Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, July 14, 1876, Page 5

@l Tribune, TENMS OF SUDSCRIPTION. FAYADLE IN ADVAKCE—FOSTAGR PRETAID AT TTI8 OFPIL! % el to Ay wilirerstour ¥t One copy, per $ 1.60 A R .00 Club of twent 20.00 Postage prepatd. Bpeelmen coples sent tree, To prevent delay and mistakes, be sure and gire Posts Office address [n full, including State and County. Remittances may be inade either by draft, cxpress, Toat-Offico order, of In reglitercd letters, at our risk. YERMS TO CITY SUNSCRIDERS. Daily, delivered, Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week, Daity, delivered, Bunday included, SO cents per weck Address THE TRIBUNE COMPAXY, Corner Madison and Dearbornests., Chicago, Ll —— TRIBUNE FOR TIIE 8UMMER, Partionlcaving the city for the summer can have Tr Dasty TRUWNK forwarded to any address upon leaving ordors st our counting-room. The papgy wiil e promptiy mafled in a slngle wrapper, postags pald, for $1 per month. T AMUSEMENTS, 1looley’s Theatre. Randolph street, between Clark and LaSalle. **Con- wcicnce.” . Woodre Mugenm, |, t, between Dearl and 3 FRen ey = AW o Dick Turpin and Tom King.” ternoon and eveniog. o Al FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1870 ——fi Groonbacks at the New York Gold Ex- chango yesterday closed ot 80§, The Prohibitionists of linols mot in Con- vention yesterdny and nominated a Btate ticket whoreon the mominees considerably ontnumber tho nomioators. Thoworlk of the Convention is completely opitomized in the namo of ong of the Proaidential Eleotors-nt- large: D—~bosh! The effect of the excessive heat of tho past fow days apon the condition of Mr. Buame, who iz now at his homo in Augusta, has con- firmed the judgment of his physiciane that the original attack in Washington on the 11th of Juno was in the nature of sunstroke, Mr. Brame's recovery is slow and difficult, nnd n sea voyage will be prescribed as goon s his strength wall permit. Ono effect of the CusTem magsacro hss beon to securo tho passago in tho House of tho bill providing for the establishment of two posts in the Yollowstone country, ono near the mouth of the Big Hom and the pther near the mouth of the Tongue River. Theso posts havo long been asked for by Gon. Suenmay, who mado the original sur. voys at his own oxpense. Thoir establish- ment is better late than never, butitisn good doal liko locking the stable-door after the horso has gone. o But one bone of contention now separates the Conferenco Committeo on the Bundry Civil bill—the clause interpolnted by the Touso for the repen! of tho law which ron- dors it possible to have fair and honest eloc- tions, Apart from the merits or demorits of tho proposition,—which contemplates the removal of all restrictions in the way of re- peating and ballot-box stufiing in the Demo- eratio strongholds of tho North, and of all protection to the colored man in the South sgainst the violence and intimidation of the “White-Line Democracy,—leaving these con- siderations out of the question, the attempt o cocrco tho Senate by the introduction of guch legislation in an appropriation bill is manifestly improper, and will be, and ought o bo, rosisted to the end by the Senato, even at tho risk of a failure of the legitimato pro- wisions of tho bill. The Silvor bill as agreed upon by the Con- forence Committea wns passed by tho Houso yoatorday by a vote of 120 to 75, and, as the Sonato will probably concur in the action of the House and pass the bill, tho small-chango famine is in o foir way to como to a speedy end. The inflationists, eagor to ombrace overy possiblo opportunity to cheat some- body, undortook to insert s clouse making the total issue of fifty millions of silver subsidiary coin a legal-tonder for all public or private debts--a proposition which, with silver at a market valuo lower than that of greonbacks, meant nothing more nor less than repudiation inits most Risgracoful and disnstrous form, This nt- lompt was defentod, nnd the bill as pnssed doos not moddle with the legal-tender ques. tion, but simply provides for the coinago of the ailver and the issue of the coin by the Yronsury ot its nominal valuo in the same manner that groenbacks aro paid out, and without waiting for the slow process of ro- dceming fractional eurroncy. The details of a fearful tragedy a Newark, N. J., yesterdny, are contained in the dis. patches from that city, Threo brothers named Tmizruory, notorious as bad and dos- pernto men, in rosisting an attempt to arrest them ehiot and killed one police officer and fatally wounded anothor, Aftor seriously wounding another man, the bloodthirsty trio charged upon a tannory near by, where they killed two workmen, The tannéry operatives, rocovering from tho first shock of terror and ronsternation, and armed with their currying. knives, drove the murdorers from the factory and pursued them some distanco to the bank of tho Passaic River, into which the hunted flends plunged in the hopo of escape, Volloys of stoncs and other mis. siles from the infuriated workmon on the bank soon saved tho Btate of Now Jersoy the troublo of hanging tho Tnirruonxs, not one of whom escaped from the river alive, Thus in less than half an hour seven men wore killed and one badly wounded. It is hardly neceasary to remark that the summary vengeanco executed by the tannory work. men upon the three murderers is fully sus- tained and approved by publio sentiment in Nowark, Ee——— 'The Chicngo produce markets wero moder. ately mctive yosterday, but genorally weak. Mess pork closed 10@17§c per Lrl lower, at $10.47}@19.60 for August, and 10.67}@ 19.70 for September, Lard closed 100 por 1200 1bs lower, at $10.82}®@10.85 for August, ond $10,90@10.92) for September. Meats wero oasler at 8jo for boxed shoulders, 10jo for do short ribs, and 110 for do short clears, Lake freights were more active at 1jo for corn (o Buffalo. Rail freights were un- changed, Mighwines woro unchanged, at $§1.104 per gallon. Flour was dull and wealk, ‘Wheat closed 20 lower, at Bi}o for July and 9Gjo for August. Corn closed }@3o lower, &t 4530 for July, and 45} for August. Oats ‘were Jolower, closing at 28{c cash, and 280 for August. Bye wos dull at 640 nsked. Barley was essler, at 750 for now, seller Beptewber, Hogs wero active, and closed firm, Sales