Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 23, 1877, Page 4

5 HICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 23, IS77—SIXTEEN ravms . ¢ Tribwwe. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. MATL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID. 5 o Sl‘i’.gg urday Edltion, twel g.(fl Weekly, one year. 5.0 0f & Vear. permoi -0 Spectmen coptes sent ree. . G’l’::‘l’o‘l-(lmcc sddress in full includiog State snd . Eounts. Bemiitances may be maie elther br draft, express, Post-Ofice order, or {n registered lettera, at our risk. TEEMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Datly, delivered, Sundsy excepted, 25 cents per week. Datiy;delivered, Sunday included, 30 cents per week. Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, cited state of the political atmosphere in ‘Washington, which is said to be highly stim- ulating to ‘the imagination of politicians. The friends of the President are doubtless right in asserting that neither the separato movement of the CoNELING men mor their combination with the Jax Gourp railroad gang will effect any disturbance of the {riendly or official relations existing between Mr. Scaunz and the Presidenl The war opinions of two of the leading weekly papers of London are given in our dispatches this morning. The Spectator takes the ground that the real meaning of the summons for the early assembling of Parliamént is that the Premier desires to encourage the Turks to continue their Corner Mad!son and Dearbora-sts.. Chileago, IIL Orders for the delivery of Tuz TEBTNE at Evanston, Engleweod, and Hyde Park left In the counting-room Willrecelve prompt attention. B TBIBU_.\'E BRAN TrE Ci1caGo TREINUNE has established branch offices for the recelpt of subscriptionsand advértisements 18 Tollows: NEW TORK—Room 29 Tribune Bullding. F. T. Mc- Fapnes, Manager. : SAN FRANCISCO, Cal.—Palace Hotcl. CianLes r. 16 Rue de 1a Grange-Bateliere. merican Exchange, 449 Strand. Agent. LONDON, Eng. Hzeyzy F. GILLI SOCIETY XM E_L\lx . D. C. CREGIER LODGE. No. 643, A. F, and A. M.— Hail 278and 28C Milwaukee-av.—The Annual Com- municatfon of this Lodge for the clection of oflicers ayment of ducs. and transaction of other fmro: t . Eul.lnl:l witl be d Wednesdsy evening. Dec. X o nrd‘;ror i = JAMES KEATQ. WML JOHN GINOCHIO, Sec. WILEY M. EGAN CHAPTER. o, 126. . A, M.— Speclal Convocation at Plciades {1all. 220 and 223 Southy alsied-st.. Saturdey evenfag. Dec. 9. ‘Obfect of meeting conferrring of Councll Degrees on Chapter. £ equested 10 be rresen:. Perorder of AE.“;‘%‘?\%W&‘L““SE& J.T. MATTHEWS, H. P. L TMBERMAN'S LODGE. No. 717, A. F. and A. M, A et ton WEraertay. eoRing: o Tor businces, ciection of oficers, and pavoe sg:;‘s‘, n are hereby otitied o atic: 3 Brarearor RO ENTY PRAT M. By orde IS . PALMER. Sec. TE CHAPTER, No. 2 B. A. M.~Tall, 76 bR Siatcd Convacation Monds¥ evenlng Det: 24, ar 75 o'clock. for business and woriz on the M. M. Dégree.” Visitors corclally Invlied to al nd. By order of H. REID. 1L P E. N. TCCEER, Sce. \ CHICAGO COMM Y. No. 19. K, T.—Atten- ton. §ir Kniehre—Soectal Conelave Mondsy evening, Dec. 24, 1677, for Installation of oficers elcet for 157 Wihsiita S nisbts courteontly taviict N .S, JAS. E. MEGINY, Recorder. KETSTONE LODGE. No. 637, A. F. and A. ) gpecial Communication Wednewiar evenloz, Dec. 207 p. m..for the Installation of oficers. Members Dereby notified 1o attend. Visitors cordially {nvi By ordcr of M. PFLAUM, W THEO. HARZ, Sec. v ATOLLO LODGE. No. 642, A. T. and -Rezular Commwnication Tharsdiy eveninz, Dec. 27 Instaila: tlon of oficers. Every reeldent memier {8 requosted Byorderof M. A. THAYER, W.M. ‘%%? ]; ll‘ D. A. CASHMAYN ‘LODGE, No. 6s6~The Annua] Comminulcation for the election of officers will be held Tuesday evening, Dec. 25. Brethren are requested to be present. . See. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1877. CHICAGO MAREET SUMMARY, The Chicago produce markets were moderately active Saturday, with few important changes in prices. Mess pork closed 2i4¢ per brl lower, at $11.70@11. 723 for January and $11.85@11.873% for February. Lard closed 214c per 100 Ibs Jower, 2t $7.70@7. 72!4 for January and §7. February. Meats were easy, at 41ic for boxed shoulders and $6.00 per 100 1bs for do short rihs. Whieky was firmer, at §L.0Gperzalion. Flourwas quiet. Wheat closed 3jclower, at $1. 09 for Decem- ber 2nd £1.00% forJanuary. Corn closed easier,at 443c cash and 423{c forJanuary. Oats closed steadr, at 24%c cash and 25¢ for January. Ryecwasun- changed, at 56c. Barley closed casier. at 57l4c spot and 57%c for January. Hogs were steady, 2t $1.00@4.10 for packing lots. Cattle were dull, at $1.75®5.40. Sheep were quiety at $2.75@ 4.25. Togs packed in this aty since October, 935.733 head. Received in this city lasagveck, 90,719 brls flour, 404,531 bu twheat, 220,530 bn corn, 147.537 bu oats, 16,201 bu rre. 17 barley, 111,933 Tive hozs, and 13,369 cattle, specied into store in this city Saturday morn- ing: 171 cars wheat, 52 cars corn, 25 cars oats, 4cars rye, 67 cars barley. Total, 320 cars, or 121,000 bu. One hundred dollara in'gold would buy $102.674% in greenbacks et the close. — In- Another aspirant for the office of Consul- General at Paris is Gen. McCoox, ex-Gov- ernor of Colorado. It issaid that the announcement of the early meeting of Parliament and the excited rumors of war have cast an apxious gloom over the approaching Christmas festival in England. The success of the underground railway in London has proved so great as to induce 8 number of Englisk capitalists to enter upon o similar undertaling in New York. It is expected that the cost of the proposed road will be about $8,000,000. © Washington society gets along very well in the absence of the honorable members of the Senate and House. Thedisplay of equip- ages on Pennsylvania avenae yesterdny after- 1bon was as brillisnt as has ever been wit- “ nessed in the Capital City. The Canadian Parlisment, which usually begins jis sessions in Tebruary, has been called to meet on the 15th of January. This struggle as long as possible in hope of aid fmmEEnglxmd; but that the expected aid will be withheld, or kept, like a will-o-wisp, dancing befors them yet for- .ever out of reach, until the Sultan and his herem will finally be obliged .to flee reross the Bosphorus, while Turkey in Eu- rope will cease to exist. This is strong lan- guage, even from the Liberal Spectator, but probably it represents the sentiments of a large closs of Englishmen whose views do. not find oxpression in the daily press of London, ‘The license of speech allowed to attornoys conducting 'an examination is so often abused as to have long been recognized as an ovil of the first magnitude. Protected by the mgis of the Court, an impertinent lawyer may