, and re- vongo, this irregular, corrupt, and discrim- inating valuntion is tho basis on whieh tho aum total of taxation is distributed, and the outrage bacomes burdensome and oppressive nt evory point. A man may have his State nnd county tax doubled without wincing bnd. 1y, provided that Lis city tax remains fair} but when he finds tho city tax as well as the county suddenly doubled or quadrupled with- out lonest causo or reason, aud the whole profits of his yenr's business swopt away by the scoundrelly assessment of rasonlly loafera playing Asscssors, he stands at bay nnd tights the dogs who are trying to devour him, Thero has bosn so much talk in the news- papors for the pnst two years sbout the cost, rottenness, and disgrace of the Town Bonrd nuisanea that it lia3 becomo nn un- gracions duty to insist upon its abolition any moro ; but now that it is not simply a nui- sance st a direct publio cost of $150,000 a yenr, but also involves the distribution of the entire State, county, town, and city tax, nmounting to over $7,000,000 a year in Chi- cago, it is probable that tho tax.payers will awako to the importanco of pulling an end toit. The recollection of this year's suffering and conflscation ought not to be permitted to pnss away, nnd there should bo the proper preparation for voting the nuisance out of Cook County next November. In the mean. time, n plon may Le prepared by which the Logislature shall provide a Connty Tax Com- mingioner, with an Asscssment Board like that formorly. attached to the.City Govern. ment, Ag it {s now, there is sowmo years but vno day in which the tax-payers can apply for rolief bofore the ausessmant is indorsed by the Counly Board of Equnlization and sent up to tho State Board to bo doubled at their sweet will. 'Che system {8 radically wrong, and must bo abolished altogether boforo any lasting relief can bo obtained. TRENT VALL] L, Heveral yenrs ago the promoters andfrionds of a canal from the Georgian Bay throngh Lako 8imcooe and via the Trent River and tha navigablo lnkes through which it runs to the Bay of Quinte, near tho foot of Lake Onts- tario, furnished Tmz Tamuss with the faota in rogard to their favorite route, and they were dnly published. By o lotter from rosponsible gonutlomen nt Tronton, Ont,, we lcorn that a charter was ob- tained last yoar from tho Dominion Parlin. ment to build it. Tho charter is said to bo o liberal one, allowing persous not citizens of Cnuada and foreign cities and corpora- tions to take stock, to Do reprosentod in its management, end gonerally to havo all the control to which thoir stock, if Cnnadians, would entitle them. Of tho routo it 1 claimed that ** there i% & splondld lino of inland waters, such as deep lakes and rivers, between tho Georgiau Bay and Bay of Quin- te, which can bo opened up and mado navi- gable by canals andlocks ot an outlay of enly five milllons of dollars, and that the distance batweon thoso points is only 230 miles,—160 of which is already navigable, and 40 miles mora need only deoponing and widening, leaving but 80 miles to bo cut and construct- ed.” . It iz slso claimed that *“grain can be shipped from Chicago to the hiend of the canal nnd unloaded intc barges there for & oents per bushel, and thenco tho barges can bo towed to Montreal for 8 conts por bushel, and perhaps 2 cents per bushel moro for canal dues.” In view of theso important facts, our cor- respondent thinks that Chicago ought to be willing to put & largo amonnt of money in the project, and it is proposed to send a dop- utation hero to oxplain the wholo scheme to our merchants and businoss men, if it is thought thoy could be induced {o take an active fnteroat in the project., Candor com. pels us to zay that such a delegation would not bo likely to have tho lenst effect. Among others, two conclusive rensons may bo meu- tioned. i Tirst, whilo the bnsiness of Chicago hns been good, her citizons sro still too heavily londed down with obligations made on ne- count of our geat fire of 1871 and from tho ponic’ of 1873 to ongage in any new enter- prisca. They have no money for any such purpoges. Second, the Dominion Govern- ment are enlarging tho Welland Canal, and decpening and otherwisve improving the St. Lawrence Cannls o a eapacity that will admit of tho passago of vessels of 1,000 