were reported ot £6.15@0.70. Cattle were f» astive damand at 100 decline, Bheop were quict at $2.60@4.25. in gold would buy $111.87} in grosnbacks at the close. Loufs Convention was wholly misconceived by tho delogates, who expended a groat deal of breath snd perspiration in adopting a platform, and oll for nothing, They ought to hava left it to tholr Presidential candidato, and paved themsolves the trouble and bother of determining the financial policy of the party. sottlo this matter, without regard to the platform, which, aa o =op to the inflationiats, demands the repoal of the Resnmption act, and the Domoorata in the Hovse, under the impression that the party is bound by the utterances of the Con- vontion, some time ago instructed the Bank. ing nnd Currency Committes to report are- peal-bill. Tho Committes, however, hangs bock and falls to report, and tho reason of it is that tho great Reformer at Albnny has is- guod orders that no report recommending the repeal of the Resumption act bo submitted. Hexnprioxs and his rag-monoy followers are clamoring for the repeal, and a very interost- ing rumpus is among the near probabilities, Tow, commending tho position he took in regard to tostifying befors tho Congressional Committee, but giving him full warrant to tell all that transpired relative to the whisky frauds whilo ho was in the Cabinet, must ba regarded asa purely porsonal matter be- twoen the President and Col, Bristow. The ox-Secretary may &till feel it to be proper and for the benefit of the public servico to insist upon theso communications as mattors of the highest privilege, and atill refuso to ro- venl them, such completo confidenco in him as to credit him with tho highest motives, and beliove it to bo best. 1If, on the other hand, Lo fell back on his priviloge merely on account of Gon, Graxt nnd his Administration, ho may now feel at liberty to relato thesccret history of the whisky prosecutions. It can soarcoly fail to redound to the crodit of tho Presi- dent, ox-Seoretary Brisrow, and tho Ropub- lican party, no matter what individdals may suffer. Tho prosecutions undertakon by Sec- rotary Bristow are virtually closed, we be- lieve, the rings have been smashed, and, whero bad judgment or bad manngement on tho part of local counsel has not intervoned, the prineipal thieves Lave been brought to adequate punishment. Thers is, then, per- hnps no further resson for withholding any Cabinet discussions of the cases, nud the Prosident i evidently satisfied that neithor ho nor any of the Cabinet Las over aid or done nnything for the whisky-thioves that will make them blash, tho excitomont and the intense feeling which provailed afew ycars ago on tho subject of tho charges for transportation. There was not villago west of tho Ohio River which wasnot aroused to the enormity of tho charges for transportation, 'The agricnltural population was ospecinlly outraged, and the exaction from them was fitly oxpressedin the for. mula that to sond one bushal of grain to markot required that throe other bushels bo sent along to pay tho freight on the ons bmshel. took active shape as far back ns 1872, was tho holding of State Conventions, county and township organizations, all having the pur- pose of scouring logislation limiting the rates for transportation. The matter rapidly as. sumod importance in local politics, and In. dipnn, Minots, Wisconsin, Iows, Minnesota, Nobrasks, and Knnsas, and perbaps other States, enncted codes of law on this subject, somowhat differing, but ail directed to the nin point,—tho rssortion and excrciso of tho power of the State to regulate and pre. seribo @ maximum rate for the transporta. tion of various commodities by the railronds. These onactmonts weoro rosisted, and the various laws have gono up, upon appeals to tho SBupreme Court, to have their constitu. tionality dotermined. yoat the One hundred dollars It nppears that the mission of the 8t Mr. Tioey has undortaken to Gen. Graxt's lottor to ox-Socrotary Dntse In such ease, the public have THE PROBLEM OF CHEAP FREIGHTS, Tho readers of Tne ‘TRIUNE can recall Tho rosult of this sgitation, which In the meantime, what tho hostilo logisla~ tion failod to accomplish has been brought about by natural lawe. - 'L'ho rates of trans- portation betweon the West and the East aro at this timo lower than the rates for similar work in any country in theworld. The do- clino kins gono far below anything which the most attor anti-monopolist of a fow yoars sgo over demanded. Grain by stosm on the lnkes to Buffalo yesterday ruled at 1§ cents for corn ; and from Buffalo to New York, by canal, 6§ cents. At tho samo time, contracts for all rail from Chicago to Now York have been mado at 15 centa for 100 pounds,or ¥ cents per bushel. Tho averago rate is 20 cents per 100 pounds. Of course, on tho old basie of tho outlny for transportation all this work is performed at a logs, It may, Low- ever, prove otherwiso. Prior to 1840 thoro was go transportation of grain by rail from Chicago to New York,—(he rates equal- ing tho valuo of tho grain. Inthat year a ooncession was mado, and grain was moved by rail through the winter at o profit. It lns sineo become o rogular traffic, each trade inoroasing and the rates falling, In the yosr 1874.% tho Baltimoro & Ohio Railroad; opencd its routo, offering low winter raton, A conso- quenco waa that all throngh that winter tho wheat crop gave smploymont to the railronds entoring Chicago from the West, and tho grain wont East by rail to Baltimore, thus overcoming the season of the *‘ closo of nav- igation,” and enabling the producers to sell oll through tho winter. Grain isnow moved by oll rail honco to Now York at almost the sate of 4 mills per ton per milo; at that rate, porhapa thero are threo tons moved to the ono that would otherwise be forwarded in that woy. It may bo thatin the cconomy of railway management it is moro profitable to move throa tons for 1} cents por mile than to move one ton for 1 cent per mile, The roduotion in the cost of transportution has beon gradual and steady ; it uay be thsten increased volume of businoss, with a reduc. tion of the cost to the railwsy for operating, will still leave profits, even at rates that a fow years ngo would have bankrupted any road that adopted them., ) In a lotter published in Tas Toimuns afow days sgo, Burus Hatom, of New York, wrote: Steel rails have rovolutionized modem railroad. ing, and tho stwe radicsl change, so {ar a8 cost of transportation ls concerned, 1a about to take plsco as when the railroads wore first started and stages and canal-boats superseded. A permanent way and stecl ralls on s rallroad now mean simply loading and unloading the cars, biring engincors, fremen, and brakemon, and buying tho coal tofeed the engines. They will load cars In 1hinols, Iows, Wiaconsln, and Minnesots, and unload thom at the Now York Contral & Hudson River Rallroad graln- elevatory on Manhattan Islavd Chicago, Lhe past and present great gratn depot of the world, will only bos way station for the gralo trade of the Northwest. 