annoy and cruelly wound the feelings of a witness without giving the latter oppor- tunity for escape or retalintion. But some- times the worm, if he be a good stout and healthy one, will turn upon his tormentor, s was illustgated in this city yesterday. A well-known real estate agent had occasion to testify in a condemnation suit, and his testi- mony was not satisfactory to the opposing counsel, who, in addressing the jury, cast “severe reflections upon the charncter of the witness. These aspersions coming to the ear of the Iatter, he became exceedingly en- reged, and, laying in wait for the unsuspéct- ing attorney, proceeded to eadminister, or to endeavor to administer, a castiga- tion. The affair is of little importance, except for the two morals that may be de- duced; one is that lawyers are, under the present ruling of Courts, allowed far too much liberty in personal allusions during the examination of wilnesses; the other, that an attorney should mensure the physical ca- pacity of his victim before applying the legal thumb-screy. WHY SILVER WAS DEMONETIZED. Part of the question whether silver should ‘be monetized is the history of how it came to be demonetized. Part of that history was the fact that the coinage of the silver dollar, which had been the unit of money value in this country from 1792, had been prohibited, and the dollar demonetized, for more than ‘two years before'the country generally heard of the proceeding. The information—the Imowledge that such an important step had been taken—1was confined to the few offiicals who had taken part in the proceeding. Tha demonetization of silver wns the result of twodegislative acts, one 1 February, 1878, and the other in 1874. The President who signed the law did not know what had . been done, and eight§months afterwards wrete an elaborate prediction of the good results of silver coinage, which coinage had alreedy been repealed! The demonetization of silver was a great wrong upon the country, and, being accomplished secretly, was afraud which of necessity must bave been planned and carried through with precautions agninst discovery. The act was not made public gen- erally nntil the close of 1875, when, silver becoming availablé for coining. it was dis- covered that the law no longer permitted it. This scandalous history of demonetization furnished of itself a strong reason why the law of silver legal-tender shonld be restored. So strong has been this appeal that the or- gans of the gold-brokers, and especially tho Nation, have been denying the history of the secret abolition of the silver-dollar coinage, and the establishment of an exclusive gold coin as legal-tender. One week wo were told that the Dill had been debated in Congress three successive years ; and once the Nation stated that Mr. Hoorzz had made o speech on the bill covering eleven pages of the Congressional Globe! Having for memrly a year denicd the secresy of the demonetiza- tion job, the Nation now confesses it, saying that it was pot necessary to let the public know anything about it at the, time it took place. Speaking of the argument based on the secresy of the act of 1873, it says : 1ts absurdity becomes morc apnarent if we apply it to Congresstonal legislation in general. To how much of it does anybody pay attention except the Jawyers and cditors? When it is in the least degree concerned with scientific matters, who of any ealling pays attention to it except specialists? Dut i l}l] Iegislation which is only known :to spe- clatisté, or which possesses no popular interest, therefore frandulent or passed with evil design? Have silver men no sense of humor? It further refers to the fact that silver was will be two days ahead of the commence- ment of the English Parlioment, and the younger body has thus a chance of setiing an excellent example to the elder by pro- claiming war against Turkey. Judge Lirscm mado a large haul yesterday in Californin. Five horse-thieves were taken from the jail in the Town of Bakersficld by a body of indignant citizens, carried into the District Court-room, tried before a regularly- impaneled jury, convicted, and hung. Ana the intelligent Coroner’s jury soon afterward brought in a verdict of * Hung by parties unknown.” Our cable dispatches announced yesterdny then at 2 premiumin gold, and nobody would have objected to its demonetization if they had known of it. It quotes Dr: LixpemaaN toshow that, in consequence of gold being somuch cheaper in 1873 then silver, the latter was not in usc as coin, being worth more 2s bullion ; and, commenting on this, the Nation says: & This then gives one, and (he principal, reason why but lite attention was paid to the act of 1873 1twas not talked of outside scientific cir- cles, orthe circle of those specially interested in cofnage. for the simple reason that it made no change in anything that people used or were dependent on. It recomnized cxisting facts; it embodied usage in law; but that was all, The only deduction that can be drawn that the Porte has ordered a fresh levy of | from the fact that silver was worth 103 in 300,000 men. It should be understood that Any'mc.h number as this can only be raised by impressing the non-Mussalman popula- tion of Turkey, and the chief dependence must be placed upon the Greeks, But there 35 no love lost between Greek and Turk Dow-a-days, and the Porte will only be plac- ng ams in the hands of men who will desert at the earliest opportunity. — Some curious rumors are i (gl afloat in Wasgh. bles, of whom the New York Senator is acknowledged leader, are reported to nflfi sworn a fearful oath to have the blood of a Cabinet man, or, in other words, to oust from the circle of the President’s gd. visers some of the gentlamen who are endesvoring to nid on an honest Administra- tion. Heratofore it has been generally sup- posed that the intrigues of the Implacables ‘were directed against Secretary Evarrs ex. clusively ; but to-dsy it is rumored that a combination has been formed agoinst Secre- tary Scaurz, and that the Conxlingites are about to patch up a treaty of peace with the former gentleman. ‘This cheering news may bs taken with 8 certain amount of allowance for the ex- gold when it was demonetized is that it was Do violation of national faith or honor to de.. monetize that coin which was the fnoro val. usble, and adopt the chesper metal It there be any force in this argument, then the Government might now demonctize gold and restore silver, on the pretext of abolish- ing the dearer and adopting the cheaper metal. The confession, however, is made that the law “‘wes not talked of outside scientific circles, or those specilly inter- ested in coinage.” That is exactly what bas'] been stated. The Comptroller of the Cur- rency and the Director of the Mint