Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 13, 1878, Page 4

] @ ''HE CHICAGO ‘TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, SANUARY 13, ISIC—BIXTEEN PAGES. e — T - @he Crelbune, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. BT MATL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREFAID. 12. 00 1.00 v, one TOrteor avear. perm WEBKLT EDITION, POSTPAID. One copy. per year. beimiytd ot eabion Epecimen copics sent 1ree. Give Post-Otice address in fall including Stateand County. Ttemittances may he made efther by draft, express, Poet-Office order, orin rexlstered letters, at our risk- TERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Datly, delivered, Sunday excented, 2 cents per week. Taty, delivercd, Sundsy fncluded, 30 cents per week. Adéress THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madison and Dearborn-sts.. l:hlca;a. m. ers for the delivery of TiE TRIBUNE 8¢ Evanpton. Englewood, and Eyde Parkleft In the Counting-room ‘wilirecelve prompt attention. e TRIBUNE BRANCI OFFICES. Ty CiicAGO TRINTNE has cstabltshed branch offices forthe receipt of subscriptions and advertisements as fllows: NEW TORK—Room 29 Tribune Buflding, F. T. Mc- Fapprx, Monager. 'PARIS, France—No. 16 Rua de la Grange-Datellere. F. Maurre, Agent. LOXDOX. Eng.—American Exchange. 449 Strand. Hexcy F. GILLIa, Agent. SAN FLANCISCO, Cal.—Palace Hotel. e “SOCIETY MEETINGS. 308, —Regular_communica- 5. 35, Basiness and. work. LODGE, . R. T. CRANE, Secy. ASHLAR N tion Tueaday eveaing. Jai Fall ttemdance 15 desired. X0, 2, R A M.—Hall 78 Monday evening. Jan. conferring of Conn- cliDem e present. By Srdorar, R BT e E. N. TGCKER, Secretary. APOLLO COMMANDERTY, X0. 1, ENIGATS TEM- PLAR—Legular conclave at Asylom. 721078 Monroe. #t.. on Tucsday evening nes at 8 o'clock . Jan. 15, prompt. lmportant busiuess will be brousht before the Commandery. 1y order of the Commander. J- LifDUNLUP, ftecorder. VAN RENSSELAER GRAND LODGE OF PERFEC- TION, 145 A, AXD A, SCOTTISH RITE MASOXS. ZThe' Annual Asscmbly wiil be held on Thurday ‘evening nest. for the eléction of officers and payment of dues. By orderf . . JOHY O'NEILL, T.%P.%G. "M% ED GOODALE, Gr. Sec- D. A CASHMAN LODGE. Xo. 6%.—A Regular Communication will be held [n thelr hall, corner West Madison and Kobey-sts.. Tuesday evening. Jan, 15. Business: Election of officers and pavment of ducs. Every member exected to be preeent. Visitors cor- Qlally fnvited. H. G. THOMPSON. W. M. SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1878. In New York, on Suturdsy, greenbacks ranged from 97§ to 97§ The despised Servians have shown them- selves possessed of pluck and warlike skill, after all, in the capturing of Nisch with 8,000 Turks, ] The Russian raid south of the Balkans is this time a much more serious matter for the Turks than it was when Gounxo, with a few thousand horsemen, penetrated the Tundja Valley. The Towa Legislature will probably be fally organized Tuesday, and it is expected that the Governor’s message will be deliv- ered immediately thereafter. The indica- tions arc that Senator Arvwsox will be re- elected without opposition. Tho members of the Kentucky Legisla- ture are plunged in doubt and difficulty, and scem to be quite unable to clect a United States Senator. They have been trying for nearly a week to come to a decision, but the ‘balloting continues to have a monotonous result. At present the ¢ dark horse” seems to be Gov. McCresrr, although he will re- quire a great many votes to succeed. As an evidence of - the intersst that has re- cently been stirred up in this city on the question of futare punishment, it may be ‘noted that sbout twenty sermons on that topic are announced in our religious col- umos to be preached to-dsy. Of the minis- ters who are to deliver these discourses seven are Moethodists, two are Universalists, and the rest may be described as scattering. It seems that the announcement last Wednesdnsy of sn armistice having been agreed upon between Turkey and Russia was premature. The Porte certainly did make & proposition for a suspension of ‘Thostilities, but the Grand Duke was not to be caught by sy choff. He promptly notified the Turk- ish commander that he could consent to an srmistice only on & basis of an eventual treaty of peace. The Roumanian version of the taking of Plevna differs greatly from that of the Rus- sian Commander-in-Chief. An official ac- count of the eapture has been printed in the Bucharest Romanul, from which it appears that the honor of the day belongs to Prince Crantes. The Secorl and Sixth Ronmanian Divisions were the first to eater Plevna, and the Turkish parliamentaire went