80 far as tho graln prodact of the grest Northe west s concerned— Nomore charges or commiselon for handll olthor {n Chicago or Bualo, ot saiting for navigation to open. rovolutionizing the railroad buainessin tho country, Ono of the groat crimesof the Amaorican tariff s that it delayed the use of ateol rails in this conntry at least ton years. The cconomy of stael rails is now conceded ; it is not yot possible from actual results to measure their duration,—they have not been in goneral uso in this conntry long onough to toll how long they will lnst in ordinary use, but it is safely estimated that, where the bost fron rail will last ton years, the life of tho stool rail will exceed thirty years, and, in this respect, is a groat economy in the work. ing axpenses of railroads, way, with Baltimore, which has nlrendy made giant progress in her Weatern trads; in fact, the increase this year hias boon so great es to exceed oven the liberal convenionces of stornge, and caused a temporary embarrnss. ment. This incresse oxtends to all varioties of Western products and results in an ex- change of trade, Thiladelphia is groatly enlarging hoer com- merce with tho West, and steel rails will enable tho railroads leading to thess cities to furnish transportation comparatively cheaper than to New York, ns they can now do. Nor aro these the only difficulty in the way of New York becoming the grain depot of the country, There is an all-rail (stoel rails) routp dependent on tho West for its business which will not bo subject to any close of navigation, and which will enabla Ohicago to deliver grain to fill European ordersat Halifax. Traveling byinteriorlines, Chicago can forward her grain by rail one- third of the distance to Liverpool in about tho samo timo it would tako to deliver it at New York, This ronte, built at compara- tively small cost, will bo able to transport grain from Chicago at less rate per ton per milo than can be offered by any railroad load- ing into Now York. s ey s T THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1876. No more lake navigation, No more canal navigation, No more {nterost and insurance, and no more Bteel rails have become a -groat factor in But the prediction that water transporta. tionis tobo abandoned, and that the stecl rnil s to becomo tho exclusivo rond for com. merce, {8 not only extravagant, but absurd. These water routea at this very timo threaten the rnilroads with now facilities. Capt. Eaps has boyond all quostion demonstrated that ho will furnish n ship channel of 22 fect of water to New Orleans, thereby ronewing the trade of that city, and making it ngain o markot Mississippl and its western tributarios. The Northwest for thair business, nnd here is strong compotition, offering transportation to an ncknowledged market nt rates which will bid dafianco oven to stecl rails, north wo Lave the grent lakes and the 8. Lawranco River. ‘brief timo the Canadian canals will ba s0 en- larged that the navigation which now stops at Buffalo and connects with the railroads will continue to Montreal. It will be all water from Chicago to the olevator at the other end of the route, and a cartainty of full roturn freights, now deliver grain st Buffalo for 13 cents per bushel, will then, with more profit, deliver the same grain for 5or G cents at Montreal, whero it will atand precisely as it will if sont to Now York by all rail at 15 or 20 cents, Here, then, will be such an improvement and onlargement of the wator routes as will not only reduce their rates for transportation, ‘but will continue and cxtend the diversion of tho trade from the West to New York, which ‘has alrendy mado such progress. for tho productions of the railronds must all look to the On the Within n comparativoly Tho vossels that can But Now York has othor difficulties in tho Stecl mils will connect the West Bo, too, in liko manner ‘The grain trade of Chicago has long sinco censed to Lo & mere spoculative one. Chicago buys and sells grain, and all other branches of Western producta, Purchnses are made here. Occasionally purchasea are mado throngh New York houses, but day by day the purchasers arc becoming convinced that itis to their interest to do their businces here direotly. All the capital necessary for such o trado Is Lere, and in the prodiction thint there is to be no more lake navigation, no more grain trade in Chicago, and no use for elevators hore, Mr, Hatcm lots an im- agination a little wild at tho best of times get tho better of his good sense, That therois a rovolution in the railrond business; that the operating exponses of railwnys aro to be cut down; that capital js lioronfter to be content with G or even lower per cent dividends ; that the present rates of froight aro to becomo substantially per- manent; that railronds aro to mnke profits Ly doing an inoreased volume of business, with s smoller margin between cost and ex- ponditure, may be all true, But tho revolu- tion will not be confined to railways; it will be general ; the snme reducod percentago of profit on capital, tho samo reduced percent- age of cost of operating, and the same in. croasod facilitios for aud actual incrense of business, will also apply to water transpor- tation, thus prescrving the same margin of difforence botween tho relative rates nt which tho land and water routes may do business. Tho groat problem of cheap transportation has been solved by natural laws, leaving tho legislation of the Grangors interosting monuments from which the world hasmoved awsy, . UNCOMMON