inveigled the then Secretary of the Treasury with the idea thet he might become eminent if he conld sbolish ‘silver and have an exclusive gold coinage. So the thing ! was worked up by them. They were expertd, and the whole country was subjected to the great loss and injury—a loss almost incalculablo—in order that these scientific gentlemen might’| try an experiment! Unless the silver dollar be remonetized the cost of that experiment to the American peoplo may not fall short of a !.hfnls:md millions of dollars, besides post- poning specio payments indefinitely, and subjecting the Government to o disastrous financial failure. g Silver was demonetized in England in 1816 ; but the act was not Passed in the dark, nor was the knowledge cf it confined toa few *‘scientific men”; it was not kept secret from the public, but was long snd thor- oughly discussed. It was not enacted by a mere omission, but was done openly and deliberately, and overy man in England Jmew it. How did that transaction stand morally ? The British debt was then at its highest sum. It was overwhelming. Specie payments were suspended. The “national honor” .was pledged to pny that debt in silver or gold; 2ll private debts were pnyable in silver or gold; *‘‘good faith” demanded . that there should be no tampering with the standards of values. Silver was the logal tender,—the money of the people. But silver at that time was, as gold is now, the denrer motal. If tho relative values of gold and silver in 1616 were the same at this time the American dollar of 412} giains would now be worth abont 116 cents in gold. Gold was then worth sbout 84 cents in silver; but the British Government demon- etized silver, abolished the dearer metal as logal-tender, and made the gold—84-cent dollars—the exclusive standard in payment of all debts, public and private. That was the way Great Britain dealt with her creditors, and no one ever questioned the right of that Government to select the cheaper money with which to pay debts. Great Britain then debased her silver coinage, and at this time 20 British shillings (silver) are not worth much over $4.20 in gold, while 20 British shillings (gold) are worth $4.86 gold in American money. That ‘degraded,” * dishonest,” and “swindling ” money,is a legal-tender in England to the amount of $10, and there is $100,000,000 of itin circulation. ‘We commend these facts to those who insist thatwe shall first add 10 to 20 per cent to the value of gold coin by making it the only legal- tender; and that we shall-then pay all our debts, public and private, in this gold coin with its exaggerated value, in order to pre- serve the national honor and good faith with our British creditors, who bought our bonds at 60 cents, payable in gold orsilver, but who now want gold exclusively. THE OGDEN DITCH. The report of the Superintendent of the Tlinois & Michigan Canal should fasten the attention of the State and city suthorities to the actual damage done, and the still greater danger threatened, by the so-called Ogden Ditch. This ditch was dug by Messrs. OGDEN and WENTWORTH, or in their interests, with the purpose of furnishing an outlet for the Desplaines River into the,west fork connect- ing with the South Branch of the Chicago River, and with the hope that the overflow would make a permanent canal or slip, which, thus connected with the Chicago River, would become of great value for dock- age, warehonse, and manufacturing uses. It was apprehended at once that this diversion of the Desplaines would carry alarge amount of alluvial into both the Chicago River and the canal, aud the owners of the land wero remonstrated with, but in vain. The city anthorities, under the direction of Mayor Corviy's predecessor, assumed the responsi- bility of damming the ditch at its junction with the Desplaines; and, had this dam been maintained, the subsequent imjury would have been averted. But the dam was removed by order of the property- owners, and Mayor CoLviN was importuned in vain to interfere with it. During his ad- ministration the Ogden Ditch was contribut- ing sediment and mud to both the Chicago River and the canal by thousands of cubic yards. Mayor HeaTr was finally prevailed npon to order the construction of a tempo- rary dam, but this is two feet lower than the natural banks of the Desplaines River, there isnow six inches of waterrunning over it, and it is apprehended that the first high water in spring will cut around the dam, and an in- creased quantity of material be plowed out and sent forward into the canal and.river. The sum of $16,475 Las been expended this year alone in dredging the canal, which is Chargeable to the Ogden Ditch, and the Canal Superintendent estimates that the total cost of removing the deposit made by this ditch in the canal will not fall short of $75,000. If the damage be permitted to continue, the State will have an enormous annual burden, and perhaps be unable to keep the canal in a navigable condition. The interest of the City of Ghicago in this matter is as lively as that of the State, for the danger threatening the canal is equally menacing to .the Chicago River, and a menaco to the Chicago River is a blow at Chicago’s commerce. Tho sactual damage done is Inrgely increased by the Cicero Town- ship draing, of which there are eight, ran- ning north and south from the ridge at the back atd emptying into this Ogden Ditch. ‘The incrensed dimensions of theso drainsare noticeable every few months, and they are only enlarged by the deepening and widen- ing caused by washing out their beds into the ditch, and so into the west fork, the South Branch, and the main bed of the Chicago River; thus they fill up the river and impede the current into the canal, which, during most of the year, is the main reli- ance for its purification. The damming of the Ogden Ditch where it joins the Desplaines River does not remove the wash. ing out of the Cicero drains, though there will then be less current to carry the mmd and sediment from these drains into the Chi- cago River. Butas the Cicero drains and the Ogden Ditch combine to increase the al- luvial, it has been suggested that o large levee or embankment should be constructed across the ditch where it joins the west fork, which should force the outpourings of the drains through the ditch into the Desplaines River. In this event, the Chieago River would be protected against the overflow from both drains and ditch, and it wounld only be necessary for the State authorities to protect the canal from the breaking of its banks by the Desplaines Riverin order to avoid all further damage. Whether it is better to coustruct an adequate and permanent dam over the mouth of the ditch, or build an em- bankment where the west fork joins the diteh, is a question for competent