Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 24, 1876, Page 4

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1876—SIX TEEN PAGES. a strong personsl oath that it represents thg The Tribuwe, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. X ADVAX( E—POSTAGE PREPATD AT THIS OFFICE. Daily Edition. postpald; 1 yesr. $12.00 ¥ er 2uonth. .. 1.0 G e L3 Litcrary and Reli; %380, sesarday EAIEion, tWeite pises =00 Tri-Weekly, postpalc. 1 €.00 Farts of 8 yéar, per monf .50 9pe cozr .25 b of 11, 1,00 lub of trienty., 20.00 Poriage prepaid. Spectmen coples 5e Zes, be sureand give Post- State and County. cr by éraft, express, letters, at our risk. SCRIBERS. . ittsnces may be nw: Cioe crder, or tnTe; od, 1.IBUNE COMPANY, arbora-sts.. Chicago, Il Occuprris. 'E (Tnsurance Dep't.). NT. 1% & WALLACE. J. T. DALE. P WATCU-CASE MAN'F'G COMPANY. 5 & APFLETON. - YORE WATCH COMPANT. J. BROWN. W. ROBBINS. LL. CHALTER OAK LIFE (Loan Dep't.). - ATRCHILD & BLACKMAN. RY L. SEELYE. W. D. COOPEE. 'S AORGAN. R. W.B2IDGE. “CBLISHING COMPANY. 22 ASSOCIATE EDITOR- . 3. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF. JMANAGING £DITOR. SOCIATE EDITCRS. C. EARLE. W. J. BARN. WILLIAM BROSS. H. F. NORCROSS. J. A. MCELDOWNEY . REDPATH LYCEUM BUREAU. COMMERCIAL EDITOR. W. W. DEXTER. GEORGE L. THATCEER. NIGHT EDITOL. & CO. 28 29, 30. 31 g8 33 35, 30. CITY EDITOR. Offices fn the Bafidlag to rest by W. C. DOW. Room 8 e €01 MEETINGS. X0.422, A F. &A. M.—The equesicd 1o De present althe ayadcation Dec. 29, 1670, 83 business witl e bronghi belore the Lodge, sud . desec. Visitors are cordially Invited. Dy orderof the Lodge. . MYRON HARRIS, Seerctary. D, A. CASHMAY LODGE. NO. 686, A. F. & A. M.— Aunuai_Compiunication will be heid {n thelr hall, -orner West Madison and Robey-sts.. Tuesday evening, i B ainsiallation ot oficerss it 7:30 p.m., ‘Visiting breth- H. G. THOMPSON, W.AL TTSOF PYTRIAS. GAUNTLET LODGE,NO.4. . bir I bers are hereby notified iecticn of officers for the ensuing term 1akes 3 evenlag, Dec. 26, ce {8 desired. CLORGE FALENER, HORATIO THOMAS, K. of 1. snd 8. . C.C -ordially tuvited. X0. 596 A. F. & A, M.— Cora in will be Leld at thelr hall corner und itand..ph-6ts., Tueslay evening, Dec. 26, lection uf officers lnd‘\-pamcnl of dug By WAL LONDB! Se APOLLO COMMANDERY. ENIGHTS TEMPLAR —Atzetion. Sir Kufzhts—speciz] Conclave onTuesday pext st Asylum. 72 and 74 Mouroe-st. arieously taviied. BYorderaf the E. C. R. DUNLOP, Ltecorder. TOST 28 G A RoSpeclalweeting Dec. 27, even. stec and Madison-sts. Visiting comrades SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1876. This westher is very excellently calculated 1o cuill {ie ““wal: " fever of the fire-taters. At the NewTor he story comes up from Springfield that re eight Democratic members of the Honse, incinding A. G. Sextox, of North Chicago, who wunt to be written down as **Independents.” but judeperdent on what questions isnot stated, zlthough thev are sup- posed to include the Senatorship. It is be- lieved there is a cat concealed in the meal- tab. Senators Bavarp, Gorpox, and THURMAN, Representatives Larar and Warreesox, and .other lending Democrats at Washington who Inow enough to imow what is the popular ~verdict upon the CroNix business, according to our dispeiches this morning have been instrumental in having Croxzy hold back his so-called certificate of election until it shall be determined how the Democracy can find the way out of the whole business. The at- tempt to steal that Electoral vote in Oregon, it is evidently being discovered, was too flagrant to bs carried out. The Lenden Times, in spesking of the dis- tribution of the Geneva award, has ndopted 1 bypocritical style not uncommon in news- papers of this country, but very unusual in the English press. It says it would be sorry to see tne Guestion raised in Congress wheth- er the Geneva award was nof too high, and wihether the unappropristed balance should Lot be returned to Great Britair, but says this *: a tone which indicates that it wonld be gk toseesuch s question raised, but doubts whether Congress has enough con- science 10 go into it. It would undoubtedly be a very graciouns way of bestowing the sur- plus of the award, and a much fairer distri- bution thereof than to divide it among claim- snts who are not -equitably entitled to any shere ; but, at the same time, the suggestion of such a course comes with poor grace from English sources. The Times’ opinion in this matter simply shows how keen and all-ab- sorbing the commercial interest is emong the English. Cox_npmmise, or ruther an attempt at com- promise, seems to be the order of the day. 1t is now reported that there will be an effort io reconcile the differences between. the Caaxeerrary and Haxerox pertisans in Sonth Ceroling, and it is suggested that the Demo- crats are willing to elect CEAMBERTATS to the Tnited States Senate, leaving a Republican Licatenant-Governor, if the Republicans will sceept WADE Hanerox as Governor. bably not much prospect of such a comproinise being made: indeed, it would seem to be jmpossible, in view of the fact { Lotk the. Republican and Democratic latures have elected United States Sena- tor. aud the two thus elected will appear as coutestents for the seat. There doesn't seem 10 Dz any room for Mr. CHAMBERLAIN in the Scnate under thess circumstances. At the same time, the matter being an affair which concerns South Carolina people. alone, we shall be glad to see any compromise that will be satisfoctary to both parties m the State. The Chicago produce markets were gener- erelly quiet and steady Saturday. Mess pork closed 5c per brl higher, at $16.45@16.47% for Jsnuary and §16.673@16.70 for Feb- ruary. Lard closed 5@73c per 100 Ibs higher, at £10.60@10.62} for January and $10.72} @10.75 for February., Meats were guiet end steady, at 6}c for new shoulders, boxed, 83c for do short-ribs, and §ic for do short- clears. Highwines were unchenged, at §1.08 pergallon. Flour was dull and steady. ‘Wheat closed J¢ higher, at §1.213 cash and $1.223 for Jenuary. Corn closed emsier, at 443c cash or seller January and 44fc for February. Oats closed steady, at 