Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, August 19, 1877, Page 4

Che Gribune. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. BY MAIL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID. s1Pg it 1.00 Sunda - ible Sheet. 338 Satuntay Editon, Par ‘Tri-Weekly, one year. sti Parts of a year, per mocth.. . a WEERLY EDITION os ‘One copy, ye wa luv of te 43:93 Club of tw 20. Specimen copies sent sree. ‘To prevent delay and mistakes, be sure and give Post Oftce address in full, tncluding State and County. Remitcances may be made efther br draft, express Post-Otiice order, or in registered letters, at our risk. TERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Dally, delivered, Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week. Datly, delivered, Sunday included, 30 cents per week. Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, ‘Corner Madison and Dearborn-sts.. Chicago, Tl. Orders for the delivery of Tox TatpoNEs: Evanston, Englewood, and Hyde Park left in the counting-room ‘will recetve prompt attention. SOCIETY ME ETINGS. clave at Asylum on Tuesday evening: POLLO COMMANDERY.NO. 1, KNIGHTS TEMP- 3 1, at Sorcluck prompt. Durin} A fag final ‘arrangements for the coming Triennial Con- lave at Cievelaad will be made and announced, and ‘hanner to be formally presented oa that occadion to ‘this Commandery will be exhibited. | It ts desired that ‘ecery resident member of Apotio will esteem this no- ‘Uce as bearing all the force of a summons. and be pres- ent to awist in completing the necessary arrangements, CHil out and retura ** Question Ogris” curder). R. DUNLOP, Recorder. Sy orderotthe EC. S. . 19, K. T.—Atten- ghts—Stated ‘é Monday eveninz, 7. Work on K. ‘T. Order. - final arranie- ve made rexarding nilerimage to Cleveland, Uhio. A full attendauce requested, Drill on Wedacs- day and Friday evenings. Vistas ‘Sir Knights cordiaily vite y order of es i JOHN H. SANBORY, Em. Com. JAMES E, MEGINN, Recorder. LINCOLN PARK LODGE,-NO. Git. A. F. and A. ‘M., will hold a Special Cominuntcation at thelr hall, corner of North Clark and Centre-sts... Friday. Aug. Pp. in., for work. | Visiting brethren are cor- daly faviced? “By oraer'o Stalls tavited. | By orver Oc. E. SIMMONS, W. Ms E. LEWIS, Secretary. ST. BERNARD COMMANDERY, NO. 35, K.T.—At- tention. Sir Knights! You are hereby notified to ap- pear atthe Aeylum Wednesday cvevinz, Aug. 22 at8 ~ Bt which time assignments will be made for re- ju and escort duty ou the morning of the 27th. A sey fall attendance Isrequested, Sp paNK, B.C. GOLDEN RULE LODGE, 726 ALF. and A. M.— Stated Communication on Tuesday evening, 21st tust.. ate v'clock, in Oriental Hall A full attendance of ted. Work, members Iseapecti Works, MeFADYEN, Sec. NO. 40, OF THE A. 0. U. mbers that the Decree of lympis Hall, Clark-st., on ‘A. BUTTERS, Recorder. GARDEN CITY LONGER, ‘W.—1 hereby notify the Honor will ve conferred Monday next, the 22th. SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 1877. CHE MARKET SUMMARY. ‘The Chicaco produce markets were generally active and heavy Saturday. Mess pork closed 25 G30c per bri lower, .at $12.30312.32% for Sep- tember and $12.32}@12.35 for October. Lard closed 37%e per 160 Ds lower, at $8.12%: for Sep- tember or October. Meats were eusier, at 4c for looseshoulders and Gixc for do short ribs. Lake freights were active and firm, at 4c for corn to Buf- falo. ighwines were firmer, at $1. 08@1, 08% per gullon. Flour was quiet and steadier. Wheat closed 1@1%e lower, at 98c for August and 92% for September, Cornclosed 14j¢ lower, at 415¢ for August and 41%c for September: Cate closed 34c lower, at 22%4c for August and 225;cfor Septem- Der. Hye waseasier, at 52j¢. Barley closed 1c Jower, at G7isc for September. Hogy were steady at $4.50@5.30. Cattle and sheep were unchanged. One hundred dollare in gold would. buy $195.25 in preenbacks at the close. —Ss a. At the New York Gola Exchange on Sat- ‘uurday greenbacks raled at 943@944. ‘Wfkt of interestin at one time the most fascinating of games is slowly killing billiards in Chicago. In another column is presented an exhaustive view of the situation at present, which beers but a faint resemblance to the days when the game had more votaries than base-ball. Tor ‘amoxe of this morning surrenders considerable space'to an interesting article on the commercial and financial situation of the country in general and Chicago in par- ticular. From the facts stated and the sta~ tistics accompanying, the conclusion is irre- sistible that the indications all point to an exceptional prosperity for our city during the coming year. ‘The labor question, and what is to become of the army of willing workmen who cannot find anything to do, has attracted the atten- tion of Mr. O. C. Grsns, who suggests that the unemployed be colonized in the West by capitalists, who would undoubtedly find in the scheme a profitable investment. His letter, which appears in another column, is worthy of a careful perusal. Athletic energy marks the operations. of those interested with the preparation of the Exposition Art Gallery. A numberof paint- ings have arrived, valuable intrinsically aud for the historical interest they excite. A number of improvements will characterize the department this year, and many of the annoyances of former exhibitions will bo wanting. ‘There is every prospect of a superb display of fine arts, such a one as Chicago may well be proud of. A review of the situation in Bulgaria does not appear to brighten the prospect for the Russians. From neglect and indifference, the roads around their position have fallen into a wretched state, and even those con- necting with their base of supplies have been allowed to fall into an almost impassible condition.. Sickness is increasing, and suf- ferers are sent to the rear atthe rate of 300 aday. Itis said that public opinion in Russia has been “seriously affected by the misfortune at Plevna, and it is feared that, when echoes of this dissatisfaction reach the army, a movement may be precipitated beforo stralegical congideration would war- rant, ‘They managed to mix the entertainment somewhat at Chautauqua yesterday. After one Professor had explained, with scientific illustration, the doctrine of “spirits,” an- other went to the other extreme anil proved the water of: that bailiwick the purest in the world. This paved the way to the introduc- tion of a caricaturist on one of the New ‘York illustrated papers, who