Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, October 14, 1877, Page 4

m— THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, I877—SIXTEEN PAGES. issue, if the Board submit it, whether they many morbid congitions, usually studicd as egy. The Tribune, TERDS OF SUBSCRIPTION. BY M)* —IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE REPAID. F o .- 812,00 i U100 Eunday Edition: Tou'. ~heel.. Eatwiua, Edition, “Tri-Weckly, one year. PATtSOF & year. per mOALh: WEEKLY EDITION, Gne copy. per year.. Club o1 Yuul..‘l = en Coples. e - Oflcs address in full, tnclodlog State and O tances may be made efther by draft, cxpress, Post-Office order, or fn registered letters, at our risk. TERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Datly, delivered, Sunday excented, 25 cents per week. 1y, delivered, Suncday included, 30 cents per week. THE TRIBUN 3 Corner Madieon =nd Dearborn-ste.. Orders for the delivery of Tirs TEURUNE Englewood, aud Hyde Park left fn the countiug-room wiil recelve Prompt ttention. ay, Oct, 14, 8011 0 12) : o it1end Ve Tuneral of our fa¥e brther I A o " A full nticudance fs carnestly ros Quested. ~ VsItIg brétliren ar niied to ot YRy, KERR, Sec. day moru Sttendthe Fedvon. Sir Kalghis of oer fed 10 Join with tic. W 3.0, DICKERSU: 19, K. o Nonday ‘eve: nd business ¢ - o\ full atead utniost fmportanee uDC TEqUeste b wvited. Ly orderof 0 avery 1 iz Slr Knizh: JNO. H. SANDORY, ec K. T. Order. Visiting S| < . By onder, W. M. LORBANI J. 0. DICKERSOXN, Fecurder. K, E. C. FATETTE CHAPTER, Yo. L i Convocation - IRISH DEMONSTRATION—Delrzates of the va- o aotleLex and wthers Doldiag tickets of he Plenic, who have not vet seitled for the same, will meet. Lo-dar. at3p. m., ar Ma 1t he report of Hall toh AMES GILMORE, Secretary. ATTENTIO! eetins SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1877, CHICAGO) MAREET SUMMARY. The Chicago produce markets were generally easier Saturéay. with more doing in wheat and provisions. Mexs pork closed 106,15¢ per brl lower, at §14.00@214.40 cash and §12.80@12.821 Lard closed 2tfc per 100 Ibe lower, .07 cash and $8.30@8.32!2 for Jan- nary. Mests were easier,at GLic per for Joose shoniders and 7ic for Go rhort ribs. Lake freights were moderately active and steady, at Se for corn to Buffslo. Whisky was unchanged, at $1.08 per pallon. Flour was quiet and steads. ‘Whest closed 13ic Jower, at §1.09!2 for October and £1.09@1. 0655 for November. Cornclosed 35¢ Jower, at 42}c cask and 42%c for November. Oats closed casier, ut cash apd 233.¢ for November. Rye cl Barley closed 3ic lower, at 5Sic cash and 593 for No- were quict and steady, were in fair demand, at §1 4.50. There was into store n this city Saturday 392 cars 5 cars and 5.900 bu corn. 40 cars osts, 9 cars rye, and 53cars and 25,000 bu barley. Total (740 care), 317,000 bu. One hunéred dollars in gold would buy $102.87% in greenbacks at the close. In New Y_o;k on Sulurda‘yzr-;en'hncks were worth 962@974 cents on the dollar. 1he strength of the contending Russiarf and Turkish armies at abont the same figures,— 200,000 men each. This reduces the busi- ness {o & square fight, and it might be hard 1o forecast the result, were we not informed that there are yet several Grand Dukes in ihe field. In brond daylight, before tho admiring gaze of many spectators, & convict broke ont of the Western Penitentiary, Pittsburg, and faded from view like a nightmare. Tke only effort made to stop him was by a tree, ageinst whick he ran full {ilt, and the pale air is streaked with the explanations of look- ers-on, who all present valid provocation for vot arresting his flight. It might perhaps be profitable to appoint that iree Warden of the Western Penitentiery. Pittsburg. President Gowa, of the Reading Road, and Tox Scorr, mainspring of a variety of cnterprises, buve come to the rescue of the sinking * Permanent Exhibition ” at Phil- adelphia, and agree to put up money to pay off the credifors, taking a mortgage as se- curity. This is a manifestation of Special Trovidence dinmetrically opposed to that be- sought by the Philadelphia divines, who lave invoked supernztural wrath and preter- subsidy from the General Government. It will relieve Congress of the necessity of listening to Col. Scorz, and it will also give the competing line to Ogden. Mr. StroNG, the General Superintendent of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, a railrosd man of ad- mitted ability and experience, has been of- fered the general control of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and will doubtless ac- cept the positio; We reprint this morning, for the especial benefit of city readers, Mr. O. C. Grps' lnst Ietter on the subject of emigration to ‘Texas, as it recapitulates largely the advantages he Las pointed out in previous letters, the pe- culiar opportunities farnished now-comers under the renting-system in that State, and the best way to move from Chicago to Texas. Mr. Gmsps’ personal investigations have been thorough and honest, and heis convinced that there is no other part of the country where the climate and facilities enable the emigrant to earn a living so easily, or offer so good au opportunity for rapidly improving upon thie condition of self-support. Our hope is thet his investigations may prove a blessing to many a family that is on the verge of starvation by hauging on to city life in the present hard times. THE CAUSE OF HARD TIMES. We printed the other day a communication from a very intelligent German upon hard times, and what causes them. Wo have printed several communications of this sort, and nearly every writer has a theory of his own, which he deems amply sufficient to ac- count for them. The subject is worthy of a little Sunday sermonizing, not only as to the cause, but also as to the remedy. The key to the secret of the hard times, most undoubtedly, is the reckless determina- tion of the American people to get heavily into debt,—a determination so universal that it may almost be regarded as a business maxim.