CARRIERS. Under the provisions of the common law, ‘built up by centurics of usage and legal de- oision, the business of common carriers was in its relations to the poople a publie fanc- tion, Itwas pursued by the permission of the State, tho author wof the franchise, and ita linbilitics wore detormined by ths Btate, In later days a most pernicions change has been introduced, and the Courts have ssnc- tioned the cxtraordinary claims of common carriers to define thoir own labilities. In this way, expresa companies, telegraph com- panies, and rallronds havobeenable to impose any conditions they plensed on the publio by simply printing thom in fino type or blanks, bills of lading, and the like, The Courtyhave boen so amiablo that tho increas- ing nggressions of common carriers on the rights of the public have beon successively conceded, and have now becomo established narights, To euch sn extent is this true, thiat the Courts now declaro thomsalves pow- orlesa to make the resistance thoy porceive, too lato, to be necessary, unloss they have tho nssistance of the Legislature, Underthe logal rulingdas thoy now stand, the publicaro bound by such _purely constructive no- tice aa the list of conditions on a telegraph blank or a passenger tcket, which no one reads, and which, if ous was to read and rojoct, could not in any way be alterod or aopulled. The Cowrts have beon go8d enough, howover, to seem willing to make a stand sgawnst allowing common carriors to provido that they ahall not be hold respon- sible for thoir own negligence, Btill it is by 10 means certain that our pliable Courts will hava the virtue to stand oven at this Inat ditoh. As an instance of the attitude of the Oonrta to corporations, it msy be men- tioned that in several cass the Oourla hiavo rofused to hold rallroads lisble for the nets of thoir ngenta in giving false or frandu- lent Lills of lading, by which great loss wne inflicted on third parties. The subject of rosisting the impudent and dangerous en- cronchmonts of common carriers has boon much disoussod by the commercial pross of late, and has beon dobated in tho last two an- nual meetings of the National Bonrd of Trado. This body adopted Inat yoar, and ro- affirned this yenr, the following resolution : Resolved, That the Executive Council of the Na- ttonal Doard of Trade be reqnosted to recommend to Ita varlous constituent bodlce concerted actlon: First—In opposition to any bill of lading or ralle road recaipt whatover, containing or assuming to fmpose conditfons othor than recognized as in forco under the common law, as deilied by judicial do- clslons, This matter is one of supromo intercst to the unorganized publio, which does not noed to be warned of the difficulty of obtelning a recognition of ita rights from Congress, when corporations are on the otherside. Wo hope this question will bo widely disoussed and taken up by Boards of Trade and commer- cinl bodies generally thronghout tho conntry. Congress has the right to repudiate thoss practicos, as far ha they affect intor-Stato commerco, And when commerces botween tho Btatos hoa beon roloved, local traffle would soon claim and command the same an. franchisoment. THE REFORM CITYZGOVERNMENT. For the first time since tho bummers ac- -quired possession of the city two years ngo Inst fall ia tho City Government in a condi. tion to realizo the demands of the peoplo for reform and rotrenchment. For two years and o half (prolonging their term by stuffing tho ballot-boxes for the chartor of 1872) the Ring Aldermen, sustained by Corviy at ev- ory step, went on adding to the public dobt in an unlawful manner, increasing the num. borof looal office-holders, and authorizing and approving all manner of reckloss and ox- travagont oxpenditures, In order to retain certain persons in office (one of whom hes proved a defnulter for moro than $100,000) they added fully $100,000 a year to the city axponses, and nssessed and attempted to col- leot tho taxes under a law whercby $2,000,- 000 of back taxes have been irrevocably lost. The rovonues of the city were uncollected and the expenditurcs increased. Tho sa- loon-keepors wero pormitted to carry on their business without taking ont liconses in many instances, because they furnished the port to the bummer government, Tho number of people employed and paid was at lenst 60 per cont more than the services ren- dered. Valunblo rights and franchises were given awny, or rathor sold out by the Alder- men for individual consideration, but without securing any quid proguo for the city, Tho city was running behind all the time, and money borrowed upon illegal cortificates, for the payment of which no provision was mode. Thus, besides squandering all the money that could be collected, 2,000,000 of taxos were lost, ond o floating dobt was left of $8,500,000 over and above the available nssots, As soon ns the people had an oppor- tunity, they ousted the Ring Aldermen and cloeted a Council of business-men fully alive to the nbeolate necessity for immedinte ro- tronchment, and competont to devise means to that end. But tho new Council has been hampered at every step by Corvin, who held on to the Mayor's offico in tha intercst of the ‘bummers, and who, for tho last few wecks, has simply sought to exercise his functions to gratify his porsongl splean. But now, for the first time, by the olection of Moxnznoz Heard, has Chicago a harmonious City Government, willing and compotent to procood at once to the work of cutting down expenses. It .is no longer a house divided against itself, with o Council whose dutios manifestly lay in one direction and a Mayor whoso sympathica wero as manifestly in another direction. Mr. HeaTu is an honest man nnd o practical business-man, Ho is familiar with the machinery of the City Government, and will co-operate earnestly and honestly with the Council in the double duty of the hour, viz.: (1) to curtail ox- ponses at overy possible point, and (2) to collect the rovennes promptly and ener- gotically, Now let the work of roform begin. Tho first thing to do is to cut down remorselessly. Everybody understands this, The new Coun- cil know that this is what is expeoted of thom, and are already working atit. The now Mayor Lknows that this is what ho was clocted for, and he must get at it at