first to Prince Canes’ headquariers to announce that Osxax Pasha was willing to come to terms. Those Pennsylvania Protectionists who are desirous of organizing thomselves into a National Convention of the United States Export Trade have decided for reasons best Inown to themselves to postpone their nieet- ing from Jan. 22 until Feb. 19. The Penn- sylvania gentlemen delight in high-sounding titles, but their claims for subsidies will scarcely command any more attention from Congress than if they had adopted a simpler and more definitive name for their Conven- tion. ." If the ConxkLING crowd ever hope:i that they wonld be backed up by the South in their warfare npor”the President, that brill- iant anticipation must by this time have been dissipated. The Democratic Senators have with one accord rejected their overtures, and politicinns thronghout 'the South have ex- pressed their disgust in unmistakable terms. In our dispatches this morning is quoted an editorial from the Richmond (Va.) Dizputch, & leading Democratic organ, which declares that even if it could be proved that the Hayes Electors in Florida and Louisiana were counted in frandulently, that fact would not invalidate Haves’ title, which is as good a5 was that of GEORGE WASHINGTON. That a loving mother should be prevented from attending the wedding of her son seemed, at first thought, an unusual hard- ship. Bat, before giving vent to the indig- nant sentiments that would nsturally be called forth by such a procedure, it would be well to remember that much depends npon who the mother is. In the present instance she happens to be an ex-Queen, and the marrisge referred to is that of King . AzpHoxso and the Princess MxRCEDES, which is anpounced to take place Feb. 2. Tsa- BELLA i5 slleged to be & scandalons kind of old lady, and, when she was in power, many stories were circulated regarding her actions, which, to say the least, were eccentric. Quite recently she has caused more trouble in Paris by reason of her defense ‘of that scapegrace, Dox Canros. Hence it has been | P decided by the grandees of Spain who have the keeping of the Royal etiquette that the ex-Queen cannot bo permitted to attend the wedding, and the Spanish Ambassador at Pans 'is busy nowadays in restraining her from carrying out her intention of going anyway. ‘Washington dispatches indicate & probable change of tactics on the part of the disaf- fected Republicans. The publication of Senator Epuxsps’ letter, which is under- stood to embody the views of the President, and the storm of indignation which has swept over the country on account of the hostile declarations of the Implacables, have induced the latter to considerably modify their criginal programme. It is now re- ported that Epyusps will hereafter act as the Administration leader in the Scnate, and will endeavor to carry through those principles of Civil-Service reform which the President has been known to cherish, but which he has been unable to en- force. One of these principles is that Con- gressmen shall not solicit from the President sappointments to the Civil Service; butitis too much to say that thereisa prospect of its speedy adoption. THE CITY EXPENDITURES. The season for making the anoual appro- priation for the support of the City Govern- ment is drawing near, and the several departments or sub-governments aro making preparations for an onslaught upon the City Treasury. ‘There are several expenditures. such as that for payment of interest, which are so far permanent as not to admit of much reduction, and do not allow much room for the exercise of discretion, but in certain departments the ouly limit to expenditure is the discretion of the City Council. Last year these several departments asked for Inrge and increased appropriations, but the Council, after a protracted seffort, reduced them. We give the amounts asked and those appropriated & year ago in order to show how strong is the tendency to increase ex- penses: Appropriations Appropriations asked. L 2 nde. Public Works.. $868, 751 P Fire Departmen 581,445 512 Police Departmen 504,398 504,984 721,170 433,695 473,670 469.676 £3,209, 410 $§2,643.569 The difference between the appropriations and the sums asked was nearly $600,000. The appropriation given above for schools does not include some $230,000 of unex- pended balances of previous appropriations. The only one of these departments which has matured ifs estimate for the present year is the Board of Education, which asks, in ad- dition to all unexpended previous appropria- tions, which amount. probably to £250,000, the sum of $795,308. This is an advance over last year's demand of 