Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, August 5, 1877, Page 4

bs 4 + evening nex, commenct a THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, AUGUST. 5, '877-SIXTEEN PAGES. he Cribuue. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. 7 BY NATL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID. Dally Edltion, onc sear... 22. Parte of w year. per month... Malled to any aduress four wee! Sunday baition: Literary Double Sheet..... Saturday hdition, 0 Fr-Weekly, one yea Parte of a year, per WEEBLY EDITI One cops. per year. Ciud of i ad 2 Chub of tw Spectmen copies eent tree. To prevent delay and mistakes, be rare and rive Post- Oftce address tn full, Including State ané County. Kemfttances may be made either br draft, express, Post-Otice order, orth registered letters, at our risk. TERMS TO CITY SUDSCRIBERS. i a Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week. DANY Selivered: Suuvay included: 30 conta per week. Address ‘THE TEIBUNE COMPANY, Corner 3fadison arid Dearborn-sts.. Chicago, Il. Orders for the delivers of Tux Taintsz at Evanston, ‘Englewood, and Hyde Park left in the. ‘counting-room ‘will reeefve prompt attention. SOCLETY MEETLNGS. LO COMMANDERY. NO. 1. ENIGHTS TEMP- Lar oNembers or this Commandery will assemble at the Armory for drill on Tuesday evening next, at balr- pat’ 7 o'clock, sharp. [eports of Commitices and other Important business wiil beghrought before the jody. AS caly three weeks Intervene between this dace aud the julerimage to Cleveland, it fs hoped that every resident member will be prescat to assist fn cum- Plewne We necessary ayrancements, Uy urder of the Ce ‘ DUNLOP, Recorder. CRICAGO COMMA} 19, K. -T.—atten- ‘Kn Oo. Str Knights~Siated Conclave Monday evening. Aug. ene NortuucinesssAlzthe Sir Rniglts calculating 19 atiend the Triguuial Conclave of the Grand Encatmp- lara! at Clevelaga, blo, are purticularly requested to Bepresent. By order Of jouw 1, SANBORN, E. C JAMES-E. MEGINY, iecorter. cuica&o COUNCIL OF PR LEN WAT hold a Regular | ‘CES OF JERUSA- ‘ention on ‘Thursday 40 o'clock, Work on ‘the 15th aud doth Dexree . Ev. GOODALE, Gr. Se ATOLLO, LODGE. Xo, 12. fold their Stath Aunnal Pleuic, Thurs ERP my durpeaophing aca erations Ghd kpelewoud: All’ Simons snd thelr friends are cor dullpunvited, . DEARRORN LODGE, No. 214, I. 0. 0. F.—Hall corer Madly and Haisted-sta. It 1s earnestly re~ ursted that ail members of the Loure he presel fueaday evening. Augnet 7, 24.8 matter Of much inter- ie op Tor eutsider: est will be presented lor cossiderasi0n. ae, = SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 1877.. CHICAGO MARKET SUMMARY. ‘The Chicaco produce markets were generally rather quiet Saturday. Mess pork closed 0c per br} lower, at $13.4@15.422 for Sepiember aud $13.43%13.50 for October. Lard ciosed 10¢ per 100 Ibs lower, at S¥.60Z8.821¢ for Augnet sud $8.90 for September. Meats were easy, at 5c per Tb for loose suoulders aud 7¢ for do short ribs. Lake freights were active and firm, at 34¢ for com to Baffalo. Mighwines were unchanged, at $1.93 per gallon, Flour was tume, with lees doing. Wheat closed a shade tower, at $1.11 for August and 51.042; for Septemoer. Cor closed ee lower, at 47%¢c for August and 46%;c for September, Oats closed steady. at 26% for Angust and 25¥e for September. Itye closed firm, at 553jccazh. Barley closed at S8e for new Xo. % seller September. liogs were dull, and closed 10c Jower, at $4.90@5.40. Cattle were ‘qnict and weak, at $2.50@6.25. Sheep were in- active, at $2.75G4.50. One hundred dollars in geld would bay $105.50 in groenbacks at the tlosm : - In New York on Saturday greenbacks were steady at MI@942. Saat Banp has convened himself, and, after - a long and desperate struggle, has deter- ammed upon an unanimous support of the President's Pacification Policy. “Bar de news.” Intelligence from the Adjutant-General’s office at Springfield is to the effect-that Gov. Couxtom will shortly promulgate a general order thanking the militia in a general way for their services during the riot. ———— Bes De Ban, the veteran actor and pro- prietor of De Bar's Opera-Hoyse in St. Louis, is lying at the point of death ¢n that city. He 1s the victind of a paralytie stroke, ‘and no hopes of his recovery are entertained. een Sub-Treasurer Frans Grcrert was ordered up yesterday and thoroughly drilled in the tactics of managing such Government funds ; 88 shall find their way to Chicago. He will assume the responsibilities of the office to- morrow. = They are rather more careless of the feel- ings and comforts of rioters in Canada than are the Magistrates of American cities, Two of amob that fired upon the procession fol- lowing Hacserr to his grave have been com- mitted for trial “‘ without bai” "+ Gov. Luprxcrox, of Wisconsin, is down in the mouth because the President took no notice of his proposition to arm the invalids of the Soldéers’ Home during the riots. The Executive explains that he was flooded with offers, and could not answer them seriatim. —_—_—_. Judge Treaz, sitting in the United States Circuit Court at Springfield, sent a batch of East St: Louis rioters to the county jail for ninety days each. ’ There is a strong pros- pect that Bowman, Mayor of East St. Louis, who officiated as a sort of head Shacknasty to the mob, will be prosecuted Reinforcements are being hurried forward to aid the defeated Russian army, and great activity is displayed in an effort to restore tho confidence of the troops, The whole Imperial Guard has been ordered to ihe front, and the Amny of the Dobrudscha is hurrying to Sis- tova, In Asin Minor the Russians. have been strengthened, and fighting has been going on before Kars for a week without de- cisive advantage on either sid Farther details of the murder of Farmer Srexcer and his four children, near Leroy, Clark County, Missouri, develop one of. the most hideous of crimes ever reported. Spex. cen aud one son were asleep ine loft over the stable, and his two daughters and an- other son Jay sleeping in the house close by. ‘Twe murderers clambered in at the windows, meshed the skulls of the unfortunates with anax,and then fled. Suspicion has fallen upon Wrais Jaues, Speycen's brother-in- Jaw, anda man named Brapy. Tames dis- covered the. bodies, and when examined at the inquest blood was found on his clothing. A vigilance committee took the two men