tons bur. don. Theso groat improvements sro to be comploted in threo years, whon it is be. lioved the freight on wheat: and corn from Chicago to Montreal will thorcafter be not more than 10 cents per bushel, Nothing, therefors, conld bo gained in freights by the West by the opening of the Tront Valley Canal. Hor true policy is to wait aud patron- izo tho grent works that the Dominion ia opening to accommodata the vast trade of the Btatos west of Lake Michigan, Tut if the Tront Valley can give us bettor facilities and cheapor rates than the Welland and 8t. Law. renco Canals, so much the bettor, The West in that case can give its frlends tho very best nusurance of all tho business it can possibly do. ’ Mr, Oasarma M. Cray, adapting the old Bouthern practice under which candidates slwayi announced themselvos, has given formal notica that his State (Kontucky) will present his name to the National Domooratio Convontion for the nomination for Vice-Pres- ident. BMr, Orax was formerly in the Repab. lican party, but left it when ho was recalled {rom Russia, where he was the unpopular American ropresentative for a time, e bas reached the Democratio party through the veliiclo of the so-called Liberal party, which barcly lasted through one campaign. We Lave certainly no objection to the Democrat. ic nomination being conforred upon Mr, Qray, but Keutucky maat not be too ambi. tious. It must bo ramembered that that Btate has a prowmninent candidate for- ths Re- publican nomination for President, and. it will hardly do for ler to furnish the candl. dates for both sidea. Early in October, the * Vauderbilt Univer~ sity of the Methodlst Episcopal Church8onth* ‘was opened at Nashville, Tho history of ils foundation s of intorest. MAarch 17, 1873, Commodoro VaxpeusiLt offered the projected institutiop a cash giftof §500,000, three-fifths of which was to be kept forover luviolate a3 an ondowment fund, Itwassoon found that the cost of the buildinge, apparstus, eto., would exceed the $200,000 sed apart for them., March 24, 1874, the Commodore adds ed $100,000 to tho building fund. Even this waa exceeded by $02,831.48. Last month, thls sum, too, was subscribed by the Railway Klug, so that tho University bearing his namo opens its doors without a cent of debt, and with a fund of $£00,000, yiolding an in. come at 7 per cont of $21,000 a year, 'The suw of Mr, Vaxpennirr's donntions has beon £692,831, Thiz vast sum hns beon givon quiotly, Thers haa boen no ostentation, no display, no fuss, With perhaps less of for- tuno (han Wientam I, Aston, Commodore ‘Vanpensirr has given awny more during his lifo than Aston conld bear to tako from Lis anillions, even after his donth, e T— The aonual statement of the production of preclons ‘motals on the American Continent west of the Missourt Itiver, prepnred under the supervision of competent authority, re- ports the product of the yesr 1875 at $80,800,037, which ia an excess of nearly $1,500,000 over the product of the preceding yenr. - ‘T'ho only commont we desire to mnke at this timo is, that a natiou which gets this smount of gold aud silver out of its own ter- ritory by digging for them has no reasonable excuso for a furtlor delay in placing its cur- rency on a specie-redomption bnsls, The product of a single year would bo ample for all tho National Banks to resume and main- tainn a specic.redetnption that would insure a standard and unvarying currency. It is simply propostcrous that o nation enjoying such ndvantages shonld be pestered and dis- graced with an irredecmnblo and vacillating curroncy, dishonored before the world, and constantly confused in all its commercial re- lations. ' This snnunl statoment of tho Amorican product of gold and silver should be printed in large letters and posted on the desk of evory Cougressman as a reminder of how plnin and essy a duty confronts him in providing to carry out the resumption pledged by tho last Congrosa. A A SOUTH CAROLIFA UIROU& It ianot often that a cirqzoolodon—which ia tho latost expresdion for clicua in the showmsn dlalect~renchen tho Palmotto Btate, Tho pres- once of au clophant ana of an old white horse neatly painted In fmitation of a zobra excites & wholu city. Tho clown drawa his audiences from miles sround, and tho soilod canvas of the big tent lookn glitteringly