engincers to determine; but it is obvious that the action of the Cicoro drains, which are con- stantly increasing in size by the washing-out process, should receive due consideration. This danger to the Chicago River and the canal must no longer Lo neglected by either the city or the State authorities. The State is more immediately concerned, and secms to be the proper agency to apply the remedy. It is confronted with the necessity of taking prompt action to avert a damage to the canal amounting to $50,000 or $75,000 a year, and seriously interfering with navigation, which works additional injury. It is not likely that the authorities will encounter any such opposition from the land-owners gs was shown in the past whenever an effort was made to dam the Ogden Ditch. M, Ocpex, who was the most obstinate = in the malter, i uow dead, and it is not probable that his heirs bava in. herited his personal prejudices. The altimate scope of the ditch will never be attained during the lifetime of Mr. WeNT- WORTH or that of his living heirs. Even if it were likely that the Ogden Diteh would | ever bocome practically apart of the Chicago harbor, the Chicago harbor would be practi- cally destroyed before that time by the agency of the ditch, and great actusl public interests cannot be sacrificed in order to con- tribute to possible but remote" private inter- ests. No time should be lost, then, in ascer- taining the best remedy that can be abplied, ond then the project should be put into operation at once. If it be legal and feasible to condemn for canal purposes s sufficient strip of land to build an embankment that will shut off both the Ogden Ditch and Cicero drains, that will probably be the best way for thé State to proceed, as the land- owners will then be indemnified for any actual damage done them. In the meantime, the Chicago city authorities should give the matter their urgent attention, both in the way of devising tho best means fo be adopt- ed dnd co-operating with the State for the protection of mutunl interests. THE BANKS AND THE CLEARING-HOUSE. In these times, when banking institutions aré forced to contend agninst general sus- picion, it is proper that they should be pro- tected from unjust aspersions, and the community will serve its own interests by not laying hold of every circumstance and event for the purpose of putting upon it some construction unfavorable to banks. For instance, there is a popular misappre- hension in regard to the significance of the Clearing-House differences. The Clearing- House is merely an expedient for the prompt settloment of the interchange of business between the vavious banks; by thus settling the aggregato of every day’s business instead of each individual transaction, much time, expense, and annoyance are saved. But it is a very general mistake made by those outside of the banking business that a bal- ance against any particular bank in, the Clearing-House on a certain day is an indication of a shrinkage in its deposits and a corresponding loss of confidence. “Such and such a bank has been beat in the Clearing-House to-day,” is the usual an- nouncement, to which a false significance is given. This passes from mouth to mouth as indicating a disposition to run on the bank in every case where the checks agaifist it in the Clearing-Houso amonnt to moro than the checks it holds against other banks. Thus, during the flurry consequent upon the suspension of tho Third National and Central National, the status in the Clearing-Houso of two or three banks under suspicion was watched with general interest as a means of ascertaining whether there was s run on them or not. As a matter of fact, a balance for or against a bank in the Clearing-House is no indication whatever of the condition of its deposits; indeed, a balance against a bank is as likely to be an indication of in- creased business as of a loss of business. A few instances will serve to show the actual working of these clearings. Bank A may receive a deposit of $200,000 in cur- rency to-day, out of which the depositor may immediately check $150,000; the checks he gives pass through the other banks, and s0 into the Clearing-House. If all the other transactions of Bank A with other banks are about balanced in the clearings, then Bank A will apparently be $150,000 behind in the day’s operations. As a matter of fact, how- ever, Baok A will have increased its deposits by 950,000 by the transaction, notwith- standing the showing in the Clearing-House that it “had been beat $150,000.” So in the matter of exchanges. Bank A may pur- chase $100,000 of New York exchanges and give its checks for the amount, which pass through the Clearing-House against it, while the exchanges for this amount may already have been sold at a profit. The balance against Bank A in the Clearing-House, which isapparently a relative decrease of business, is in this casereally indicative of increased busi- ness. The same is truo in the case of ex- changes deposited and checked against by the depositor. So, when a bank advances money on grain-receipts or other collateral, the borrower leaves tho money on deposit and checks against it; these checks go into the Clearing-House and are counted ngainst the bank, while they sactually indicate that the bank has been doing the legitimnto busi- ness for which it is operated, but furnish not the slightest cue to an increase or de- crease of the deposits of said bank. These instances will suffice to demonstrate the injustice of drawing any conclusions from the daily record of the Clearing-House s to the actual status of a bank; and they may effect & change in a commercinl practice which does great injustice and occasions un- necessary apprehensions. The status of a bank can only be determined by a knowl- edge of the average amount of its deposits and the value of its investments, and in this respect the daily record of the Clearing- Houss is untterly meaningless. — _FEMALE EXTRAVAGANCE. A writer fn the Penn Monthly—n maga- zine, by the way, which ought to have a wider circulation—dovotes considerable: space to the prevalent complint of the day ss to the extravagance of girls in dress, idess, and mannors, and takesup the cudgel in *their behalf. His ideas upon the subject are not romarkably new, but they are presented in such systematio and attractive style that they are worthy of consideration, more cs- pecially as the defense is about as strong as can be made. The first point made by the writer is that the charge that girls are rela- tively more extravagant to-dsy than they were in the past isan old one, end has been made in every age aud in every civilized community ever since the days of Ertcrerus; and he might have gone still farther back than that old censor of