Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 18, 1877, Page 4

4 THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. MARCH 18, 187/~SIXTEEN PAGES ‘meal prepared by our municipal suthorities Bible itself laya stress on ‘this as The Tribune. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. BY MAIL~IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID AT THIS OFFICE. Dafly Edition. posipatd: 1 ye 2.00 Silieat 2us aiBcees sous wedks Tor % Bunday Editlo i ‘sq Y. smuu‘r‘g:evuwun twel &$ Pariaof 8 year, ] One copy. ear. 25 b ol teraner: 100 Clubof twenry. 00 Postage prepatd. Specimen coples sent free. Torrevent dclay snd mfstakes, be sure and gtve Post- Citiceaddrems fo full, Including State aud County. Eemiitances may bemade either by drafl. express, Fost-Office order. or {n rezistered letters. aour risk. YERMS TO CITY SUBSCKIDEIS. Tatly, deltcered, Sunday excepied, 25 cents per week. Lafly, delivered, Suzday Included, 30 centy per week Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Cormer Madison wud Dearborn-stx.. Chicagu. Il TRIBUNE BUILDING DIEECTORY. Rooms. Occupants. 1. CRATTEJ OAE LIFE (fosurance Dep't.) 2 TO RENT. . GUSTIN & WALLACE. J. T. DALE. 4. DUEBER WATCH-CASE MAN'FG CO. 5. ROBBINS & AFPLETON. & TO RENT. 7. LUEBKEL & UUTCHINS. 8 WM. C. DOW, A.J. BEOWN. W.EOBBINS. 9. WRIGHT & TTYRRELL. 10. CHARTER OAK LIFL (Loun Dep't.) 11-13, FAIRCHILD & BLACEMAN. 24-15. JAMES MORGA! 1. W. BRIDGE. 16. HENEY E. SEELYE. V.. D. COOPER. - 17 N. D, HARDIX, 18-19. D. K. PEAISONS & CO. HUTCHINSON & LUFE. 0. L. BASKIN & CO. 22, ASSOCIATE EDITOE. 23, EDITOL-IN-CHIEF. 24. MANAGING EDITOR. 5. ASSOCIATE EDITOES. 0. L. €. EARLE. 7. W. J. BARNEY & CO. 28 WILLIAM BEOSS. 29, H. F. NORCROSS. J. A McELDOWNEY. 0. REDPATH LYCECM BUREAU. 1. COMMERCIAL EDITOR, 2. W. W. D} A. F. STEVENSON. 2 ESTER. 33. GEO. L. THATCHER. 35. NIGHT EDITOR. 36. CITY EDITOR. Offices o the Bullding to'rent by W. C. DOW, Roow 5. SOCIETY MEETINGS. CORINTHIAN CHAPTER. NO. . A M.— Spectal Convocatlon Monday eventag. Sargh 15, 2t 55 O'clock. “ Work on the I2. A degree. T}I order g ® J. A CRAWFORD, H. P. LAFAYETTECHAPTER, YO.2 I A.M Convocstion Monday evening, March 19, at 7 o'clock, for work on the M. P. & M. E. de sily viied. By orderor . N. TUCKEL, See. TORK CHAPTER, NO. 148 B. A. M.—Special Con- vocation o Thursdsy evening, the 2d inst., at 3! Qclo:K, fOF the purpude of work on the Roval Atch De- rve,af their izl on the corner of Madison and lovey- ¢ panions sve cordiaily invited. By order of JOIN ¢. CLUIT, M. £ 1L P APULLO COMMANDERY, XO. 1., ENIGHTS TEM- PlLAR~Special Conclave as” Arviugl, 32 10 73 Monrve- st on Tueadsy evening next, March’ 20, at' 7 v'elock. Stated Conclave the _sume cvening at 8 o'clock sharp. T. will be conterred. 1 order of the SR DURLOR, thd LINCOLN PARK CHAPTER, XO. 14l comer North Clark and Centre-sts, —St: panions courteously uviled. By GEder of the 11 P uarteousy toviied. -y Srder of Hie 3 T SDSTREAT, Seerieary. FAIRVIEW CHAPTER, N0, 161, R A. M.—Mem- Ders are requested {0 attenid 3 Special Convoeation for work o the M. Al aud P, .1 g, Marets 2. Viatetu: fouipaale 87 order MYLON HAERIS, Secretu ANCIEXT ORDER OF Aiteation! All meinbens of Gare are requested to attend their reguisr Marcli 19, aU7:30 . m. _Bustnese of nportau rausacted. A. COURCHESNE, Liecorder. . 163 1. 0. 0. Fo— 2ot at thelr next o revise and adopt MOORE, Scribe. SELAER GRAND LODGE OF PERFEC- A. & A. Scutel Jite Masour, will hola a Special Aasembiy 03 Thurs evening next. at 73 v'clock. Workva'uie 1ch Y, ke, By urder o _ED. GOODALE, Grand Secritarv. ADRIEL ENCAMPMENT. Patriarchs SUNDAY, MAKCH 18, 1877. At thie New Yorlk Gold Exchange on Satur- duy greenbacks ranged at Mrs. Pr=e hes.laid down the line of her husband'’s defense, and proposes to prove thot he was not only insane at the time of the murder, but hed three times been in- carcerated for ipsanity. The novelty of tlis plea deserves attention. e —— Our Irish fellow-citizens yesterdsy cele- brated in their usual manner the natal dsy of the Emerald Isle’s patron Saint. The pro- cession was an exceedingly creditable one, cousidering the conditions imposed by Old Probabilities. With balls, parties, sud ban. quets, the festivities were prolonged until an early hour this morning. ———— It is contended by the abused GevEvieve that Spiritualism is & frand, aud, worse than tuet, was controlled by a ring whercof her late lover wes the jewel. Materialization appears to have been a matter of feet rather than spirit, and the success of the . medis, if her .story be true, depended more upon the amount they sub- seribed to the support of the Jowrnal than to any particular influence they pos- sessed over the disembodied. - If this homi- cide should develop anything tending to the .destruction of the band of fraudulent Spir- itualists, it might be considered an advance in civilization, Asthe day designated for holding the Re- publican City Convention is not far distant, it is permissible to mske an observation. There are two candidatesfor the Mayoralty,— Mr. Heara, the present incumbent, and Mr. A M. Wmionr. During the campmgn not an ill word, not an unkind remark, has been said by the friends of one against the other. The canvass has Leen made in a courteous, gentlemanly manner. Mayor Heatm is generally regarded as tho stronger of tho two, but if Mr. WeiemT should win the nominstion there is no doubt but what the friends of the former would give him their colrdial:ennd sctive support. Should the re- sult otherwise, Mr. Wmonr's i will aict in a similar manne i Ex-Gov. Wanxorn, of Louisiana, has sub- mitted to the President a pian for settling the internsl troubles of that nnhappy State. * He suggests that the members of the Legis- luture whose scats are not contested . meet and pass upon the contested ones, irrespect- ive of all Returning Board figures. Then, after the result shall have been made known, let the completed Legislature in joint con- vention canvass the retirns for State officers. Whoever shall be counted in by this procedure let him be proclaimed the lewfal occupant of the office for which he ‘was a candidate. This