once. All tho wsubordinates must willingly and offectively co-operate, or thoy must got out of tho way. The Mayor and Council have full power to remoyo any and all whorefuso todo 8o, and theguillotinowill boset going wherover the warning is not hecded. [Mr. Erzzor AxTnony, the Corporation Counsol, is n good lawyer and a hard worker, so that overything that is dono under his advice will probably ‘bo dono properly and lawfully., The Board of Publio Works — Mesars. PRINDIVILLE, Waxnz, and TuoxrsoN—are all sensible men, and must appreciste fully the necossity of reducing the numbor of employes, cutting down snlaries, and stopping all publio im. provements whore the stoppage will save moro than the loas to tha city, in contracta or othorwise, by reason thereof. ‘They have alrondy indieated whero they can save $47,- 446 a month, or nearly $600,000 a year, which is about 25 per cont of their sharo of the spproprintions, and possibly another ro. vision may roveal gtill further oppor- tunities. §The consumption of gas is in the hands of tho Council, and here atleast 40 ond porhaps 50 per cont can bo saved by the reduction of the number of lamps, and by awmore sclentitio system for lighting and oxtinguishing them. Fire-Marshal Benyen is familiar with his department, and must avail himeelf of this knowledge to lop off where tho oxpensa can bost bo saved. Supor- inteudent Hicxey, whatever olse has been sald of him, has always been rogarded asa good subordinate policoman, and ho must now look to tho Mayor and Council as his superiors, as they are, and do their bidding, The Board of Education have already dovised ascheme for reducing the cost of the schools, which must be fully sgreed upon and in good working order boforo the beginningof thonext school.year in Soptember, Tho Health De- partmont, Building Department, Law De. partment, and. all others, must stand tholr proportion of curtailment, Tho Finance Committoe, in o recent roport, expressed the Leliof that the following schedule of reduc tions can bo carzied out Reduction, per cont, Tax Commisstoner'soffice. B0 Bullding Department.., U3 Board I:I Tublic Works, fucluding Water Do- ment. vioess X Health Departmenl Folice Department, Firo DG‘!II(BWIIK.. Camptroiler, fucluding Collector. 14 I.|l|u$¢ll Bchuul Departinent.., This will bo au aversge reduction uf 44 per cent in the expenses of running the city, or asaving of something like $1,5600,000 from tha sppropristions foxr the mext alx principal sup-' months, It should be carried out to tho very lettor. Tortunately Chicago is now in a condition to dispense with publia improvements with- out endangering tho wolfare and progress of the city, which was noever beforo the caso, Formorly, and of nconssity, we hnd n wooden city, Tho rapidity of our growth aund the tack of mowerage precluded tho erection of stone and brick buildings ontaide of a small contro, Now, howaver, the system of sow- orngo and wator, nfter tho oxponditure of many millions of dollars, is about completo, and will be adequato to the wants of thecity for many yoars to come, and with an incrense of population by soveral hundred thonsand. The Dbridges are all built, oll tho noces- sary rallrond vinducts finished or wun- dor way, the tunnels constructed, the two Water-Works mearly ready for operation, the pipes enlarged, the sewerngo ndequato, the principal streets improved, and aoll metropolitan protections and com- forts provided that a city of a million peo. ple, compactly arranged, really require. There is nothing to do but keep this systom in order, and it must hencceforth be dono ns economically as possible, without sacrificing the property. Bo it Lnppons that, ns the people aro no longor ablo to pay taxes at the high rate of the past fow years, tho neces- sity disnppenrs; and, wers it not for setting aside o stated sum every year to mact the indebtedness which the Iato City Govern- ment saddled upon the people, taxation might bo roduced lower than in any other largo city in the conntry. As it Is, and even making up this deficioncy, it will be so ren- sonablo that thoro will bo no excnss for any more tax-fighting, and the prosent City Gov- ernment should mako tho assessment and collection conform so strictly to the Genoral Tovenue law that there will be no further chance to evade the payment of taxes, If the Logislature can amond ‘this law intelli. gently, and provide a means for recovoring the lost taxes, the burdens of citizenship in Chicago ought to be comparatively light for somo yoars to come. —— THE 5T, LOUIS NEWSPAPER WAR. Another chnractoristio and bitter newspn. per war has broken out in 8t Louis, and is stirring up that dull city in a very remarke- blo manner. Tho origin of tho war dates baoek to the crooked-whisky trials. It will be remembered that among tho victims struck by Buistow’s lightning was Mr. Mo- Kez, proprictor of the Globe-Democrat. He was an old man, and, like Mr. Hesive, was very soverely punished. Ho was an influon- tial dispenser of patronnge, aud tho Whisky Ring surrounded him, and by their blandish- monts finally succcoded in inducing him to taste of the forbiddon fruit. The’ severity of his sontonca secured almost universal commiseration for him, Nearly overy nows~ paper in the country spoka rather sorrow- fully of the event, and in their comments gave exprossion to the opinion that tho sen- tonce was o sovere ono. Tho St. Louis fe- publican, however, owned and edited by the Kwares, could not loss such an inviting op- portunity to assail arival. Tho GQlobe-Dem- ocrat being down, the Republican very ungenerously commenced to pummel it, and gloated over its unchivalrous work, It was unmercifally severe in its commonts. It pronounced Mr. MoKeu to be the chicf among ten thousand rascals, who richly de- sorved his punishinent. Binee Mr, MoKez's incarceration, whenever it has discussed political or othor questions, it has attributed every utterance of tha Qlobe-Democrat to his pen, instend of that of the editor, **Maox,” and thereby sought to make the paper odious as being edited by o conviet. It has never oinitted an opportunity to batter and bruise tho Globe-Democrat, and then rub salt into tha wonnds. Little Macx, howaver, has patiently bided his timo, warding off the blows as well a3 ho could, waiting his chance