* This determination grows out of the risky, gambling spirit of the Americans. the unconservative, speculative character of the people,—that feeling which induces every man * to make a spoon or spoil o horn,” and to risk all his own money and the money of all his friends to make a sudden strike or rush into a fortune at one bound. As a peo- ple we cannot wait; we must go at break- neck pace. We are not contented with slow geins; fortune must come in a shower. When the inevitable catastrophe arrives, then we look about for the causes. Wo say that Jay Cookr's Northern Pacific or some other collapsed rnilroad speculation has worked the mischief; that the sudden break-down of weak banks has de- stroyed all confidence, and thus per- alyzed business; that stock-gambling corrupts business circles and ruins legitimato trade; that the shrinkage of values has closed up mills and other industrial enter- prises and thrown thousands out of employ- ment, and so on,and s0 on. But how did we get into such a condition? There can- not be a shrinkage of values unless there hasbeen & previous expansion. There can- Dot be bankruptcies unless there has been an inordinate rushing into debt. By way of contrast, France furnishes an excellent illustration. Her war with Ger- many, first and last, including the indem- nity, cost as much if not more than our Civil War, although it was very brief in com- parison with our four-years’ conflict. She met with frightful reverses. She was hu- miliated and trampled into the very dust by the German giant. She had to pay not only the cost of the war, but cities, towns, and villages were mulcted in enormous sums to meet the heavy indemnity demanded by Germany. After the last German soldier had left her soil, she commenced to reorganize ber army, and she has ever since had to support half a million of men in arms. Notwithstanding all this, the material pros- perity of Frauce continues to flow in a strong, even tide. There is no absolute want, few paupers or idlers. All France to- day is at work, and the gay city of Paris is the busiest of all. There is no panic, no shrinkage of values, no distress, no crisis. The bsuk paper, which had depreciated dar- ing the war, owing to inordinate issue. has gradually recovered and worked up to par with gold. Stocks. sccurities, and land velues have risen. They have no trouble with life or fire insurance. The one is based on sound principles, and the other is secure, Decause they have no fire-losses of any con- sequence, since they build better than we. They have no collapsing savings banks, no dishonest bankers or defaulting brokers, a5 wo have them. What is the sceret of all this? Simply the French do not rush into debt A man beyond what they are able to pay. with but 10,000 does not rush into § of debt, or gamble away his whole capital on margins that may be wiped out on a single day’s fall of stocks. e never Lorrows to the whole amount of his cipital. He bor- rows little, lends little, and uses his own money in bis business. Thus Frenchmen go natural disaster on the whole concern for keeping open Sundays. By a genersl egreement between connsel on both sides, Judge; jury, spectators, and, after considcrable pressure, the defendants, O'Doxxrry, the mmeat-coniractor, and Par Carzory, Connty Commiesioner, were ac- quitted and discharged yesterdny. The evi- deuce showed that, whatever Carcrors might have done in the extreme past, he had breced up in time {o take advautage of the sietute of Ymitation,—an abstemiousness from ipiquity which, it may be devoutly wished, be will cling to tbroughout what is leit af his watural life, By a vote of 100 to 55, Mr. Susroer J, RaxDALL wes nominated by the Democratic caucus yesterday for Speaker of the House of Representatives. His success was, in Democratic parlance, “a walk-over.” Cox was withdrawn by the New York delegation. Monnsos is still to bs heard from, and the contest narrowed itself down to Raxpary, Goone, and Mivtox SavLer. By some over. sight the party failed to recognize the latter as the *Savior of ‘Qlio,” giving him only twelvo votes, while Goop= only received twenty-three, which, it is to be hoped, fairly represents the numerical strength of thy “subsidy ” faction in the new Hogse, In cnother column be foand an ae- count of the most importent railrond Pproject of the Iast ten years,—a seheme to outflank Jax GorLD on one side and Toxt Scorr on the other. This plan, which is nnderstood to be becked by sn abundance of Enstern capital, is to extend the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Te, from its present terminus at Pueblo, to the northwesi until it strikes the Utah Southern, which will give it a conncection with the Central Pecific, and to the south. west patil it meets the Sonthern Pacific, which has advauced to Fort Yuma., If this bold underiaking is carried out, it will farnish the additional route to the Pacific which is being so loudly clamored for in ceriain quarters, and that, too, without a on carcfully, securely, and steadily, and France has no expensive panics on hand. The same is true of Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and Ttaly, whose 80,000,000 people conduct business upon the French systen. We hear of no panics or financial crises in those countries. Our four-years’ panic, in actual losses snch as figure upon ledgers, has cost this country more than its four-years' war,—the losses growing out of our determination to rush recklessly into debt in order to carry on bal: looning enterprises, nine ont of ten of which collapse at a giddy height and tnmble every- thing down into ruin. Even now, while we aro passing through the Valley of Humilia- tion, when thousands of men are secking to rebabilitate themselves by going through bankruptey, it is inevitable that, when the wheel turns over and we reach easy times ngain, a legion of speculators will rush in agnin and go to the leugth of their en- tire capital, their credit, and their friends’ paper, as far as they can control it, in speculative gambling in margins, longs and shorts, puts and calls, just as they did be- fore, with the certain result that in afew years another financial cyclone will strike the country, whirling everything into promis- cuous ruin. Then people will busy them- selves attributing the disaster to false rea- 508, justas they do mow. Debt, with its ruinous accompaniments of high rents, high interest, and high expenses, is the worm that eats ont the foundation of business. We have more money at interest than any other nation. We take greater risks for Ligh in- terest than any other nation. We wonld rather have 10 per cent interest in a balloon than 5 per cent on fterra firma. De- Ppositors would rather invest their savings ot high interest on flimsy securities than at a low, sure rate on Government bonds ; and bankers and other investors of money. as a rule, give the preference to a high-fiying kite i.'