Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, May 8, 1877, Page 4

1 . ‘THE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1877, - s The Tetbwre, TERMS OF SUNSCRIPTION. BY MAIL~]N ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID AT THIS OFFICE. tion, tpalds 1 D B T oL b Maiird 10 any l\lflrn Tou! Bonday Sheet apaid, ¥ o, per mon € copr, per yTa Chvoftede. ! Clubof twenir. Tortsge prepal Erecimen coples sent free. 1o prevent delay and mistakes, he rure and give Poste Offceaddrem in full, tncluding Etate and County. Remiitances may be made either by draft, expross, Tost-tice order, or In rexirtered lettera, atour fiak. TERMS TO CITY SUDSCRIDERS. Tally, delteercd, Sunday excepted, 25 cents per wesk, Lefly, deilvered, Sunday Included, B0 cents per week Adilvers TIHE TIIBUNE COMPANT, Lorver Jisdison and Dearborn-sts., Chicago, il e AMUSEMENTS, Tiaveriy's Thentre. Randolph street, hetween Clark and L ‘Engazement of the Almee Opers-Bouffe Troupe. Jolle Parfumense.” P MceVicker's Theatreo Madlson street, between Dearborn snd Btate. **Bweelbearts and Wives snd ** Tom Cobb,™ Museum. Monroe street, between State nnd Dearborn. Vanda- ville and_novelty. Engsgement 8 Den Thompson, #Joshua Whitcomb." Adelpud Theatre. * Monroe street, corner Dearborn. Variety perform: ance. Tinse-Tinll Park. . Twenty-thind and Stata strects, Champlonship gamo between the Hartford and the Chicago Clubsat 443 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1877.' OHIOAGO MABKET SUMMARY. The Chieago produco marketa were moderately active yesterday, and genctally weak, after open.’ Ing stronzer. Meas pork closed 10¢ per bel lower, 01815, 30@15, 3244 for June and $15,46@ 15,473 for July, Lard closed 74ic per 100 Ibs lower, at $0.83 for June snd $0.06@0.07% for July. . Meats ‘were dull, at 64c per b for Joose shonlders, 7he fur do ehort ribs, and 7{c for do short clears. Lighwines wers In falr demand, at $1.10 per gallon. Flour was quict endateady. Wheatclosed 2%@3c lower, at 81.70 for May and $1.72 for June., Corn closed 13¢¢ lower, at G3i4c for May and G0Xc for Juno. Cats closed 1c higher, at4be for Moy ond 45%c for June, 1iy0 waa steady, ai 00c. Barley was nominal, at 55@80c for May. ioga were i® good demand st Baturday's prices, nrelling at $5. 25@5. 65 for poor to cholce. Cattle « wore firm, with sales at $3.50@3.70. Sheep were unchanged, at $£.03G0. Ono hundred dollars in gold wonld buy $107.25 in greenbacks at the close. e —— Groonbacks at the Now York Exchange yosterday closed at 93}, RS oo oo ‘The Ohio Leglalature, adjonrned sing die yosterday. Tho Illinois Legislature failed to obtain a quornm, owing to the absence of the over-Sundpy shirkers, and thus another valuablo working day was frittored away. 3 i i 2 3 ; 4 %é 13 | ¥ The Greoks are reported a8 crying yester- dayin Alhons for ** War! Warl” wheroupon tho Primo Minister counseled prudence. War is anything but a rattle-box, and the Grooks had botter leave its use to thoss who can best be spared. Wa should dislike to seo their country loft out of the coming mnp, e S Lord Drmoy's reply to the Russinn cir. calar is roported to havo caused great sur- priso and perturbation at 8t. Petersburg. It is Dolioved thnt Russin will moke no roply to tho offousive and belligeront languago of Dennx's.note—indeed, no roply seoms pos- siblo, untess it wero a declaration of war by Russia ngainst England, 3 PGP — ‘The Mayor's appointments submitted to tko Common Council yestorday wero not recoivod with marks of cspecial favor; on tho contrary, a disposition was shown to oxercise tho prerogativo of doliborate oxnm- ination and inquiry before confirming the various geloctions for offices of imporianco, With ono excoption, the nominations were referred to suitablo commiftees, nnd avery declded exprossi on of dissent by the Council in individual casgs is not unlikely befora the ‘appointments aro all safely socured, i ‘Tho olection of Chief-Justice hangs firo in tho Bouth Carolina Legislature. The Ito- publicans coutrol the Sonate, and they re- fuso to go into an clection until all the mem. bera of the Inte Crannentarx-Macxey Iouso are admilted to scats in the prosent Houso, Justico WiLLagD, the most prominont candi- ¢ dato for tha Oblef-Justiceship, and the ono " ecspecially favored by Gov. Haxrroy, is ob. jectionable to the Republicans, and a resolu- tion looking to an Investigation of his judi- clul acts was yestorday offered in the Sonato, ; Forty Penslon Agencles have been abol- ¥ fshed by orderof tho Secrotary of tho Inte- rior, leaving cighteen offices for tho disburse- mont of pensions,. Among those *‘consoli- dated " out of existenco is the Chicago office, ond the animated strugglo botween the nu. morcus uspirants for the privilego of serv- ing their couritry as Pension Agent In this ;4 city hina boon brought to a sudden aud quite . unexpected termination, It was a wafo and i oasy way,ont of the dificulty presented by * tho many conflicting claims to the nppoint- ment to abolish the office altogether, and s show no favors, :. It is now someo twelve ;mi-;;ncn tha final collapse of the Rebellion ocourred,—full timo that the people of the North should be- gin to try to forgot and put aside the old bitterness. Such a beginning Los been mado with excellent success in variops parta of the country, and Chigpgo should not bo lacking in tho samo epirit of magnanimity and good- will, A rosolution has been passed by thoso baviug in charge the arrangements for decorating+ the soldiers’ graves in- viting *“all loyal citizens, ~without roforoncoe to past diffarences,” to join in tho cercmonios aud observances of Decoration. Day. Thia invitation, though not so broad 84 tho mover of the resolution intended, is still broad cuough to include all citizens who aro loyal now, no matter what they were twelve yonrs ago, A striking instance of the utterly reckless, frratiounl, end unsystematio course which wmere speculation takes, was the sudden do- cling of wheat about nine conts a bushel on *Chauge yesterday morning. ‘This was bo- foro the nows of & decided victory by the Russiang ot Kurs, which wight have hada teudency to depreciate tho prige of wheat as possibly indicating such superior Russiau strength os to warrant an expectation of & ; slort war. It was also on the very heels of the publication of Lord Dzasx's noto and the probable break-up of the Liberal (anti-Turk- isl) party,—both of wbich were in the di- rection of England's becoming involved, i prolongiog the war, and increaging the for- + elgn demand for American bs tuffs. More 4 than all this, it was in the of exceed- * iogly bad weather for the wheat crop. ‘What rcasonsble being, then, can explain { Wby whaat, underthese circumstances, should e i A 5 e APt e YR8 St 21 ! take n sudden tnmble of nine cents o bushel ? 