plan, Mr. Warmors thinks, will relieve the President of all em- barrassment, and give him sn opportunity to withdraw the troops without Laving to re- sort to any political trade, The Chicago produce markets were quiet ond easier Satundey, except provisions, Mess pork closed 1240 per brl higher,’ at $13.621@13.65 for April and §13.521@18.85 for May. Lardwas stronger, closing at $9.17} @9.20 for April and §9.973@9.30 for May. Meats closed stronger, at 4jc per Ib forloose shoulders; 7ic for do short riba, snd Tie for do short -clears. “Highwines were kigher, at $1.05 per gallon. Flour was in better demand and firm. Wheat closed easier, at §1.22} for March and $1.234 for April. Corn closed e lower, at 387cfor April and 423¢ for May. Oats closed $@]c lower, at 331@3%]c for April and 35fc for May. Rye was guiet, at G1@63c cash. Barley closed at 53¢ for March and 52}c for April. Hogs were active and 10@20¢ higher, selling at §4.85@ Cattle were in fair demand and steady, at $3.50@5.75. Sheep were firm. One hundred dollars in gold would buy §104.62} in greenbacks at the close, V' The first fruit of State's-Attorey Mumzs’ investigation of the manner in which Azex- ANDER SULLIVAN was acquitted of the murder of Fraxcs HaNrorp was gathered yesterday. Heis a Swede, named A. H. Swavsen. On bis examination before being accepted asa jnror he swore that he Jmew hothing of the murder. It has since been ascertained that he was in constant atiendance at the first trinl, and refused to sign a petition against Judge McAruster for the reason that he believed Surrrvay innocent. Yes- terday he was indicted for perjury, and now chews the cud of reflection in the County Jail. President Haves, in canying out Civil- Service Reform impartially and equitably promised in his inaugural, has *‘run athwart the Lawse ” of the Democratic Bar Associa- tion of the District of Columbia, of which Dick Mennick is the head and front. This Association has taken mortal offense at the appointiment of FrepErICE DoucLAss as Mar- shul of the District, znd in solemn meeting assembled has resolved not to homor the ‘White House with its presence, as has been the wont of this body in times past. Inan intellectus! point of view, Mr. DoucLass is the peer of any member of this Association ; and in the light of this action, looking at the matter from a common-sense standpoint, these sensitive disciples of CoxE and Lrrrreros. have only demonstrated the fact how small great men can make them- sclves when they attempt to convince the world of their superior claims to recognition s expounders of social laws. It is hardly to be supposed that the President’s rest will be at all disturbed by the action of these self-appointed critics. In avother column will be found a long communication on the Crib, from the pen of Mr. Boaxmarr, who had the superintendence of its construction. - He charges that it was built according to defective plans and specifi- cations, that it is incapable of offering an absolutely perfect resistance to the heavy seas during an equinoctial storm on Lake Michigan, and that its destruction is simply a question of time. -The sud- den extinguishing of the crib would result in incalculable injury., It would render onr perfect Fire Department absolutely useless, and expose the city to the possibility of auother igncous baptism, M. Brawearn clearly sounds the alarm-note, and the authorities should at once appoint a Commission of Engineers—those connected with the Umited States army would be the Dest fitted for the work—to make a thorough investigation, and set all doubts at rest, “Mr. Brauniis may be wrong in his conclusions ; but, if so, it is better to err on the side of safety than to blindly iguore a possible im- pending catastrophe. DESTROYING CAPITAL. \ Two Sundays in succession there have been meetings held in {his city, at which addresses were made to audiences supposed to be workingmen out of employment. One of these meetings was called by the avowed Communists, to consider the propriety of nominating candidates for city offices to be voted for by the oppressed at the coming aty election, and the other was called nom- inally by bricklayers and masons, the object stated being to form a umion to protect themselves " against espital.” The tenor of the speeches made at both these meetings was the seme, snd the points urged were : 1. That labor created all property and ) wealth. 2. That the men who performed | this labor possessed none of its produets. 3. ‘That capital absorbed all the creation of| Inbor, ‘and kept the latter at the point of starvation. 4. That capital was the great| enemy of mankind, and ought to be de-f stroyed. The speakers argued that the con- dition of the workingmen was getting worse every day; that the middle class was being ruined and destroyed by excessive tax- ation; and that these evils should be corrected. It was also argued that the capitalists, and not the people, controlled all govern- ment ; that thé capitalist was the tenth man in the commanity; uine wero made paupers that one should be rich. There is nothing| newin all this; but the fact that it is repeat-| ed day after dy to willing and believing' hearers shows how naturally demagogism and ignorance associate. These men insist | that it is the duty of Government to furnish } employment for labor, sud pay therefor | such wages as the labor may demand, and / in several instances in Eastern cities notices| bave been served on Municipal Governd ments that, unless labor and wages are fur- | the wild speculation which prevailed preced- ‘The fortunate class, whether cap- italist or workman, is that which before th wreck had lived fragally, had labored inds triously, had avoidod wasteful and extrav gant habits. To these the change was nol 80 sudden; they had neither to give up.dnuk- ing and dissipation, nor extravagance in food or dresaing. Even those who lived upon in- comes from investments sbared the genfml destruction of means. Labor and capitt must both wait until the tide changes.. Iabor is unemployed, capitel is unproductive; if the workman gets small or no wages, the ing 1873. capitalist gets small or no income. Both | suffer, and suffer alike and from the same cause. ‘The rovival of the one will be simul- taneous with that of the other. When cap- ital can be employed with profit to hire labor, it will promptly be put to that use. To de-| stroy capital is to prevent the employment of labor. While the Communistic gentry represent that taxes are reducing whole com- munities to pauperism, they are demanding that tases be increased to raise money to hire Iabor. This inconsistency, however, is but in keeping with the whole theory by which thess people reason, if it can be said that {hey reason at all. Taxation necessarily falls directly on capital, whether ‘that capital be | the small lot and cabin or the large business block. This capital is now heavily taxed tof support those unable to maintain themselves.