.hnh may break its string any day. If at this time, while we are working ourselves out of debt through the processes of the bankrapt courts and compromises with creditors, we would adopt the French svstem of paving as b i you go, borrowing lightly, never beyond half the amount of capital, ond loaning on good security at a fair rate of interest, this coun- try would shortly be full of capital invested in productive business, instead of Laving its capital on Bourses and in balloons, znd risked upon uncertainties of the same char- acter that attend investments in a faro-bank. HOW THE PUBLIC IS ROBBED. During the last ten days, the Criminal Court of this county has been occupied with the trial of several of the persons who aro now or have been County Commissioners. The technical charge against these persons is that of a conspiracy to defraud Cook County. The substance of the charge is that during a number of years the firm of Jases ForsyTae & Co., through one of its members, CLEMENS F. Periorat, held contracts,obtained by vote of the County Bonrd, for the supply of the Alms-House, Imsane Asylum, County Hospital, and other public - clarities. PrrioraT was able, if there were any competition, to underbid all others. The contracts included all descriptions. of groce- ries, provisions (except meats and bread), dry goods, clothing, furniture, flour, and other things needed for the support of per- baps 2,000 to 2,500 persons. Leaving ouc of view the Commissioners, it was esscutial that Prriorar to succeed should have control of the subordinate officers, and hence he began ot once to name them. Knperry was elect- ed Warden of the Alns-House and Asylum, and was unquestionably appointed in the first instance becauso of his persoual charac- ter for iategrity. After serving a year, ho was dismissed, snd a year later he was re-elected. By this time PertoraT had become master of the County Board, and 10 person could retain offico under the coun- ty without his consent. Then began the corrnption and dishonesty. In dne time Kruserny and Perrorat had an agreement, by which KnerLy was to certify to the re- ceipt of all the goods charged n PERIOLAT'S Dbills ; on this certificate tho County Board voted the payment. This agreement was for o dishonest purpose. Kmserny was to re- ceive a proportion of the money, and actu- ally did receive $5,500 cash from PERIOLAT. It was shown that a number of County Com- missioners obtained goods from PERIOLAT'S store, which goods were charged o profit and loss, and Periorat’s booksreveal the payment of cash to Commissioners, which payments wers also charged to profit and loss. How much the county was plundered during the continuance of this robbery is not known ; nor can it be shown in what proportions tho pluader was distribated, except in the cases of Knczary, who received $5.500, and sub-contractor for meat, who received 3,000 for meat never delivered. The only direct evidence tending to show the extent of the robbery was a record kept during part of one year of the items of groceries charged in the monthly bills, and paid by the county, which were not delivered. A comparison of the record of goods not delivered with the bills paid may serve to show the operation of the fraud: Thus the bill for groceries for July, 1874, footed up §1,710.93; the record of goods mot sent showed that arti- cles to the sum of S599.77 charged in the bill were not delivered. Therefore the county paid :31,710.93 for goods smount~ ingto $1,111.16. IHerewas an overcharge of over 30 per cent. The bill for groceries delivered at the Insane Asylum, September, 1874, amounted to $1,335.67, of which goods there were withheld articles amounting to £699.82. The value of the goods actually delivered was £635.85, for which the connty paid 1,335, an overcharge exceeding 100 per cent. Actual and direct proof of these frauds exist of record in the bills for groce- ries covering a period of eight months; but the same contractor, the same Warden, and substantially the same Commissioners, con- trolled the business during several years, and the public have the right to assume that during the other months there was no differ- ence in the way the goods were delivered and charged for. An estimate of the value of the groceries delivered by Prrrovat to the County Agent during the year 18757 shows that for goods worth S13,473 the county paid : an overcharge of about G0 per cent; snd that for groceries furnished tho Alms-House and Insane Asylum during the same yeor, worth 13,701, the county paid $23,669, an overcharge of nearly 100 per cent. When it is remembered that PrrioLaT's contracts embraced practically all the things purchased by the county, amount- ing aunually to about $250,000, the public may estimate the extent of the whole rob- bery. On the assumption that the shortages averaged only 25 per ceni of the goods “paid for, we have the county paying in o single year to Pemiorar and his confederates 90,000 in excess of the honest value of the supplies furnished. Now, what wes done with this money? There were PeriorAT and his business part- ners, Komerey, the Warden, the County Agent, the Warden of the Iospital, fifteen County Cominissioncrs, the minor and sub- contractors for bread, flour, medicines, meats, boots and shoes, conl and wood, hard- ware, dry goods, and furniture. Who of these were participants in the plunder ? Two of them have confessed their share, but they were not Commissioners. Does any one suppose that Prurorat kept the whole, year afteryesar, andthat fifteen Commissioners,who year after year voted him all the money he nasked, and who were present time and again when goods were delivered, permitted all this wholesale robbery to go on without lift- ing & voice