whito in contrast with sho obony facos that throng around It. This innate and rarely-satisflod dalight in such por- formaucee may oxplain tho fact that since iho War the Sonth Oarolina Leglslatoro bas trana- formed fitsolt into o circus, muck to the joy of s twsjorlty of tho membors and regniar spectators, Tho Institution s fally equipped. Thors fs & riog,—a very large ring, There are any number of clowns. ‘Ihere is & ting-master who eat in Congrass with honor to blnself and bis race, and whom we aro heartily sorry to roconize in his prosont capac- Ity, Tho menagerio departmont ls equipped with avery variety of beast of prey. Thero was geand flual porformanco by tha wholo forco of tho circus » fow days ago, It bogan with a suo- coanful trick. (ov. UUAMDERLAIN WaS aesurod by Speakor BLurorT that ths Loglalature had no intontion of electlng any Judges. and was thus poraunded to go to Qraenville, whero ho had an Imporiant engszemernt. As soon a3 ho wes out of tbe way aod his porsonal lufluence could not be oxeriod, tho rest of the show was Lurriedly given. Oue ring candidats afier another wad olocted, amid yolls of »Vietory| " “Qlory! " * Wa'vo beat Citan- Bruary,” and *No Domocrats nood apply.” Tho lobbios rang with laughter, avd tho por- formors marchad aroond in gaogs, —unfortu- nately not chain-gsugs,—howling bita of dog- gerel, such =a tho following, to the tuno of +401d Jemima,”: OuanDERLAIN, he ran sy, Qot so scarod fia couldn’t stay. 3, 3, WatanT, A n tre, Hieersd tho Jadiclary though, Turerrx, whom the whites suspacted, On “he 10t was elected. i Wiaomm, he did nmaway, We tnade lum Judge on yestordsy, ¥, J. Moexs was sbout, ‘Witlh tho Loya kie whipped Suaw ont, Bomo of theso couplets are frank euough., It I vory sruo that tho whites suspected WiLiPrEn. All honest mon auspected him, and, {f tho toath of what Iu told of him [s truo, with remson. Whon WiaoiNa * did run away,” it was becauso tho Hnerift waa looking for nim. The old rbyme wigul be changed to road ¢ Towbo sicals aud ruus away, May bo & Judgo anothier day. Btill, Wigoxs, AMosrs, and WuIerin ars nct Judgos yel, for, as the dispatches have alroady pbown, Gov. CHAMBERLAIN rofuses to isauo them thelr commissloos. And, in fact, some of the chiot porformerain the circus are begloning to agroa with the leading Ropullican paper of tho Stato in its mattor-of-fact asvortion that thoy aro * poor fools,” supplied with a **stouch,” and doomed to ‘*dsgradstion ‘and desp: The merchants, bankurs, and buginees mon of the Btate have telographiod their thauka to the Gav- crnor, sod aro holding meotingd, irrespective of party, to Insuro bim their cordial support in kie fight agaluet knavery. The next election in the TPalmetso Statowill ba an importans ane, Tho only sound that can ecotually penctrate the thick skulls that cluster in the Capitol at Colnm- bia is tho voles of ths poople, a8 exprossed by tho ballot-boxos, Herstofore, ln Bouth Uaroli- na, 1oz populi has besn vor diaboli. The reelgnation of Alr, Qxonax B. Baxas, Su- periutendent of the Railway Mall Bervice, will ko effoct Feb. 1; aud alresdy s appointmont of hlu successor ls a quostion of g Impor- tance. It would bea publio misfortuno it any man not familisr with the workings of thie com= plex and extensiys system which hna’grown up. under the superintendence of Mr, ArMsTRONG aud Col. 25axan shonld bo appointed to wuccoed them. Thoro ls no point of contact betweon the poople and the Govornment widch lu more senai- tive than the Postal Bervics, and no part of the Postal Bervico roquirea maracaratul management than tho raflway distribution. Tho succoasor of Ool. Banas should be atriotly in the lino of pro- motion, 110 should bo a man of executlve abili- ty. Ho should have a Ligh character for fntegrity aud lodustry, Al thoso quallfioations are united in the porwon of Capt, Jaues E. Warrx, Buperin- tendent of tho 8ixth Divlslon of the Railway Borvice, with headquarters at Chiosgo. Capt. Waurre's department inolnden six Btates sud two Tortitories. We Liave yot to Loar serious com- plaing of bia administration (rom suy quarter. On tho contrary, the newspapers of the West are filled with complimentary testimonials to his fit- uess for the position. In Chioago, where Capt. ‘Warte ju bewt known, there ls but one expreasion of opinion as to his merits. Wo foal confidens hat, §f the anthorities at Washington seo it to promote Capt, Wiirx, he will Ali the higher afiloa to tho satlafaction of the country, * Now York haa » Munlcipal Bocloty which pub- lishea a programma of tho reforus it means o carry through, The prograiames takes up five columus of fina print. 