into the wodis, and are straining every nerve to find evidence against them, Great excite- ment prevails, and there is strong prospect, of a lynching festival. ——_ We confess to an, inabi ity to understand the apathy with which the City Council treats the subject of building the City-Hall, That time isthe most appropriate for an undertaking of this kind when the greatest amount of work can be obtained for the money expended, and when in thus serving the public interest a great service would attend the expenditure itself. Never was * Inbor or material to be had at such reasonable Prices. It will not do to Siy There is no money. The money was borrowed by the city and expended for other ‘purposes ; a large portion—say $175,000—has since then been collected. again from taxation. If the .city has borrowed this money again; then it shonld replace it, and now, * when it can be expended s0 economically and to such great advantage, we should begin and have the foundations of thé new building erected this season. It is bad management and bad policy to be postpon- ing this work, that outstanding indcbtednoss,' for which taxes. are pledged and which- is not pressing, may be paid. | The City Coun-' cil cannot afford to Jet this matter suffer any farther delay. . ‘There is an impression prevalent in North- ern Idaho that Chief Josera and ‘his band have crossed the mountains to secure safe hiding places for their plunder and horses, then to return and make short work’ of Camas Praine. Josxrx has threatened this, end is represented as putting his affairs into such a shape that he will be enabled to break things when he comes back from the hills. No ex- tensive preparation for his recoption is re-, ported. : If ‘the Turks improve their sudden and surprising victory at Plevna by goncentrating their forces for sudden attack, the Russian position will be an extremely critical one. The dispatches already indicate that Mexea- Er Aui, who commands. about 50,000 men at Shumla, is ‘endenvonng to make a ‘quick junction with the victorious Osman Pasha, which would' give them a force of about 100,000 men. “This . army, co- operating with the ‘Turkish forco at Widdin, might make sad havoc with the Grand Duke's army, or turn to the southward and, co-operating with the forces of Raovr Pasha and Suneman Pasha, hem in Gen. Gounsa’s corps, which is now near Jeni Saghra, south of the Balkans. The sudden inovement of a strong force by steamers from Batoum in Asia to Varna will also necessitate speedy action on the part of the Russian force in the Dobrudscha. The whole situation in Europe now seems toturn “upon the ability of Russia to reinforce her armies in time to offset Turkish concentra- tion. Asarule, the Turkish armies, outside of their intrenchments, sre handled more slowly and unskillfuily than the Russians, which may give the latter the advantage. It is not impossible also, now that the Rus- sians have again assumed tho defensive in Armenia, that they may create a diversion there by striking quick, hard blows, sufficient to relieve their forces in Europe. > The domestic affairs of Aveta Parrt thave at last been settled, but in a manner which will not please the little lady. Both be and the Marquis pz Cavx, her husband, had filed applications for separation in the French Courts. The Jmsband’s was granted and the Madame’s refused, and, in passing sentence, the Court censured her by show- ing that she hud not brought forward any proofs of the charges alleged against the Magqtis, but, on the other hand, *‘the doc- uments placed before the tribunal, particu- larly the correspondence sddressed to Mme. Part by a third person, show that her con- duct did the gravest injury to her husband.” “The third party,” of course, is Nrcontyr, the tenor. The sentence pronounces against her petition for separation, and condemns’ her to pay the costs. As divorce is unrecognized by French law, it is stated neither party can marry again; but, as Mme. Lrcca found out how to marry again, notwithstanding decrees of Courts, it. is probable that Nico- urxt and Parrt will. find a way to marital bliss, gAt the same time, it will be accom- panied with severe conditions, as the Mar- quis, if he is so disposed, can have her im- prisoned for so doing. In nddition, she will be cut off from alimony, and none of the property will ever go to the children by the irregular marriage. The worst feature of the business for Parzt is that her fortune, or a large part of it, is in the hands of the Mar- | quis, and that she cannot touchit. A harder blow could ‘not be struck at the Parrr fam- ily.. As the Diva is not of much further use for Europe, perhaps she had better come home, settle down, and behave herself. “ULTIMATE AMERICA.” Astory used to be told of a modest Boston man who, on an occasion of hilarity, deliv. ered himself thus: ‘“ This is a big world; America is the biggest country in thé world; Massachusetts is the biggest State in Amer. ica ; Boston is the biggest city in Massachu- setts ; and Iam the biggest man in Boston.” But the Rev. Josera Coos, albeit he comes to us as a Boston man, has taken a broader and more liberal view of things. No“one can have more faith in the bigness of “ Ultimate America,” but he has the wisdom to foresee and the frankness to admit that the day is not far distant in the cycles of time when Boston must resign the position of “ Hub,” and the world will revolve about Chicago as the centre. The admission was so generons, and Mr. Coox’s way of putting it so hearty and cloquent, that we are not going to dis- pute his theory that it is not geographical position but Puritan thrift, and energy, and godliness, which have made this city great, and will make it greater. Wo are willing that the Puritan ancestry shall have any amount of credit, and that Plymouth Rock shall be called the corner-stone of Chicago, when the person suggesting it looks with such hopefulness into the future of America, with the conviction that Chicago is destined to be its Capital. Mr. Coor’s speculations as to “Ultimate America” are-certainly most interesting, and the field is one where imagination can scarce- ly outrun the experience of retrospection. He tempers the prognostications of the foreign writers, and yet cannot help fore- seeing the time when the American Conti- nent will have @ population four or five times ‘as numerous as