ia protest, or without requiring the boss to divide ? "The County Boerd has been in existence six years. It is not extrav- agant to assume that during three years at least of that time its control has been essen- tially rotten and corrupt. It is im- possible to make any close estimate of the extent to which this corruption has rebbed the county. Its operations have not been confined to dealings with Periorat in the matter of county supplics. The same man figured extensively as a go-between in the purchase of a hospital-site,—a frand that ‘was fortunately detected and defeated. The transactions of the Board in the matter of bullding the hospital, and in the contracts and material for the Court-House building, are all fresh in the mind of the public. During three years the county has fallen in arrears—that is, its expenditures have ex- ceeded its revenue—a half million of dol- lars. That is o deficiency which, great as it is, is hardly suflicient to fully evidence the fraud, dishonesty, and recklessmess which have controlled and directed the action of the County Commissioners. It is idle to apologize for or extenuate their conduct on the ground that they.are moye ignorant than corrupt, more generous than dishonest, They are not igaorant, nor ara they men who could be led blindly, even by a man like Perrorar. They know well what they are doing, but they tro generally of that class who havo sought the office for the plunder that can be secured. Wa avoeal to the peovle of Chicago. in tha light of the revelations concerning the pres- ent and past administration of county affairs, to give their attention to the selection of County Commissioners this fall. Let no mau vote for any person for Commissioner unless the candidate be one whose personal character gives assurance that he will not imitate his predecessors. No party nomina- tion can fit a maun for the office of Commis- sioner. Ho must have somgthing better and higher than that to qualify him, or to justify any person voting for him. No man who seeks the office should be nominated, or, if nominated, elected. The entire income of a Commissioner should not exceed 3150 & year, and for any man having an honest way of living to accept the office will be & sacrifice. No other kind of man should be elected, and will not be if the voters are true to their own and to the public interest. BLOCK PAVEMENTS. The City Council now has a committee en- gaged in considering what sort of pavement is best adapted for the renewal of the miles of streets that demand repaving. It is a question of the grentest importance. Until somo stone pavement shall be invented that will be endurnble as well as durable, there is no question but the wooden pavements are the best for a climate likeonrs aud under the conditions that surronnd Chicago. If there were deposits of asphalt within easy and cheap aceessibility, so that pavements of pure asphalt (and not a perishable combina- tion) could be laid at a reasonable cost, it might be worth while to consider their suit- ability ; if there wereno more travel than on the country highways, or if the gravel of this section of the conntry were as good a5 may be found in Canada ond some parts of the East, it might be well to experiment with gravel pavements, But, under the circumstances, there is no doubt that the wooden-block pavement is incompar- ably superior for our city streets to any other. The real question, then, with which the Conncil Committee should concern itself is, how the block pavement shounld Le con- structed 5o as to insure the longest durabili- ty. We believe experience has taught that the prime cssentials are a firm foundation and fresh, live timber, and that it is tlie neg- lect of onc or both these requisites that is responsible for the rapid decey of the wooden pavement on many of our streets. ‘The fairest wny to ascertain the justice of this judgment is to compare the pavement on different streets as to duration. Of late years 1t lias been the custom to lay the blocks with- out a board foundation, but on the earth, often nowly filled in. and it is .notorious that these pavements have gone to ruin rapidly. West Washington street furnishes an illustra- tion of the opposite principle. The strest is not in good condition, but it is certaiuly in better condition than many streets that were paved not more than two or three years ago. A part of West Washington street was paved twelze years ago cud a part of it cleven years ago, and the pavement is still in much better condition thun that on West Adams street, which has been laid since the fire. The difference in durability may be traced to the construction. In the case of West Wash- ington street. the grading was done 0 as to let on entite winter intervene and give the necessary = time for the settling of the dirt under the travel upon it. Then there was a covering of thick boards, and the blocks were uniformly of fresh, live lumber. - But when a street is newly filled in, and blocks are laid directly upon it without. even the intervention of boards, the sinking of individual blocks under the pressuro of wagon-wheels, the chipping of the adjoining blocks, and the formation of holes begin immediately. When, in addition to this, the blocks them- seives are made from lumber that is already +dead” (such Ilumber, for instance, as hins been scorched by forest fircs), and where the process of decay has already set in, it cannot reasonably be expected that the pavement will withstand the wear and tear of travel or the process of decomposition in the enrth for any length of time. The Quration and cheapness of the wooden pave- ments to be laid in the future will depend upon the compliance with these essentials of a solid foundation and first-class, live pine; and it should be the aim of the Council to enforce this compliance in the case of all new pavements. ‘The condition of Chicago streets, even after repavement, will afso depend largely upon the means provided for keeping the new pavements in repnir. The prompt readjustment of every block that gets displaced will insure a duration of several years more than the average duration of the wooden paveraents, and every dollar judi- ciously expended in this way will save