manners. This, how- ever, is but a bare statement of fact, and does not excuse the extravagance, or even make a suitable apology. His second point is not any stronger, It is undoubtedly true, as he says, that ‘ modern scienco and art have given us new and belter articles and at less cost than the poorer articles could be procured for in the past,” and that, * asdress is one of the most important questionsin life to woman(?), we should advance in matters of dress as well as in everything else ”; but even this does not excuseextravagance, That the girls of the present should dress better and richer than the girls of the past does not of necessity accuse them of extravagance, because in the advance of science aud in. vention we live better and can easily and cheaply produce better fabrics than home- spun and calico. This has nothing to do with extravagance; noither has fashion, for fashion now is no more extravagant than it over was. Fashions do not change. There is nothing new under the sunin them. They move in circles. The fashions of to-day will soon turn over and go out of sight, but they will reappear some time hence ; mean. while, the fashions of soms time past will Come up again, It mey be laid downasa general rule that every woman ought to look aswell asshecan, and that it isaduty she owes to herself and those about her to make herself as pleasant and attractive to the eye as possi- ble, and to exhibit taste and refinement’in her dress. She may do .all this, however, without being extravagant, and she may dress at the very height of fashion—although such taste is questionable, for ‘the height of fashion is nearly always valgar—without be- ing extravagant. Thero is another charge in connection with this extravagance which our writer . examines, and it is one which has been made and denied, which has been writ- ten up and written down, which has been analyzed and picked to pieces, until thera is very little left of it that is not threndbare,— and that is, that the extravagance of girls is the chief reason why 50 nany young men remain single rather than marry girls’ whom they could not sup- port as wives' in their ante-mar- ringe style. There never Was 8 more absurd charge made than this. The average young man is more extravagant than the average young woman, and the young man who is afraid to marry because girls are extravagant is usually the most extravagant of his cless, ‘and does not desire to marry, because, in order to support a wife and children, he would have to cut off his extravagances. In the majority of cases, the wife is the cause of actual saving to the husband. Before marriage he lived clear up to his income, saved nothing, and owned nothing. After marriage he saves money, because he is compelled to, and usually owns the house he lives in. Before marriage he was not obliged to economize®becnuse he did not look be- yond the present, with its enjoyments. After marriage he is required to cconomize, be- cause he has to regard the future, with its responsibilities. With regard to, the question of expenses this writer very well says: *t Girls’ expenses are confined almost wholly to their dress; young men's expenses are confined—no, they are not confined to any- thing; theyrun wild. A young man of the class alluded to will frequently spend as much ‘in one day or night among his com- panions as would support a wife for a week. Frasxuix snid that ¢ One vice will bring up two children.” Then, two vices should cer- tainly support one wife, and most of the young men of the day could essily give up two and still - have a large variety on hand.” The question of extravagance is really a question of morals rather than of social . economy. Extravagance is not reached until expenditure passes the limits of income, and if that is not immoral, it ought to be, be- cause it entails cheating somebody. It is in- volving a debt that cannot bb discharged; consequently, the creditor must be defranded of his money. That there are women who transgress these bounds, as well as men, and that there are men who live beyond their in- comes on account of women, is unquestion- able, and extravagance of this sort is simply criminal. So long, however, as girls are satisfied with an expenditure within legiti- mate income there is no ground for charges of extravagance. When they exceed those limits thero is no excuse or defense to be made. Itiscriminal. The writer of the article in question closes with a very patriotic and gallant declaration, which is somewhat gushing in its character. He says: * Admitting for o moment that our American girls are exceptionally fast add ex- travagant in every particular charged, the only way we can judge of the consequences to themselves or others is by noting the ef- fect upon their lnlgt lives. However wild and foolish they may be when girls, it must be conceded that marriage or advancing age changes the current of their lives into & qui- eter, steadier stream. Having enjoyed their share of the pleasures, they are the more willing to accept their portion of the sorrows of life.” There is a certain degree of con- solation in all this; but the writer's conclu- sion would have been more complete had he gone over the whole ground. If he had done so, he would have found that some womon do not sow their wild oats until their husbands are in the Bankruptoy Courts or the Penitentiary, and that this is only being economical by compulsion and making a virtue of necessity, and a very bitter one at thet. S We don't take much stock in these “outrage” stories on the Mexican frontier; but we can bardly fail to record with enthusiastic disap- proval the position taken by the New York Sun on the question. Savs the Sun: 1t s clear that the populace of San Elizsrlo, after sparing all their prisoners, and trusting to thelr word of honor not to again use thelr official positions against the public wiil and public yeal. wera roused to rage by the reckless violation of this pledge. “Pledge” is good. So is “reckless viola- tion.” As the Sun told the stors, certain Americans, baving bought the salt-ponds, de- sired to cnjoy possession of their proverty. The mob, or *populace,” as the Sun ealls it, thereupon compelicd HOWARD to sign a **pledge” to let the people take their salt for nothing. not topersecute them for stealin it or mobbing. him, and to leave the country. As that unifiportant document the Cdnstitution of the United States casually -leaves it to be in- ferred that the citizens of the United States ave to be protected in the enjoyment of their lives and property, and as most codes of law regard a “pledec under duress or an agreement to compound a felony with little favor, the Sun’s position is a somewhat singular one—in the cyes of law-abiding citizens at lcast. But, then, we shouldn’t