| There are, no doubt, 5,000 families supplie with food, fuel, and perhaps other items, st the public expense. Ample provision z is mede for the sick and infirm, while organized charities for the relief or support of hospitals, for the homeless, for free lodgings, for orphan asylams, and; other objects, are maintained by the volun- tary donations of those who have means. | There is hardly a day that any family able to | maintain a house is not called onto furnish persons more or less in actual want. Thera) cne from debt, and to jts preservition from misrale, , The wenkening of the public in- terest to the- extent of re-electing the old Ring so ovérwhelmingly discarded: & year ago will bs a public calomity. It will de- stroy the credit which has been partially Te- established, and give new licenso to waste, extravagance, and ¢orruption, with enlarged expenditures and incrensed taxation. Dur- ing the next two weeks let some attention be given to have reputable men made candi- dates for the Council, and, in this matter, let no party consideration be allowed to decide against candidates whose personal character and standing give assurance of their fidelity to the public interests. . MUNIGIPAL GOVEENMENT. Tn 1675 the Legislature of New York, in view of the deplorable condition of affairs in New York Gity, appointed a Commission, consisting of twelve gentlemen, of whom the Hon. Wrtzraar M. Evarrs was Chair- man, to consider the existing evils connected with Municipal Governments, and to suggest remedies for the same, twelve columns of the New York Times) having just been mado, and considering the character and ability of the men engaged and the subject in hand, it must command The report (filling i sttenlion and respect. of every thinking taxpayer in Chieago as well as New York. Without attempting in any degree to give the result of these deliberations in full, we wish to lay before the readers of TEz Tris- uNE such a review of the report in a con- densed form as will enable all to compre- * hend and understand the subjects considered and the conclusions reached without being compelled to occupy the time necessary for the perusal of s0 extremely long & document. The report, after giviug a hisfory of the ommission's appointment, the labor in- volved, and so forth, proceeds at onceton p consideration of the eoils. The first evil con- meals to from one to half o dozen outside| idered is ‘‘ The accumulation of permanent municipal debt.” The present debt of New is a large class of persons engaged in 18bor | you. ity (includmg the sinking-fund of §| about $27,000,000) amounts to $140,000,000, and the interest on this debt taxes the people every year to the extent of §9,000,000 ! The alarming feature of this great debt exists in the fact that it has increased out of all pro- portion to the incresse of population : who are destitute of thrift, who, when em- ployment is active and liberal, act as if they are under a moral obligation to spend all they earn as fast as they get it, and who for} this purpose expend largely for alcoholie bev-{ erages, which in themselves are injurions, to health, and bodily comfort, besides being enormously expensive. If the amount of ‘money expended annually by the wages pop- ulation for drink was economized they would discover how heavily their labor is volan- tarily taxed to purchase of moral and physic- ol poison. More capital—that is, the wages of daily labor—is destroyed in saloons than An increase {n the second ten ¥ An increase in the third ten years of 400 per cent. An Increase in the 1ast six years of 92 per cent. ara of 50 per cent. This showing is simply fearful to contem- is required to mske capitalists of thousands who now live from day to day, half the time in destitution and half. the time in wasteful expenditure, and all the time railing against capital. Do these people comprehend the meaning of the destruction of capital? whether large or small, is accumuleted sav- ings of earnings. The man who spends-less| than he earns is always acapitalist. He who spends all he earns, and runsin debt besides, cannot change his lot without a change of habits. To destroy capital is to destroy all savings, all surplus,—to destroy the means by which one man can pay wages for the labor of another man, by whick one man can build a house for other persons to live in, by which a man can purchase food, clothing, and fuel to exchange for the lgbor of others. Suppose capital destroyed, what then? All will be reduced aliko to poverty. If, however, production should be renewed, | P and each man by his lsbor should produce;| ds something, it would not be ten days beforel the sober, intelligent, and thrifty, spenaingj' less than they earn, would be capitalists, and the improvident be as dependent as now.! To destroy capital is to anuihilate the meansl by which society exists. B expenditure for ordinary purposes.” increase of annual expenditure since 1850, as compared with increase of taxable property, is over 200 per cent. ond as compared with incrense of population is over 400 per cent! The annual expenditure in 1850 was $9,000,- 000, and in 1876 was $2§,000,000.” Having shown the existing evils, the Commission plate. Itshows expenditures amply sufficient for a century, and large enough to have made New York the most beautiful city on the face of the globe. Aud yet it is a well- Xknown fact that there are many public im- provements within the immediate limits of the city which are pressing for beginning as well as completion, and her docks and piers ter. In fact, considering the outlay, thers is { are of the most unstable and rotten charac- positively nothing to show but stolen, stolen, stolen. «Evil IL.