33fc for No. 2 ond 25)c for rejected. Rye was firmer, at 691@70c. Barley closed 4c higher, 8t 654¢ for January and 66ic for February. Hogs were dull and wezk, at $5.60@6.15 per 1001bs. Cattle were steady, at $2.50@5.23, and sheep dull, at$2.50@4.50. One hundred dollars in gold wounld buy $107.25 in green- backs at the close. A gentleman whose business puts him in posses- slon of all the facts requisite for a correct state- ment informs us that the wholesale dry-goods ‘business of Chicago for 1875 amounted to $33,- 000,000, while the wholesale dry-goods busines of St. Louis for the same period amounted to 38,500,000, This will be astonishing news to those who have allowed themselves to be beguiled by the cheeky drummers from the Lake City into ‘believing that all the dry-goods busiuess of the West was done there. In the retail dry-goods business St. Louis distances Chicago to 8 much greater extent than in the wholesale busineas; and, what is more, our merchants ore all sound and solvent, and thelr business s steadily increasing in epite of the hard times, while some of the oldest firms in Chicago are known to be on the ragged cdge.—st. Louls Globe-Democral. “We don't know who the G.-D.’s ¢ gentle- man ” is who furnishes it with its curiously inaccurate information. In Ter TRIBUNE'S fall and careful annusl eview of the trade and commerce of -Chicago for 1875 it gave the wholesale dry-goods sales for Chicago 8S fifty-four millions ($54,000,000), which did not include carpetings or tailoring goods ; ior were they bulldozed by doubling, as is the case of tho St. Louis bank clearances. If the dry-goods statistics of St. Louis are made up in the same way as tHe bank. figures of that city then $18,250,000 will be the correct amount to compare ‘with our $54,000,000. -That is, the volume of the wholesale dry- goods business in Chicago is to that of St. Louisas3isto 1. The New York press are beginning to talk out pretty plainly in denunciation of Vax- DpEEBILT'S capitulastion to Tom Scorr and Gazgerr in the matter of railroad-freights to and from the West. The Zribune doesn’t mince matiers in expressing the opinion thet Vaxpersrer has allowed himself to be overreached, and has sacrificed the interests of New York City. It presents this showing of the new scale of charges: FHow do the merchants of New York like the practical working of the new railroad compact, 88 illustrated Dby the difference between New York and Baitimore on west-bound freights? The fol- lowing table shows the comparative rates per 100 pounds, 28 established by the Baltimore & Ohio and the New York roads, under the recent agree- ment: ) g 8 T 2 . s NY, Bal!NY 8l a Chicago ...| 50| ks 40! 35’30 28| 25/ 22 Cincinaati-| 46| 40/ 41| 35/ 37| 2! 28] 24| 2| 20 oledo....| 40] 35| 35 3 31! il o5t 2uf 20| 17 Cleveland..| 20! 35! 35| 30l 30! 26! 25 2= 20] 17 Now every one kuows that sngurs, ssit, and all kinds of groceries and domestic dry-zoods can be purchased in Baltimoreas cheaply as in New York. Hence the Chicago buyer can save 13 per cent on Tis transportation charges by making his purchases in Baltimore instead of New York: To Cincin- qati, St. Loais, and otherpoinis the advantage in favor of Baltimore varies according to distance. ‘This js the way Mr. VANDERBILT is protecting the interests of New York and providing business for bis four tracks. Also this is the way *‘ the VAN- DERBILTS never eurrender.” Gov. Grover, of Oregon, reinforced by Judge Hoapirey, of Cincinnati, and Mr. Axvorice, of Vermont, take the ground that, by the English precedents, all votes cast {for an ineligible candidate are thrown awsy and lost, and that the votes cest for the minority or beaten candidate alone count! On this false assumption Gov. GRrovER tries to justify himself for the trick he has under- teken to practice on the Republicsns of Oregon in giving a certificate to Croxy, who he admits was not elected. But it happens that the English precedents prove just the contrary of what is claimed, and no more bear ont Grover’s act of usurpation than do the American precedents, which are dead against him. In a leading editorial of the London Times of Dec. 1, is stated the English law in such cases as follows : It hos been diecovered that some of those Elect- ors who have received the highest number of votes in certain American States are ineligible because they are office-holders; and it has been rashly eaid that those mest below them must occupy their places as Elcctors. Thie is not the Electoral law of England. Totes are not throun away unless the toters are aware of the disqualification of @ candidate; if they are unaware of the disqualifi- cation of 2 man who comes ont at the top, the elec- tion becomes a void clection as far as his seat is concerned.. ‘ < No one pretends that the people of Oregon knew that Warrs was ineligible. All the votes cast for him were castin good faith. The defect was not discovered until after the election, and the result was simply to create a vacancy, which the other members of the College, by the laws of Oregon, were re- quired to fill; and they did fill it. Croxivis bogus. He will never be sailowed to elect Trpex President. The Christmas time is at hand, and there is but one lesson to bs gathered from its immemorial observances that needs enforce- 'ment, namely, that, es it is of all other days the children's day, it should be devoted to making the wuniversal heart of childhood happy. Thefirst Christmas was celebrated by the visitation of the Magi with their gifts to the Divine Child, and in commemoration of this service every child should be re- membered. Adults have all time for re- ceiving gifts, and not one of them should encronch upon the children’s day with their formalities and obligations. Not & childish delusion should be disturbed by the absurd- ity of a visitation from Santa Claus to its elders. The largess of the little old Ice- lander, with his reindeer losds of toys and bonbons, should be confined to them, and “them only. Soon enough will they grow up to be cold, formal, and unbelieving in every- thing that has a trace of goodness, purity, or besuty sbout