1t may bo that wheat was held at too high a figare, but it ia sirange that this shounld not Liave heen discovered under more depressing circumsinnces, and the tumblo should have coma when thera was certa'nly more reason for holding up tho price than thero had Leen previously, We spenk of this incongmity merely to give emphasis to the ntler un- trustworthiness of mere speculativo invest- ments ot o time when the excitement on the Toard of Trade is very apt to atirnct oul sidor® who are anxious to make monoey rapid- 1y. Dusiness judgmnont or experienco cor- tainly cannot comnt for much in A wild, specalativo market which seems to bo gov- erned, if at all, by the very reverse of naturnl influences, All {imes are dangerous, and the present especially so, for strangers {o cultivata the scquaintance of the Bulls and Bears of tho Board of Trade through the ngency of margins, ‘The publication in a Ban' Francisco paper of astatemont purporting to be furnished by Prxxey, the absconding Chief Clerk of the Maroe Island Naval Pay-Office, Lins crentad in the Pacific Const metropolis an excitemont similar to that which resnlted from Twerp's confession, PrnnEY's rovelations are said to implicalo a large number of prom- fnent politicians ns members of the Mara Island Ring,—among thom Sena- tor Banoext, Congressmen Pice and Lurrnery, Georaz 0. Gonmax, Gen. COanr, and others; and these gentlemen have promptly permitted the enterprising inter- viewers to extort from them the statoments that each and all aro fonlly libeled in the publication, and that there is not a word of truthin all that Preney has said or may here- aftor say to their disadvantage, Pixner has come back to stay it appenrs, and the people of Californin aro deoply interested in the’| further dovelopment of tho elaborato scan- dal. The throatencd split in the yanks of the English Liberals on Mr. GrapstoNz’s reso- lntions was averted during yestorday's debato in the Houso of Commons by the interposition of an amendment to the second resolution, offered by Mr, Toeveryy and accepted by Grap- stoNE and HAnTINGTON s a satisfactory com= promise,—tho amendment reciling that in tho semso of the Houso Turkoy had forfoited all claims ‘to tho' moral and materinl support of Great Britaln. The adoption by tho Liberal lenders of the resolutions in another form, and the with. drawal by M. Grapstonz of all but the first and Bocond resolutions, cleared the. decks for o square fight on tho question whother -England should or shonld not wholly withdraw hor friendly interest in the Ottoman Empiro, nnd leave Russia free to enforce the demands of Europe, In his spoech, Gravpsroxz strongly condemned Lord Denny's answer to the Russian cireular. The debate will be re. nowoad to-day. ENGLAND AND THE VAR, The reply of Lord Denny totho lrcular of Prince Gontacuskorr is almost tantamount 10 n declaration of war by the English Gov- ernment. Worda writton in diplomatic notes by grave nnd formal Ministers always mean more ‘than thoy say. When Lord Drmnx writes ¢+ *‘In taking action sgainst Tarkey on his own part, nnd having recourse to arms without further consultation with his allics, the Emporor of Russin has separated himself from European concert, and has at tho same timo doparted from the rule to which he himsolf had solemnly recorded his consent,” and that * it is imposaible to fore- s00 the consequences of such nn act,” the diplomatic hicroglyphio may bo translated in tho light of tho fact that England fs swiftly" drifting into war, the truthof which is em- phasized by the impossibility of reconciling Mr. GuapstoNr's own party to his pacifie resolutions, The Euglish people sec the colls of Russia rapidly gathoring around tho Turk. On tho one hand, thoy behold a pow- erful army crossing thé Caucasian Mountains, pouring with resistless foreg down into Ar- monia, strong fortresses surrendering, Erzo- roum aud Trebizond threatened, the Turks overywhero falling back, and the whole country from the Tigris to the-Holy Land in danger of pussing into Russian possession, ‘with no power on their part to provent ft. On the other hand, they see mnother vast army swarming down into the Valloy 'of the Danubo, Turkish forlresscs and gunboats notwithstandiog, and proparing to cross and sweep everything beforo them to the Balkans, surmount that barrier, or turn it to the weat. ward, leaving a clear fleld to Constantinople. Thoy do not soe whero all this is to come out. Notwithstanding tholr sympathy,with the religious mspect of the. question, the odious character of Turkish rule, the butoh. erien and persecutions of Christians, against which thoy have proteated so many timea, and the nocessity of ameliorating thefr con- dition, which they have so many times ns. sorted, all theso things are forgotten at the sight of Nussin threatening to cross their routo to Asta, Tho old jealousy crops out ogain nnd carrics them off their foet, Sink. ing all roligious and humanitarian interests out of sight, they look only at the narrow and sclilsk interests of thefr political necqs- sities, Tho Bulgarian peasant maybe butch- erod, bat the Iiritish pocket must not suffer. Eight millions of Christians may be ground down under the heel of the Turk,dut Rus. sja must not crosa a road that leads to India, Tho European policy of Russla was the first nightmare that disturbed the aleep of the Englishman, When Russia threatened to compel the Turk to make reforms by enteriug the fleld alone, if the other Powera would not help, Constantinople in Russian hands and a Russian fleet sailing through the Bosphorus out into the Moditerranean rose beforo the jealous eyes of the English, notwithstanding the assurances of the Ozar and his Promier that Russia had no nlterior designs upon Constantinople, and no inten. tion of iuterfering with thelr route tothe East, Now that tho war has broken out in Asia Minor before a battle has been fought iu Europe, thoy s6e a frosh danger to India from the Asiatio aide, and putting it side by wilh Ressia’s construction of roads to the East, with her enormous