the people ten dollars of expenditure for repav- ing. THE ELECTIONS IN FRANCE TO-DAY. It 1s impossible at the present writing to predict with any degreo of precision what will be the result of the elections in France to-day. Toth parties mnke large claims, and neither has yet established its superiority in anything more convincing than words. - The advantages of a perfect organization and an abundance of the sinews of war are with the Government; while the Republicans are strong in a righteous cause. The last few days have clenred away some misunderstand- ings. Tt is no longer possible to doubt—if, indeed, any intelligent student of French politics ever did doubt—what the Govern- ernment is striving for. Tho Marshal has nominated as representatives of his views 131 Legitimists, 83 Orleanists, and 298 Bonapart- ists. This apportioument leaves unprovided for only twenty arrondissements, which are in and around Paris; these have been aban- doned to the Republicans by com- mon consent. The proponderance of Bo- napartists in the official lists is ‘an important fact. The Morshal asks France to return a Chamber, two-thirds of which shall be committed to the Empire. There is no wisdom in saying that au approval of the Imperial idea in Government does not involve necessarily the restoration of the Napoleonic: dynasty. The Marshal would understand the election of a majority of Bouapartists to the Chamber to be an authori- zation of his plan for bringing back the young Prince Imperial. He could hardly interpret the election in any other manner. From iho day on which an Assembly thus constituted should meet, President MicManox would be the vicogerent of the Boxapante family. He would be permitted, out of consideration for his distinguisbed services, to remain in office until the expiration of the Septennate in 1880, but his principal employment would be the preparation of a throne for his Imperial master. Tn estimating the relative strength of par- ties in France it is well to remember that Ppossession is nine points of Government in that country. President MacMazmoy has pos- session, and by virtue of it Las, in a degree unprecedented in countries called Republican, the means of continuing his power. The theory of centralization in Government has reached perfection in Franca. If wa could conceive of the United States as having an army of 600,000, instead of onme of 30,000 men ; a Civil Service embracing 500,000, in- stead of 60,000 or 70,000 ; snother army of schoolmasters, deriving appointment and support from the Government; and an- other of clergy and those influenced by them,—we might realize, perhaps, more fully than we do at present, the enormous power of the French Executive in popular elections. The most important of the auxiliary forces is that led by the Charch. Tha clericals are contending not merely for a political theory, but for a religious iden; they find justification in the promptings of conscience. or some motive less vague, which they mistake for a moral senso. They con- trol a large majority of the women of France, and through them all the men who learn politics from women. The school- masters are the creatures of the priests; the officeholders support the Marshal becauso it is their habit always to kiss the hand that clothes and feeds them ; and the army wor- ships him not only as its legal Lead but as the hero of Jagenta. Nor are these the only sources of strength possessed by the Government. The name of NaroLroy isstill & tower of strength in France; it is surrounded with the glamour of that romance which will alwzys attach to Austerlitz and Marengo, and it is remembered even for the sake of the unfortunate man who died broken- hearted at Chiselhurst. The Third Naro- LEOY, it is true, overwhelmed his country in disgrace and ruin, but he had previously raised it to an unexampled pitch of prosperi- ty. The money-power, always conservative in its tendencies, is also on the side of Mac- Manox. It seesthe debt of France already swelled to £4,400,000,000, or double that of the United States ; and it trusts the Marstal, because Le alone, of all Frenchmen, scems to have the power to enforce peace. Every little capitalist the country through thinks on his rentes, and prays that the Marshal may be successful. The recapitulation of advantages possessed by the Republicans is briefer. They have nothing to depend upon but the justice of their cause ; and justice, we well know, does ot always prevail in popular elections. But behind the ballot there is another remedy for wrong which no friend of humanity can desire to use under ordinary circumstances. The Republicans hold Paris. and Paris too often holds the country. If there should be an uprising in Paris, the Marshal might find himself powerless, in spite of a popular ver- dict in his favor. On the whole, it may be that the election of a majority of Govern- ment candidates would be more likely to secure veace than the opposite course. There might be no conflict if Mac- Mastox were approved by the people; there certainly will be, unless he shall stultify himself, if a large Republican majority is returned. ‘The sympathies of the people of the United States in this struggle will of course be with the Republicans. If their rights are conceded by the people, they will know how to maintain them. The responsi- bility for bloodshed, if any shall take place, will rest with Marshal 3acMauox, not with them, THE COUNTY ELECTION. As if a Cook County election were mot ordinarily beset with enough embarrass- ments, it now seems likely that a new com- plication will be presented this fall. It is said that the County Bonrd intend to submit to the people at the election next month proposition to-issue half a million new bonds. The law requires the approval of such an issue by popular vote, and the Commission- ers contend that the issue will be necessary in order to procced with the work on the Court-House. They have kept their inten- tion very quiet; and, if they shall conclude to make the attempt, they will probably witbhold the necessary resolution till within a very few duys of election (giving just time enongh to have the ballots printed). and then spring it upon the people. T'he law is defect- ive