it. Soon enough will the Christmas tide lose its enchantments, its mysteries, and the glamor of its fables. Soon enough will Santa Claus lose his iden- tity, and the Christmas-tree become a thing of wax and tinsel, instead of the most mar- velous vegetation that ever fairy planted. Let all its legends be taught them. Let them sing all its carols. Let them believe in all its traditions, and make them happy with its gifts. The purity and innocence of the first Christmas are best symbolized by the purity and innocence of the children. Let it be their day, and let the adults take Nev Year’s, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving,—any day but this. b Above all things, let the poor children be remembared. Let them have one day in which they may have 2 belief in the goodness of humanity, and in which they may realize the Christmas song that the angels sang sbove the new-born Cmmistin His manger. Mgpke their homes heppy. See that their stockings are filled. See that the Christmes fire cooks them a Christmas dinner. Let them believe that the Crrms-Child does not forget them, and has brought them some Iit- tle remembrance. A very small toy in'a poor man’s house brings great comfort and long enjoyment with it. To these little ones minutes are hours, and hours days, and therefore their happinessis spread overa long period. Perhaps a remembrance of the poor will soften them in their struggle with poverty, and teach them that ‘humanity is ot as hard as they think; that they are part of the universal brotherhood ; and that there are hearts and hands reaching down to them to help and sympathize with them. Therefore, lot the children be freed this Christmas from el the little troubles and trials which afflict them on other days, and which appesr to them so large and sore. Moke it & day of unalloyed enjoyment for them, and in the doing of it yon yourself may grow young with them and feel a little kindlier to your ancient enemy and less bit- ter to the world. Let it be aday not only of fragrant memories and blessed tradition, but also of peace and good will to all man- kind, of hearty cheer in your own home, and at some poor man's fireside made gladder and happier by your Christmes beneficence and tho memories of the Bethlehem manger which it symbolizes. Ee————— SPECIAL PROVIDERCES AND GENERAL LAW! S. The brief discussion which Tre Csrcaco TrisoNe hes had with the Rov. Mr. ATxN- sox upon the question of direct Divine Agenoy, as-connected with the burning of the Brooklyn Theatre has bronght the doctrine of Special Providences into such prominence that it is difficult to avoid further reference toit. So far as Mr. ATEINSON is concerned, the discussion is virtually st an end, as he only returns o the same point at each at- tack, confessing his insbility to explain it; 50 far as the general doctrine of Special Prov- jdences and general laws is concerned, how- ever, that is always open. Thereisno doubt that the great mass of the laity and the clergy in all countries believe in Special Providence. Informer ages it was the be- lief of the whole world. In the days of ancient Greece and Rome there were only afew of the philosophers who disputed it; and it is the personal faith of the mass of mankind to-day, principally because it is a simple faith, easy of comprehension, re- quiring little education, reflection, observa- tion, or culture to accept it. and because it corresponds with the. acts of rulers and potentates in large degree. In the original state of society it was mnever be- lieved that the world was governed by gen- eral laws, either divine or human. The Romans approximated to general laws con- cerning many, things, with their Pandects and the Code of Justinian, and the Medes and Persians, with their nnalterable statutes; but, as a rule, the world was governed by the ca- prices and arbitrary moods of King, Emperor, or despot. Those moods constantly changed. The potentate was accountable to no one. He rewarded and punished according to his own royal pleasure, and changed his mind when he pleased. Even the Greek concep- tion of Zzus and the Roman of JUPITER was that of an interfering deity, continually vacil- lating and changing his purposes, setting aside all rales and laws, following no stated moral code or custom, and rarely inflicting any vepgeance less than that of desth. These views, as we have stated, have pre- vailed in all ages. The clergy have believed and taught them, and even at this day many men of scientific attainments, general cul- ture, and broad and liberal views, still at- tribute much of the accidents and calamities of life and the phenomena of nature, regular and irregulsr, to special interpositions of Providences. ‘With the Reformation, there arose a small body of thinkers who took issue more or less with this. doctrine. The school has gradually increased until now there are large numbers in all Christian sects who more and more ascribe the accidents, mys-- teries, and phenomena that bes:t life to gen- eral laws of the Almighty, and have arrived at the belief that He governs the universe by these laws. They essume that the Power which can create this world and all the suns and systems of the uuiverse, and people them, can govern them by general laws, and they furthermore assume that it is more rensonable and better subserves the purposes ,of the Divine Wisdom that all the affairs of the earth, and the phenomena of life and nature; the growth of vegetation and ani- mals; the visitations ~of earthquakes, irruptions, storms, and cyclones; the revolutions of planets and comets and the ebb and flow of tides, and the forces which hold the heavenly bodies in their courses, should take place under general laws rather than that the laws of the world should be set asids or interrnpted for human or incomprehensible reasons. Of course, there are as many grades of belief between the extremes of Feticism of superstition and the philosophy which believes in an unvary- ing law 8s there are grades of human char- acter; but the tendency at the present day among the enlightened lsity and candid clergy is against the doctrine of Special