military prepara- tions, with her gradual progress towards Indiain Contral Asia, and with her ambition for supremscy in Asia, their jealousy be- comes stronger than ever, Even the con. scrvative London Economist is affocted by it, and ralses the following note of alarm The exiatence of & great military Power such as Russia In Asia Minor, within & comparatively abort distance of the Euphrates Valloy, and even of he Bues Canal, especially allowing for the clrcam. stance that the samo Power is cacamped fn Contral Asis, and may make s ** demopstration ** sgainat 1Indlathonce, would certainly ralse the qucstion whether our milltary proparations should not be wholly changed fu kind. We bave thus & keen in- teteat o sce what Russia does in Asla Minor, asd the Brut evenls may be of great Lnportance Lo us. 1t does not follow if England goes into the war that the other Powers will become in- volved. Oun sho drag Austria into it? Could Austria gain any moro by going to war in al. liance with England than has already been promised her by Rusain, wuhon; the neces- * sity of going to war at all? Bho bas tho op- tion already of the two magniftcent provincos i of Dosuin and Horzegovina, with A proba. bility that no objection wonld be offered lo | hor taking Bervia nlso. What more conld sho gain by an English alliance and a war whith would threaten to rond her in twaln, owing to the heterogoncous character of her own popnlation? France has over and over sgain roftorated hor delormination not to spend a dollae or fire a gun in the war, Italy will only follow Germany, and that Germany jsinlongue with or has an understanding with Russin is as certain as anything can be in time of war, No othor theory would be sufficfent to acconnt for the sudden and mys- terions retiroment of Bisuanck to Varzin, whers no inconvenient parlinmontary fnter- pollations can distarb him, and where his powerful hand csn work all the more pow- erfully in scerot. It would bo_useless tc speculate on what Englond will do with her 50,000 men which sho now has fn preparation. She may help the Turka in the Balkan range by proventing the Russlans from crossing. Sho may limit hor operations to sn oceupancy of the hills back of Constantinople and the Bosphorus. There are 40,000,000 Makometaus in India from whom she may ralsa a powerfal Turk- ish yeinforcement, Her powerful flect may occupy itself in the Black Sea, holding the Russians back from Constantinople. Timo alune can toll the result of tho mighty com- motion that will be caused in Enrope if En. gland takes up arma against Russia. Much hangs upon the decision of that silont man &t Varzin, If ho decides for war, tho outlook of tho futare is Russin, Gerruany, and Italy ‘arrayed against England, France, Turkuy, and the Beandinavinn States, with Austria's disposition utcertain, Of all these Powers, .| it appears to be only cortain now mt En. gland will fight, . (THE COTION TAX. Bome fow of the Bouthern nowspapers, acting on the principlo that it is not likely that favors will bo forced upon the Southern poople if they do not ask for them, havo re- newed tho demand that Congress shall with- aut delay appropriate somo $100,000,000 to refund tho war tax collected on the exports of cotton, This tax was collected during the threo years just after tho close of the War, andit is now demanded that the amount of the tax with the interest shall be refunded. It is claimed that this tax, being an export duty, was unconstitutionsl, At that time the price of cotton was very high; cotton was scarce, and the producers had a greator con- trol over prices than they have ever hed since. It is possible that during that peried the consumer paid the larger proportion of the tax. But, assuming that the tax camaont of the producer, it is not proposed to refund the tax to thosa who produced the cotton, oven if this were possible. Nor isit proposed to pay tho tox to the merchauts, ship- pers, factors, or brokors who pnid thotax into the Trensury, nor to the holders of the recelpts, most of which hava beon bought up on epeculation. I is proposed to dis- tribute the whole amount of tho cotton tax, with tho ten years' and more accumulated interest, among tho Btatos, according to some plan of distribution based npon the amount produced and oxported. In this way nearly overy State gots a portion. All pro- tense of refunding the **illegal tax " to thosoe who paid it is abandoned, and, whon that ia nbandoned, the claim to have the tax re- funded at all stands withont n shadow of justification. If any man be taxed unjustly or {llegally, he alone can have any possible claim to have the monoy rofunded.” The village, city, county, or State in which tha,| man lived cortainly can bave no claim to tho money illegally taken from him, The Vicks. burg Herald, in a racent number, strongly urges that Congress ehall rofund this cotton tax, and insists that it sball be pald, not to those parsons of whom it was originally col. locted, but fo tho ** Btates,” particularly tho “ Cotton Btates,” Horo is the way that paper presenta the dlaim 1 The queation for them to keep bafors themsolves In, whether or not It was right, just, and proper for the United Btates Lo exact this tax from the Colton States. Mark wo say the Cotton States, becanso we wish onr readers to carefully tetaln the fact in mind that this immense tax of sevonty millions of dollars was wrung from 8 few Btates of the Unlon at the polnt of the bayonet. Wo want them to bear this fact In mind, for on this fact hangs tho justico of the clalm. Agto the feasidil- ity of the refunding of the tax, that 1a a queation with which the United Btates ought to have nothing todo, That Ie a question for the Catton Alates to desl with after the 1ax shall have been ro- funded. As tho claim lles now, itlsa clslm the Cotton Stales have agslnet (ho Natlonal Govern- ment, I1°0t {an just claim, it ought to be pald, 1f 1t should ever bo pald, the Cotton tatcs conld then decide what to do withit. Missisaippl conld decldo a8 to her portion, and all the other Cofton Btates could decido as to tholr portions, Theso States might enact & law to rofond the tax to the producers In all cases whero the producers could be found; In other cases somo otner dlsposition might bo made of it. Bo the argument as to the fufeasivility of refunding the tax falls to the groand. We all know It is perfectly feastble for the United States to refund to the