to getin o telling blow, and ho at lnst hos dolivered it and knockoed the Inarrs out of time, whilo he comes up smiling. He has been burrowing and smeiling around, and his gearch wnd rewarded by the uncarth- ing of a twonty-year-old scandal which the Kwarrs supposed wns buried and forgotten yenrs ngo. Aftor an unusu- ally sovers essault from tho Republican, tho Globe-Democrat came out the next morning with thoassortion that the Kxarrs wera black- legs, and made good its nssertion by the ofll cial racords of tho Courts, from which it ap- pears that twenty yenrs ago thoy were in- dicted in tho Criminal Court, along with over twenty moro of the leading Democrats of the city, for public gambling, that they pleaded guilty, and wero finod for tho offense. Such was the influonco brought to bear at that time that not a plpor in 8t. Louis printed tho news, and the knowledgoe of it has thore- fore boen confined to tho parties immediately interested for twonty yoars, It is now'tho proporty of the whole city, Little * Macx,” in his peouliarly cheerful and acrid way, is now ronsting tho Kxares, and basting them woll down with salt and pepper, rubbed in hard, He i8 industriously making up for lost time, and is ahead by alarge majority, ‘Wo print tho followiug clegant extract from 4 Maok's" exposition of the Republican's two TReformers, that our renders may have an idon of the lveliness of the fight: Ono »in of those times was the ensnaring of Plke's Peok emigrants into low gambling dens for the purpose of robbing them of tho money with ‘which thoy proposed to crosa tho plalns, Tho nu- cesaity for *‘reform® bocame evident; the suthor. Ities dotermined to put an ond to these nofarious practices, and tho Kxares woro among the outly victima of an outraged law, Perhaps it was a braco game of faro, with Joux for capper and GEongz for dealer, The stately Gronox! How the imagination plcturcs him lean- iny over the tin box and the green balze. e was thun §n the vigor of manhood and the prime of untelicctusl power, and we can almost hearbls manly volce nnnounca the rcault of the gamo-—-which was one monotonons record of win- nings for the Knarrs. Jomx was not a Colonel then, by mititary appolnt. ment, but ko was aMajor-General witha colddeck. His martio] famo was lu tho womb of the future, 1t was five years shead of him—on the gory ficld of Camp Jackson—whero ho was tho NAvAnus of tho occasion, except that Navanne woro & white plume inytead of whowing o white feathier, ‘Whether deading o brace game In 1850 or impart. fng the moral tono to the Hepublican in 1876, ho ‘has always boen a Reformer, : The St Louis fight is not pdonliarly en. cournging for thoso reformers who are labor- ing to secure jmpersonal journalism, and, on genoral principloes, it ianot pleasant to see people scolding, guashing their tooth at each other, and calling oach other hard names. Tt is not very decorous orcharitable toarraign tho two old gentlemen of the Repudlican for offensos committed o quarter of a century 8go, and to assail thom for the irregularities of their youth, when they wero in‘the hey- day of boyish passions and juvenile follios, But the Knares ought to have known that tho indlctment was etill on rocord, and waa lisble to bo found by the mousing ** Maox,"” and on that account to have beon a little less pungent iu their nssaulta upon tho unfor- tunate McKee, Thoy will recoive littlo sym- pathy, aa thoy commenced the fight. Mean- while it issad to contemplate the character of the gamblers and whisky~ingsters who " Budget snys : [ tlme (before 4 o'clock) will be inconvenlent for o adit tho Bt. Louls pnpers. It is what might boe oxpocted, howaver, in such a wicked city. ‘Tho regular ebb and flow of the campaign in Turkey onco more bringa the Scrvians to the surface in some important successes, but it may woll be doubted whether thoy are of sufllcfont consequence to materially affect the campaign, Tha most intereating feature of the eampaign turns npon the probabilities of Russin taking o hand in the struggle. The English papors, having a short timo ngo shown that it wns impossiblo for Russia to interfors, on ncconnt of its provoking an active alllance between Germany and En. gland, are now just as vigorously hedging against tho possibility that she may pitch in aftor all. A fow oxtracts may show tho curious position they ocoupy. The London T¥mes’ correspondent says: *“We are thus driven to the mssumption that Sorvia fecls Justified in céunting upon Russian snpport— an assumption borne out by many dircet indi- cations from the Neva aund Danube nlike.” Tho Spectator says: * Thediplomatists may throaton na brusquely as they plense, but it tho. King of Hungary and the Ozar of Russin permit Hervia to be occupled by ‘Turks for a month, their thrones wonld be exposed, from popu- Inr fooling, to a danger which they are mor- ally cortain not to face.” ‘Tho Pall Mall “Wo are still of opinion, in spite of nll that has been said of the forco of national and religious sympathios in Sorvia, that thero would bo no attack from Bervia even now, if that principality and its allies wero not assurad of support, sooner or later, from a grentor Power. And even if Runsia honestly wishes to koep tho pencs, what probability is there that the war now throat. ened will be confined to the ‘ring fenco’ which has captivated the imnaginations of sympathotio and sontimentalizing com- montators?"” 