created intense delight with his hits at prominent Chautan- quans, A young lady read Trowsrmoe's “Vagabond,” which was “highly appro- ciated,” and the mecting closed with “a song.” Verily, Joszrm Coox hit it when he said Chautauqua was “an achievement, a promise, great as both.” —_—__— ‘The dispatches received yesterday, and for several days previously, indicate that Wir- ua H. Vanprrsicr and Jax Govtp hare come to an arrangement in regard to West- ern Union and Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph interests. The public may expectto hear at any moment that the two companies have amalgamated or pooled their business in such away as amounts practically to a con- solidation. The recent confidential meetings at the Windsor Hotel in New York of the chiefs of the rival lines ‘mean business.” ‘There were congregated, or closeted, Messrs: Vanpeznrnt, Onrrox, Scent, Morcan, Corsen, and Dunger, representing West- ern Union; and Jar Goutp, Ecrenr, Sacer, Kesnz, Dion, Tsomesoy, and Snmons, representing the A, 4& P.,—all large: stock- holders, and owing among them three- fourths or nine-tenths of both institutions. The object of the conibination or consolida- tion is, of cburse, to put an end to competi- tion, in order to re-establish the old high rates of telegraphing as nearly as possible. ‘The low rates have resulted in an immense increase of business; but it is believed. that more money can be made by converting the two companies into a grand monopoly and so rearranging the tariff of charges as to perform the least amount of business at the highest rates, Suppose the number of mes- sages are cut down one-half by reason of high rates, yet by charging 60 per cent nore than at present a greater profit can be made. As to.whether the public will like it or not is minor consideration with a monopoly. It can scarcely be claimed for the North- western Amateur Rowing Association regat- ta, which has just closed at Detroit, that it was in all respects an unprocedented suc- cess. A far more profound interest was manifested by the people who lined the banks than by many members of the Association, who failed to either show up at all, or who rowed so badly asto, in some instances, turn the. thing into a burlesque. Great expectations of some of the races cul- minated in magnificent disappointments, and the necessity for pressing in amateurs outside the Association in order to get a start betrays a sad want of esprit de corps on the part of the members, or some terribly bad management. Examination into the extent to: which nepotism obtains in the revenue districts has developed some curious facts. In some cases whole families have been attacked with an epidemic of office, and in others the business hos been looked upon,as o heritage and the especial property of bands of relatives. This has led to the fulmination of a circular, directing each Collector not to employ more than one person related to him- self, and not more than two related to each other. This may throw agreat many worthy gentlemen out of employment, but it is a re- form thatthe country can stand, and, since it has been inaugurated, it should be pushed to its legitimate conclusion. ‘The gas ordinance is to be disposed of to- morrow night in the City Council. Several votes have been taken, but there has been no agreement. The intelligent members perhaps have discovered that there has been considerable effort at’ delay by those most clamorous for action. The Committee have proposed that the prices be $2 and $1.65 per 1,000 feet for the West Side and the old companies, respectively, and we suppose that the majority of the Council are prepared to vote those prices. Ccmputed at these rates, the price per street-lamp will be re- duced from an average of $55 to $21, and the public are entirely satisfied with this. The shortest way to pnt an end to any de- sire or attempt at trading is to pass the ordi- nance, and remove the whole question from the Council for this year. The proceedings at a meeting of indig- nant taxpayers of the Town of Lake, held yesterday, indicate that small section of the TwEep Ring, with a capacious maw for public plunder, exists in that home of disagreeable odors. When the town incurred a large debt for bnild- ing water-works, an ordinance was passed that a specific portion of the taxes should be set apart as asinking fund for the redemp- tion of the bonds. Up to Jan. 1 list, $52,- 000 had been received for this purpose. This money was not invested as directed by law, but expended in the payment of extravagant salaries, etc., and the sink- ing fand is $42,000 worse than nothing. Some $10,000 of the béads,. which bear 10 per cent interest, have become due, and there is not a dollar wherewith to pay. A Committee was appointed to ascertain the legal rights of the taxpayers, and when these are discovered, the Tweedites wilF doubtless remark to the burdened taxpaper, ‘* Well, what are you going to do abont it?” —_———— The Inbor strikes have calmed down re- markably within the Jast fortnight. At sev- eral of the Pennsylvania coal mines the companies have receded from their recent 10 per cent reductions, but have discharged the surplus men whom they had been em- ploying on ‘‘short time.” It 1s found to work better to pay seventy-five men satis- factory wages than to try and retain 100 men, giving cach but three-quarter em- ployment. In this city the avalanche of grain from the country has put a new faco on everything. The railroads are now full of business, and thousands of idle men have ‘been setat work. All the lake vessels are in demand for the grain trade; extra men at increased wages are set at work loading and navigating them; orders for goods from the country are coming in, and this is beginning to work up trade among the merchants, and, of course, tnat sets idle men at work boxing, packing, carting, and handling. Altogether matters are rapidly brightening, and the auspices are all favorable fora good fall's trade. ‘ Arich haul in forgers was made yester- day. For some years iuree men, named Srevens, alias Hexpenson, and Weston and Gessxen, the former from New York, ‘the latter. from Minnesota, and Weston of Chicago, have done a flourishing bnsi- ness, and it is estimated that they have swindled the banks of the country out of millions of dollars, In January last they caught the Third National Bank of New York for $26,000 and the Union Trust Company for $40,000, snd since that