that of the entire globe to-day. All the methods of estimat- ing increase, whether by the capacity of the country for sustaining -homan life, or the ratio of increas) in the past, or the growth in other parts of the world, lead him to this conclusion. Of course it will take a few centuries, It leaves out of nc- count the Millerite theories of universal de- straction, and postpones the advent of the millennium ; but the past and contemporane- ous experience of most people warrants these omissions. It is not much wonder that this line of speculation should have suggested the thought that, if labor troubles now cause so serious a disturbance and give the country 80 great a shock, while America is still in its infancy, the same troubles magnified in the future by the proportion of increase in ihe population may: rend and tear asunder all that binds society and holds Government to- gether, But we do not draw the same con- clusions from this line. of thought that Mr. Coox seems to draw when he makes it. a Warning against the dangers of “pater. nal Government.” The. Prospect would seem to point to the necessity of strengthening the appliances for self- protection. against the growth of the mob. spirit, and establishing a respect for proper. ty-rights which shall influence the levelers and smashers of things by the Prospect of summary and severe Punishment, as well os certain defeat, in the case of assault, . The meteorological generalizatinns in which Mr. Coos indulged as likely'to affect -the growth: end ‘standing of America were -novel-aud-striking ; but we doubt whether they would all. stand’ the. test of scientific _serutiny.. ‘We imagine that he was betrayed by his. personal experience as a resident of the Eastern coast into the statement that we ‘get our greAter abundance of rain from the east. winds: that blow ‘from the Atlantic. ‘This vill scayeely hold true as re- gards the Mississippi Valley, which is watered: mainly by the rains which are brought; from the Gulf of Mexico by the prevailing southwest winds, and from the Pacific by thg winds that find a passage at ‘the depression in the northern portion of the Siera Nevadas, But whethér or not he is correct concerning the connection which he traces between the roll of the earth and the plentiful watering of the American Con- tinent (except the arid waste of the south- ‘portion of the northern part), it is jess certain that the arable soil of the Ney World exceeds that of the Old World, sotwithstaiding the expanse of the latter’ is double that of the former. gives the New World the capacity of sus- taining as many or more people, for such capacity,1s regulated not by mere expanse, but by the extent of productive soil. This fact is certainly a strong support of the pre- dictions! of growth of population, and Mr. Coox. might have found an- other in the extent of our mineral deposits; which, so far as known, are equal to those of nil tho rest of the world: Tho known coal deposits of America exceed those’ of the three Continedts of Europe, Asia, and Africa; ‘and all the remainder of the globo P has not.yet discovered gold, silver, copper, aud iron:that equel the ascertained supply of our portion. In the light of these circum- stances it is not easy to exaggerate in look- ing out into the future of America. ‘There is nothing over which the opponents of the Givil-Service reform have mado a gfeater oy a more needless ndo than over the proposal,that appointments should be pre- ceded by,an examination to test the individ- ual and irelative merits of the candidates. ‘The truth is, they have been so little accus- tomed to, associate the idea of qualifications for the service to be rendered with the fact of an appointment, that it is difticult to make them understand the relations of things, It is really! ludicrous to think how these two things—service and qnalifications—have Leen dissociated, from the highest. posts downward, in -all departments of Govern- ment in this country. The other day, out in a rural village, the Roadmaster of the dis- trict “called in to collect the anunal road tax. Hy proved to be a stout frish- man, and he had with him a written list ofthg property-owners and of their re- spective dues. He handed this to the gen- tleman, who ran his eye down the list till he found his own name and saw the amount set oppostte—two dollars, Having produced the money, he desired a,receipt. The Col- lector asked him to write it, which the gen- tleman did, when the Collector further ro- qnested him to write the signature also, and he would} make his mark! Here was a man collecting’ money from numerous persons for the town and giving receipts, wlio could not read writing nor sign hisown name. And this was uot “among negroes in a Southern State, uader carpet-bag rule, but was among white men in a Northern State. Probably this illiterate Irishman rendered valuable party-service in previous elections, and his “claim ” to reward had been duly récognized. But how far is the practice of the United Siates .Government different in prin- ciple, When it sends, as Minister to the Court of a first-class European Power, a man who cannot read or speak either the con- ventional language of Continental diplomacy, that is, the French,—nor yet that of the people to;whose Governmefft he is commis- sioned ? ‘When tho Foreign Minister is com- pelled to use an interpreter in his every com- munication, sent or received, he stands on the same platform of helplessness with the unfortunate Roadmaster. é Now, after a political practice of half ao century upon such a principle, it is not sur- prising that those who support it and who pride themselves on being “ practical states- men ” should ridicule the idea that appoint. ments shanid be preceded by examinations. What more can be necessary than a certifi- cate that one has been a usefal “worker” forthe party? Is not that the height of qualification and good desert? And yet common-sense people, who carry on business on ordinary principles of sagacity and pru- dence, may have a different opinion, As they never engage a clerk withont careful inquiry as to his character and abilities, and as banks nowadays require moneyed security back of the most insignificant place in their gift, they may be verdant aud unpractical enough in governmental matters to think some precnution should be taken ‘besides as- certaining {hata man has been an “active” Republican or Democrat. They have known some such whom they would not intrast with the slightest business, and through whose hands they would not pass a half-dozen postage-stamps, lest one or two of them should stick by the way. They have a prej- udice in favor of a Government clerk being required to exhibit some proof of his neat handwriting, of his familiarity with book- keeping, of his knowledge of English gram- mar, of his ability to compose ordinary sen- tences correctly, of his readiness at figures, and of his being tolerably at home im geography—seeing no one knows at what mo- ment the clerk might find such attainments useful or even indispensabie, They can conceive of no reason why Government should be served poorly, or why, on the contrary, it should not have the best set of servants in the country. Nor do they see why the conditions of appointment might not be such that it-should be in every re- spect an honor to be engaged in the Govern- ment service. But a grest deal of cheap ridicule has been expended on what have been called the “lit. erary “requirements called for by the re- formers. As though a boy conld not ran on an errand without being familiar with rhet- onc: ora clerk could not direct envelopes without a knowledge of history!’ Wo can hardly credit opposers with tho want of per- spicacity and the lack. of sense. which these objections imply. But we must deal with them according to the show they choose to make before the public. Hence we remind them that even the simplest things are bei- ter done by intelligence than by ignorance, Every cultivated Mdy knows that, -had she the strength, she ‘conld do her houséwork much more. perfectly than does her maid. Every educated gentleman has observed, when ordinary mechanics have worked for him, how often he has had to be brains for them in their own business the moment any- thing was to be done out of the common routine. As an ax cute better for whetting, so hands work better for: the skill which comes from a varied _ knowl- This’ edge added to special training. Edu. .cation strengthens mind as well as in- forms it ; gives discipline os well as learns ing ; makee’a man as well as 8 scholar. Oth- er things being equal, the more ona kpows the better fitted he is for any position, high orlow. Hence, while each ordinary branch of education will directly add to the immedi- ate qualifications of every candidate for the Government service, his extent of informa- tion and his previous diligence of study will be found to have imparted a general ability to think, to judge, and to do, which propares him for’ superior work on all occasions. Brains are worth something as well as hands; and, in developirg brains, there is great value in the effect of application and success under competition, aside from the direct valuo of the branches pursued. In this way even a worthless study is far frdm lost, provided it be so prescribed as to produce competition, concentrate mental power, and test relative ability. Macavuay has some admirable re- marks on this very point. as follows : Whatever bo the languages, whatever be the sciences, which it is in any age or country the fashion to teach, the persogs who become the greatest proficients in those laffguazes and in those eciences will generally be the flower of the youth— the most acute, the most industrious, the most ambitious of honorable distinctions. If the Ptole- maic system were taught at Cumbridye instead of the Newtonian, the senior wrangler would, never- theless, be in general a superior man to the wooden spoon. If, instead of Iearninz Greek we learned the Cherokce, ghe man who understood the Chero- kee best, who the made most correct and inclodious Cherokee verses, who comprehended most accu-¢ rately the effects of tho Cheroxce particies, would generally be a superior man to him who was desti- tute of those accomplishments. If astrology were taught gt our universities, the young man who cast nativaties best wonld generally turn out a superior man. - If alchemy were taught, the young man who showed miost uctivity in the pursuit of the philos- opher's stone would generally tam out o superior man. 3 5 ‘Lhe common-sense idea is, that, other things being equal, a fair and open competi- tive examination will bring together the brightest, sharpest, best-charactered, and most promising class of applicants; each of them all being propared to stand upon his merits, while the successful competitors will be men of unusual ability. This method also is alone certain to maintain a perma- nently-high standard of requirement, and to remove temptation to accept a poorly- qualified person on Some ground of favorit- ism. It offers an open, impartial opportu- nity for all to qualify themselves for tho Government service, with a reference to per- manent work ; it gives the Government the selection of the best individuals from the’ best class; it is the. only fit accompaniment ‘of free institutions, which must rest upon intelligence ; and it is the logical and appro- | priate result of the arrangements npon which we pride ourselves for the universal educa- tion of the people. UNBELIEF, AND HOW TO MEET IT. MoxcuneConwar sends to the Cincinnati Commercial the results of his observations at the Pan-Presbyterian Council. It strikes Lim as a sad fact that the London disbe- lievers remain unmoved while the Calvinistic sheet-lightning is playing so dreadfully about their devoted heads. ‘ Huxxey is unaware that he has been used np by McCosz, and Henpent Srences that the.work of his life has been laid in ruins by Barroy, of Chi- eago.” ‘Tho field-day of the Council, accord- ing to Conway, was a certain Monday, when the question up for discussion was: ‘The Naturo qf Unbelief, and How to Meet It.” The chief paper was read by Dr. Fran- cis L. Parrox, of Chicago,—the old-time antagonist of Prof. Swrxc. He set ont with the proposition that the generic cause of unbelief isa depraved nature, which in the first place makes a man undesirous of hear- ing the Gospel, andin the next place disin- clined to accept it. Mx. Conway says “It is simply monstrous for an able and learned divine to think of ‘building on such a fiction an that”; bat Mr, Conway's opinion, per haps, is n0 better than another man’s. At the same session, Dr, McCos read a paper, “Cut Of at an Advanced Age by the Call of