—The great incresse of annusl “The roceed to give the causes which Lave pro- uced them. The first cause is **incom- petent and unfaithful Governing Boards and officers.” The places of position aud trust being gained by personal esertion on the part of those occupying them, and ot being given to them by the people, ecessarily requires the outlay of money and Two weeks hence the people of this city will have to elect one-hnlf the members of a new City Council, and we wish to impress on them the fact that there are more mate- ial interests at stake in the character of the men to be chosen than there were in the elec- tion of Cobogressmen or even of President last fall. The financal condition of this city has been in a wretched state ever since the fire. Its improvement was impossible, save by retrenchment and economy. penditures had notonly to be brought within the sum of the actual revenue, but had also to be largely reduced. Taxation had be- come oppressive, and to reduce taxation necessitated a reduction of expenditure. Against such a reduction of expenditures the whole body of politicians, contractors, office- holding and office-secking population, was Council after Council opposed opposed. Ex- nished {o the unemployed, the latter will destroy capital by destroying public and; private property. Our Communists havenot, || 80 for, made such threats, but their arga-! ments all lead up to that point. That the, number of workingmen out of employment | is great, is not to be denied; but the suspen- § sion of labor is but a part of the geners | epression and prostration which apply to] every branch of industry. Manufacturers | whose capital. is .invested in buildings, machinery, materiale, and wages-fund, can find no sales for their ‘goods, and have to close thoir mills and their shops, and dis- charge their workmen. The capital invest ed in the business is for the time rendere uuproductive, and the capitalist suffers in fall proportion with the workman. Owing to the same general prostration the loss in alll branches of business falls upon invested| capital. Merchandise is depreciated, debts! are not poid, tensnts arc unatlo to pay rents, landlords have redaced incomes, mort-. gages cannot be paid, property is sold for a . triflo, bankruptcies are widespread, and in. vested. capital is lost and destroyed. The annililation of invested capital duricg the! last four years hss been immense. Is it strange that men who have something left,— something rescued from the general wreck, —j skiould decline toengage in production' which is not profitable, which is certain to be alosing business? When men at even the lowest prica of Isbor cannot' produce property except st & heavy loss, how can they be expected to engage in the business at higher rates of ‘wages? The panic and the general proatration have been as severe on capital a3 on labor. The sccumulated earnings of years have been swept away. We published a few days ago s table showing the annihilation, during the last four years, of over $1,000,000,500 in- vested in railway debts alone. The hard such reduction. Last spring popular indig- nation was aroused. An entirely new Coun- cil was to be elected, and public fecling ex- hibited itself in elmost en entire change of | 2 Aldermen. Republicans and Democrats united for the public good, and a City | e Council of new men, business men, careful, honest, and - independent men, was elected. This new Council had the cournge to grapple with the difficulty. Act- ing carefully, prudently, but courageously, | ci they attocked the roll of expenditures. One office after another was abolished; the ex- penses of others were reduced. ' Every.city ex- penditure was scrutinized, and cut down to the minimum. The result was that the ap- propriations for the next year were reduced TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLAES below the amount of the old expenditures. It required labor, perseverance, and independence to accom- plish this reform. That Council have had | e but one year's service, and half the members are about to retire from office. The whole class of politicians,—deposed office-holders and office-seekers, the contractors, jobbers and all their dependents, the men who want to punish capital by levying heavy taxes, the men who wanta peternal government which will restore ull the abolished offices, increase all the reduced salaries, £nd run the city expenditures up to six or ten millions of dollars a yenr,—all these are prepared to re- cover possession of the City Council, aad bave their eandidates for Aldermen in every ward. This class expects to elect its own men by controlling party nominations. In Demo- | e cratic wards it will name the Democratic candidates; in Republican wards it will nom- inate the Republican candidates. Unless determined efforts are made this old practice will be subcessfully carried out. The only safety the public hava in preventing the Te- tumn of the spendthrift and dishonest class of Aldermen s for citizens of all parties in each ward to unite upon some trasty man, some one interested in sn economical goy- ernment, and support him without reference to his opinions on notional politics. Wher- ever it is possible to induce one'of the retir- ing members of the Counecil to accept 8 Te- election, let him be sclected by all* means, 1o matter what his politics may be. The' election of o City Council which: will continue the policy of the present Council isa mat- | ter of essential value to the city, to its res- of the Commission. 