time they have been pursued by a sort of vigilance committee of mer- chants, aided by a Special Agent of the Treasury Department, who succeeded at last in ranning them down, STzvENs near Grand Haven, Mich., and the other two in. Chicago, A complete outfit of implements, pens, various inks, and a number of drafts on banks, from which all the writing had been extracted by acids except the names of the Cashiers. There is considerable mystery in the case, the development of which will be pleasant reading, but enough is known to demonstrate that the trio composed the most. dangerous band of forgers the country has been afflicted with for years. The New York Tribune ventures to issue & warning to business men to beware of dan- geroue ventures this fall, and shouts out to them to hold hard. It finds the stock mar- ket booming with wild speculation, and, as to the banks, loans upon stock collaterals to an extent not equaled before since the days of 1873. It compares the bank returns of Ang. 2, 1873, and Aug. 4, 1877, as follows: 1877. $ 249,769, 800 its... .. 238,840,900 219,168,600 Reserve required.$ 59,710,225 § 54,701,651 Specie. s. 30;370'200 Ta T2'G00 Currency 50,038, 500 54,202 100 Reserve held.....$ 60,308,700 § 78,397,900 I¢ ventures the opinion -that the loans are as largely based upon speculative ventures as they wero in 1873, and “that the stock market is in a most critical condition; thata very reckless speculation is sustained by enormous loans by the banks on stock col- laterals; that a very great and rapid fall in price of stocks is contemplated by every- body in the strect as likely when the strong holders can get rid of their ventures; that prices are shoved up desperately to help them; and that the fall, if it comes, will bring as great a pressure as that of 1873 upon banks very much less able to bear it.” With the conditions of only two trank roads pay- ing dividends, and these on borrowed money, with business slack everywhere, with the ex- tent of the grain crops unknown, and with banks betting the prosperity of the commu- nity on the succéss of gamblers, who want higher prices for stocks, it looks for trouble in September, and says: ‘Men who are wise will sail’ near shore.” This may all be; but is this the warning of Jay Gouxp for a stock purpose, or is it the honest opinion of the New York Tribune? 18 A DEBT PROPERTY? One of the most important questions of the day is that of taxation, because it reaches the pocket of every person in tho State, and at the same time there is no question 50 lit- tle understood, or to which the general pub- lic will give so little attention. The business of taxation ought to be the most familiar of all principles of government to the American people. It is daily and hourly presented to them. Take, for instance, a property-owner in Chicago.. He is taxed directly and indi- rectly. Heis taxed bythe State on overy- thing tangible that he owns. He is taxed on his moneys and credits. If he is a member of a corporation, he is taxed on the proper- ty of that corporation, on its credits, on its capital stock, and on its debts. He is taxed by the city onall his property. He is taxed specially to pave streets and for, the use of water. He is taxed again by the township, .and again for park purposes. In addition, in certain occupations, he pays the National Government a dealer's tax, and on his salt and pepper, as well as on his shirt and drawers, on his hat and-overcoat, on all ‘the clothing of his wife and children, he is required to pay atax. Certainly, if any people have special cause tostudy the principles of po- litical economy, and especially the principles of just taxation, that people are the Ameri- cans. Yet nowhere, perhaps, do intelligent people give less attention to the subject. In Congress, and in the various State Logisla- tures, the “erudest notions prevail, and, therefore, it is not strange that on this sub- ject the demagogue too often rales. : Oneof the anestions involved is that of tar- ing credits or debts, and taxing titles to prop- erty as well as the property itself. This ques- tion has agitated the philosophic mind of the Legislature of Illinois for a number of years, and the fruit of that legislation is to bo found in the Revenue law of this State. ‘This law provides for the valuation and taxa- tion of property, and for the valuation and taxation of mortgages thereon ; it provides also for the valuation and taxation of the capital stock and. debts of cor- porations in addition to the valué of the property of such corporations. How this latter operation is performed can best be shown by the assessment of 1873, the first under the new law : Valuation of property of rallroad. companics..:...-..- Valuation of capital stoc! Subject to tax—Property. Excess of value of capi! property.....- 64,611, 070 Total subject to taxation 133,496, 522 Some $20,000,000 was assessed against other corporations as the value of their capi- tal stock in excess of the value of the prop- erty of the companies. It will be seen that the corporations paid taxes on all the tangi- ble property owned by them in the State, and were taxed on nearly 100 percent ad- ditional as the value of their stock certifi- cates, or evidences of ownership in the property originally tazed. This law is still in force im this State, and a suggestion that it provides for double taxation, and is unjust and oppressive, excites the most fanatical denunciation of capital, and the most furious defense of this system of taxation. ‘We have repeatedly discussed the tax sys- tem in force in this State, treating it as tho result of ignorance and barbaric notions; but Mr. Davip A. Wetts has called public aiten- tion, through the September number of the Atlantic Monthly, to the fact that there is another State in the Union where wilder no- tions on economic questions prevail than even in Illinois. The facts are briefly stated: Prior to 1869, C. W. Kimrzanp, of Woodbury, Litchfield County, Conn., loaned money, throngh an agent, a resident and citizen of Illinois, on bonds secured by deeds of trust on real estate in the City of Chicago. The bonds recited that they were ‘‘made under andin all respects to be constraed by the laws of the State of Illinois”; that principal and interest were payablo in Chicago ; that all taxes were tobe paid by the borrower; thatthe property might be sold. Upon these facts becoming known, the tax officials of Wood- bury added, in 