in that it fails to require that a certain time shall intervene between the order for a vote on the issuc-of Londs and the election at which such vote shall be taken. The Board moy pass & resolution ordering the vote at any time previous to the election. It is proper to warn the people that such an order may be expected, so that, if it bo made, they will be prepared to resist it. “There are several ressons why the people onglt not (and will Dot if they properly un- derstand the case) to vote for the issue of half a million or any other amount of new bonds at this time. The first reason (and that alone should be enough) is that not an ad- ditional dollar beyond what the county can levy in taxes should be intrusted to that Board before it shall be absolutely certain that the old Riug has been smashed, and that the ruling majority in the Board mny be implicitly trusted by the people. An- other reason is that, if the affairs of the county were -honestly administered, it is possible that the ordinary expenditures would be reduced so much as to leave n suffi- cient margin in the constitutional tax-levy to provide funds for the construction of the Court-House as rapidly as 1s desirable. The people cannot be certnin that the County Board will be purified by the election of five new members this fall; it will be madness to vote an issue of bonds under this uncertain- ty. At the best, it will be necessary that every one of the five new members shall be possessed of suflicient honesty, and ability, and pluck to fight the old Riug, and the risk of failing on one or more of the Commis- sioners to be elected is too great to hazard placing half amillion of extra funds under the coutrol of the Board. If the Ring shall be able to retain its power, the acquisition of an extra helf million of dollars would in- duce it to spend every dollar of the constitu- tional tax-levy ou the support of the county institutions, and squander the additional §500,000 within the year in frandulent con- tracts, “ extras,” and steals. It is thought that a proposition to vote these bonds will receive the support of the laboring classes genernlly, under the impres- sion that the new supply of mouey will yield more work. But it will not yicld more worl, aud thie laboring men will searcely be betrayed by so transparent a sham, 'Fhere are ouly o couple of hundred men, more or less, employed about the Court-Iouse | building, and these men are and will con- tinue to be the favorites of the Com- missioners and contractors, The gener- al community of workingmen will not be affected one way or the other by the result. But the work of building the Court-House will go on all tho same. If an honest Board be secured at the approaching election, enough money will be saved out of the general fund to go on with the work. If the Ring shall still prevail, then the extra Lalf million they would ask would be swal- lowed up in jobs aud steals, so that the workingmen would not get the slightest ben- efit therefrom. It is certain that, with Pproper notice and an inteiligent comprehen- vote the Democratic or Republican ticket. The action of the Citizens’ Committee in naming Messrs. W. M. TuReMaN and ALSERT Boxse of the North Side, Messrs. Maxcer Tavcorr and Jomy M. DunerEX of the West Side, and Mr. Erax G. Craex of Hyde Park, as independent candidates for the County Board, is not likely to assist the general pur- pose of securing five unimpeachable men for the vacancies that occur in the Board. It is hardly within political possibilities that both Conventions will agree upon these five gen- tlemen. Mr. Crarx is an excellent selection from the country; so would Mr. MaxcCEL Tarcorr be from the West Division, if he would accept it ; but, however fit the other gentlemen may be, they lack the requisites of the present situation, because they are not widely enongh known to command instant confidence upon the mention of their names. It is said that the eitizens who have interested themsclves in this matter have the assurauce of the Democratic man- agers that their nominations will be adopt- ed, whatever the Republican Convention may do, becauso they expect these gentle- men to strengthen the rest of the Demo- cratic ticket. But we would warn the ‘“Citizens’ Committee” that Democratic promises are exceedingly untrustwortby, and that, even if the Democratic man- agers naro disposed to keep faith, they may find themselves powerless to control the Democratic Convention. It will be very extraordinary if the Democratic Convention be not run in the in- terests of candidates requiring * trades 7 ; in that case the fivo nominations for the County Board wiil be needed to help them out, nnd the Citizens' ticket will be ignored. It will not be wise, therefore, for the Repub- lican Convention to be guided by any Demo- cratic promises in this matter; and if the Citizens’ Committee insist upon running their ticket independently the interests of the people will be jeopardized more than ever, and it will be a barder matter than ever to fill all five vacancies with men who will unite against the present Ring. Herein may be found sn sdditional reason for de- feating sny proposition that may be sub- mitted either for issuing new bonds or in- crensing the taxJevy beyond the limit to which the Constitution binds the County Board. HOW TO EAT. Man is an animel, who, like other animals, eats and sleeps, but differs from other ani- wals in wearing clothes. The whole effort of a man’s life, and of aggregate human life, from the hod-carrier to the millionaire con- trolling vast corporations, is to fill his stomacl, have a place to sleep, and clothes for his back. With the exception of a very small amount devoted to the entertainment of the eye and er, the wealth of the world is devoted to the stomach, the bed, and the back. Of these three essentials, eating is the most important. If & man knows how to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat, he has solved nearly every problem of happiness in this world ; and yet not one in a thousand knows the conditions of such a solution. Nearly every one eats too much. We have fat men who eat very little, and lean men who eat enormously. The most famous gluttons of the