50 antagonized on State and National politics that it scems impossible for them to wurk together when the vital affairs of their own promises of more. All this must be provid- ed for by the officeholder when once in power. Thus, large amounts are appropriat- ed for a1l sorts of jobs; but, being put into the shape of bonds, the people are taxed only for the inierest, which, of course, produces apathy on the part of the taxpayers, when, if they were taxed outright for these immenso appropriations, the people would rebel at once. However, the positive absence of dishonesty and roguery in City Government does not necessarily carry with it good gov- ernment. A men may be an’idiot and still bo honest. Good Municipal Government demnnds the presence in office of the best and wisest men in the community. Had the destinies of New York City been presided over by such men during the past fwenty- five years, the debt would not have been one-third of the present smount, nor the taves one-half of what they ot present are ; and the history of the past twenty-five years bids fair to- be repeated in the next, unless there shall be a radical change. Cause IL is *The introduction of State nd National politics into municipal affairs.” This js not of itself considered as causing vil, but evil grows out of it, in the opinion Fellow-merchants are ity are concerned. This view of the.case hardly needs a comment; it presents itself to all observing men. bonud to be sharply drawn when National or State politics are the subject matter; but when faxpayers go to the polls to vote it should be with a view of casting their ballots for those who, from having interests of their own at stake, will be mpst apt’ to legislato for the best good of the community and for “Party lines ore conomy,” say the Commission. Cause ITL—* The assumption of the Leg- islature of the direct control of municipal affairs.” The objections to the interference of the Legislature, as it formerly was in this State, rest in the facts: ““They have not the time, they have not the knowledge of the de- teils, and they have no personal interest in the matter,” save os to the small proportion of members who hail from the city. Another objection to legislative interference is, that it 50 frequently changes and altefs the laws governing citics to suit cliques and individual interests which may arise, that to-day, as Chicf-Justice Cmurcm, of New York, says, ‘4Tt is searcely safe for any lawyer to speak onfidently of the exact condition of the law in regard to publiz improvements in th Cities of New York and Brookiyn.” Having thas enumerated what to the Com- mission secmed to be the evils and their causes, they proceed Lo that part of the sub- jeet which should engross the attention of all taxpayers,—for, bear well, in mind, this body of men was no conclave to white- wash any person or any party, but they were chosen for their high standing, conrage, and capacity; and that they ‘well weighed and carefully considered the subject, is shown in the factthat while busily engaged, and holding regular meetings, before which were read pre- pared papers, and while they went back to olden times in their reséarch, yet were they two years in completing their work, | The report proceeds now to give some of the many remedies which from' time to time wero proposed, but which for causes enu- mer.\tepd f:ay decrded mot to. adopt. The first remedy proposed is.a carefully-pre- pared system of laws for the pnnis_hxinent of neglect or unfaithfulness in municipal of- ficers,” and the objection is, that while .this may- be easy enough; yet the present state of affairs is sach as to cause & lack of ability to enforce even those which do exist. 'This is deplorable in the extreme, and yet is'a fu_t. ‘Another ‘proposed remedy is * legialative interference,” which has been commented on previcusly. 3 7 P Another remedy suggested is *The with-. drawal Jf power from local governments, or the limitation of it by positive enactments, thereby arresting the incresse of debtand taxation beyond s certain sum.” ' This, how- ever, simply limits the smount subject to depredation by bad men beyond a certain sum, and causes the removal of no evil, and may put forth measnures whose effect would be simply to lesve the public necessities without adequaté provision. Andin thisconnection the same rule applies to the iden of preventing the Legislature entirely and absolutely from having anything to do with city affairs, as emergencies may arise, as they have in New York City, where occasional legislative ennctmenta are a positive nacessity to the well-being of the city. The remedy suggested by many of ** con- ferring .upon the Mayor. extensive,@ if. not extraordinary, powers,” is regarded as Dad, because the trust conferred, and the duties imposed and required, would be too great for the powers of any one man to handle, and no one with honest intentions woald sccept a place where he had entire control of the disbursement of §20,000,000 annually of city funds. ¢ Civil-Service Reform ” has been com- mended 88 a cure for the ills of the body politic. It sounds well, but it is a fact that the time is not yet when competitive exam- inations may Le introduced into municipal service, Something more is needed. Civil Service can come in as an adjunct or helper, Dut personal integrity and capability are the great things needell. This, in fact, is the lighest form of Civil-Service Reform. Good men already in the employ of h City Gov- ernment should certainly be promoted for faithful service, but Civil Service is too ethereal for the present emergency. Other remedies ars mentioned, such as “increasing the public interest in city elec- tions,” etc.; but all these are theoretical, not practical, and so are all dismissed for something whicl in the opinion of the Com- ‘mission is neither impracticable nor theoreti- cal, and which in a few words is this: © The chuice of the local guardians and trustees of the Jinancial concerns of cities should be lodged en- tirely with the tazpoyers.” 