1t the M. B, wrostles anccesafully with & single column of evils, It will sgresably dlaappoint the community. It has ouo slogulsr provision in its Conatitution. The Committes of Saventy playsd a grab game for officers, and aa lost all popalar respect. None of the members of the . B, are 10 take oftice while they belong to the organization or for pinoty days thereatier.- We fear the Boclsty's ranks will ba sadly dopletad ‘just thres twonths before the next eleotion. ———— The Saturday Revlew asys that Awmericans boativg Buglishmen in wood-eagiaving. Thisls true to o certaln limited extens. Bomae of the li- Justrations (o the Ar Joursal are unequalsd by ahiy Roglish wotk, Aud tiet s 8o Ititiah perls mi odleal—outsids nf distinctively art reviews— which can compare with Serbner's Afontaly iv the excelleucs of its {ilustrations. On the othey hand, the London Graphis is without & rival among cur weokly papers. We may cite Jar per's and Lesi{e's for this weok aa proofs in point, Jlarper's In better than usual, bocauso It has bore rowed from forelgn printe moto judicionsly than {:Lu wont, whilo Leslie’s, as usual, is uousually ad, Tudged by tho quarrel over tho withdrawsl of Yals and arvard from the international ro Ratts, tho clitef ond of thie sverago nudergradoe ato would seom to bo to row agsinst other upe dergraduatos, and ao make s row when thoy ro fuse to row agsinat him. If thie manis con tinuos, thoro should be & changs in tho come mencemont sxarcines of our culieges. Tho valo- dictorlan hould prove his echolnstic proweoss by aparring with the Prosldent, and Josser athiotes ‘who bavs taken luwer appointmonia could turr flip-flaps an tho stage or awlng on the perilond teapezs. Thonew exerclsss would certainly ba 28 {nterealing as tho present programmo angd perhaps more appropriate. ———————— Parin bae ono odd tax, which has indirootly presorvod her asphbalt pavements from destruo. tion. The municipality levics = graduated tax on whaol-tires, which fs heavy on the nsrrow ones and almost uothiog on tha very broad, Tho lattoer are thorefore almost exclusively used, and consaquently no rutsaro worn In the streeta. Tho dlfforonce batween Parisians and Chicngoana ia that taoy are taxod on tltes and wo are tired of tazav, Tho Springlold Republican bas resd the Chi- cago Ponsion Agent's lotter to Gon. LooaxN, aud aske anent ib: **Who did bleckmall Miec Bweet?" Perbaps nobody. The Now York Fribune proposes an luvostigating commitlos (n Congress, For what? Tho lady doos not esy 19 Lor lotter that anybody Llackmatled bor, —_— Bogin 1870 by kindly greating all your friends and wishing thom a prosperous and Lappy New Yeur, sud torgiviug all your cucwmlca—except tho Town Board noats of tax-estipg thieves and bisckmailera. . Yorgive every ono whe has despitefally ueed you, oxcopt tho assesmsont jonfors who bave robbod ; pray for them that they msy never R25088 YOU ARY MOro., . ———— . PERSONAL Aigs Nannio Bristow, a daughtor of tho Secre-. writes glowing lattors home, A Judgo in San Francisco has granted an in- Junction perpotually enjoiniog the Presbytery from {nvoeatigating tho alfairs of tho notarioua L. M. Dawsoun. Miiton Saylor, tho handsome Cincinnati Cone grossman, donies with some warmth tho slane derous statemont that ho I8 fond of ladies’ so- cioty, Ifo would rather bave turilo-saup than turtlo-dovo any day. Tha Collogo boys who are flebting over the Howlog Assoclation are meraly puppots in the hands of tho hotel and bosrding-houss kespers of Baratoga, Worcestor, ond .Springfield. That 18 tho disgracaful thing about tho fght. A daughtor of Grace Ureonuwood {a taking alnging-lennons in Tarin. Hope aho will not fize opinton ; but we know from exparience thore Ix 10 burning onthusiasm in the famly name, A Cincinnats physician wroto to the Gazetis of that ity advising tho abolition of the borse. Tha Enquirer cruelly obuorves : ** Bome aay is writ- fng in thoGazellein favor of abollsljng tha horso. There was elways sn sotipathy betwoen these usoful animals,” Boolye, tho Amhorat Professor who got into Congress saan Todopendent, 1a troubled aboat tho Papo's toe. Gout, eh? 