'The position of the English press, a8 will bo secon by tho abovo quota~ tions, is a curious one. Having conclusively «shown that the Russinua cannot interfere, they now stand shivering lest she moy do the very thing she oannot do. The recent law pnssed by Congress, and already signed by tho Prosident, prohibiting the trangmission in the United Btates mails of lottory advertiscmenta and circulars, will probably nccomplish a grent and good work. Hnd nn effective law on this subject been in operation a generation ago, millions upon millions of dollars would have boon saved to the people of this country, and tho amount of swindling will be notably reduced in the fu- turo. One section of tho law roads as fol- lows : No letter or cirenlar concerning lotteris, so- called gift concerts, or other similar enterprisce offering prizes, or concerning schemes devised and Intended to decelve and defraud the public for the purpoaa of obtaining monoy under false pretenses, ehall bo carrled in the mail. Any person who shall knowingly deponlt anything to b carried by mail in violation of this section shall be punished Ly a fine of ot mora than $500 nor Jces than $100, with costs of prosceution. T'ho penalty preseribed is sufflciently large and will be sufficiently used by the United ftates Courts to cut off the mails altogether from the lottery swindlers, Tho trouble horotofore has been that there was no har- mony in tho legislation of the various States, gomo of thom refusing to sdopt any anti- lottery laws, whils the uso of the mails has cnnbled the Joremy Diddlers to ciroumvont the State laws. Now, however, they will havo no means for circulnting their ndvortise- maenta excapt through tho expresa companies, which will searcely undertake the distribu- tion in the different citics. Under the law of some of tho States, indeed, such s Ili- nois and Ohio, such distribution is a misde- moanor punishable with nlarge fino. At all ovents, the present United States law will intorfore with the lottery schemes so sori- ously as to reduce their number very matori- ally, as well ns their facilities for swindling the public. Mr, O'Bniex, ex-Peorin aud present Ohi- cngo criminal lawyer, in dofending some olection judges who attempted to polluto the ballot-boxes at the spring election in this city, took occasion to deliver somo swoeping statements about the Chicago press. Now, Mr. O'Brien, being a professional eriminal Inwyer, is really only the mouthpiece of his clients, and in this caso he must bo regarded a3 a conduit through which the indicted eloc- tion-judges pass their spleon against the Chi- cngo newspapers, Wo should be very sorry it this sort of cnttlo did not -de- nounce and sbuso the press, for wo should suspect that tho prass had not done its duty. As it is, wo can only rocsll that “No roguo e'er folt tho Halter draw, with good opinion of the law," and all bollot-box ptuffers and olection-ro- turn falsifiers naturally resent their exposuro throngh tho newspapers, nnd blame tho pross it they are apprehended and punished. O'Bnen, being somowhat versed in the use of invoctive, and not at all averso to employ- ingitin any caso whero ho i rotained for that purpose, will continue to do the press o favor by denouncing it right along in behalf of hia criminal clients,—they usually being the vilest and most viclous wrotchea in the .| community, whose ill-will is the bost praiso o newspaper could nak, " ABTRONOMIOAL, Early in the morning of Friduy, Aug. 18, the planct Venus will spproach very nearly to a star ot the fourth magnitude, known as Lambda, in Gemini,—the least spparent distance of ceutres belng leas than one-twventioth part the dlameter of the full moon, At that thme the planct will Lo & morbing star, rislug beforo the sun, and sufllciently elongated from lim to permit the plienowerion to be watehed closely, though the popular exbibition, But the event will bu one of no lttlo Intercst to tho sstronomer, Tho dis- tance of Venus from tho earth belug then only about forty and a quurtor millious uf miles, the phenomenon offers an opportunity for obtaining & kuowledge of her parallax, and henco that of the sun, scarcely inferior in luportauce to that afforded by tho transit of the plauct across the solar disc ninotecn months ago, ‘The appulss will probubly bo watched, and, the appurent changes of distauce measured, by ustronomers at many of the observatories on the carth's surface. If the atmuspheric con- ditions bo favorable, permitting proclso meas- ures to bo taken, the results of thess obsorva- tlous will be compared, and the work snay prove of conslderable value {u determining our esti- mate of the sular parallax. “The motfon of the planet fn her orbit fs di- roct; so that sho will pass from tho Western sideof the star to tho eastward, Veunus lefug the most southerly of the two. The appearance of the planet through the tcleacope will be near- 1y that of the moou at fivo daya before the new 1moon, the {luminated portion of the disc being about one quarter of the gvhale; and the liue Jolning the cuspa of light will bo inclined about U degrees to the east of nstronomical north. This will render it difficult to take measures of distanco at the time of nearust approsch, as the star will then bo opposite a dark polut of the disc, n Nttle west from the northern horn, As seen from Chicago, the star will be on the 1line of cusps, at Bh, 43, a. m., the altitude bie- Ing about 20 degrees, and tho paralluctio angle 51 degrees. The star will, therefare, bo on the uvper left of the planct, the lne oyttt el oo e The distance of tle star from the nearcst §, of Venus wilt then be 76 scconds of are; gl distance botween the horns, or the lpp'uu" diamoter of tho planet, betng 81 scconts. 11t ntorval botweon the two will therefara by 1o than twico the diameter of Venus. The ney, - approach, a8 scen from Chicago, will be “r:.“ 234m. a.m., tho distance of centres being mh' seconds, and the fntcrval of spaco 75 sccondys but tho star will thon be beyond the casp, o) ll%:dy noted. i e following are the fundamental rom which tho posttions may bo calcuntey £ any place. Tho epoch chosen fs Auguyt, 1-: :flh.,w Greenwich time, which wrrmponu“'o; m, 838, 2 0. m. of the 18th, Ohlcago I'mlll:m., Mgv«rflm il Tit. Ase, Blar....Th.10m 508,50 1t Ave: . 10m 5, 72 e AR STN 18 ek 1o 12 i 16 dek 45m 53 e Venunons: 10 dek 4 S2 Yerus Bem Vers-die: hia €5 ‘The appulac may be observed through a s, i telescope; but a large {nstrument, fitted with micrometer, I8 necessary to take the measyy 3 accurately. IE tho weather permit, thio grey cquatorial telescope at the Dearborn Obgery,, tory will be thus employed on the oceaston, ———— It s auggested that one reason of the oy ty exhibited towards Becretary BRistow wy tho new meaaures he {nnugurated last year 1g proteet the Government from the losses o, sfoned by the porsistent and successful effory of Amorican tourists in Europe to emuggle gooda fnto this country on their return homs, Notyithatanding a decrease of more than 25 pe cent In passengers, the dutfes collected from passengers’ haggnge have doubled, It fs pe [ lleved that o good wnany of the delegntes tothy gd Cinclunuti Conventlon wero smarting under{yy il suma in gold collected from thelr families, o those of thefr.fricnds, which had to be pald po. der tho new rule, Formerly lmmenac wurdraieg and other personnl effects wero slipped cally through the New Yorl Custom-House by % hog. orable " ladies and gentlemen, and the bagpagy bureau of the Department waa conducted wity no reference to the Interests of the Government, at all, The New York Commercial Advertie gives the following figures, which tell the story of the cffect of the more rigid system of fuspe tion ndonted by Scerctary Bristow: 1876—Decrense of passengers.. " 5 e 1875—Decrease of baggage.. A 0 per cent. 1876—Increass of dutics. At 1870—Month of May dul . w%fih‘i 18674~onth of May dutles . 