'To sdmit to a general participation in such a choice those who make no contribution to the funds to be administered on is uot in conformity with the principles on which human affairs are conducted. In the above conclusions we have the re- sult of the work of the Commission, and it is certainly worthy of thonght and eareful con- sideration by all property-holders in Chicago as well as New York City. Tt is believed that in all matters pertaining to general legislation, executive and judicial, all should participate ; but in matters per- taining to the levy and raisingof tax, and to the disbursement of such money, only those should participate who pay tho taxes. This mode of government, it is thought, would result in the choice of those to hold office who themselves are interested in the practice of economy in local expenditures. ‘Fhe real fact in the case 08 it exists at pres- ent js, that the proposed change is in reality 10 change at all. Prior to 1847 all the char- ters to towns and villages of New York con- tained just such provision as is now pro- posed, but gradually and accidentally the power of appropriating money for local par- poses passed into the bands of the Legisla- ture, which, being already overburdened with Lusiness, created new local boards and shift- ed it back to the towns in such shape that it passed into the hands of all voters, whether taxpayers or mot. ‘The bummers soon got control, and proceeded to rob and mortgage the communities. That this was never intended is shown by the history of the change, and was the result of accident, concerning which we have not uow the space to go into detail, as related by the Commission, The report expresses the opinion that all that is necessary is to awaken the interest of the taxpayers and to clenrly present the subject, which, if done, cannot help bringing sbont the desired change. To the taxpayers possessed of fair- mindedness must come the conviction that the proposed change is only fair aud reasonable. “The present manuer of city government is like that of arnilroad which should elect 8s its Diroctors not only from among the number of its stockholders, but also from its engineers, brakemen, switchmen, and pas- sengers,”—any one, in fact, who is benefited by it, whether having any financial interest in its mansgement or not. After going over: all the ground in great detail, the Commission present a definite plan, and slso the form for alaw to bring about the change proposed; and we bave only space to present a few prominent feat- ures of both. The Board of Aldermen shall be continued to be elected by all voters. A new Board sball be created, to be called a Boardof Finance, to Le elected by the taxpayers. The former to exercise all legislative powers save such ns relate to taxation and expendi- tare. The Iatter to have all power con- cerning financiol matters, taxation, snd the making of debt, disbursements, etc., ete. There cou be no doubt as to the fact that the evils and their causes, as enumersted, exist in ‘Chicago, save, perhaps, in one par- ticular, and the only question to bé raised is 2sto the remedy. There will, of course, be much demagogical and Communistic talk about ** aristocracy,” but that cannot be en. tertained as to the foct. No 1ndn has any right to come in and say how other men’s money shall be disbursed when he hes no interest in any such fund by reason of the fact of not having contributed to it. There can be no just ery of “aristocracy ¥ farther, for the reason that it is proposed to admit to vote for the Board of Finance all those Who pay taxes on, say, at least $300 of property, or who puy rent, mot less than $100 per annum. As to whether the latter class sre in reality tax- payers or not, isa mooted question, but it is thought'best to make the "provision for many and good reesons, In conclusion, considering from what source this report emanates, and the re- search and work involved in its: prepars- tion, we think it a document worthy to be considered by all.our Clicago people, and our Citizens’ Committee. - We certainly have had ‘a ‘taste in our..County Court-House- builder, Farmer Hagms, aund in the other conitracts awarded' and bills paid by our Board of County Commissioziers, and a fall might be exceedingly, disngreeable-if 1t should at any fature time be set before us. | kst RS THE JONES MURDER. ‘The public are alresdy familiar with the grotesque and wretchied details of the mur- der of S. 5. Joxes by P, the_injured husband,—a murder clearly enough growing out of a sickening combination of Spiritual- ism, and free-love, and personal immorality. It is not’ mecessary, however, o tracethe sudden death of Joxes o Spiritnalism. That, sapparently, played no part in the work of seduction, and it would be ss unjustto faston suy responsibility upon it as it wonld e to lay the burden of the Bezomen scandal upon Congregationalism, .There is, . how- ever, a great principle or fact underlying the whole matter that is worthy of considera- tion. Undeniably, the killing of JoNzs was mur- der. By the relations of the law no man has o right to murder another even for the seduc- tion of a wife. The law does not openly per- mit it to be done. It does not call it self- defense or justifinblehomicide. The statutes stamp it as murder; but juries always have and always will regard murder under such circumstances s justifiable, It is the-un- written law of the peopls which cancels tha written laws of the law-makers. It is per- laps impossible to find in the criminal records of this conntry an instance where a man has been hanged for killing the seducer of his wife. More or less punishment has sometimes been inflicted, but, as a rule, none at all. The motives in this snd drama are very apparent .if the statements of the implicated parties can ba relied npon. Thaeffortof a moruing contem- porary to trace sora similarity between the Joxes murder and tie Haxrorp murder, and to establish the formar as a direct outgrowth of the latter, is absunl. There is nothing in common between them, either in circum- stances or in relations. The confession 8f Mrs, Prxe was the inspiring and controlling motive that Jed the half-crazed phrenologist to avenge his injuries. If this confession be trae, the work of Joxws in wrecking the Lap- piness of the Pme family was one of the most cold-blooded, most deliberately-planned, and most systamaticaily-managed