1869, to tho list of Kinr- Lanp's taxable property the sum of $18,000, and in 1870 the sum of $20,000, to represent, the property owned and loaned by him with- out the territory of the State. Payment of taxon this assessment being rofused, pro- ceedings were taken to enforce it; it was heard in an inferior court, whence it was re- ferred to the Supreme Court of Errors; this Court, four out of the five Judges assonting, dismissed the case; it was again referred to the same Conrt for revision of errors in mat- ters of constitutional law, and the decision was affirmed sustaining the tax; then the case ‘was removed to the United States Supreme Court. The dissenting member of the Court was Judge L. S. Foster, formerly Senator of the’ United States. Mr. Wents discusses the questions raised by this decision in his usual clear and com- prehensive manner. . “Are titles and debts property ?” and, as a matter of precedent, he asks, What is property? This question he answers thus: . Property is always a physical actuality, with in- hering rights or titles, the product solely of labor, and it is always measured in respect to value and for exchange by labor. Thus, for instance, a fish free in the ocean is not property; but, when ft is caught through the Instramentality of labor, it be- comes: property. Property, furthermore, cannot be created, except by an application of Iabor of some kind to material substances, which, because they are snbatances and in order to be substances, must have both a corpus, or an entity, anda situs, or asituation. : Property, therefore, is not only always a physical actuality, but is also always ‘em. bodied or accumulated Inbor.” It becomes endowed with the attributes and incidents of titles or evidences of just ownership or pos-. session,—inchoate, legal, or equitable,— which inhere in the property, follow it, and form & component part of it wherever found. If the title to the farm is property, and is held in Connecticut, then the farm, not be- ing capable of being in the two States, is not Property in Illinois, Titles are inherent in property, and cannot beseparated therefrom, but are not the property itself. When we buy a title to property we pay for and in ef- fect buy the physical actuality or right of do- minion over itwhich the credit or title represents, When we sell titles or credits in’ excess of or sepa rate from the émbodied labor they are supposed to represent, we call the act swit- dling, and why ? Because the title to prop- erty, where there is no physical actuality, is afraudand a delusion, The theory that everything is property that can be sold will hardly be accepted by the man who buys & title and finds that what it purports to rep- resent has no physical actuality.. Mr. Wzn1s thus defines the relation of debts to prop- erty: “A debt is an evidence of a transfer of property or of services, and an equitable right to property itself or to other equitable rights to property; but the value of adebtaga right rests entirely on the cir- cumatance that it is a power to appropriate tne re- | sults of embodied Jabor or physica! actualities. A debt payable in merely Imaginary: things would beanimaginary debt. Asbetween debtor and crea- {tor, debts are inchoate or equitable titles, superior and paramount to the debtor's titles, for they will finally abeorb by legal process the entire estate and. interest of the debtor in the subject of the title, to theextent of the money duc. The debtor usually holds the legal title to the property, with a power to sell, but he nevertheless always holds itasa trustee for his creditor,—that 18, subject to the equitable right or title of the creditor to the same property. Debts, again, are the titles or the rep- resentatives of property or of money duc. A warehouse receipt given for wheat is a title to the wheat, but it;is not the wheat itself; nor is the dedt the property it represents. There is no value in the debt except in the property which it repre- sents, or to which it isan equitable title. In his opinion, Judge Foster said ‘that property and a debt (considered as a repre- sentative of the property pledged for its pay- ment) constitute together but one subject for the purpose of taxation. The tax being paid on the property without diminution on account of the debt, nothing remains to be taxed. The debt indeed, aside from the property behind it, and of which it is the representative, is simply worthless.” The Connecticut Court conceded that in the case of real and tangible property the title is not capable of being severed from the property and taxed. separately in different jurisdic tions. But the debt, which was a charge on the property, an intangible right or interest in that property, the Court declared existed as a sepnrate property, and was taxable in Connecticut. The whole article of Mr. Wexxs will be laid before the readers of Tae Trimonz, and no paper of greater interest has been pub- lished for years. He traces the effect of the principles affirmed by this decision to its logical conclusions. We trust the paper will have a wide reading in this State, especially by politicians who affect’ to treat capital as an enemy of the Human family. Wo trust that the effect of the whole system of taxa- tion of credit or debt will bo carefully observed. We hope that every maz in Iinois who has, a mortgage on his land will read this paper and figure how much hé pays for the luxury of having a law that mortgages shall bo taxed. There are out- standing in this State from two hundred and fifty millions to three hundred millions of dollars of mortgages, bearing an average rate of 9 percent interest. Of these mortgages there are twenty-five millions assessed and taxed. But the legal liability to be taxed— the fact that the law provides for the taxa- tion of mortgages—enters largely into the arrangement for loaning money. Whatever the rate of interest may be at which the lender would be willing to take the mort- gage, ho invariably and reluctantly . adds theréto an average of 2 per cent to cover the taxation to which he will be legally subject, and which possibly he may have to pay. If the Statecollécts 2:per cent tax on $25,000,000 of mortgages, and the people pay in consid- eration thereof 2 per cent additional inter- est on $300,000,000 of borrowed money, the economic wisdom’ which maintains this policy may find in the result how severe is tho punishment it inflicts. If, in addition to this, the