expect to> muchof the paper whose second in command is Citizen Jonx SwixToN, a leader of the Tompkins Square Communists. e —— There is a man by the name of KrMpaLL, sald to be a traveling azent for a Chicago school- furniture manufacturing firm, who while out **drumming” cmploys bis lefsure time from Maine to California in influencing people to turn over their own money and that of their cred- itors to the.paying of church debts. His last performance was at the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York Sundav. That church had o debt of 5230,000. KiMBALL was sent for by Dr. STernex TYNG, the church services were ieft out of the programme, and the debt-payer began his work upon the congregation, and se- cured §150,000 before night. He took his stand in tue chancel, appointed abouf fiftcen canvass- ers, and scourzed the congregation into liberal- ity. The World dcacnbc;.z; the procecdings as follows: é The formal decornm of regulsr church service was thrown asides the orderly rows of heads were spllt up Into littte knots of five or six:pessons standing were sathered together n the afsles fn groups, and abuzz of whispering was audible from esexy part of the church. Ina litsto while the work began to tell. One youns ldy uctuslly sent & mestenzer to her father, who was at home, and sccured his subscription for $10,000. Previous to this, though, the canvassers began to walk down the alsles with slips of paper and hand them to r. KisALL, who announced consccutively, **J. W., £10,000:" **J. ., $10, F. B., §10.000." Thesc With Mr. KimaLL's subscription of $10,000 made £40,000. Thea tho work lagged for a while. and, to glve it fresh vigor. Mr. KinnaLL offered to take the Afthsubscription for $10,000. This was followed direct- Iy by $10,000 from Mr. A. Al the while Mr. Kiupart kept on cxhorting the peopls to give after the following mapner: ** Give, and Iv shalf be glven to you, in good messure well flled and pressed down. That Is Gov's uromise of what ahall be given throngh human Instrumentallty to those * who are falthfal to Him. We now have six responstble pledges for $10,000 each; we want four more. They | will come! Gop will not let this work fall. Haman' doubts and human prejudices will intervene to hinder, Dut the work will proceed notwithstanding. 3iy falth In the success of the work 1s unswerting. This church shall be free. Ihave inttmations of two or three other subscriptions of $10,000 each, but to ssve time Lwill call for twelve pledies of $5,000 each, on the divislon ©[$60.000hat follows the $100,000, and will agres to twelff pledges myself.” At this potat Mr. S. sent tp a piedge for 55,000, and Mr. KmusaLL conifnued: **Let them come, but kécp the two classes of subscrintions'separate In yonr minds, for we don's Intena to zive up the $10,000 pledges.” The speaker paused a moment to announce that Mr. A. had Just subscrived 510,000, and two. other perso s subscribed £5,000 each. Then he wenton: ** What did Itell you, fricnds? Didn't I tell youthey would come in? Now we have three pledges of 55,000, and we want threo 0 $10,000. T wouldn't be grprised If the Sunday- school would pledze $10,000. the course of my cx- perlence In this kind of work. I have known one or two Sunday-schools pledge themselves to pay large sums In the course of the year. Here Is another subscriptioa {or $5,000. WhY. alresay we have $20,000 of the S0, - 000. I coulan't have asked for better success.” After a0 {nterval of half an hour another subscription of $5,- 000 was handed up, which caused Mr. KIMBALL to say: *'Now we hiave $05,000. Who will take the houor of completiog the first $100,000 by putting on the cap- stone? It will be a good mark to make. Weare walt- Ing, as you see, for subscriptions of elther $5,000 or $10,000." I refolce to see such free communication be- twween friends all over the church, for I know that good will come of it. 1am glad to ace, too, that frlends who Ieft the church a while ago are coming bacic. " This solicitation went on, with two or three adjournments for lunch. Subscriptions were doubled; men, whether in debt themselves or not, got excited and wrote down five, ten, or twenty thousand dollars with a perfect loose- nese. When they come to pay in the money there will be many a rueful countenance, and when they come to compromising with their creditors at — per cent on the dollarthere will be oaths deep. if not Joud, on the part of the latter. Others that may not break up will have - to skimp and pinch their families for many a month before they recover from the effect of their emotional, KispaLric liberality. - t———— The Jorrnal yesterday explained to THE TRIBUNE that the Constitution of the United Statespecificaliy recog- nizes **gold and eflyer™ asthe only metals that can be Iezally cotped into money, and that, thercfore, atrictly speaking, the small copper and nickel colns now cir- calating at par equally with other subsidiary coln are Dot legal-tender, - except by popular sufferance. All Tox TRIBUNZ has to say {n reply 13, that the Journal is *uritiing with fis readers.” ‘Tne Constitution does not “specifically recog- pize gola and silver as the only metals that can be legally coined into money.” Nothing of the kind. What the Constitution does say is, that “No State shall coln mouney; ecmit bills of credit; or make anything but gold and silver coin a legal-tender in payment of debts.” This is a limitation, not on Congress, but on the States, which are prohibited from . colning any kind of mone; They may make rold and sil- ver coin a legal-tender, but are not permitted to coin it. Letusseec,next, what the Federal Gov- ernment is authorized to do. The Constitution says that * Congress shall have power to coin money, regulate the value thereofand of forcien coins,” and * to provide for the punishment of take the eleventh an countecfeiting the sceuritics and current coin of the United States.”” That is all that is sald as regards legal-tender and the substances out of which money may be made. There is not a word in the Constitution which makes gold and silver the only metals that can be lezally coined into money; there is nothing in the Constitution which forbids the coining of platinum, which is white and bright ke silver, heavler than gold, and nearly os valuable per ounce. There is nothing in the Constitution te prevent the coin- 1Ing of tin or any metal that would be suitable for money. Congress has colned nickel and copper a8 money, aud made them legal-tender for small amounts: Congress can make them legal-tender for lurger amounts. The presump- tion in law is, tbat an act of Congzress is consti- tutional, and it must be so regarded, respected, and obeyed until the Suprefne Court declares the contrary. Copber coins have been legal- tenders by