Inter- ference. Among the most powerful thinkers in the new school is BrokLe, who was one of the first to definitely proclaim the doctrine that what seemed to be a mere ehance, or ac- cident, or Special Providence, or mystery, was nothing but the recurrence of natural causes acting under general laws. As & homely illustration, every life-insturance company acts in accordance with BocELE's doctrine. Even if the managers believe that the taking away of a- human life is a Special Providence, they go on calculating the length of life and the chances of death, and insure that life under their be~ lief in general laws. In point of fact, nearly all persons have a practical, six-day theory which ignorés Special Providence, and a seventh-day religious theory which refers everything to Special Interference. A fire comes and devastatesa city. Immediately we put the practical theory in operation during the six dnys of the week. We look for the natural causes, and ascribe the ealamity to s strong wind and drought, to the large num- ber of wooden buildings, to the deficiency of water, to the ineficienq of the firemen, or to gross carelessness, and then commence to fortify ourselves against a recurrence of those causes in the foture. On the seventh dsy, however, we calmly and deliberately ascribe the calamity to the interposition of Divine Providence, on account of people’s sins. We thus have two conflicting and con- tradicting opinions,—one for workdays and one for Sunday,—one which we use for ter- restrial and the other for celestial purposes. Thereareother great thinkersbeside Bucars who have given their attention to this subject. Long before BuckLe, Bacoy offered views which led up directly to the doctrine of a universe and world governed by general laws. Eaxt was another great thinker who trav. eled in the same direction. Lu PrACE was another. The suthor of *‘The Vestiges of Creation " preceded Bucerx a few years, and made a great commotion. Since then we have Mmr, Lecky, Drarer, Huxrey, ToN- DALy, Dava, HrrcEcock, Lresia, SPENCER, DanwiN, Youmaxns, and a whole constella- tion of other thinkers in tle same general direction. They have shown us how these differences of opinion bave existed, and, the gradunl processes by which Science has pushed its way. They have shown us that it is not necessary to the truth or stability of religion to believe that the Almighty shall continually set aside His own laws; that it is not necessary to the dogmas of the Church to believe in special interposition,— 5 belief which, if strictly construed, must, some think, lead to fatalism. That the doc- trine of general laws inculcates and pro- duces a higher reverence for the Deity is claimed by many enlightened minds. The doctrine of general laws, within the Iast twenty-five years, has spread with rapid- ity among Christians, laity and clergy. It has taken a deep hold also upon worldly government. The more enlightened govern- ments are laying down general laws, and doing away with arbitrary and special legis- lation, and the most perfect and satisfactory forms of- government are those which are least characterized by special interferences with the operations of general laws. Every day the civilized world is becoming more and more acquainted with the laws of Nature. Every day we are discovering the couses of things before unknown, and the immutable, unchanging ordinances by which the Al- mighty governs the movement of the ocean and winds, the revolutions of the planetary orbs, the courses of the currents of the seas and the winds, the path of the storms, the sweep of the tornadoes and the cyclones, the structure and laws of vegetation, insects, and snimals. Every day men are learn- ing to separate the phenomena of nature from their illogical connection with the moral and religions conduct of men, and every day thoughtful Clristian minds are arriving at the conclusion that it is unnecessary to maintain’ an error in re- gard to physical things in order to be a pious Christian. They have their recompenss in the discovery that the belief in general laws conflicts with no moral or religious precept; that it does not antagonize the teachings of Crmist; that it inculcates no lower reverence for the Almighty; and that it presents Him as a wise, foreordnining, consistent, and omniscient law-giver. Recognizing these stable laws, the path to Heavenis justas clear and short from the battle-field, the burping theatre, or drowning ship as from a peaceful death-bed at home, if the soul is prepared for the final journey; if it be not prepared, it makes little difference where or how body and soul take their fare- well of each other. In all these investiga- tions and differences of opinion let us have charity, search for the truth, and walk ac- cording to our light. e e THE COUNTY BOKDS. The position taken by County-Treasurer Huox in regard to the issue of county bonds will do more to defeat the operations of the present Ring in the County Board than ocould have been accomplished by any legal process begun on the part of the taxpayers. He has refused to sign the proposed issue of $1,000,000 of new county bonds until the Courts shall have passed upon the question whether or not it is necessary under the law to submit such issue to a vote of the people. This is precisely what the County Ring has been anxious to avoid. It wasoneof the points raised in the injunction -suit to restrain the execution of the stone contract, but it was then. claimed that the contract could be fulfilled on the part of the county without the 1ssue of the bonds, and the question was not formally considered. Mr. Huor’s action, however, brings this ques- tion before the Courts squarely, if the County Board insist upon the issue of bonds, for nothing short of a judicial decision can compel the County Treasurer to affix his signature to the bonds, without which the issue will be illegal. ‘There has never been amore striking instance of the important service which an honest and courageous offi- cial can render the public. 