Colton Stales the tax unjustly and cruchly oxacted of thom. It will be seon that the refunding of this {ax s domanded as something due to the Blates, There was no tax levied on the State of Missisaippi for cotton. Tho State paid no such tax, and the Governmeut of that State has no more claim to recelve any portion of the cotton tax than has the State of Michigan, The' Btate-Sovercignty busi. ness cannot bo torthired - into making each Btate a sovercign powoer, domanding in her sovereign capacity reparation for the wrongs and fnjuries of her subjetts. This {gx was levied upon the property of, and collected from, individuals, There was no Stato ma- chiuery in the business, Whatever shadowy claim there may be for rostitution, is a claim by individuals who paid the tax, and not by tho Btates. The scheme of Btate distribution urged by this Vicksburg poper and proposed by the bill before tho last Cou. gress Is a mero schome to plunder the poopls of the United States for tho benefit of some few impecunious Stato Governments. 'The colton tax wos & heavy one while it lastod. All the war taxes were oppressive. During the four years of war, the poople of the Northern Blates were subjected to the most jotolerable taxes, goneral sand special. ‘Itiey were taxed upon evory pgund of cot- lon manufactured by them or imported. They were taxed by spocial taxes in overy shape on all thoy ate, wore, or otherwise con- sumed. Al their breadstuffs were taxed di- rectly and indireotly, The excessive tariff on imports operated as a heavy export tax on all the breadstuffs and provisions ex- ported. They were taxed on their - tation; they were taxed on their food snd clothing; taxed on their live stock and all their farm products; they were taxed on' their iron sod coal, aud on every article manufactured. They were taxed on their tobacco and their petroleura ; on their corn snd the spiritgdistilled therefrom ; they were taxod on all their sales, and on all their in. oomos, and to all this taxation theso ‘¢ Ootton Staton ” wers not subjected. The direct tax- ntion Jovied under tho Constitation wna col. lected of the Northern States, and that tax the Southern Slates did not pay. Those taxos, liko the threo yoars of taxon colton, were o preserve . the national life, and to it the *Cotton States” made no contribution, eavo such ss was collected from the cotton after tho War. Every workman, mechanie, laboror, farmer, and other person at the North, paid a direct tax of from 8 to 8 por cont on all his earnings over $600, aud paid that tax not only during the War but for six yenrs therenfter. Compared with tho war faxes lovied dur- ing the War, and for ten years after and still continned, and rigidly collocted of the people of the non.Rebel Stales, the wholo colton tax asmomes insignificant proportions, Cortainly it is not in ecither the amonnt or in its character of such an cxtraordinary naturo og to require the conntry to rotax itself £100,000,000 to refund it to the State Gov- ernments atdho South. In fact, tho bill to refund tho cotton tax is & mero job,—a schoma to plunder the wholo country to re- levo cortain impocunious political corpora. tions. Yy Hovw is thia monoy to be obtained to ro. fund this tax? Is it by tho sala of bonds, having thirty yoars to run and bearing inter- oat, and ndding a lifo-time tax upon the in. dustry and labor of tho ‘m\mlryr Weco not belleva that any portion of the peopla who for sixteen yonrs have beon paying enormous war taxes will ever consent to be taxed in nddition to pay a mero gratuity of $100,000,000 to a portion of the people whosa only protensa of claim is that they are poor. The poor aro cverywhere, and the Government, to bo just, cannot single ont the poor in ono locality to make thom na- tional paupors, The * South” may. thero- fora abandon all hope of having this cotton tax refunded to the * Cotton Blates,” or to any other States, or to have it refanded in any other form, Tho country has not yet ronched that degreo of financial prosperity and superabundant revonua that it can begin to refund in monoy the taxes paid by indl- viduals to support tho War. When tho time comes to refund tho war taxos, tho cotton tax will bo one of a long list of toxes paid by individuals, aud in that list will bo ono of tho moro inconsiderable in amount, 7 THE FALL OF KARS. ! A dispatoh from 8t Petersburg, corrobo. mted by rumors from Constantinople, re. ports that the Russiaus, with 40,000 men, attacked Kors on Sunday by regular bom- bardment, and captured the place with 17,000 prisoners. If tho news bo true, it is of tho highest importance, for if the strongly- fortiflod position of Kars has fallen in the short space of one weck’s oporations, there ia little hope that Erzeroum will stand long. ‘With that swiftnesa which has charnotorizod all tho Rusainn .operations, an ontire corps of Russians pnssod Kors during the bom- bardment on its way to Erzoroum, accom. panfed with heavy Krupp siege-guns, and we may shortly hoar stirring nowa from that quarter slso, If Erzoroum falls, Armenia will bo in completo Russian possession, and all the lines of communication with the ex- trome East will also ba held by her. Tho 1all, of Kars will lenve tho entire Russfan army, with the excsption of that portion operating near Batoum, freo to attack Er- zeroum. The Russian corps acting on the south cosst of tho Black Baa, with Trebl- zond for its objectivo point, docs not thus far scom to bo very successful, if we can believe Turkish roports, which claim its defont at Datoul, but if the southern army captures Erzoroum, Trobizond will fall of necessity, and all that portion of Turkey in Asin included between Ruasia and Porsia on tho ecast, Mosopotamia on the south, Kurdistan, Charput, and 8iva on the wost, nnd the Black Ben on tho north, will be under RNusaian control. The short time of the operations bofore Kars boars witness to the progress that has been madoby Russia sinco 1854, Thon she besieged Kars thres months, and, unable to captare it by assanit, lad to starvo tho garrison out. Then she could only bring a small forco to boar upon it, baving no communications. Now sho haa railronds aud highroads that bring her within four daye of it, so that sho has boen sble to mass a atrong forco upon it, nnd, while besleging it, hurry forward another ntrong force to Erzeroum, which will share tho fate of Kars, Bince the Crimean war tho Turks have borrowed a