'Or corna perhaps. What has tho Chiof Holy Chirapodist been doing' that ho has allowed tho Light of tho World to etand ou a bad footing ? Mr. Joun BMcNames, oarnost American artiat, now in Florence, {a still ocouplod on bir figure of a base-ball player, to which he gives tho name of " Tirst BDase,” It will ba sold to ‘whoever fancles it and can pay tho prico. Tha subject may ba ous to attract tho parvenucs. Bomebody has sald that tha Clristmas prosents of yoang womea to young men are alwvays alip- pors. Tho symbolical mesning of the custom is that tho young mon are slippory fellows. The utatomont in notstrictly correct. Foot-roats, not slippors, aro now the favorite promsats. ‘fhe symbotical moaning may be the same. * The famoun duntist who Incidentally figured 1o the Great Trial bas suod Mr. Bocchor to re- covor £500, alloged to bo the prico of & sot of falso tooth furviskied Mra, Beocher nix yoars sgo. Tho dofendant, iu his answer, donies, first, thas ho ovor employed the plaintiff; second, that if Lo did omploy lum ho has no recollection of do- ing so; and, lastly, ploads to the statate of limitations. New York Fforld: ‘People have boon wop dorlng what bad becoms of the rag-baby. If thoy Laa only read the articlo in Chambers’ Journal sbout ‘Tho Rag-Bag,' tbey would sve found that ‘in a balo of rags brooght from Leg- horn, ang roceatly oponed st an Ediuburg paper mill, wag Jound a tiay baby pressed atmost #iat.' Frionds at Oinctunatl will pleass aocopt this lntimation.” Tho New Bugland pspers are still discussing Preeldont Porter's serinon in a Unitariaa pulplt 8 if it woro a matter for & mutual council, Hsp- plly the Congrogational Patton {s not & litigious spirit, or a gonaral consclonce-keoper ; and hia denominatioual brothron aro }ko him. Dutif tho Prosbyterian Patton should jn[l: tho Congre- gatiovallsta—which Heaven {orpid I—there might bo a trinl In New Haven worth talking ahout. “1Ieas Droitmann” (Charles . Leland) it writing » book on fans. Apropos of it, » Londor corroapondant writea: *I liavo rocently seeun ¥ collection of fana, ono of which was mado by & Normandy ladyof title; Itconslated of & beantifill ‘pattern of lace woven of golden Lisir, ‘sald to he her own,” aud the aticks oruamonted with sm3ll dolloate polistied crescouts, Inlald with tortolse: shell, Theso littlo mosaics were mude of het fingar-nalls, which she carefully stained snd saved.” 5 Ou this blosaed New Year morning, swear of from pull-backé. wine, and tobacoo, sud all devices of Hatan for the torm of your natural 1ite; begin a course of reading in Rollin’s Ao~ clent History and the Bible; opon a diary, and & Journal, and various other petty ascount-bodksy comfort the preity widows and the fatherlest youug men of property. By observing these almplo directions, you will begin tho Now Year well; you will galn the approval of & reawakooed conscience, having obtained which you may se lapao into your old courses with credit to yonre self and joy to the world, - Next to making good rosolutions, there is no such fun as broaking them. MOTEL ARUIVALS. Palmer Ilovse—E, A, Hancock, Wilksabarre, Pay 0, K, Bulelde, Monwouth ; G, W. Hteals, U, 8, Anay.} Bage, l:uwrllnrk" D Whit bias Fraok B d; W, Haa and J, M. Wiicos, Fitisbiegs W. urner, New York ; I, O, e, B O, favea: Otois, 15, 10, B Uted, Juckson; W, . Hayes, Gluton, Is. ; O, N Yaek. i rand Pasitodds . Kmberiy Minnesota ; Col k, Oloclupstit J. We Browsy Ialrasses the ifou. G, L. Ingereoll, Glave: a3 0. W, , 1, Walker, Ulab § .+ Judge John B, ‘Otaclonati Hannibal Minneapalls; M, A Mo- x:uf_mn.“ Jud atich.; ¥ A, Bickman, Now S, ogws, " Dlas D o il MNebraaka; Kol v go, I8 W, C. Gramam, Jilinols. ., .8 H H Juickav, Ireland ; Judge H, G, Bond, Deaver | Thomas . Y.t Ol’rk 0, B, Michsellis, Uy Ailer, New York; Aatoa Hope fan, ow York: 0. W, Bammenuy, New York Even- it ; ¥, Woodbridge, U, 8. &7 N, M. Bosw o b i T gy, b Louin) A Xt o Gardnee HoussW, tonj Cobk O, A, o oot & e Bl il Efl Q. ¥, Lurus, ln‘m:.uw York} Jows . Ji Mina, Qucuocdye Bxinner, Locheater, + 1k loo, tary, is at o boarding-school near Parla; and sha’ zle whon sbo moeots the fory ordoal of public - ot T e { - s N e i '