1t is not likely that the Courts will author- ize the issue of bonds without first submit- ting it to popular vote. A law of 1872 authorized the County Boards in counties of more than 100,000 inhabitants to issue bonds on a two-thirds vote in the Board; but the General Act of 1874 on Counties pro- vides that * When the County Board of any county shall deem it necessary to issue county bonds to enable them to perform any of the dutics imposed upon them by law, they may, by an order entered of record, specifying the amount of bonds required and the object for which they are tobeissued, sub- mit to the legal voters of their county at any general election the question of issuing such county bonds.” This act does not specifi- cally repeal the previous act applying to counties of more than 100,000 inhabitants, but it is entitled ““ An act to revise the law in relation to counties,” so that, if it had been the purpose to except the coun- ties of more than 100,000 inhabitants, such exception would have been made in ex- -press terms. Moreover, the Supreme Court decided in the case of Bill 300.that there cannot be two general laws of different terms on the same subject ; that one of them must of necessity be special in its nature, and that the subordinate is inoperative. In this case the application of such a rule would shut out the law of 1872 relative to counties of 100,000 inhabitants, and sustain the general law as applicable to all counties. Under this construction tliere can be no is- sue of bonds without an approval by popu- lar vote. " If the Courts shall take this view of the matter, the county may yet be saved from o consummation of the rascally contracts made by the Ring for the ereclion of the Court- House, and postpone the work until honest contracts can be made and the work progress evenly on both the county and city portions of the building. There are two events which together would afford permanent relief, viz. : (1) A decision requiring the issue of bonds to be submitted to the people, which cannot ‘be done before the next general election in the fall ; and (2) the passage of a law by the Legislature this winter enabling Cook Coun- ty to elect an entirely new set of Commis- sioners by general vote of the whole county. By this conjunction of circumstances the present proposed issue could be defented, and’a County Board secured which would be entitled to the confidence of the people. Such a Bosrd would undoubtedly as- sume the building of the entire Court- House wupon an amangement with the city to pay s rental for its half equal to the interest on one-half the bonds, and it is not unlikely that the whole building can be erected under this system and honest man- agement for what it will cost to build the county’s helf under the control of the present County Ring. There isnot much spprehension that the Ring contractors will be able to recover dam- ages from the county for a failarein the con- tract duo to the failure to issue bonds. If it be held that the issue of bonds must be submitted to the people, and the people vote against such issue, the Courts would also hold in a suit for damages that the County Board had no suthority to make contracts involving an issue uf bonds before such issue had received the approval of the people, and that the existing contracts are null and void. County-Treasurer Huck need not be at all alarmed, therefore, at the rumor which the Ring Commissioners and Ring contractors are circulating to the effect that the county will have to psy the contractors heavy dam- ages for failure to falfill thé contract. There is not the smallest danger of this ; and Mr. Hook will be entitled to, and will receive, the gratitude of the taxpayers if he shall ad- here strictly to his determination. - fb——— THE MO0B VIOLERCE PROGRAMME. The object of the 30th of Decémber dem- onstration in Illinois, to be followed up by the 8tk of January demonstrations in other States, for which the Democratic managers have issued the programme, cannot be mis- taken, It is to organize asupplemental cam- paign of threats, intimidation, and bluster, by which to change the result of the Presi- dential election. That result remsains to be announced, and, whatever tangle there may be ns to how that announcement shall be made, it will not be solved by the gathering together of the most inflammable elements in the States embraced in the Democratic programme, to be harangued by demagogues intent upon * bluffing” the whole country. Nothing more criminal could have been con- trived than this progremme for bulldozing the nation by massing of material for, and inflaming the sentiment that would lead to, civil war. It is easy enongh now for recklass partisans to talk bravely about securing at all hazards what they are pleased to style the fruits of their victory at the polls, while at the same time they plan to capture the Administration, or rather the offices, by bulldozing tactics. It is easy enough for such fellows to style such per- formance courngeons. But it requires no conrage to make demagogical appeals to par- tisan prejudice. That is not the sort of courage that is required to safely conduct the country out of the present embarrassments. The courage that finds vent in bluster, and threats, and bluff at this juncture is no less treasonsble cowardice than was the bluff, and bluster, and treasonable threatening that precipitated the War of the Rebellion. Itis easy enough to snswer threets with threats, end to horl back defiance. But that, too, is not the kind of courage that is wanted now. The true gourageis on the side of the law and of a pacific adjustment of all questions that may arise through lawful mesns. The men who are manipulating the cam- paign of intimidation which Mr. TrupeN has planned to carry himself into the White House must not take the sentiment of the country, that quiefly but soberly disapproves of their programme, for cowardice. The Confederates made the like mistake sixteen years ago. They blustered and vapored, and nobody appeared to knock the chips off their shoulders. But the sequel is a matter of history. The men who incited the Sonth 1o strike the first blow should remember that the first blow, struck now, will cost the strikers as dearly as it did then; and the knowledge of that fact ought to ex- ert a restraining influence upon them now in the outset of this infimidation pro- gramme which they propose to carry by or- ganizing the elements for a dangerous conflagration. The United States cannot be bulldozed a8 was Ouachita Parish, as those who act on the cortrary assumption will find to their cost, and their bluster will frighten nobody. 