Time,” in which he seemed to regard the interplay of scientific discussion as a war of Kilkenny cats, one theory destroying an- other; but still he recognized the steady advance of anti-supernaturalistic thought in all countries, end his proposition for meet- ing it practically was to train a body of apologists, other than the clergy, es defend- ers of the faith. Another speaker was Dr. De Pnessensr, who, in felicitous French, declared that infidelity had chiefly arisen from the Church wielding power over or in the State,—thus assuming position similar to that of our own JoserH’ Cook. A less 4 hopeful view was that of Dr. Troxas Ssuru, of Edinburg, who said that infidelity was mach mora due to literature than science, even history being now written in an infidel spirit; and he thought that the popular form of it is Sec- warism. Dr. Frixt, Professor of Theology in the University of Edinburg, lamented that Europe was so ill supplied with Chris- tian scholars qualified to meet the scientists on their own grounds and put them to rout. The Presbyterian divines at Edinburg, it will be observed, Were far from being of ono mind; they could not agree either upon the causes of unbelief or upon the remedy for it.. While the defenders of the faith are in this unsettled condition, it would be pre- sumptuous for any mere layman to attempt the answering of these mighty questions, nor would it be wise to judge ihe merits of the discussion from ‘the report of | Mr. Coxwar, which, though it is two columns in length, is so col- ored. by the prejudices’ of the writer as to be comparatively valueless. But there is one idea which stands ont prominently in all the discussion, and that is, that the Chris- tian Church is suffering for the want of teachers trained in the rudiments of modern science. Some of the speakers at Edinburg confessed this openly, and others proved it by the unscientific methods of their argu- ments. There is a vast difference, according to the modern use of language, between a clergyman scientifically trained and one trained in the sciences, A large body of theologians hold that theology itself is a Science, and consequently that every young man who has received a thorough training in the Presbyterian theology is scientifically trained. It makes no difference whether he knows an echinoderm from a protozoan, or achunk of old red sandstone from a Con- necticnt Valley bird-track,—if his faith is firmly anchored in the doctrines of the Church, he is considered competent to pass upon all scientific questions. The discus- sion at Edinburg is'valuable, therefore, since it shows a departure from this old theory of theological education. When'a man like Dr. Furst finds in Great Britain a lack of the scholarship required for the defense of Christianity against scientific assaults, it is time for American teachers to inguire whether there may + not be a similar deficiency in this country. It will not do in this advanced and curious age to answer an infidel by pelting jim with doc-- trines. As well attempt to subdue a mob by exposing ‘the fallacies of Agrarianism. The enemy must be met on his.own ground, and beaten with his own weapons, if the victory is to be complete and final. This is about what Mr. Joszpx’ Coor, for instance, at- tempts to do; and he answers well to Dr. Furnt’s description- of -the sort of mon required in Europe to repel scientific attacks. There can be no doubt but that his method is the correct one. Tho tremendous power one man may wield by means of it has al- ready been’ shown in Boston, where Mr. Coox has done much in one winter to dispel the doubts that scientific skeptics have raised in o dozen years. Gis work is now extending through.the country. If his suc- cess shall result in the training up of a body of men competent to discuss sciontific ques- tions in a scientific way, much bad logic and ill-temper will ‘be removed from tho theo- logical controversies of the day. A MATTER FOR CONGRATULATION. It is cheerful to find any consolation in looking back ata calamity like that which visited the country in the recent strikes, even though it be only comparntive.. So Chicago taxpayors may congratulate themselves now that they nro not confronted with the pros- pect of making good to corporations and in- dividuals several millions of dollars’ worth of property destroyed bya mob. This is the stern nocessity which stares Pittsburg in the face. ‘Lhe Pittsburg newspapers are now en- engaged in writing a history of the strike at that point, of the character and conduct of the mob, of the action of the local officiols during the two or threo days’ reign of terror; and they are endeavoring to shape it in such a way as to relieve the City of Pittsburg and Allegheny County from the pecuniary liabili- ty for the losses suffered at the hands of tie mob, We fancy that this purpose will not be easy of accomplishment. ‘The law of Penn- sylvania expressly makes the local govern- ments responsible for the destruction of property by mob violence. Even the Pitts- burg papers do not deny the justness of the law, and, indeed, an express stetute merely formulates a principle which would hold if the law weré not written out in the statute-. books. ‘ But the Pittsburg people, if fairly represented by the Commercial Gazette oz that city, are now urging that the Legisla- ture shall enact a law saddling the loss in the present case upon tho State, and relicving Allegheny County from carrying the whole of the burden alone. ‘he line of argument used. to justify this appeal is that the calamity was a common .one, which visited’ the whole country; that the outbreak of the strike wes “accidental, ond that it would have been concerted if it had beon deferred a few weeks later; that Pitts- burg’s greater suffering warned other com- munities in time, and enabled them to make preparations against o similar assault ; and soon. But.the weak point in this statement is the omission of the influence on the mob of the evident pusillanimity of the city and county authorities, and the palpable sym- pathy which thecitizens of Pittsburg showed with the mob at the first. Wd have no disposition to interfere in the matter; but it is not probable that the remainder of the State willcare to share the loss, when the citizens of Pittsburg allowed State troops to be driven off that were sef@there to protect