world have been thin, cadav- erous, slabby men. Where they put their food is as much a mystery as how the “one small head” of Goupsaare's village- schoolmaster ** could carry all he Lpew.” Nearly all the diseases that sap the founda- tions of human life sre the resultsof in- discreet eating. Jen devote millions of money for the sake of procuring diseases of the stomach and the liver, gout and its congeners, out of which grow nearly all oth- er diseases. Before 40 years of age we devote ourselves to reckless eating with com- parative impunity ; after 40 we devote our- selves to soothing outraged physical nature. Before 40 we daunce; after 40 we pay the fiddler. Dr. J. H. Besxer, of London, has writ- ten a little book npon this subject of eating, called * Nutrition in Health and Disease,” which ought to attract the attention, not so much of those who are engaged in paying the fiddler as of those who must eventually pay him if they keep on dancing. It is lit- tle consolation to a man with the goutora disordered liver to be informed that he might have spared himself his trouble, but it would be of great value to a person who has not arrived at these cheerful stages, but is on the way thither, to be informed of some way in which he may enjoy the world’s good things withont being compelled to swathe his legs in flaunel and £l himself full of calomel afterwards. Tlis is the aim of Dr. Besver's little book. With regard to the use of solid food, his precepts are both practical and useful. He finds the cause of much of the physical misery in the world in the small daily ex- cesses in which people nnconsciously in- dulge, but which at the end of a year foot up a fearful sum total. The enting between menls, the ice-creams, and sandwiches, and coffee down town in the intervalsof shop- ping, the carnmels and confectionery nibbled at Lefore dinner, the piece of mince pic or cold cabbage snatched from the pantry after fashionable hours. or the midnight spread of culinary abominations at fashionable parties, —these are the factors which go to mnke up a depraved liver, a disordered stomach, and A disorganized hend after a certain age. Dr. Bexxer is not in favor of the maxim of that exccedingly proper but very didactic tutor of young Iladics a generation ag0, — Haxxanr More, —to always rise from table with an appetite, but he teaches a golden menn that is at once en- joyable and philosophical. He prescribes metheds of self-examination by which the eater can ascertain whether he is on the road to gout, and in some cases recommends the use of the seales ns a test for determining what may be the result at the end of the year of daily increment of weight. On this point he says: The difference in the natritive powers of healthy individuals, or of their capacity of extracting nourishment from the same food, it 50 very great that 1t is vain to attempt to Iny down any limit as regards the amount of food that will merely supply wear and tear and orzanic combustion, and that which will, in addition, allow of the formation and deposit of fat. One person will thrive and grow fat on what weuld starve another, and soon pro- dnce cmaciation. It e, indecd, only by weizhing the person under study at intervals that we can ascertuin the quantity indirid- uallv requircd. This observation applies equally to those whose digestive organs are chronically dis- ordered. At the risk of repetition, 1would recall the fact that s small amount of carbonaceons food, in addition to what the economy requires, will cre. ate half an ounce of fat a day. A giass of beer, a picce of bread, a little fieht pudding. more than is wanted for normal nutrition, will amply safice. Half an ounce a day is o pound a month, and & pound a month is nearly a stone a year. One or two stones added to ten or eleven make all the difference between sparencss and corpulence. In summing up his system e BOYS 1 T haveendeavored to show that defective diges- tlon and narrition, often unrecormized and un- treated, is the cause of a vast amount of functional sion of the situation, every taxpayer and honest citizen will vote against the bond- ties or indivldualities, and considered only wig referenée to the canses which have more immegj. ately produced them. The great value of the work consists in it tendency to arrest overeating at an earlier stage in life, or at a period that escapes thy notice of the physician, thus making every man to a certain extent hisown Plysician, There is certainly need of such hints, fo, there can ba no doubt that the averagy amount of food taken is too large, and thgy it is the constant trifle too much every day that at last forms a burden so great as, break down the physical organism and injars it past all repairing. — HENRY MEIGGS. HexrY MEIGGS, the Peruvian Railroad Prine, died at Lima on the 20th ult. In his taking o the world of romantic financial endeasor losesy hero whose record is unparalleled in the history of business effort. His life was one of slitrer. ing successes, dazzling failures, brilliant Irauds, and reckless extravagance. In his churacter b was an anomaly. Thoroughly lacking in prine, ple when his interests were at stake, he was g the same time honest. A close, shrewd calg. lator in his every action, he was also a prodigal, Destitute of any moral nature, be beeame a o] through his lavish gencrosits. With all the fp. stinets of a hard-working man, his Dreferences were for the everyday life of a King. Volup tuous in his tastes, he courted hardships for the pleasure he found in them. In him allextremes centered. Born in Greene County, New York, in 1511, he in early life developed a facility for conceisiog and exccuting plans involving heavy monetary interests. The shallow streamsof trade had no allurements for him. It was in the broade sea that he found water to float his wigaati schemes. Embarking in the lumber business, he matured arrangements that soon had placed him at the head of that interest but for the crash of 1837, which laid the fabric of his carly fortunes in rum. He turned his eves upon California and was pleased. In July, 1349, he landed at San Francisco with a shipload of lumber. His profit on his carzo was 330,000, His profits In expernence were