'The better sense of the rank and file of the Democmtic party of, the North ought to suffice to squelch this moral bull- dozing scheme, just as the better sense of the Chicago Democracy squeiched Gen. Dax CanmERON's revolutionary schemes ; and we note with satisfaction that .the better sense of the Democratic party is making itself felt against this bluff-intimidation programme of Tmoex. Should that incendiary programme be pursued with the criminal recklessness with which - it hss been planned,— should these convocations of people drawn together by inflammatory ap- peals, to be worked up by unscrupulous demagogues, to the point of making the grand threatening demonstration that is aimed at, there will be but the more reso- lute manifestation of the determination of the great body of the people who are not office-hunters to see to it that the whole question be settled without mob violence or mob threatenings, and by the abitrament of the law. THE TAX LAW. The earnestness.and good will shown by the members-elect to the Legislature from this county in the .consultotions concerning the Revenue law and its effect mpon the financial existence of the city are cheering. The meetings :have been well attended, and the discussions, though general, have been of great interest not only to those present, but to the public. The defects in the Revenus law, and the deplorable consequences to this and the other cities of the State, have been pointed out ; and of these consequences there are two points invalving the question wheth- er the continuance of city governments will be possible or not. These points are : 1. That, under the existing law, the city governments, in strict compliance with law, have made approprintions for legal purposes; some of these appropristions being perempt- torily required by the Constitution and by statute; that the cities have in good faith levied taxes to ‘meet these appropristions; and that, after the expenditures had been made or the liabilities incurred, the Courts have discovered such defects in the law as to warrant them in setting aside the taxlevy, and thusleft the cities withont revenne. Here is the extraordinary situation of municipal governments needed by law to make ex- penditures and deprived of the means of col- lecting the revenue required for that purpose. Nearly three millions of dollars of unpaid taxes are dme to the City of Chicago, and proportionately as much to the other cities, ond the law furnishes no remedy. The municipalities cannot borrow money to pay the debt, and are . prohibited by the Courts from any attempt to enforce the collection of the unpaid tax. 9. That the evils as they ave set forth in the foregoing are continuous, and each year the dsficit grows by fresh avoidance of taxa- tion, and it is necessarily a mere question of time when these deficiencies must be re- pudinted or the municipal governments sus- pend. The remedy is in correcting defects'in the law. At present, payment of taxesis purely voluntary. There is no compulsory process. There is no penalty for thenon-payment of taxes. The delinquent taxpayer can go into court at any time within s long period of years, and by the tender of the overdue tax and 6. per. cent interest have all liens or | laims to his property removed. In other words, property-owners borrow the amount of their taxes from the public for a number of years at 6 percent. Buteven this does not cover the cases where men gO to the Courts and, presenting technical objections not pertaining fo the merits of fl.\e_tu, ob- tain 8 judicial order exempting their prop- erty from taxation altogether. Revenue 18 essential to the support of government, and the defeat of revenue mesans the defeat of government. Of the remedies proposed, one has been suggested that no deed of trans- fer of property shall be received of record withont sz certificate that nl.l taxes on such property have beem poid. This provision is said to be in force in sev- eral other States. However effective this may be as a means of collecting taxes, it will riot meet the casss where the Courts have refuged judgment for taxes, or enjci!:ed their collection. This class of cases requixes another yemedy, which must embrace an suthority in the municipality to relevy a tax which has been set aside for any reason other than that such tax was levied for an illegal purpose. It is tax-fighting on taglx- nical grounds that threatens the destruction of the municipal governments, and, to break up -this, the Legislature should pro- vide that the property shall under no circam- stances escape ‘any taxation imposed for a lawful purpose or object, even if its collec- tion may be temporarily evaded or postponed because of any error or defect in the pro- ceedings. . Another remedy, suggested by Mr. Huzp, is fixing a penalty for the non-psyment of taxes. All delinquent property should be sold to whomsoever shall pay the tax due thereon, fnd this payment should be made 8 permanent lien on the property and bear & rate of apnual interest which should offer to the party advancing a liberal compensation. The man who advances to the municipality the - revenue due by delinquent property shonld have an unassailable lien for his mon- ey, and should have suchan annual profit thereon as would induce such sdvances, and would discourage negligence and .delinquen- cy on the part of property-owners, because of the severity of the penalty. The preparation of the proper bills em- bodying the desired amendments to the law is confided to Messrs. ANTHONY and ApAME, both experienced in the affairs of the city ; and there is & reasonable hope that in due time our delegation to the General Assembly will be able to take with them to