property. Chicago’s interest in this phase of the late riots is one of self-gratulation that we have oscaped the penalty of a failure on the part of local government to afford property and life the protection for which local govern- ment is established, and in consideration of which the citizens submit to taxation. ‘There is no specific statute in this State fixing the liability of municipal corporations in such cases, but the principle of law is so clear that such liability could not be escaped. It is not surprising that taxpayers stood aghast during the two or three days the authorities temporized with the growing mob; and the lesson which Pittsburg’s experience ought to teach is the necessity for providing such means of protection as will avert o similar experience when the mob threatens again. \ THE OFFICIAL SWINDLERS, * It is useless to appeal to the Board of County Cemmissioners to act with common honesty betweon the public and the men to whom the Commissioners have awarded con- tracts. The public are familiar with the scandalous, and disreputable, and criminal transactions revealed in the dealings of the County Commissioners under the Perro- Lat contracts. The awarding of the con- tracts for building the Court-House has been attended with so many circumstances of fraud and of bribery as to leave no doubt in the public mind as to the general character of tho whole proceedings. Complaint is as useless as is an appeal to honesty. A major- ity of the Commissioners are resolute. Pres- ent membership is regarded as a harvest, aad the purpose seems to be to make the most of it, The duty of Tue Trrosz, therefore, is to publish the record, and, as each new evi- dence of fraud and -robbery is supplied, to ; present it to the public, that the latter in November next may be aroused to the necas- sity of action in the matter of electing new men. Let us briefly enumerate the latest transactions, and state their present situa- tion: : Acontract was made with Hryny Hanus to build the foundations of the county wing forasum about $61,000. The contract re- quired that he should perform the work under the supervision of the architect, and that for allextra work cansed by changesof the plans he was to be paid such additional sum as the architect might award him, the de- cision of this arbiter being final and conclu- sive on both parties. Hanus at the concln- sion.of the work presented a demand for about $70,000 for extras, The architect certified that L& was entitled to about $25,000, and, after six months of vain effort to induce that officer to change his decision, the County Board by a majority vote ordered the payment substantially of Hanas’ bill by the County Treasurer. Commissioner Frrz- GERALD, however, filed a bill to restrain the payment of so much of this sum as was in excess of the contract and of the superin- tendent’s award; the injunction was grant- ed; a motion to dissolve the injunc- tion has been ergued: before Judge Fanwet, and his decision has not yet been delivered. Had fhe Hanus ease stood alone, it is not probable that, the Commissioners would have had the boldhess to have thus voted this gratuity to the con- tractor; but it was necessary in order to ad- amit much larger claims of a similar character on the part of all the other contractors. It was clearly an oversight on the part of the controlling majority of the Board that all the contracts contained a clause making the architect and superintendent the sole arbiter in all cases of claims for extra material or | services. This oversight they took pains to correct some ten days ago by ordering that a dome be built upon the Court-House, at a- cost possibly of $200,000, and that it be built by Sextoy, without any contract, and “without any price being named. The super- intendent hasno control over Szxron’s prices, and the Commissioners may vote to him whatever sum they may think proper. ‘Fhe decision in the Hanss case was 80 long-delayed that Waxes, the contractor for the stone, became impatient, and he at last presented a bill for $92,000 for extra stone. The superintendent certified that Waxes was entitled to $21,000, and there- fore that the claim for $71,000 was a fraud. Of course the payment.of this scandalous bill ‘has been agreed ypon in advance. Its payment, however, in advance of Judge Farwet’s decision, would illustrate too glaringly the frand in the Hanws case. Though the majority of the Board has already determined to pay this bill of Warren's for extras, in defiane of the decision of the super- intendent and of the contract, jast as it has been determined to pay all his fnture bills for extras, and Srxron’s bills for extras, and all the ‘other bills for extras, which promise to equal if not exceed the original contract prices, they have resorted to a very cheap attempt to divide the responsibility. They have agreed upon ® resolution authorizing certain citizens to appoint a committee to examine WaLxen's bill, and to allow it or reject it; This‘is very shallow. The law of tho State is emphatic. Theso contracts, have been made. Either Waxnen is entitled to the money under his contract or he is not. The Commissioners are as much bound by the contract as is Warxcr. No committee of citizens can de- prive Watker of a dollar of his legal claims; no committee of citizens can authcrize the County Board to vote Watxen $71,000 to whieh he is not entitled udder the contract. The committee can have no power to make any decision binding on -ny party, or to construe tho contract, or .