non-resident mortgagees are to be taxed in their own States on the debts due them in Illinois, then in all future contracts the borrowers will have to pay, in the form of an increased rate of interest, the tax im- posed by other States. The attempt in Con- necticut to collect taxes on money invested and loaned in Illinois, to collect taxes on the business done in this State, is but a part of- the same system of taxation of titles and debts which is embodied in the Revenue law of Illinois, and which has cost this State so much, and which has repelled so much’ cap- ital. The evils of the law are felt in all their force, while the attempts at compensa- tion have proved, necessarily, abortive. THE MUSICAL OUTLOOK. Notwithstanding the hard times and the prospects of a hard winter, the caterers for themusical ontertainment of the people of this city are making quite as ample and! sumptu- ‘ous provision for the season of 1877-’78 as ever before, having apparently full confi- dence that people must be entertained, and that they will practice economy in every oth- er direction before they will give up their pleasure, especially that porennial and ever- agreeable pleasure of music. In our regular musical columns we'present a general ont- look of the whole field, so far as it can be forecast at present, It will be seen that both the prominent home organizations—the Apol- ‘lo Club and Beethoven Society—are already out with their prospectuses. ‘The Apollo Club, whose conductor is now in England making selections of new music, do not say" what definite works they will produce, but announce that their programmes will be made up of new music, and furthermore in- timate several new departures which will tend to enhance the comfort and convenienco. of their members. The Beethoven Society have underlined several important works, among them Vesnr's *‘Reqniem Mass,” Rarr’s ‘Evening Song” and ‘‘ Elegy,” Menpetesom’s ‘ Lore- ley,” Max Brucw’s “Odysseus,” and selec- tions from BEernoven’s “Fidelio,” and will also continue their pleasant reunions and Mr. Wotrsomy’s series of piano recitals, The ‘Haydn Society is at work upon Mznpexs- somx’s Hymn of Praise, and the organ recitals, musical evenings, and public mati- nees willbe resumed at Hershey Hall. At present it is certain that there will be three seasons of legitimate opera, and no one can say how many of opera bouffe. The first season will be that of the Hess troupe, headed by Esury Metvnie. Their reper- toire will be mainly devoted to the works of the opera comique, including such operns as Axpzoises Tuowas’ “Midsummer Night's Dream” ond ‘The Pasha of Algiers”; Srnauss’.‘‘ Queen Indigo” and’ ‘The Bat”; Bonprv’s “John of Paris”; AUBER’s “Haydee” and “Dawn of Happiness”; Avaw’s “A King for a Day”; Maruant’s “Hermit’s Bell”; and Ovenm’s operetta, “The Blacksmith’s Treasure,” founded on the drhma of “Dan Drace”; besides some of the old favorites, like the ‘“‘ Bohemian Girl,” “‘ Maritana,” and ‘‘Fra Diavolo.” The troupe, headed by Mme. ParreNHEnt and BR. Avast, the tenor. Its repertoire consists hauser,” “ Lohengrin,” “ The Flying Dutch- man,” and, perhaps, ‘The Meistersmnger.” ‘Warned by the fate of last season, they will Jet the Baireuth Trilogy severely alone. The third season will be that of the Srzaxoscr troupe, headed by those two prime favorites Asnze Lovrsz Cary and Crana Louise Ke1- Roze, one of the best singers on the operatic stago in Europe: In addition to the familiar standard works they promise us the ‘‘ Proph- ot,” “William Tell,” “The Magic Flute,” “Zohengrin,” “Paul and Virginia,” ‘“Fi- ness,—if we get all or half that is announced. Meanwhile, numerous minor concert troupes will visit us. The season will not regularly open until the latter’ part of September, and then will continue with- out interruption till Jane, when Mr: Tomas, with his incomparable orchestra, will once more make his sumnier home in the Exposi- tion Building, to charm the stay-at-homes with afresh repertoire, and reap new suc- cesses, which the New Yorkers are now 80 eager to discount. ‘ There is a peculiar mean- ness in the constant flings of the New York Herald and some other papers in that city, that the last season was not’ a success. It may add to their unhappiness in losing Tuomas to know that, although the season wasn experiment and was interrupted by two weeks of bad weather and one week of rioting, it was carried through. successfully and yielded profit. Next year Chicago will flo still better. :This, however, appertains to another season: So far as the present one is concerned, itis sufficient to know that the bill of fare is very appetizing. How far it will be patronized remains to be.seen. THE DOWNFALL OF THE REPUBLIC. ‘The question when the United States will cease to exist is an alluring one to the his- torian and the philosopher. Maoaunar gave us time only to fill up our cities and occupy our public lands, when, he predicted, our institutions would prove too weak to with- stand the pressure of ignorant suffrage, He pictured a New Zealander for us as well as for Great Britain. The heir of all the fature ages, who was to stand on London bridge and muse upon the ruins of Westminster Abbey, would have to travel across the At- lantic on arainbow and drop a tear on the Capitol at Washington before his destiny could be ‘fulfilled. Many other writers have been attracted to this fascinating subject. There’ is a certain sense of power conveyed by the act of annihilating a great nation witha sweep. ‘The author of the pamphlet entitled “‘ The Battle of Dork- ing ” must have enjoyed himself highly when he was picturing so vividly the destruction of British institntions. He was writing in jest and for a satirical purpose ; if he could have believed thoroughly in his predictions, his delight might have risen almost to frenzy. It is for these reasons that we imagine the happiness of an anonymous writer who some months ago sent forth a pamphlet entitled “Lessons of a Century,” in which the down- fall of the American’ Government was pre- dicted with terrible minuteness of. detail. The pamphlet has been freshly sub- mitted for review by a subscriber who admired the prediction of the financial panic by the Modern Thinker, referred to in Tae Trroune of Sunday last. Although the teacher of these “‘ Lessons of a Contury” seems to be at heart ‘patriotic enongh, he sacrifices his country to s sup- posed necessity almost without a pang. He has discovered