Springfield a well-considered and matured scheme of law to remedy the past and to protect the municipal governments in the future. e —————— HOW THE POPE 1S CHOSEN. A recent book by Mr. TROLLOPE gives & minute description of the manner in which the Apostolic head of the Boman Catholic Church is chosen. The information is time- 1y, for it can hardly be expected that Pope Prus IX., who is the only successor of St. Perer who has outlived a quarter of a century in the Papal chair, will exercise his authority very much longer. The old Cardinals, nearly all of whom have been created by the present Pope, have been dying one by one, and their chief and patron will soon follow them. The choice of a suc- cessor to Prus IX. will not have as much temporal importance as the election of Pope heretofore, because it has been during the present reign that the Papacy has been strip- ped of the last of its provinces, possessions, and temporal power. Nor does the Pope any longer exert his old-time influence in inter- national relations and diplomacy. Many of the Governments that were formerly subject to his influence have become almost hostile, and nearly all have been ematcipated from the tolerance of any interference in their af- fairs by Papal authority. But the Pope is still the absolute and supreme spiritual head of the Church, the earthly Vicar-General of the Savior, the wielder of the dread power of anathems, the only infallible of all poor mor- tality, and the recognized sovereign of eIl the Catholic dignitaries. As such, the elec- tion of a Pope is the most important crisis that can occur in the Church. : However absolute the Pope may be in his own person, and however despotic his rule may be regarded, his selection is in keeping with the theory of the purest democracy. He is chosen by & two-thirds vote of the College of Cardinals, and no interference is possible with the individual preferences of these Cardinals, There is no chance for fraud, for stuffing the ballot-boxes, for re- peating, for intimidation, violence, or “‘bull- dozing”; every Cardinal votes for whom he earnest conviction of the maun who castg jt. such an oath keeps duty always in 'iqv: Thereis no limit in matter of time, flhfltfing off personal preference, and ing convie. ion subservient to the necessity of an eleo. tion. If the American Electoral College werg- enabled to do its voting in something of the ssme discreet, deliberate, and independeng fashion, it is not likely that the country woulq’ ever suffer the embarrassments of the present sitnation. The election of Pontif that will ensue upon the death of Pope Pryg IX. will not probably be very exciting or of long. duration. Itis believed that there arg no cabals in the present College of Cardinals, nearly all of whom have received their hats from the reigning Pope, and are presumedly of accord in matters of church policy. Therg are no offices or patronage to be distributeq’ by the new Pope, so that hope of futurers. ward will not ¢at much figure in determining’ the choice. The confining of the Pope's power to church matters exclusively hug simplified the election. THE NORMAL-SCHOOL FRAUD, Of all the institutions established in thig community to be supported at public eg. pense, that one known as the Cook County Normal School is the greatest fraud on the taxpayers. It was erected and has been up. ported for no other purpose than as an asylum and a menns of living for one man. That has been, and is now, the prime use of the institation, and the net product of the sev eral hundred thousand dollars collectsd by taxation from the public has been thy emolument and pecuniary support of one man. The institution has been a costly ong to the public, both in the actual expenditure of money as well as in the results accom. plished. As an outcome of this institation we have a political body known as the Cook County Board of Education; this body consists of six members, and the President of the County Commissioners, and the County Superintendent, who are ex-officio members. This Boerd hes been divided for saveral months equally, not upon the plain and sensible issue of abol- ishing this superfiuous snd mseless school and disposing of the buildings fo the State to be used for some public purpose, but up on the issne whether there should be a change in the office of Superintendent. As the school was established for the Superin. tendent, the proposition to elect some other person to that office might be considered to be practically 8 move to defeat the pur. pose for which the school was founded. The Board of Education, however, failed to elect any Superintendent at all, whereupon the County Board, which had sbout as much au- thority in the matter as had the Governor of Oregon to make an Elector out of the man Cros1N, elected the old Superintendent.. Mr. O. C. P. Horpex has, as President of the Board of County Commissioners, becoms a member of .this *“ Board of Education.” If he have any regard for the publio infer- ests, for the cause of education, and any de- gire to promote a desirable and and deserving end, he can best show this by exposing the notorious fraud practiced upon the public by keeping up this so-called Normal School at Englewood. Let him do what he can to abolish the school, and relieve the public of an annual and large waste of pub~ lic money. There are in this city and county, and in the mneighboring cities and towns, a comparatively largs population of most worthy and excellent citizens who hgve chil- dren laboring under the loss of speech and of hearing. These children are, by reason of their infirmity, excluded from the public schools, and their parents are not able to maintain special ‘private schools. Yet thesa children are entitled to the beaefits of educa~ tion as much as any other children. The larger part of these afflicted children in the State reside in Chicago and its vicinity, and there are enough of them to more than fill - all the apartments at Englewood ever needed for the purposes of a Normal School. If the County Board,. or Boards, will formally tender a deed of gift of the build- ings and grounds at Englewood