2,000 -_— Total.... sesueessiraiien . 89,208 1876 over 1874—Increascof over. 123 per cent, Dutics collected from passcngers’ baggage: Year 1871 ————— We pointed out not long since the dangersof firo to which the City of New York is exposed, as gathered from admlssions made by the pres of thatcity. The New York Sun now callat. J8 tention to the danger of Brooklyn, and clinrges g that, owing to the uscless fire-nlavm aystem, the safety of hundreds of thousauds of lves and many millions of property are dependent upen one watchiman’s vigilanee. The Sun saya: In Drooklyn it fs frequently twenty minutes be. fore the Firé Department knaws of o fire, In ono case, whore thiero was no way of conveyiug the olarm, twenty housca were entlrély destroyed he. foro the cngines urelved. In November and De. cember, of 1874, and January, 1875, the averaze dlstance from ench fire that occorred 'to the near est alarm stution wns three-cighths of a mile, This distance had to be traversed by some ono befors the slarm wos sent out. The consequenco was, that the averagy loan por fire in theee months was 2,700, Tho uveruge loss per fire in 1878 was §7,0243 In 187, 89,300: {n 1874, 83,605, The instances In which tho loss has been grently fne creased Dy tho delay of the engined are too numerons to record, “Thu ease of the fire in the Tlome of the Littlo Sluters of the Poor, whers elghteen nged persons were burned to death and $40,000 worth of proporty was dostroyed, because of & delny In transtniiting the alans, hus not beea forgotten by the public. But what are the iusurance companies dolng! For the life of us wu cannot understand why they should have discriminated against Chicago, which I3 dolng everything within luman possi- bility to fncrease ftasafety, uud malko exceptions in favor of New York and Brooklyn, which are not only deing nothing, but adhering tomethods which were in uso In Western country towns several years ago. B3 e ——— The hot wenther, eating crow, and the clee tion comnbined, have had such a distressing of fect upon the Chicago Zumes that It Ia acting like o lunatic. Both its candidates huving been defeated, the one recelving no votes at all worth counting, the other being in & minority hardiy to be called respectable, sad both combined be- ing whipped out in every ward in tho city, and leaten by o large majority, tho ZVmes gets on the rampago in o manner as violent and as fu- rious as If it hed a nest of hornets in the scat of its breeehes. It flings sticks, stones, andnud at Mr. Heamit, at poor old CoLviy, who hns stepped down and out, at Gov. Deveninaz, the President, Zacn CuAnpLER, the Republlean party, and the whole municipal Administration. It characterizes all who voted for Mr. HeaTiIAS ‘DLummers, Joafers, and party-strikers, and those who did not vote at all as well-to-do, decent, so-called God-fearlng Imbeclles. Our advice to our nelghbor, under the clrcumstances, is * to pull down his vest,” liold his yawp, and re. sumo his eating of Mr. TILDEN'S crow. e should remember that Le fs now “n putrld remintsconce, and that the public does not like to havo ita attention called to a reminlscence ol tuat kind by such a ridiculous display as he It making of himsclf. Resume your crow, Mr HUgamix will take carc of the city. il i ol st i 00 That the Presidentinl campaign s approache ing, ts shown by arcturn of the old fumiliar “gtraws," taking, tho Presidentlal preferences of cxcursfonists whercver they can' be cane vassed. Yeaterday a large party, numbering Detween 500 and 600 ladies and gentlemen, camo to tho ¢ity on a pleasure excursion from Bloom- fugton. They moke thelr heodquarters at the Grund Pacific, and remain in the clty until this afternoon ot 4 o'clock. On tho way up the road 1t wus proposed to uscertain the Prostdential preferences of the masculine spffraglats, with the following result: For 1lAvzs and WHEKLER .. ¥or Tyvukx apd HxNwwic) Por PxTki Coursn (rag-baby), Tho ladies werc unanfmous sgainst the sour, petulant, dried-up old bachelor, Bax TILDEN, who nover had an affection for anything but mouey. ‘The Republican State Convention of North Carolina has nominated TuoMas - SarTLE, tho President of the Natlonal Republican Conven- tlon of 1873, for Governor, and W, A. 8stitu for Licutenant-Governor. Four years ago the Re- publicans elected tholr candidato for Governor by 1,000 majority, after a desperate coutest, in which tho largest voto was polled over cast in tha Btate. Tue clection takes placo In August. It tho Republicaus would ke o determined effort, and receive somo support and encoursyges ment from the North, the State inight be aguin carrled, Judgoe 82TTLY, we believe, Is a native of bisState, and is a very popular aud Lighly- esteemed citizes . ——————a— O1d 8TOREY says that HiLpusTicls o Republie: an, o moy have professed to be one; but, after ho took to stealing for a lving, o ceased to clabin membership in that political church, and was found fellowshipping with tho class of people who are expected to cnthuse for Sast T1LbaN under the persuasions of Sronsr's two papers, both daily., e e Before the Bt. Louts Couventlon the New York Erpress (Domouratic organ) published a scrics of articles exposing Bam TiLpan's multitudi- uous raillroad jobbing snd speculations. The articles are exccedingly damaging as showing up the *true inwarduces of the man, Theso revelations haye been widely covled by the Roepublican newspapers and carefully credited to the Arpress, whereupon it grosus lu spirit and complains bittesly, The Boston Journal raminds the augriaved S that, ¢ Althouvh