that the American Constitu- tion is the fruit of a base spirit of compro- mise; conceived, if not in iniquity, at least in ignorance, and brought forth in travail. It is the result of a four-fold compromise. Firstly, of udity with individual interests,— ,of national sovereignty with the so-called sovereignty of the States. Secondly, of the Republic with monarchy. Thirdly, of freed- om with slavery. Fourthly, of democra- ey with aristocracy. ‘‘Only in. re- gard to one contradiction,” says our author, ‘thas clearness been gained. ‘The rebellion of the slaveholders has opened the eyes of even the most devoted admirers of the Constitution tothe fact that freedom and slavery cannot exist together. A dis- tinguished American statesman strikingly characterized this constitutional copulation by the remark that ‘The War of the Rebell- jon was waged in order to expound the Constitution.’” The compromise between a united State and a confederacy is stigmatized a8 the mest pernicious of all, sinco it arises from the accidental association of political individuals, founded through no inner neces- sity, but brought about by outward consid- erations. A federal State is declared to be a mistake in principle, and State rights in practice, but a safeguard for individual political rights, The compromise of mon- archy with the Republic is held by the au- thor to be monstrous. Our institutions are derived, he says, from the English, and re- semble them in every respect, except in the matter of the kingship, which is supplied by our so-called President. The power vested in the President is ssid to be enormous, and the penalty of impeachment for wrong-doing on his part inadequate. The representative system is held to be wrong because it makes the people apathetic as to their own interests, and emboldens the representatives to engage in schemes of plunder. The Supreme Court is also condemned as involving an unneces- sary abdication of power. ‘The reformer, indeed, leaves comparative- ly httle or nothing of our blessed American Government. He thinks it ought all to be torn down and built over again, and he kind- ly furnishes a plan for the rebuilding. His scheme would be to declare the Republic one and indivisible; the States to be constituted into provinces; the Presidency and the Sen- ate to beabolished ; the House to be changed into an assembly of deputies, who may be instructed by their constituents, or replaced at any time; an executive and administra- tive, removable at will, to be elected from the House thus constituted; all more important laws to be voted upon by the people directly ; the House of Deputies to maintain a continuous:session, appointing o commission to discharge the functions of Government during short qnd necessary va- cations ; the courts to be made subject to the control of the people, and the House of Deputies to be the last court of appeal, above the Supreme Court. © . , The scheme is comprehensive enough. ‘We do not know where any Government so simple and beautiful as this can be found. There is an approach to it in Switzerland. There was one in France fora short time, but it yas deluged in blood, and a Bourbon moni mounted toa throne placed on its ruins. There was a pure democracy in Athens, but it was subverted by ‘dem- agogues. Athens had the advantage, too, of a small and compact people, judiciary, legislature, or executive. The rule of the mob there was found to be occa- mainly of Wacnen’s operas, such as “ Tann- sionally disadvantageous, engaging ‘the nn- tion in foolish and expensive wars, encour aging idle discussion among the people, and condemning to shameful deaths the noblest men that Athens or the world has produced. The results might not be happier in this country, where the qpnditions for a pure democracy are even less favorable,. and 1ocG, the third prima donna being Mante- | where a Government founded on the rule of the depraved and the ignorant could scarcely maintain itself for,o day. It would fall in pieces of its own weight. The new. democracy, we fear, must be placed in the same -category with delio,” and “Aida.” Surely here is rich-| Prato's “Republic,” Monz’s ‘ Utopia,” Beautiful’ and Bacoy’s “Nova Atlantis.” dreams they sre all, but they have come and gone as insubstantial fabrics, and left not a wreck behind. Meanwhile, the people must endeavor to get along with the Governa ent they haveas best they may, and anybody at all concerned about the period of its exist- ence may be assured that whether it flourish- es or decays, it will not die according to anybody’s prediction, but in a good, inde- pendent American fashion, true to its vital principles even in the agonies of dissolution. THE FAST-FREIGHT BARNACLES. The discussion of the labor problem, especially as it involves railroads, covers a wide field. Our reporters have investigated one phase, and in our last issue were printed the results, which give one very important reason why railronds are unable to pay divi- dends and are compelled to reduce the wages of their employes. In an interview with s very prominent railroad official, the latter let in a flood;of light upon this subject, speaking in a general way of railroad busi- ness. One case will illustrate the whole. In order to attract custom, the railroads allow a rebate to heayy shippers. A large mer- cantile house makes an annual contract with the roads or with the fast-freight lines which live upon the rods at a certain rate, say 75 cents per hundred. The house pays this rate, and then at any.time it pleases lays claim to a rebate of 45 cents, which is allowed, leaving 30 cents which must be divided between three or four companies and their ‘‘Red,” ‘ White,” or ‘“ Blue” lines. Deducting the numerous minor charges frém this amount, and it is easy to see- that next to nothing goes into the treasury of the Company to be divided. among the stockholders. Therefore it happens that while the expenses of arosd may be light and the amount of tonnage it carries very heavy, still its re- ceipts are exceedingly small, and do not yield any return to the owners. At the bottom of all this trouble lies that barnacle upon railroad prosperity, the fast- freight line. The official to whom we have ‘alluded says: ‘All the roads running from the East, the great trunk lines, are unfor- tunately harnessed with too many sub-lines, with which they are compelled by contract toshare their earnings. By sub-lines I re- fer to the lines known asthe ‘Globe,’ ‘Blue,’ * Anchor,’ ‘Star-Union,’ ‘ National Dispatch,’ and a whole grist of others as numerous as the tentacles of Vicron Huco’s Devil-Fish.” And again: ‘Each railroad has three or four or more ‘lines’ hanging to its skirts, and these Hines have separate establishments and separate managers, officials, glerks, and runners. They are in themselves, to. all in- tents and purposes, thoroughly organized in- stitutions, and are only secondary to the railroads on whose tracks they run. It costs money to run these lines, but competition has created them and made them appear as a necessity.” These parasites upon the rail- road system are organized by outside specu- lators (well-grounded suspicion says inside speculators, the wheel within a wheel), who put their own cars upon the tracks, handle them, and do the business as independent of the road as if they owned it, the Company meanwhile getting an inconsiderable com- pensation for the use of engines and tracks. "They are about as useful as. the parasite, and in their cut-throat competition with each other they play the-part of the parasite by sucking away the substance of the road. Their most frequent pretext for’ existence is that they bring business to the roads, while they do not.bring a pound. Tho busi- ness of the country inevitably and of neces- sity seeks the railroads. There is just so much business to do, and there are no facil- ities for doing it outside of therailroads. They did it before fast-freight lines ever suggested themselves to busy speculators or scheming railroad officials, and they will continue to do it after these barnacles are scraped off, as they must be sooner or later if stockhold- ers eyer expect to get dividends. They may divert business from’ this road to that, but they do not increase the aggregate quantity, any more than drummers for dry-goods houses increase the quantity of dry goods bought and sold. They are snpertiuous middlemen, eating up the dollars that ‘legiti- mately and honestly belong tostock or bond- holders, involving the roads in cut-throat competition and bad faith, and eventually bringing some of them under the red flag of the Sheriff. They are pirates, who have seized upon the railroad property and hoisted their blue, white, or red fing, as the case may be, and, like the pirate, when they have robbed the ship they scuttle it. Hence all the disorganization and unsettled character of railroad business, the vicious system of rebates, confidential drawbacks, and dead- heading, the discovery of Directors’ that there are no profits, though the tonnage may be immense, the orders slashing off 10 or 15 percent from the wages of employes, and the unjust and’ illogical system of switching charges, whichit is believed in some quarters do not go to the railroad companies. There are two classes robbed by this middle busi- ness,—the stockholders and bondholders on the onehand and the employes on theother,— and meanwhile the general comntanity is not -benefited in the least. There is no doubt that the railroad companies can largely increaso their profits without catting the wages of employes at all, by getting rid: of these suckers and managing their own trans- portation; which in these days of telegraph facilities can be done without difficulty. The sooner these fast-freight lines are wiped ont, whether they are managed by outside spec- alators or whether they are run by secret collusion of Railroad Directors, the sooner will stockholders receive dividends and em- ployes good wages. ComsERLAND, Md., Au: 17.The Working- men’s party organized to-day. 0 A platform was adopted opposing the National Bank system and advocating tne issue of all money by the General Government, opposing unequal taxation, favoring legisiation making paper money qual in valne with specie, favoring a tariff to protect home in- dustry, advocating a railroad law making pro-rata rates, and favoring Sunday laws.—Associated Press Dispatch. The Eastern Communists do not appear to agree on all points with the: Western Commn- nists. The latter very decidedly disfavor Sunday laws, and believe in free beer. In some of their Conventions they have also pronounced against tariff laws, having, come to the conclusion that second season will be that of the Fryer | easily assembled and controlled either as | protection by means of high: tariffs does not protect. Jnst what is meant by * opposing mm. equal taxation” is not comprehensive, unless jt means taxing notes, credits, mortgages, ang shares of capital stock. in addition to the pro, erty itself. This is certainly unequal and ont Fageous taxation,—to tax the same Property twice,—once the paper title or lien, ang again the thing itself. What plan. was pro. posed to ‘make paper money equal in value with specie” is not given by the telearaphic dig. ” patch; we presume that no plan was divulged, and that the meeting contented itself with sim. ply ordering Congress to do it. Congress aan make paper money equal to speeie by either of two ways: First, by redeeming the paper in coin, on demand; or second, by contracting it down to the point where it will circulate at par with coin. But we suspect the Convention conten. dlates the adoption of neither method. They resolved to oppose the National Bank system, and have the Government fssue all the notes, waich would add 315 millions to the volume of greenbacks, making 675 millions in all to equal the present paper ,currency. How is the Goy- ernment to maintain this mass of paper at equal value with specie? The Maryland Communists don’t tell because they don’t know. They were simply-resolving nonseuse and exposing their {i stolid ignorance. a ‘The London Times of Aug. 4, commenting on the severe repulse sustained by the Russians at the battle of Plevna, ththks that they have no sufficient reason for tecling discouraged, nor the Turks for being unduly elated. ‘It remarks: A great army, commanded by officers it trusts, is not generally demoralized by a repulse. Deryor- alization comes, in fact. not from the battle. but the retreat. The fear, the bewilderment, the per- petual alarms, the exhanstion which are caused ty the sight of the victorious enemy hovering upon rear and flank. the sound of. their drums and the perpetual rattle of their fire, shatter the energies of the bravest, and produce that indi‘ference to the event and that revolt against authority which are the signs that an army islost. The Russian no cause ty be