villainies onrecord. He laid his plans and worked at them patiently, determinedly, and delib- erately, for weeks and months, by taking advantage of her sympsthies, by m- gratiating himself into her affections through hypocritical acts of kindpess, by aiding her in her literary projects, by exerting his strong will.power upon & naturally weak woman, unti he had ac- complished his purposes, and then he main- tained the linison so long as it suited his wishes, and apparently so long as his other mistresses were willing. The utter hypoerisy of the man is shown in the fact that, at the vory time he was working ont this de- liberately-planned seduction, he was presch- ing ngainst free-loveswas denouncing Hory aud ather notorious free-love advocates, and had brought himself into a libel suit for charging Mrs. WoopguLL with the very im- moralities he was practicing. On the other Lend, if the testimony of three of the witnesses before the Grand Jury is to be relied upon, Mrs. Prxx is a per- son of very unmsavory reputation,—one whom it would be an utter impossibility to seduce. One of these witnesses testified that sho beld her charms at a figure so worthless as to recall stories of travel fifty or sixty years ago smong the natives of the Sandwich, Islands. Under these circumstances, should they by estab- lished beyond the possibility of a doubt, much of the heinousness of Jones’ effense in the eyes of the public will be removed, and to a liko extent will there be su incressed odinm attached to Prse. What proofs may be established on the trial we do not know ; bat this much is cer- tain, that, if the Court and jury believe that Mrs. Pixe's confession is true, and that it was voluntarily made, Prxz will not be in any dnnger at their hands, if thousands of precedents are of any aveil. Certainly, if Pre is tried by 8 jury of twelve married men, and makes good this confes- sion, be will be cleared. This is not a pal- liation of murder. 'There are no excuses or apologies for murder; but, where a man com- mits adultery with 4 woman under such eir- cumstances asare detailed in Mms. Pirx's confession, the world decides that he has committed a crime fully equivalent to mar- der. If the law punished the seducer with jmprisonment for life, and there were any -hope that the pepalty could be enforced, the csse would be dif- ferent, and men would not be so apt to take the law into their own hands; but the remedy in a snit for damsges is so grossly inadequate for the offense that the man who resorts to it is considered by society as a cravenly, mercenary wretch. So long as there is no law or statate adequately punish. ing the seduction of a wife, so long will hus- bands take their revenge in their own way, and society will acquit them. Apparently, it is ubder sach circumstances as these that Prxe must stand his trial for the murder of Joxes. — THE LESSON OF T0-DAY IN RELIGION. As the world comes to attach less value than it once did to the differences of creeds in the matter of religion, it naturally lays, greater stress upon moral earnestness. For this remains as duty so long as religion itself Temains in the mind, clinging to that which is 'most fundamental in belief, and surviving all superficial and many serious changes. Until religion sinks into hypocrisy, or into that which isnear akin,—mere formalism,—it Tetnins, under every creed, an earnestness, which ig 8 proof of sincerity and sm’im- pulse to action. And when, after long de- cay and death, the religious element, in any land or under any cult, awakens to new vigor, this is again the «ign of life. Some- thing thought to be error and evil is hated ond denounced, and something sup- posed to be trmth and goodness is songht nnd defended. This was true of Judaism, and under it of Essenism and Phari- seeism, and even of Sadduceeism; this was preeminently true of Christianity, and of its various phases in the Protestant Reforma- tion, the Puritan movement, and the :Wes- leyan revival ; and it was meusurably true of Mobammedanism as a protest against theidol- atry of the Arabiau tribes, on the one hand, and sgnitist the conceptions of the Christian Orient, on the other. - Deadness in one quir- ter evokes life in another quarter, in the swing of the human pendulum, and in tha play of moral forces. y ‘Theé events of to-day obsarve the same law of mind as heretofore. Great religious movements are in progress, having, no doubt, their peculiar character, in some respects, yet illustrating the principles whicl bave ever connected themselves with. the hu- man’ conscience. A moral earnesthiess of purpose underlies them all, 50 far.as they have any power; and this is the encourag- ing sign to the Well-wisher of his'race. ' The sential point, it being, as Marruew urges so eloquently in his * Lii . Dogms,” the grand text-book of . Righitae!. ness, as the Greek classics are the tflt.w of Culture. Even 'so_positive and o thusiastio a préacher as PETER said : sy trath T perceive that Gop is 10, Tespectergp persons; but in every nation he that fearaty Him and worketh righteonsness is with Him.” Pauz, too, dogmatic AShewy in' the assextion of doctrine, was brosd' ing} liberal- in his -jadgment: of - chatacter, sy spoke hopefully of the case- “Whea gy, Gentiles; who have not the (written) law, by naturo the things contained in the Iy Teis of interest; therefore, to notice that 4y | one studies passing events, he finds that g lesson of , to-day in religion is, the value necessity of moral enrnesiness; of ‘Daving ever in view the rectificationand elevation of If we begin with the skeptics, nothing &, more evident than the changed tone of lay: years in this very respect. Letone comp for this purpose, the writings of Taowy Parng, or of VOLTAIRE, with those of Joge” MoreLy or Mr. Gea. The latter hs seriousness of purpose, & sense of responsi. bility, a gravity of thought and expression, 3 + carefulness not to lend - encouragement ty-; moral evil, which are conspicuously abeent from the former. They reason rather thay cavil ; théy present difficultiés rather tha" invent excuses ; they try not to forget ths great problems which confront ‘all thinkers, ' whether or not these accept Chrigtiani They ally themselves carefully, also, with - good morals, and with all humsnitarian re.; forms and thus strive, with how mach of success different minds will ‘not agree, to™ have a positive as well 28 a negative quality” to their skepticism. . "oy From the skeptics one may. pass to the heathen and semi-heathen. We may look to . swakening Japan, which seems 5o .earnest and persistent in the direction of a -national - réform,—which begins indeed with politics ' and commerce, but ends in education and* religion. Or we may rote the famous at.. tempt at inside reform in the Brahmanism of Indis, in the case of the “Brahmo Somaj, which now numbers one hundred societies m the Provinces of Bombay, Madras, Punjab, Assam, Orissa, aod. S. Canara. 