act of Coogress from the beginnine of the Government, and «nickels for a num- ber of years. (The Director of the Mint reports that two years ago there had been issued fie millions of dollars of these lezal-tendbr mickel coins.) The Su- preme Court has never denied the powerof Con- gress to make them a legal-tender, and, until it does, copper and nickel coins are as valid legal- tender to the amount fixed by act of Congress as silver and gold. [t i3 rather presumptuous for the editor of the Journal to usurp the fune- tions of the Supreme Courc and declare the minor-coin law unconstitutional. But what be- comes of greenbacks under such dictum? “ Congress may borrow money on the credit of the United States,” says the Constitution. It issued 400 millions of legal-teader notes, and borrowed them back several times over. If they were mot “money,” then its loans are illegal and void, and it does not owe any debt. As be- fore stated, the Journal has been * trifling with its readers” in a most disreputable manner on the coin question. —e—— ° Our Washington dispatches have recently anpounced 2 reconciliation between Senators BLAINE and CONKLING, after a quarrel of eleven years, during which neither hn.s spoken to or recognized the other. As some of our rcaders may be interested in knowing the original cause of the'difficulty, we print the following extract from a debate in the House in 1566: Mr. CoNKLING destrea to add that no Commiselon, paper, or authority whatever was fssucd to him, ex- cept the letter of retalner which had been read. 1f tae member from Maine had the least fica how profoundly indlfferent to him his opinion was on the subject he had been discussing, or on any other subject. he thought he would hardly take the trouble to express ft. He apologtzed to the House for the length of time he had accupicd In conseqnence of belng drawa fato the mat- ter by an tnterruption which he had hefore denounced to be ungenticmanly and fmpertincnt, and having nothing whatever to do with the matter. Mr. Braive satd he knerw that this was what they called down East ‘‘running emptsfogs.” The gentleman from New York could mol me: off on ‘the technlcal pretense that he did not hold a commfsslon asa Judge. Advocate, Many an oficer had led a brigade, a division, or & corps with no more of a com- mission than such n ome 83 the geatleman from New Tork held. As to the gentleman’s cruel sarcasm, 3r. BLAINE continued: T hope he will let mo escape his disdafo. His lordly pomposity. his grandiloquent swell, his majestic overtowering. his turkey-gobbler strutting, have becnso crushing to myself and to sl members of the House. that I know ¢ was an act of the Krossest temerity on my part to veature on provoking them. But1 know whé was responsidle for ftall, 1 know that for the last five weeks an extra strut has scized the gentleman. It is not his fauit—It 13 the fanit ofanotlier. That gifted and satirical man, Tnroborx TILTOY, of the New York Jndeendent, was over here spending some weeks and wrlting home letters, fn which, among some scrious things, he put some jocose thingy, among the cruelest of which was that the man- tle of the late WisTER Davis bad fallen upon. the member from New York. He (CONELING) took it as serious, and hasslnce strutted more than usual.” Well, the resemblance Is great—as striking as Hyperlon toa Satyr, THERSITES to HERCULES, mud to marble, a dung- Dilt to a diamond, a singed cat to & Bengal tizer.n whin- Ing pupps to a ronring lton. Shade of the mizhty Davis, forgtve the almost profanation of that jocose satire! s — There is a story extant of a cynical reader of the newspapers who made a fortune during the Napoleonic wars by oetting that the news re- ceived, no matter what it might be, wasn’t true. An observant man might easily accumulate a fortune just now by, mthe language of the faro- table, coppering * the New York Sun, laying longz odds against its predictions. It wanted the army reduced; it wasn’t. It wanted Minister WELSH, rejected; he wasn’t. It wanted Mr. BANCROFT DAVIS rejected; he wasn't. It is, therefore, with ‘great pleasure and much hope- fulness that we sce the Sun taking sides with CoNKLING and BLAINE azainst the Administra- tion, and with someapprehension that we notice signs of its intention to fall into line with us on the silver question. ———— As o rule, the courts hold that o man who has too many wives shall be, or, at lcast, deserves to be, punished,but we are delighted to see that at Montreal a different and more rational view obtains. The Gazelte in a bold headline informs usthata man has been “arrested for having only three wives.” Precisely bow many wives a man has to have fn Canada to be safe from in- terference we don't know; but, to judge from the Gazetle headlive, public opinion there is something like what itisin England. where a re- vorter of the London Telegraph charges a Ritu- alistic clergyman, amongggther offenses, with ‘“‘actually practicing celibacy in the public stredts.” ——————— The Nation says that CALLAGHAN & Co., Chi- cago, announce a forthcoming translation of the German Prof. ROSCRER'S “‘Principles of Political Economy,” with additional chapters by the an- thor, . prepared expessly for this edition, on Paper Money, International Commerce, and Pro- tective Duties.” This great work has passed through thirteen editions in Germany, and has -of the man. school at Aubarn, N.,Y., he was ambitious to be regarded as the best runner, jumper, wrestler, and boxer in the school, and, whenever any of his com- panions excelled him inany of these accomplish- ments, young Roscoe would not rest easily till he had avenged himself by slyly ** putilng a head " on that boy. is Feaven's firat law," he **sassed”_ his teachers snd defled his parents with true Olympian audaci- ty. It maybe worth while recaliing the fact that on one memorable occasion, at a meeting holden in honor of the favorite son of New York, bis fatber occupied a place of honor on the platform, and was introduced to the andience as the father of our distingmshed statesman. Roscoe Conkling. **Great ™ God " enid the Indignant old man, who Had served in Congress, in the diplomatic service. and on the Federal Bench, and was fdrther known #5 the su- thor of a conple of standard works on law; *‘the idea of making the only claim to distinction of 3 man who has been in Congress, and was United States Minister to Mexico, and Jadge of the Tnited States Court, the fact that he was the father of Roscoe ConklingI" This paternal tribate wae al- most as warm as that paid by his father to Bishop A. Cleveland Coxe, of. Buffalo. 