hundred million dollars of England and squanderod it on palaces and seraglios. Theyhad notan roilroad in thelr - Asiatic possessions then; thoy have none now, They had no commn- nications except by the Black 8ea; they have 10 other now; and, with Erzeroum in poases~ sionof the Rusafans, their last communica- tion is cut off, The fall of Kara is the firat important operation of the war, and tho first stop of Russia in the acquisition of territory in Asia Minor, In this connoction, we re- print what has already appeared in Tux Tamuonx, with referonce to the extenslon of the Russlan frontier: The line of the next frontier appears indlcated by nature, If the frontier line, inetead of being drawn near dua weat from Mount Ararat, be taken southwest but s vory short distanco by the fortress of ‘Bayszld, It will touch the head-waters of the Eastern Euphrates. Follow the river alosg until, about the 30th dog. of longllude, 1t meots the ‘Western Buphrates. Ascend this rivezas far ss Ersinjlan and thence draw a stralght lineup to Trebizond. A greas slice this, but not one bit too large for the Russlan appetite, It would give them the greater portion of Armenis, 1t wonld place them upon tho Euphrates, would give them & Une of frontler marked out for the greator potplon of Its course by the twoarms of that river, and guarded on the south by the fortresses of Bayasid, Melasgero, and Palu; would take them over the Bangsnlig Mountalns, which have hitherto praved almost as unconquerable ss the mountaine of Cire casals, and would give them Kars, Erzeroum, Batoom, snd Treblzond, From this froatler, if thyy were eo dis. posed, their course to tho Besphorus is over the level plains of Asla Miner 1,200 miles, o long distance for a campalgn, but with nothing to reaist them on the route, unless England interferes, and can in soms mysts- rious mannoe placo an army in that country, Sre——— QGrozos I Burees, o neptew of Gen. B, F. Burres, was dismissed five or six years ago, for shsmeful conduot, from the position of Consul-General for Egyjt. Gromax H, Burixs was a fow days sgoappointed tem. porary Bpedlal Agent of the Post-Office De- partment, Inletters of recommendation to Becretary Kxy, Bunset Cox wrote: I never met » more devoted frend nor & more conscientious officlal.” Bemator Dozsxy, of Arkansas, indorsed him ‘as follows ; * You will find him a good officer, quick tb serve the dutles you may impos on him, aad honest in their fulfliment*® Congressman | Bayrxs, of Ohlo, embosomed the fellow in the flattery of—**J have known Mr. Butixs & long time, and known him to be a man of remarkable ability and energy;” while B. F, Burres, and Benstor Spxsoxs, of Alsbams, urged, in person, the sppointment, which was made without conTlhu.on with the | Prosident or the Oabinet. This was Civil- Bervice Reform with a vongennce, for it was an indorsemont of prostitution of offico which had recclved the merited condemnation of the ontire press of the country. It wonld have beon virulont poison to the service and an insult to the people. Happily, after the indorsers wore madae known and comments had demonstrated fho danger attendant upon tha appointment, the Premdent yosterday orderod the dismissal of the man BouriEm, cutting out a loprona spot, as it were, inn servico as yet too young to feel the dlsgrace of ils appoaranco or to snffer from ils loss. But wa may know hercaftor what the in. dorsoment of Congressmon moans, and not wondor at the shame it has brought the conulry in tho past. THE FIRE-INBURANCE COMPARIES, As much asa yoar agoa New York cor. respondent of Tas Tamuxe who is excep- tionally well informed in matters of fire-in. suranco predicted the dissolution of the National Board of Underwriters, whosa head- nuartors have been located in Now York, and who havo excroised a sort of suzerain power aver the local Boards thronghout tho coun- try. 'The dissolution has como at last, and it Is not improbablo that a very decided rovo- lution mny take place in tho management ol the fire-insurauco intorests in this country ns o result thercof, Tho abandonment of the Nationnl Bosrd {s not in itself anything to Lo doplored or fearsd. The power it arro- gated to itself was arbitrary and unjust so for a4 insurers wero concorned, ad frequont. 1y bound down companies to o policy which deprived them of the advantages which their @roater copital, suportor mansgement, and stricter economy ought to hava given thom, ‘The theory is certainly wrong which enables nBonrd of Underwriters in Now York City to regulate, rates for the whole country, ond this is practioally whet the Na- tional Doard assumed to do. But there wns anothor eloment in it which was emnontly useful to the local Boards throughont the United States, and that was tho diseiplinary power of the National Bonrd. This institution was able to voerco companies to discharge their agents who were nscertain. ed to bo cutting rates bolow those establish. od by tho local Boards, wherens now it is thought the companios will, as a rule, wink at tho agonts’ outling, and stand by them in proferenco to the locnl Boards, In that caso, it is morely a question of time when the local Boards must disband, in which event o freo fight will set in. The ontcomo of such disorganization among the companies wonld cortainly bo disastrous as far as their profits oro conoerned, and might prove to bo o gon- oral business disnster in case of any great conflagration like that of Chicago or Boston, In New York it seems that the companies ara alroady involved ina ruinous competi- tion, nud rates have fallen to an oxtent which indicatos eithor that they wore exorbitant be- fora or that they are foolhardy now, Risks that wore underwritten at 3} per cont aro now taken at 14; 4 per cent risks aro down to 1}; and dry-goods risks, which ruled ot 70, 80, and 900, have tumbled to 37, 40, nnd 42} cents on the $100, It remains to bo socon how scon this policy will affect the Wost, We soarcely think it can bo avolded excopt in certain places whero the local agents aro almost supornaturally hor- monious. What are known na tho Alliance companics may be able to keep out of the fight, but they will do so by practically with- deawing from goneral business. The so- called Alllaned is mnde up of some of the strongest and most prudent companies;-and thoy will exert their influonca to keop tho local Boards togother and establish n smafe miénimum rate, If they fail In this, they