demoralized after this fashion. Those who foucht at Plevna have been defeated under circumstances that must caase reat discouragement to the regiments which may called on to repent the attack or to make any similar assault, but the Muscovite soldier wilt not believe that he isinferior tothe Turk. Theassauits of the Russians on Plevna have been distinguished by the most devoted courage; in the lastand most fatal of them, they recoiled’ only before obstacles almost insurmountable. ‘The Turks made one rush on the broken columns, and recaptured thelr own lost position, out they then returned to their works; the victory has not been rollowed up; the .Russians are crushed and stanned, but not’ pur. sued. Tae feelings engendered among them will be raze and shame, but hardly despair.” Officers and men will burn to retrieve their military honor, and, with the confidence of their race and thelr calling, will believe thatthe mighty Czar and his brother, who are among. them, will pos. sess the secret of victory. A few days of rest restore in great part the morale of an army; and the Russians. in spite of their thinned ranks, may fancy that the enemy who still shrinks in his trenches and peeps over his earthworks con- fesses his own inferlority. —————— Notwithstanding the “pressure ” the MacMa- honists and Clericals are puttinz on the French Repyblicans, the prospect is that the latter will sweep the nation at the October election. A dispatch from Rome to the London Time is well calculated to disgust the country with the coalition: : According to the Roman correspondent of London Simes, the Comte DE Cason, bas aa the Pope that it is no longer expedient for the Conservatives to sink their individual differences, since such a course will almost certainly tam 19 the advantage of the Donapartists. What effect this notification will have mpon the Papal policy remains to be seen. ‘The Pope is sufficiently aman of business not to take the statements even of the Comte pz CHaxnonp for granted, and he msy hold on reflection that there is more to be gained by supporting the Bonapartists than there is to be lost by quarreling with the Legitimists. ——————— GroRGE c. Besmax, of Louisiana, writes to the Cincinnati Gazette that there is land in the South suffering for the want of labor, and urges workingmen to seek employment there. To reach the spot, he suggests that laborers get on planks and paddle their way down the Mis- sissippl, stopping off at cornfields for supplies. Better men than rioters have done it, and he guarantees that a good living will be found by any man who takes his advice. He seems to forget that a plank demanding so much exer- tion is indignantly repudiated by the Commu- nistic party. oe : A newspaper office in this city hired a colored janitor some time ago named Tuomas JEFFER- SON; not long afterwards a vacancy was made, and another colored man took his place named Jonx Apaws. JouN “left” for certain rea- sons, and his place was filled by JAMES Mapi- son, colored; James talked some of leaving the other day, and at once there were two apoli- cants for the expected vacancy,—one named Grorce Wasninctox and the other Brsasuxt ‘Frangury. Fact. ——— The grain shipments of Buffalo via canal for the week ending Aug. 11 amounted to 1,558,517 bushels, against 584,397 bushels for the same period last year. This shows a gain of 1,000,000 bushels to the canal, all caused by low tolls. But for the reduction of the tolls the raijroads would have gobbled the million of bushels; and yet there has been a Iond cry in New York de- manding high tolls on the canal, put forth doubtless by strikers for the Central and the Erie. . ‘ A Hammersmith (Eng.) religious advertise- ment reads: Crear Trur.—The Christian Miesion Hallelujah Railway is one of the quickest. cheapest, and beet routes from the Deepest Depths of Sin to the Highest Ueights of Glory.” Booking office in the ‘Town-Hall next Sunday. T. P: Gray, the Halle- Jnjah Guard, and Beaurne, the Happy Engine- Driver, will (D. V.) instract passengers how to obtain Through Tickets without money and with- out price. This 1s inviting riotousness. ——$—<———___ The reason why life-insurance policies aro made foricitable in case of the parties assured traveling in tne South is not 0 much fear of yellow fever as of Democratic mass-mectings like those of Kemper County, Miss. To be perfectly aafe from epidemics of rope and lead, a Northern man must be acclimated, and tne best way to be acclimated is to vote the Demo- cratic ticket early and often. $n The friend of :the downtrodden masses who didn’t secure a nomination at the regular party conventions no longer professes hia belief that the farmer is the bone and sinew of the country. His heart bleeds for the oppressed workingman, « Hay-seed in the hair is less: fgshionable than horn in the han a It is, indeed, a pleasant sight tosee theFriend of the Laboring Man fix his big diamond pia in his hickory shirt, take his Jittle dinner-pail and sally forth to the mass-meeting, there to de- nounce the bloated capitalist and shed buckets of tears over the oppressed workingman. —— During the recent strike excitement the per- secuted spitz dog managed to crawl unders blocked freighf-train and, wrappiug the drapery of his tail around him, laid down to pleasant reams of repealcd dog-ordinances and baffled dog-catchers. $$$ Wanrep—Five hundred barrels of grime, coal-dust, perspiration, ete., to convert played- “out hack politicians into simon-pure srieads of the workingmen. Also, 10,000 square yards of blisters for the horny hands of the same. ——__— Courryery and Rinery are soon to row again at Saratoga. Let us hope that the articles pro- vide for no fouling or poisoning, and that the cup of iced tea which cheers but not exhilarates may wait on neither of the contestants. ————___ A dispatch says that Lrpr4 Taompsos sod her blondes have returned from England. The editor of the Times will have less to say nere- after about “ Ga Hasitron ” “ going for the acalp ” of certain editors. ——__—$__ Senator Lamaxz wishes to wave hands over the bloody Cu1sois tragedy and devote himself hereafter to commercial and economical ques- tions, like the Texas Pacific Railroad. ————-— s If there if one thing more interesting than another to 2 student of physioznomics, it is to ~ see the face of an industrious member of the ‘American Co-operative Paragraphers’ Associa- tion when of a Saturday he finds $16.45 deduct- nate i i