1ha plous old man, *‘that the Lord hath forgiven me for having brought into the world & fool tha¥ spelleth his name with an ‘e, 3 been translated into most of the languapes Europe. The French translation wag mnfla :t WoLowskr, who prefaced it with an essay nZ toe *Historical Method fn Political Ecquomyn ° | which will also.be added to the fortheomip, volume. This, the first English transhiton will be made by Mr. J. J. LALOR, who gay, us tast year in English the first volume of Dy, X Hotsr’s *Constitutional History of the Unireg States.” Mr. LALOR’S Industry was temporari. Iy interrupted by the Ashtabula disaster, of which Be was one of the victims. Upor th completion of Roscuzr, the translation of Yoy HoLs™’s second volume will be undertaken, the advance sheets' of which (in German) are noy arriviog. The £00d servlce which Carraomey & Co. are dolag, by bringigg out works of such solid merit as these, will, we have no dogyy find its reward fn a sufficient market on both sides of the Atlantic. ——— The absurdity of carrying legal technicalipfey too far was shown last Thursday in New York, The standing joke, the Count JOANNEs, hagg suit against JARRETT & PALMER, the theatrica] managers, claiming pay for a oerformance of Jtichard III. at Niblo’s Theatre. The Count was placed upon the stand, and was asked: ° * Where were you born#" * You must think me a wise man to know that, * Where do you think you were bor?” **That Is o evidence.” * Of course the counsel was oblized to leave thy questior unanswered, for, according toa strict legal [ntcrpretation, no man can state of his owm knowledge where he was horn, and the law does not allow hearsay evidence. Further on the fotlowing colloquy took place: **What s your real name?” was the asked. 6+ GxoRoz, the Count JOASSES," answer ness with severity. Fred thewtie Was that the same or e of your fathers» My father had no title but that " ot wote name ot be piion i e ** 113 name was GEOZAE Joxzs,” Thereupon the learned counsel moved to dls- miss the case, on the ground that the plainti had sued under a false name. Aside from the other ridiculous features of the case, conld therg be a greater travesty on justice than W bling as this? ? T —_——— 1n the face of the law in recard to the lezal- tender guality of fractional notes for postag, revenue stamps, and all daes to the Un; d States (except customs), and their exchengeabil. ity on presentation into eTecabacks or cop, it is wretched quibbling for the Journal to deny that they are equivalent to legal-tenders; ang it 1s perfect nonsense to assert that mere yse or necessity fn trade gives them their walue. Strike out their legal-tender quality, and their coovertibility into greenbacks on Presentation, and they would be the poorest kind of stump- tail shinplasters. ———— ‘Will not some of our enterprising metropoli- first question tan contemporarics count noses in the papers of . both parties in New York State, outside of the city, and let us know precisely how many and which papers are in favor of the rcmonetization of silver; how many and which are opposed to it? We offer this sugrestion humbly, bat not. as without hope. It affords our Eastern con- temporaries a chance t# find out exactiy how the people of the East stand on this subject. Pt — WENDELL PRILLIPS “thanks and blesses” Kansas for her announced iutention of erecting a statue to Old JomN BROWN, the hero of Ossawatomie and Harper's Ferry. But. as WeNDELL PAmLLIPS has used OWd Jomx Browx’s corpse as a bill-board to much ad- vantage, he might as well contribute something handsome to the fund and caarge it to adver- tising. — Many people have a general, though fndes- nite, idea that the Indian race is being rapidly extinguished. But statistics show that since 1809 the Cherokees have incrcased:from 12,395 to 21,072, and that since 1860 the Seminoles have grown from 2,267 to 2,552, while missionaries assert that the Sioux bave a steady increase of from 10 to 20 per cent. And yet Gen. SHERIDAY is whoopful of their decar. Colorado is still anead. Not content with having brought up by hand a petrified man, she now thrusts upon the world a skeleton of s snake 125 feet long. This, too, is a see-serpent —admission 25 cents. k ——— They call this troubleon the Rio Grande a Texas-Pacific affair; but, really, Texas doesn’t appear to be so very Pacific. ———— PERSONAL. Emerson, at the Whittier banquet, sucked a.cigar, Prof. Huxley says.the educational bore is the worst of all, Gen. Grant refused to anthorize the illud- trated papers of Paris to print his portrait. Mr. Longfellow sgvs his after-dinner specches always produce a depressing effect. Ben Yen, o Chinese cigar merchart in San Francisco, recently retarned home with a fortune of $100,000. # At the Fairfor the benefit of tho Old South Church in Boston Miss Clara Louise Kellozg had charge of a raflle for a ticket to Europe. Senator Gordon is a devou: member of the Mark Twain's speech at the A#lantic din- e to Whittier, in which he pictared Longfellow, Emerson, and Whittier enzaged in a game of cards in a California miner’s cabin, gave offense in Bos- ton. One writersays: *-If the threc gentlemen | named in his remarks had been entertalned 1n New 3 York, and a speaker had said what Twain did, Bos- ton would have felt fnsulted.™ « The conviction of President Cas>and other officialfhas had the effect of making managers of insurance companies mora carefal as to afixing their sl@nturu to sworn statements intended to bolster up thelr companies. Mr. Case, his son, and two lovely and accomplished danghters lived in luxury and refinement at Newborg-on-tho- Hudson. his father, 13 fugitive from justice,and is thonght The son, who was indictéd alonz with to be mn South America. The supposed wealth of Jir. Case has vanished, and the two young ladies may have to work for their living uniess recelved into the houses of their wealthy friends. Mr. William C. Bryant, in the New York Evening Post, writes in the following compliment- ary manner of one of Chicago's literati: **The author of *Six Little Cooks,” who .demonstrated in that little book her abllity to ece both the prac- ticaland esthetic side of cookingand honsekeep- ing, and her ability also to say in the pleasantest way what she had to say, has put forth this year o more book is called *Dorn's Housekeeping.' and is & complete guide to housckeeping and conking In the shapeof astory. . . . excellent sort who make the household a well-os- dered kingdom witl appreciate the worth of such 3 story, and its itness for presentation to danghters who are In training, after the good old-fashioned plan, for the proper performance of the daily duties of life.” mprehensive domestic romance. The new ‘Wise mothers of that 2 charch, and his friends are rather amused at the, 1dea that he was expected to fight a duel. In Mr. Conkling’s case the boy was father Whoen the fature Scmator was at As he read the poet's line. **Disorder 44 hope,™ mait o