will hold aloo? from the fight and content them. solves with o lino of business which they control through savings banks and other trust {natitutions, In the ond, their policy will bring them out ahead; thoy will make no monoy, but. they will Xkeep thom. solves in a position whoro, if a groat disaster ocour, they will bo able to moet their losses and keop on in business, while the mors reckless companios . will tottor and fall all around them, But the insurance brokers, through whom the gronter part of the risks aro placed, always avoid auch compaaies on nocount of their conservative policy, and will sooure the gresternumbor of insnrers by the tompting offer of rates far below any the conservative companies will daro to make. Choap insuranco is all vory desirabloin its way, and we have no doubt that the Chicago and Boston fires gave tho firo.companies an oxcuse for placing rates unreasonably high, and keoping thom there after tho extrnor. dinary losses incidont to those two fires had been fully recoupod. Thore have beon de- cided improvements in the building laws, firo-ordinances, and appliances for extinguish. ing fires, which woro entitled to more con. sideration than the insurance companies have givon them. 'We know this to havo beon the cass in Chicago, At the samoe time, any sud. den, rovolutionary, and rockleas cutting of rates to scoure business without regard to tho future,—any policy, in & word, which permits insurers to practically maka their own rates,—can ascarcely fail (o result in infinite damage to the ocommer. clal and property intereals,. Last yoar was nn exceptionally forlunate year ssto fires; the ratio of loss for the few months of this year that have alrendy passed 1s 50 por cont greater than it was during the corresponding period of last year, and thore 1s 1o reason to expeot that it will be less dur- ing the romalnder of tho yosr. A universal cutting of rates will lead the Insurance com- panies that enter the fight to take all sorts of risks, and offer oll soris of excossive brokerage, in the effort o keop up thelr incomo. If this reckless competition should set In and continue for any length of , time, the result will be that.even a firo of large but not extraordinary dimcnsions will crippla certaln companies, and thero will be on jnsuzance pania. The people will suffer in the end from exorbitant rates prelty sure to follow such a panio, ‘besides sustainidy themsalves the losses. which they had sup. posod thoy had covered by insurance. In case of a war among insurance companies, prudent business men will rofusa to avail themselves of the most tempting offers made them, and rathor seck thosa companics which adbere to living rates. To proceed upon any other plan would be about as risky 84 not to insuro ot all, The Bpringfi hoops like & Co- mancho Indlanat sight of a quict little TRIBUNE parszraph binting that it the Bouthorn plodges of loyalty made upon **housh™ should not be kept, the **Federsl arm’ might become onco more s substance, and mot s ‘‘shadow,” in Bouthern politics. To this the Raglater replics that the “honah '* matter may be counted out; that the Lower House of Coogress is Democrat- fc; that it will ** docide how much monoy may be Iawfu}ly expended for the army, and -how tho army may be lawfully cmployed.” If the Democrsts wish to cut off the lmb betwecn themselves and the tree, they will only necd to perform a lttle of the kind of legislation hint- ed at by the Reglster. Fuctious opposition to the Administratton coming from that quarter il eertainly disband the Democracy, no matter what efect {t might base upon tho army. e —e— Intha Council preceodings yesterday after- noon occurred the following on theMayor's now appolutments: Exonr Cot.r was appointed Inapectar of Oil, vice Jonn ¥, Starronn, whonse term of office has expire ed, Ald. Ginsrnr sald Mr. StAvronn had given general satisfaction dnring the past year, ~ An the Mayorhad promiecd that na changes wonld be made In the city officea withont cauze, ha was In favar of the reference of the nppolntment 80 21 to ancertain whrr A change was made, The nopoint. ment was refercod to the Judiciary Committea. The renoval of Mr. Srarronp has been viewed with considorable dissatisfaction by the public. Mr. StArronn Is an old and reapected citlzen of Chicago; he bias only held the office since Iast July; ho lias proven himaelf to bo the ‘best Oll-Inspector tho city has cver had; no rea= son has been given for his removal, Tho Mayor's brother-in-law may be a capable nan, but the* Council will probably tndlcato that it wore bet- tér he had been appointed for some othier place. ————— The Clncinnatl Zimes coplos a paragraph feom Tae TrinuNEe In regard to tho abolition of tho color-llue in Southcrn politics, and ntiaches: thercto about a column and & half of discon- nected disquisition of which we can make nelthee head nve tall, What the Times was trying to sny is a mystery. Theroare adozen things mixed up fo bewlldoring confusion. The whole article is a conundrutn we give up. 2 ———— The storming and eapture of Knrs, with the garrison of 17,000 men, by tho Russlans, reminds ono of tho great explolt of Gen, GraNT In Fobe ruary, 1862, when ho capturad Fort Donatdson and lts 17,000 Itchel defeuders, The Russians achieved theie triwmph with 50,000 regulars; GraNt accomplished his victory with 80,000 Westegn volunteors fresh from the farms, shops, and offices. ———— . Fawcrrr, ex-commercial editor of the £.