- warrant the County Treasurer to pay $71,000 to any per- son for any purpose. As well refer the case now before Judge Fanweny to a committee of citizens to be by them decided, and thus appeal from law, contracts, and the courts toa town meeting consisting of thxee per- sons, : ‘ The whole question is. Vefore the Court. If Judge Fanwext decide that the County Board can go behind the contract, and vote whatever sam it pleases to a contractor, then the Connty Board has no need of a commit- tee of citizens, but’ may go ahead and vote the payment of all Warxen's, and Sexron’s, and Hixspaxe’s bills for extras,—their sole limit being their discretion. If, however, the Court shall otherwise decide in the Hanus cise, then the contractor must, if he have any lawful claim “beyond his contract, go to the courts and have tliat claim en- forced by law. But the County Board has no discretionary power ;-nor can it invest a committee of citizeas with any such power; nor ¢an it derive authority to exercise such power from such committee. Its powers in this case are those written in the contract, and by that contract all parties must be bound. All these circumstances should be borne in mind by the people of this county, and should impress on them the fact that the only hope of deliverance from this Board fs in the election this fall of five citizens whose character shall give some assurance that a complete change in the management of affairs will be had. ‘The election of five such men this fall will enable the minority in the present Board to revolutionize the whole organized scheme of dishonesty and bribery, which is not- only notorious but is defiant. : -Ald. Daxy, at the Police-Committee meet- ing, insisted on a large addition to the police force, to be made immediately. He refused to consider the question of ways and means, —where the money was to come from to pay the salaries of the proposed new policemen, —there being no legal authority for incurring the expenditure at this time. A part of his argument ran like this, as reported: ” New York, with its area of thirty square miles, had five times as many police, and paid esx times as much to keep up its force. Philadelphia's force was one-and-a-half times as large. New Orleans paid $8v,000 more for her police force than Chi- cago; and even Boston, with one of the most con- servative Municipal Governments in the world, and with a vounlation 125,000 less than Chicago's, had a police force 200 stronger. In ai these cities, moreover, salaries were higher. This exhibit, the Alderman thought, whs nota very creditadle one for Chicago. Ald. Dany imposed a little on the other members of the Committee with his statis- tics. It might have been replied to him that, unless he included Brooklyn, New York has not ‘‘five times as many policemen as’ Chi- cago,” elthough she has a great deal more than five times as much property to pretect. ‘The popuiation of New York and Brooklyn is five times as great as that of Chicago, and the value of destructible property is about ten times as great ns that inthis city. Phil- adelphia contains fully twice the population and four times the property of Chicago, leaving out land in both cases, which re- quires no police protection. New Orleans has been in a state of civil whr for years, be- tween tho carpe!-baggers and negroes on the one side and White-Liners on the other, which resulicd in tho carpet-baggers organiz- ing a considerable standing army of policemen to ,fight their batiles and keep them in, office: New Orleans, since the restoration of peace, can safely discharge one-half of the force, and we un- dorstand it is about being done. The city is bankrupt; and can’t afford to support half the number of policemen that have been de- vouring the taxpayers. As to Boston, al- though her population is somewhat less than that of Chicago, she possesses about three times the wealth per capita. The Bostoni- ans have enough money loaned ont. to other people to buy the whole of Chicago at present depressed prices; they can well afford to keep a large police force to protect their enormous wealth ; but Chicago is poor, by reason of fire, panic, and hard times, and has no money'to spare for anything she can get along without. Ald. Daur forgot to mention either Cincinnati or'St. Louis. The former is afar richer city than Chicago and not much less in population. Her property is all owned and paid for by her citizens; she has never been swept by fire since she was a wooden village. The police force of Cincinnati is smaller than that of Chicago. St, Lovis has never been burned up, and her people have all their 113 years’ accumnla- tions. She claims to have a larger popula tion than Chicago. Her police force is small- er and is paid less than ours, and is less expensive to support. St. Louis is more subject to mobs than Chicago; the Com- munists are far’ mor2 numerous, demonstra- tive, and audacious; and yet the present police force there is deemed sufficient for the public protection, with the aid of the mnilitary and the law-and-order citizens. Why should our citizens, in the event of another riot some time in the future, ndt help to disperse itand restore order? There is no surer or better protection than self-protection, and it is also the cheapest. The gods help those most who help themselves, liked to be called on all the time by evary. body for things they might do themselves, THE THOMAS SEASON. In 1870 Chicago was recognized as the Most important musical centre west of New York, and was relied upon by impresariva of every de- serption asabouanza which would fill tneir depleted pursts. Then came the fire and atter- ” ly demoralized every musical interest in thecity, Since that time music has becn very slowly re- covering, under the auspices of two local organi- zations, the Apyjlo Club and Beethoven Socicty, until at last it hdd so far rallied that a festival ‘upon a large scale was inaugurated by the first- named Society; with the assistance of the Tomas orchestra. Its success warranted 4 still) bolder experiment upoa the part of Mr. Tuoxas, namely: the abandon- ment of the customary summer-garden eqacerts in New York and their removal to Chicago. The success: of these concerts, forty-nine in number, bas not only exceeded his expectations, but it has shown that, Chicaga has recovered her former musical prominence, Mr. Tuostas" himself, in- his recent letter ao cepting the testimouial proffered him, says: “Alter eleven consccutive years of summer night concerts, I have been oblized to leave Nee York for wantof a suitable hall in which ta rive them. What New York offered I refused, and what I wanted I could not have. ‘That metropolis not having supplied my needs, I was induced to try the West, aud I gladly confess Ido not regres the experiment. . . . .. The support we have reveived justifies me in saying that Chicago is the only city on the Contl- nent, next to New York, where there is suf- ficient musical culture to enabie me to give a series of fifty successive concerts.” Cuicago necds no other indorsement than this. What bas been accomplished in this remarka- ble scason is reviewed. in detail in our regular musical department. The repertoire has been apparently