3L D! Cox- = WAY, who has been reading their Year-Book, . _ says that their service is not essentially dif. ferent from that of<the English or Amer. ican Unitarians, “‘except that both preacher « and people are tzarmer than our average Uni- * tarians.” They denounce idolatry and pro- fess to return to the worship of one Gop, as. tanght in the most sncient Sanscrit books. They have broken caste and suffered perse- cution from their former friends. There is much that is yet incomplete and inconsistent in their ideas and mothods, but plainly an earnest purpose is behind their deeds. They are following such light as has reached them, at no small cost to themselves in respect to property, and reputation, and ease. Even the Mohammedans give signs of a semi-moral awakening after their eonception of religion. A writer in the last number of the North American Review shows how lit- tle many of the sentimental British states- men understand the working of the Turk- ish mind on the Esstern question; and he makes it plain that the Mohamme- dans of that Jland consider them- selves to occupy far higher moral ground than do the so-called Christian r Powers. They see that the peculiarities of their gov- ernment grow directly out of their faith, and are willing to die for the two as thus joined ; so that s united Europe, instead of securing concession, as was hoped, only made a united Islam in opposition. They think that the Christisn world worship gold, and will never make war for a principle, while the Softis rely upon rousicg the ancient faith of the Moslems, which counts Jife cheap in the cause of the Prophet. - A new earnestness is springing up as ad inspiration, and because of it we may yet see a tremendous conflict of ancient enemies who represent warring re ligioas ideas. i In the recent ‘‘revival” movement the power is of the same kind. Men deeplyin " earnest are at the head of it,—men whohave | no doubts as to their creed, oras to their personal acceptance with Gop. They in- - spire others with the same spirit, and the moral contagion spreads. No doubt they have done much good. The reformations * from vice show this, as do also the changes from formalism and indifference. They have had the merit of acting out their prin- ciples boldly and honestly, which is a grand . example to all of whatever faith. No mas is obliged to accept Mr. Moopy's creed, if it seem to . him unreasonable; but all men, - believe as they may, should learn »a lesson from his moral earnestness and thorough | consistency. To this spirit we may point all clisses of religionists s one worthy of | imitation not only, but as a necessity to power and progress. PERSONAL. Mr. Daly proposed togive a benefit for Ges. * Cnster's family at bis theatre; but Mrs. Custer; of course, declined to be 4o bepefited. £ Charles Francis Adams thawed sufficiently to nod * Assent to the observation that **Mr. Hayes had & - Jevel head,” and Immediately froze upsgalnins Hew attitude. < ) The enormous number df 400,000 pilgrims is ex- - pected in Rome on_ the occasion of the Episcopal Jubilee of Pope Plus. Ninety thonsand will go from France alone. Last Toesday night a bangnet was given to Mr. John McCullongh at St. Loais by representative 1men of that city. The compliment was one of the - highest ever received by an actor, and was well deserved by Mr. McCutlough. ; Parson Newman's text next Sunday, will be . ** Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, eaith the presch- er:" Bat it was not vanity—quite the contrary— for President Hayes Lo chuose an humbler charch * than the Metropolitan for his own uses. % **One of the most promising Américan palnters studying abroad,” says the New.York Tribuns, . “*1a Mr. Balrd, of Chicago, 2 yonng man who has more than talent, and whose plctures ace iveof s rure apd delicate imagination. He I8 - painting one for the next Salon. ™ : The Chicogo Sunday Lecture Society getas fins pafl in the April dzlantic from axt earnest student of political economy, who is doubtless not aware that the Society suspended operations some months ago. A similar hard fate has, we believe, overtaken thebranch socleties at Milwaakee sud St. Loois. ‘The Cinciunatf Literary Club, of which Preaident * Hages is o wember, Is now twenty-fve years old. ° It gave the ides Of the newly-fofmed Indizpapolis . Literary Club, and of the Chicago Literary Club, founded some :three years.ago, **The lash named,” szys the Vatloa,. **has a noticeably large membefship, ombracing many distinguished * nsmes,” this A Paris letter says: . ¢*Changarmter’ died ssold Frenchmen generally do,—as cheerfully and philo- | sophically as if he hud_read mothing but Marcne Aurelius all his life. Half an hour before be died - he took a bowl of soup and seemed likeiy to Live ten yéars. . Tie wass vain and fraok old man, 00 honest'to side with the Einpire, too - conceited to #id M Thiers, aud too mave 1o deal with the Pras- slans.” During thé siege of Aetz his proposition thit the Prseians shonld allow Bazaine's 183,000 . men to pass throngh the lines yithont “surrender- Ing, if they would only promilss to go to Algeria, was received throughout all Nocth Germany with tyast and foext shable lsughter.” Chane . p{nll:ufilmme :i.n nrnoreg h‘.emn lh.m!d. X himself to. ferring Imprised ‘mont and exile o *honor Wik Ta (i