to the State, we have not the least question that the Legislature will accept the gift,—and perhaps they would pay something for it,— and establish there a permanent school for the free tuition of all the deaf and dumb children of Cook County and the State who may apply. We lave no doubt thatin a short time after the establishment of sucha school for that purpose there will be 250 children—half of ‘them from this county— secking education who have no means of pleases, excopt himself only, and msy con- tinue voting in this manner without limit of time or choice of candidates. The election oceurs in the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican, and the manner of proceeding is described ag follows: ‘Here tho Cardinals assemble every morning and afternoon during the interregnum, living the rest of the time in rooms of the Palace, called for the moment ** cells,” and give their votes until some one person has received two-thirds of all the votes prescnt, and, unless hehas voted for himself, which is forbidden, becomes Pope. There are two other methods of election, by compromise and by acclamation, but both may be considered set aside 1n modern times in favor of the ballot. Each Car- dinal, sitting ot his own table under a canopy, writesin the middle of & prepared sheet of paper the name of his candidate,—who may, of course, be anybody, or at all events anymale baptized per- son whawoever, but who is in modern times invariably a Cardinal,—and at the bottom of the paper his own name. ‘This paper is folded, 5o sealed that the name’ of the writer is hidden, aund carried to the altar by the Cardinal nimself, who, kneeling, pronounces in Latin the following’solemn oath: ** I call to witness Crrust our Lord, who will be my judge, that I am elect- ing him whom before Gop I think oughtto be elected.”” Hethen places the vote in the chalice or urn on the gitar, where the scrutator, always an eminent Cardinal, either the Cardinal Camerlengo (Secretary of State) or the head of oneof the monastic orders, mixes them up together, and counts them. If there is any mistake, and the balloting-papers are not equal in mumber to the number of Cardinals present, the votes are burned; Dbut this rarely happens. The scratators then, sit- ting in front of the altar so that they msy be seen, read ont each vote, without, however, reading the voter's mame, which is left sealed up, and then the total numbers are recorded and read slond. If any Cardinal's name is on two-thirds of the voting-papers, the cere- monial ends, for he is Pope; but this, it may be said, never happens until many ballots have been taken, and each scrutiny is almost, 23 a matter of course, followed by an **access This is, in fact, a second voting, in which each Cardinal **zc- cedes™ to some name or other for which a vote has been recorded, and differs from the firat voting only in this, that the chofce is no longer unlimited. The Cardins] acceding con only accede toa name already proposed. If the ‘‘accessit” is succesaful, the votes are verificd, care being taken to ascertain that the Pope-elect has not voted for himself, as that invalidates an election, and the election Is com- plete; but, if not. the same ceremonial s repeated twice a day until the vacancy is filled. ‘We know of no system of election which is 5o entirely free as this from every possible interference or influence from outside, and s0 well caleulated to secure a fair result. The ballot is secret, but there is an unfailing means for verifying the votes. There can be no cheating in the connt. There can be no influences save those exerted by one Car- dinal over another. The ceremony is solemn and impressive. Every ballot is attested by obtaining it otherwise. This would be a practical public benefit,—a proper provision for' the education of a numerons class of children excluded only by their misfortune from the public schools. Such a school would te a vast improvement upon the pres- ent expensive provision for the support, at public cost, of a single man, nominsally styled the Principal of a Normal School Here is a chance for Reformer Horvev. In his double capacity as County Commissioner and member of the Board of Education hs is in & position, if so disposed, to substitute a great public charity for what, to an ex- perienced man like him, must be a self-evi- dent frand upon the publi FRENCH CAN-CANS. It may not be generally known, or msy havebéen forgotten by many who knev it, that the name of the lascivious dance which opera bouffe has transferred from the Mabille and the Closerie des Lilas of Paris to the gaze of fashionable sudiences in Americs originally meant & class of things whichwe can only call trifles.” The French &7 given up to can-cans of sll deseriptions. peace and in war, in musicand art, in liters tare and the drama, ‘jn debate and State affairs, in society and even business, cdn- cans frequently exert more influence 0ve the average Freuch character than the more serious pheses of life and responsibility. It was orly a few days since'an entire Ministry was turned topsy-turvy over the question whether a member of the Legion of Honor, dying outside the Church and deprived of the nsual clerical accompsniments at burisl, should not also be deprived of the military honors ordinarily paid st the death of 2 Chevalier. This was sufficient to bring on & national crisis, the end of which is not yet. Another sensation of the day 1 Paris is the production at the Theatre Francais of a play by Ercmany-CmaTriax founded upon their ¢ Histoire du Plebiscite,” The mere 8= nouncement of the play was enough to re- vive all tha old animosities between the Im- perialists, Legitimists, and Republicans, and cahals were formed variously to hiss and ap- plaud. We believe the result was that the play showed so little political animus thaé the Radicals couldn’t applaud and the Bons partists conldn't hiss,—which must have been 8 serious disappointment to both sides. But, if the stage censorship of France wero less strict, it i not unlikely that the produc- tion of every new play would eall out- factions whose dissensions would be as mea-