inexhaustible, embracing, every de scription of musig in all schools aud nationale ties, trom the lightest dance numbers to tho severest music of| the classics. English, French, Scandinavian, German, Italian, Polish, Hun garian, and Rusgian, and the rousie of the past, the presdnt, and the future, have been presented; find, if Mr. Towas bad had the scores, he would have given an American night also. In addition, Chicago has, had the pleasure of listening to twelve works plazed for the first time in America. How this music naz been performed we need not say. Tueopors Tuosas’ orchestra, matured and seasoned. through years of experience, needs no words of praise by way of ‘encouragement or sympathy. With the cxception of the first two weeks, .Guring which time the weather was almost un- interruptealy cold and rainy, und the fifth week, when every one was excitéd with the riots, the business has been very large. The week -which bas just closed has Witnessed the largest and most. brillant au- diences that have ever assembled in Chicaroupon musical occasions, and the season ends with the brightest of hopes forthe future. © « The result of this season reaches far- ther than the mere nightly entertainment of those “who have attended. One of the most Work is the educational. What he has done in the past in Chicago is clearly shown by the fact that the best’ programmes this season have drawn the best audiences. This shows.adyance. These seven weeks of concerts will give our local music still further im- pulse. They will make people impatient of listening to indifferent music during the coming fall and winter. Concert-goers will be More exacting in their demands. Tney will expect that local societies will not be content with occupying last season’s plane. They will ask for better programmes and better per formances, and they. will look for novelties. Mr. Tuostas has established a standara of com- Parison, and the public will expect that iutore concerts must come as near as possible to that standard. Concert-givers, whose name is Legion, should remember this in their schemes for the forthcoming season. Sofaras New York is concerned, there will be little sympathy for her in the West. If-sha is unwilling to support Mr. Tota in the sum- mer months, Chicago is both able and willing to do it. He labored arduously and incessantly tc give New Yurk good music, and when he asked for bread they offered him a stone. Chicago will do better than this. She will give bim whas the St.Louis Communists wanted—“ cake and pie.” If New York can afford to do without sir. Tuomas, he can affora to do without 7- ew York. He can stand it. So faras winter concerts are concerned in that city, his future is secore. He has a constituency there that must have its symphony concerts, and must have him be- cause there is no one else who can supply their want. The action of the Phifharmonic Society in electing him conductor is sufficient proof of this. Heis therefore placed ona better basis than ever before. He bas New York as a sure field for the fall and winter; and the West for the spring and summer. The only thing left to be accomplished is for Chicaro, St. Louis, and Cinciunati.to make a triple alliance, without Jealousies of any sort, and to make it so strong as to guarantee Mr. TuoMas a remunerative support. He deserves it for the confizence he has reposed. in them, and he will ricMly repat hem. a THE ROMANCES OF HISTORY. The: original fconoclasts hada neat way od knocking idolatrous images in pieces, partly be cause they were moved by 2 sense of duty and’ partly because the times were dull and ordinary amusements too high-priced. Theirs was com- paratively a harmless occupation. The damage they did could be repairea at the expense of few fresh pigments, some yards of canyas ant blocks of wood and stone, according to the de mand. The monks of the eighth or nioth cen tury could.rchabilitate a saint almost ina jitty Since then the idol-smashers have made a great advance.‘ Nolonger content with shattering the gross emblems of a religious faith, they have invaded the realms of the imaginatior, and attacked the most sacred traditions of humani- ty. “No man is truly great to his valet,” saith the philosopher, and, we fecl inclined to add, no great man, in these days, is withonta valet. The sight of the world’s heroes en deshatileis a painful and demoralizing spectaclé. The man whe convinces ingenuous childhood that all the dolls are stuffed with sawdust is a monster whom it would be base flattery to call a villain; and, in the same way, society owes no debt of gratitude to the writer who strips the massive ficures of history of theiz brightest ornament. Discriminating people will not, therefore, be thankful for an article in the last number of the Geiary entitled “‘rhe Em- broidery of .History,” in which an attempt is made to prove that the True, the Beautiful, and the Good are idle terms as applied to the past, ‘and only applicable in their full meaning to the skeptics of the present. When the son of RicuaRp Bainstzr Sneni- DAN proposed to go down ina coal mine, the father remonstrated, and asked what reason he could possibly bave for so senseless an excur- sion. ‘I should like to say, father,” answered the young man, “that I bad scen a cval mine.’ “What isto prevent your saying so now?” retorted tne tendef parent. Readers of the Galaxy will feel, we hope, that there is nothing to prevent them from cherishing such beautiful ideas as they have a fancy iur, what- ever may be said or written to the contrary. It is well enough for the iconoclasts to maintain that there were no cotton bales in the breast- works at New Orleans; that Pursas did not ride his horse down a flight of seventy stone steps; that Suzzman never made the famous ride to Winchester; that Farnacur was not lashed to the rigging in Mobile Bay; that Newson did not give the signal, “England exoects every man to do his duty”; that Lawrence did not cry, ‘Never giveup the ship’; that Czsar did not re- proach his friend with “Et tc, Brcre”; that Gaxtzzo did not murmur, “E pur si muove; that CroswEcs did not tell bis men, “Trust ia Gop and keep your powder dry’; that Wiut- aM TELL never nad’a son, cr°a bow and arrow,. or an existence; that BARBARA FRieTculEe was Hencvzss dis- | drunk and disorderly: that GrorGR WaswNG- . important clements of Mr. Tuomas’ -