-0, who holds a Judgment against that papor for a Jarge nmount of back-pay, is sald to have Its suppuort 2s an applicant for Collector fHAnRvEY's place. A new way to pay old debts, probably. Tut can Uncle Baxt afford to pension oft all the men who have lost money in that newspaper venturo! That's the quostion. ————— 5 It Prosldent, HATES mauages to sult Ropnb- licans, Liberals, and Democrats, he will en-t| counter a new diMculty. Every one will think then that he knows how to *‘square the clrcle,” and to fnvent a “ perpetual motlon,’ and thero will bo great {ndignation {t he does not eive these secrcts to the peoplo fn his noxt fnau- gural. E ———————— Consul-Goneral Kuxissstan at Berlin has held |, his office twelve years, and (o 18 thought will have to retire under the cight-year rule. In'| that case, somo other Chlcage man might, per- liaps, be persuaded to take hia place, We are awars that skeptics may doubt thls statement, but wo challenge them to put it to the proof. — The priceof wheat in this market declined ninc cents per bushel yosterday in spite of tuo capture of Kars and of GrADsTONE'S manlfesto. ‘This fact suggests cithor that wheat operators hereabouts aro crazy, or that they think the Britlsh Premlor Is powerless to oppose tho will of **We, the people of Euglaud.” Which? e The American Labor-Reform League has do clarod that no candidate who is not vpposcd to ‘property in every shape, and to incogie without labor, will reccivo the voteof its members. The League requlres a new order of men and a now world, for they can obtain no candidates from the present order of creatfon. e ————— ‘The first frults of Clvil-Scrvics Reform appear in the disinclination of Dopartment clerks to pay thefr subscripttons for last- year's campalgn purposes. Elght to seven they never settle, al- thouph a circular hns been fasucd valling upon delingucents to give these dobts of ** hobal prompt attentlon, — ¥ The Burlington Zuwckeye bracos up under the loss of the Public Printing in o way Wwhich oucht to ahamo Col. PriLtirs, of the Springficld Jour- nal. It contentaitsclf with abusing SraNvLEY Marrunws, whilo the Journal goes for tha Presl- dont direct—and you it only lost a n‘mo Poat- Offlce! One thing Representative CALLON omits, It is to stato how much adhered to his flngers when howas agent for the Omalia Indlans in 1807. 1t ho was honest, lot mm #0 declaro and bring his proofs. Tho public will be both ploased and surprised to sco them. — ‘Tho Russians have taken the Kara near tho place whers NOAR tvent nshore from tho Ark, ‘They havo secured through pasaago to Conatan- tinople by tho Eastern express fast traln, with stop-oft tickets for scvoral placcs on the way thero. ———— ‘The saloon-keepers of Washington, since the speclzl scaslon has been postponed, arc all on the fence, and In great doubt whether tha Harzs policy is the best thing for tho country or not. ‘They are sure it {s not the best thing for them- selves, ———— The Democratio party in Virginla is falling to pleces, decording to ex-Congressman 8)iTi, of that Btato. Woaro glad there's zoing to bo fun, for it 1a along time sinco we had a genunino 4 Ole Virgiony break-down." e ————— The Pars igaro triceto scare Franco witha sensational aflix to Vou MoLrxx's lats oblique speech, But, as the Figarv is tho champlon lar of Franco, no reliance can bo placed upon its storfes. *The Pension Agencics will boronsolldated to eighteen, saya a dispatch. This will be cood newa to Miss 8wexr, Sheisa Pension Agent and she is ¥ cighteen,” Not a day older, how- ever, e o el of Lus Shiosen HEh0 oF, L douh of Cone necticut, which be jsmaking for the ucw Capitol at Hattlord,—Kzchange, ‘This figura of himsclf must have cost Manx Twaux at least $5. | In attacking tho late Baunmr CAuLrixLp, tho Journal showed & courage which must bavo surprised its friends. It will probably move in force soon upon somo of the cemeterics, Tho nows of the death of the United States Consul ot Paramaribo came yestorday, and be- foronight a thousand implacables disinfected thelr politica and asked for tho place. t ¢ The reason BRy BUTLER'S nephow wanted a post-oflice fn the Black Hills was because ho thought he had the Deadwood on it. Butit scems he didn't, - And now the Liberals are looking the Prest- dout over. Bad BowiEs is pleased with kim; #0 is Col, McCrLunk. ‘This settles it. When will the members of the Legislature enable Tux TuiBuNg Lo publish thelr names as absentees de jureas well ag de Jaclo ? | | - Mr, Havzs' new party—the onc which will sceompany him to Philadelplils to open the Per- mancat Exposition of that city. | The 8t Louls Jepublican wants “a fosting pursery.” Well, get WarTramson's. That flosted him fnto notorlety. Tn jte attituda toward the President the Glods- 1s perbaps as well us could bo expect- ed—all thinge considered. The declalon of Becretary BHERMAN §0 rogard to prosecuting tho * first batch® of distillers Is Reuu-arkably sound. f | ————— . In thelr burry to reach Constantinople, the Russians have taken Kars., Buchunscomly hasto is fndecent. 5 —————— o It ho gets England to joln Turkey, the next tino the Russlans chase thelr oppuncnts will probabty be_called ¢ Derby Day,” In honor of — the Bccretary of Stata for the British Forelgn Department. f Having taken Rars, thoy are Tiusslan on 1o Constantinople. 7 Turkey can whip Russla—in a Golden forny | ——— PERSONAL. The Pope is asld to be groatly concerneq at the Increaso of Proteatantivm in Rome. Tho English pooplo nre shocked anq palned by tho spitofulness shown in Harefot Map. tinéan's Antoblography. . Miss Annis Montagne, who sang one soason with the Kellozg opera tronpe, contribntod to thy enjoyment of an evaning party at the White-Honsy Inst week by her singing. It I3 said that ox-Gov. O, O, Washbam, of “Wisconain, made a quarter of a milllon by the lata riso In dour. This was all madoin his milling. businesa In the most logitimate fashfon. Jord Hartington, tho Liberal leador, is eald to be happler over the winning of the New. market thonsand-guinoa ataka by his littlo My than If ho had defeated the Minlstey on an trpar. tant pubilc question, . '* Bix yeara aftor tho poeace of Bordennx the German fludget presents a defeft of over $15,000,. 000, and the armny absorbs overrthing. The snf. fering in that Empire Js very great, and no one hay any Iden when this stato of affairs will censo, The farewell reception given to Julia Ward Howe by the New England Women's Club 1ast Wedneaday was attended by Gor. RNice,Oliver Wendell Tlolines, William Lloyd Garrlson, James Yreeman Clacke, Dr, Bartdl, and many others. - . Mr. EdwardsPlorropont has boen the telling Worshiptnl Company of Fishmongors of London how much ho thinks of thom, Every single dealer In flsh whom he met at the banquot was, accotdlng 10 the tostimony of the epeaker, 8- refined gentles man. Wasn't (trathor ** brash " of Mr. Plecrepont, though, to give gontlemen s cortificate of good mannera? . - Ole Bnll had anothor farowell recoption— abont his fortieth—{n Noston 1ast Thuraday night, The Committeein charge of the proposed monn. ment to Lief Erickson, the flest Norwoglan visttor to Amerles, roported that $3,000 of tho neoded $14,000 tiad becn ralsed, 31,000 of which had beon given by Thomas G, Applaton, and 82,000 by Olo Tinll, as the reault of his rocent concert tour in the Weat, Mneanlay onco bet and lost a copy of **Paradlsc Lost* to