millions. Taking a subordinate position in a lumter-vard, he studicd the situation. San Francisco needed lumber. Contra Costa County would furnish it. He hired 500 men. and cleared 3300,000. California bowed before him, made him bher model in politics and in eociety. When the crisis of 1554 passed over, his worshipers found him to be a forzer and an exile. He might have saved himself, but in trying to save his friends he had committed crimes that drove him from the country, but he had paia every personal debt be owed. The next news of him reported him as Snper- intendent of Bridzes on the Valparuiso & San- tiago Railroad in Chili, a road that had ruined every contractor that touched it. There were but thirty-three miles to finish, and they were through solid rock. For $12,000,000 he filled the air with earth and ston nd in two years the road was finished. The highest honors were crowded upon him, and the Chilenos made an idol of him. Peru sought him, and he laid road lines through swamps, and mountuins, and storms, and earthquakes. His successes were scarcely commensurate with his prodigal style of living. The entertainment he ase on the completion of one road cost up 2200000 in gold. He chartered steamships and extended roads to convey his guests to the banquet. The nabobs of the Republic looked upon his ex- peosive habits with wonder. His wealth was unknown, but along the western coast of South America he was called MoNTE Ciki=To, and ke put the same enerey into his work that Epyozp DANTES put irto his vengeance. His resideace swas the finest in Peru, and his table ready for guests, however unespected and however numerous. Around Lima was a dilapidated adobe wall, and bevond the wall a weary prairie of refuse. For an interest in the redeemed tand he made the waste a flower-garden. The staple produe of the Republic had been revolutions. Evol tion in oflice depended upon the fin: al condi- tion of the “outs.” When their Treasury was ruined they routed the “*ins,”” who retaliated when they had expended their stealings, A stable Government was necessary to MEe.aGs' schemes. When the ““outs ™ were impoverished he gave them what they waunted from bis own meaas, and they left the Government intact. He inangurated a system of bribery that para- ivzed all opposition. A dangerous man was to him a mercbantable article. When the com- bination bevame too strong for himn he bought the Government. By expending fortunes he secured contracts for building 1,007 miles of roads, for which he was to receive $125.000,000. These roads all led to bis financial Waterloo. For the first time he had miscaleulated. They proved failures, and, having absorbed the coutract price, foreed bim upon the market for money. 1lis en seized upon the advantage offered, and refused to ac- cept his bills, which became a drug. He bought the Government indorsement and stazzered on. His bonds fell on the [oreign Bourses, and tinal- Iy became valueless. The combination formed against him struck blow aiter blow at his credit. Two strokes of paralysis had weakened him, and a third found him shattered and broken. Exposures of his frauds came thick and swift. His creditors were clamorous, and the poorer were paid to the uttermost farthing. It was plain to him that his fortunes had fallen beyond retrieving, and he turned away from the cares and troubles of 3 life remarkable for its incomgruitics, its pleas- ures and anxieties. Heleft Perualmost bankrupt throughschemes urged upon her as her salvation. His deathbas created a financial revolutiou whose effects will be felt after his rails have rusted and bis ties rotted away. Inhis life he taughta peculiar lesson of sagacity, without moral balance: of geucerosity, without an element of jus! of magnificent frauds built upona foundation of fair dealing between men. The New Yo n thus refers to the sale of the *¢Pathfinder’s™ library, which took place for debt last week: A sule not altozether voluntary, of Gen. Jors C. FREMONT'S ook, pictures, and bric-a-bric was begun in Kunrz's gallery last eveninz, The rom was well flled, but no very notable person attend- ed. Only the Jibrary, an ordinary collection of about 1,500 volumes, was put up. the rest being reserved for this eveninz, *The biddinz was briss, althouzi on & small scale, and comparatively larze prices were paid for works of no great ment, waile Etandards vold low. Eight volumes uf Jout Avaxs' works, annotated by Ciyiues FRANCH Apaxs, brousht 40 cents each; four volumes of Macatiay's Eng colored engravin; inal drawingd by well-kiiown artists, Si.25 cach; STEPUESY **Northern Runic Monuments of Scandinavia and England.” $5.25 for each of the two volumes Amang the glasaware to be sold are picces with the family initials engraved thereon. ‘Taree portit, two in oil, of the General wrace the art collectios- 1t is euid that the eale is by Sheriil's order. ———————— We rearet that none of our contemporaries has appreciated the St. Louis monster’s last appearance at its proper value. He wases sentially the Globe-Democrat’s monster, and w3 good for a columu and a half of strong inven- tion whenever the paper ran short of news: and when the Republican admitted the monster's existence, saw its pelican’s beak and raised it 3 pair of wings, and then conveyed it out of the Globe-Democrat's jurisdiction, it inflicted on the Globe-Democrat an infinitely more fatal blow than it would have had it sccured the indict- ment of another proprictor or two of the G.-D. for defrauding the revenuc. e An unknown man named “Crarter” told 8 lot of Black Hills miners that he knew a bank whereon the wild nuggets grew thicker'n leaves in Vallombrosa, and when such of the miners 33 badn’t been scalped during the prospecting trip ot there and found there was no color,” they Jjust hanged him as a warnine to ELt PERKINS. e There is a pretty little snarl in the New Jersev canvass. When the Republicon candidate, Mr- NEWELL, was Governor, he declined to inter- fere in the case of a condemned murderery thoush there was such doubt s tothe man's and stroctoral disease, more especially in the kid- neys and liver; and that it preparcs the way for guilt that the Board of Pardons favored the commutation of his sentence. The man WS 1