Jeftroy on the correct rendee. Ingof aline Jn the poem. Ila then offered to het anothor capy that Joffroy coald not catch him again on any lino, and ho won the bet, although the latter had tho book open before him. Sir Robert Pecl onco mid to Macanlay that ho had never forgotten anything ho wanted to remember, to which Macaulay rotorted that he had navor for. gotten anything. In his last Friday ovening talk, Mr. Boech. cor sakd that the cdltorial profession throughout the country tas not, 1n his oninlon, the beat authority In apicitnsl matters, **I mean to keep on in this cood witk,<" ho added,’ **for twonty or thirty years moze, until I am 80 or 00, I tho Lord don't intorfere. You can't hurt me, ICI live, I work; it T don't Hve, I goto heaven, and you can't stap it—its Qod's wiiL" Applaaso followed this last assortion, which was ovldently considered reas- surlng. A Paris nowspaper gives the following ag the nges of sama of the leading public men of Ene rope: Prince Gortechakofl, 70; Lord Beaconsfiald, 72; Mr. (Hadatone, 08; Prince yon Blsmarck, 63; Lord Granville; 613 Marshal 3facMahon, 00; M. Thiers, 80; Emperor Willlam, 80; Vlctor liago, 704 Thomas Carlyle, 811 Alfred- Tennyson, 67; Tlishop Dupanioup, 73; Plus 1X.,84; Garibalal, Earl Rasscll, 84; Lord Stratford do Redelifo, £9; M. Julos Simon, 02, A Bpanish maid kopt o fancy store in Mad. rld, cdited & fashfon Journal, end loved a Govern- ont clork. er father, aftor many fatlle effarts 0 1ndnco hior to break her emgagement, enteed ‘her room whilo shio was alill in bed and fired & re- volver at her, tho ball Todmng in her head, e then blow cut his own Lralne, The young woman eummoned her love, and a priest married them, She then boquoathed hor property to hor Lusband, nnd recelvod tho sacrament.— Exchange. An English viear has beon consured by some of his follow-clergymen for haring conducted “tho burial service over tho body of a pereon fore merly a Presbytorian, but latterly o member of hls congrogation, in the Nonconformlst portion of Proston Cometory, Tle suhmisted the facts to the Dishop of Manchester, stating that the body bad been intapred fn the family-grave, and that ko had ot usod his surphice. Tho Bishup replied, saying he would have acted the same, cxcepting thathe wonld have worn his aurplice at the grave-side. The 8pringfeld Ropublican nays the quall- ties swhich make Moody s power are such as come from a knowledgs of men, and such a3 are not de- voloped by the theological seminary., **Ilad Mr. Moody baon drilled through a theological conrse, wo might have had, Instead of this Greatheart, & dull, ordinary preacher; for|tha qualities that mske him a pawer aro such a3 como from & kaoivledge of men, and such as tho seminary doos not devolop. ‘The ono thing In which the minlatry, a4 a class, ste most weak, 1s this in which Moody 18 most strong.™ On tho 80th of April, sixty-four yoars ago, Gen. Loslio Coombs, pf Kontncky, then known aa the *‘ Doy Coptain," awam Blanchard's Fork (s tribatary of Auglaize River, Ohlo) at the head of his company,—hls men having Arst made a raft with their tomabawks, on which they placed their rifics, tomahawks, and clothes. (on, Coombs was then only 10 yoars old, Of tho vallant band that am the fork ho 18 the only survivor, and, taking trospective view of the cvents that crowd bis £y, he appears Lo rogard this youthful feat with al favor.—Ezchange. | 4 . Tho Princa of Wales, during his recont stay In Parls, act an excellent examplo to his fu- ture subjccta in bis panctillous observation of tho -Salbath. ¢ Ho Lreakfssted on Baturdsy with Daron Sellllers, drove with Marshal MacMahon (o the horse-show In the afterncon, and went to tho ‘Theatro Prancale in the evening, Ho roturned fo the Jockey Clab altor the play, and declined all in- vltationa to play & rubber, as the chimes of mid- night had Juat rang out from Notre Daso. For the same roason ho declined to attend the races In the Uols do Boulorne on Bunday alternoon. Gail Hamilton has a ferocious asasult upon Sam Dowlea la & late numbar of the Naw York T'ribune, classing him with miockereform editors, and glving the. whole class this scvoro thruati *‘Under o thin veil of I'harlsalym,” ona dlscorss the judgmentof the Infant, the consclonce of the assaseln, tho tactica of the Thug," The New York Tridune hall approves thissefitiment, and saya of Mr., Dowlea: **& moro promlscuously reckless alanderer bas rarely, with' beiter motivea or less sense, provoked the lash. Ilfs many excellont quaalitlca havo secared for bim toleration in some quarters, and his raral isclation has ssvod hltg from belng held to s just responsibillty In others, Now stand from under, A roturn of the persons santenced fo death for murder in England and Walca in the years 1873 01670 is given fn » Parilamentary paper recently {ssued. In 1873 eightoen persons wers sontence todeath and eleven were exocated, two of whom were women, ln 1674 tho number seatcnsad (o death was twenty-five, of whom slxtaen were o1~ scuted, two of thom bolng. women. In 1878 tho capitsl seatences pronounced were ihirty-three, #nd the number of persons exccutsd eighteen, 000 of whom was & womsa. In 1870 thirty-iwo per- 20u4 were sentenced to death, and twenty-two ex- ecuted. ‘The total aumber of persons scnteaced Lo doath in the four years was 108, and tho number exccuted slxty-seven, five of whom wero women. = Ezchange, . Mr. Jomes D. Waddell, of Mariotta, Ga., bas just completed a blography af Linton 8tephens, & broluer of the former Vics-President of the Confederacy, - The Bavannsh News says in this connoction: **Botween the elder Stcphons and bis brother Linton thers exiated an sitachment #0 strong, ardont, snd unsclish as atmost to bordes on the fomantic. Theclder brother was father, frlend, counsalor, mentor, and tutor to the younger, and the yoanger rcturned in & decp, 8- fectionate, aod lasting love and sdmiration the caroand fathorly tendorness sud gesorosity of the rere discussed with s freedom ‘which showa that they we not then wteaded for tue public eye every conccivable topic from the tritest domestio detalls up to the most dimicult Droblems of ars, scloace, law, religlon, sod poti- tice. Fromoul of & mase Of theso letters Nr. Wadaell has selected such 88 give s connected Ylstory of the life aad character of Linton Stepbens s father, husbpngd, citizen, Jadge, and publiclst: and hss mads & moesk readabla sad . laastucise volume." =