374,000, and over last year's appropriation of §360,000. The Police Department asks for more men, and perhaps ome or more station-houses, not to* speak of an increase of pay. The Fire Department will probably ask for an addition of $100,000 to last year’s appropriation, while the Department of Pub- lic Works is uudoubtedly ambitious to ex- tend the sphere of its usefulness by expend- ing an enlarged smount of money. The appropristions last year for these five branches of the public service were $2,643,- 5G9, but itis likely they will ask the Council for and will enrnestly press an aggregate ap- propristion this year of mot less than 23,600,000 It is now time to protest against any such incresse in the annual expenditures for these or_any other purposes of the City Govern- ment. It must be borne in mind that, in ad- dition to the appropriations for the City Government, there are also the appropria- tions for the County Government. For the year 1677 the aggregate sppropriations for both Governments footed up: For the city.... For the county.... Total...c..ue That was the sum required to be raised by taxation in 1877. The sctusl expeuditures by the county were Breater by £200,000 or more, which deficiency will have to be in- cluded in this year's levy. Assuming, how- ever, that the appropriations for both Gos- ernments, which do ‘not include special asscssments or water rents, shall be the same as for lost year, is the city in any condition financially to bear an increased taxation? Dauring last year the rents and other product of property bave declined an average of 8 per cent. That is to say, the property on which these $5,600,000 of taxes was levied, and from which that tax is to be collected, has fallen at least 8 per cent in productive velue, and is proportionately of that much less value than it was a year ago. The tax of 5,600,000 for 1877 was equal to a tax of 5 6-10 per cent on $100,000,000 of property, consuming probably the entire income or profits of that amount of improved property. That property has declined in value, with- in the yenr, atleast 8 per cent, and to levy the same amount'of tox as last year on the reduced value of the property will be equal to ataxof G} per cent, or more than the total incomein all forms from the whole property. Some years ago there was a story that the taxes on real estate in one of the Iowa cities was so great that the owners tendered to the Collector deeds of the prop- erty in payment of tho taxes. When the municipal tax equals the rental value of the property, the property ceases to have any value, but when the tax exceeds the rental value, then it amounts to confiscation, and the alleged proceeding in the Iowa city be- comes perhaps about the best thing the own- ercan do. When property will not pay the taxes and insurance, it cannot be sold, and remains on the hands of the owner an in- cumbrance and a cost, instead of being a matter of property. The decline in the valne of all property, especinlly improved property, and the de- cline of rentsand earnings, is so evident, that no man can question the fact. That piece of improved real-estate which will yicld the owner G per cent income may be ranked as first-class, and, by comparison, actually profitable; but when the tax-gath- erer exacts from this property the whole of its product, some idea may be formed of the condition of the owners of other improved property who do not collect more than 2 to 3 per cent and have still to pay taxes. Taxes are to be collected from property, and when the property fails to produce enough to pay the taxes the tax-levying power is brought face to face with the alternative of confisca- tion or of reducing expenditure. We know of moway by which the Common Council can incresse the value of property, or in- creasse the income therefrom,or guarantee the collection of rents, or increased reats. Having no power to increase the property income of the peopls, nor to increase the ‘means of the people to pay rents, nor the power toso increase the general prosperity as to create a demsnd for the stores and dwellings now unoccupied, the duty of the Common Council becomes, under all the circumstances, o plain ope. It must appropriate the money and lovy the taxes to meet all the authorized expenditures, but it has the power, and shonld exercise it, of re- ducing expenditures to the absolute and in- dispensable necessities of the city. This, certainly, is not the time to incrense the tax- levies, nor to increase the inability of the poople to meet their regular and indispensa- ble cost of living. Taxing property to the limit of confiscation is certainly no way to lessen the soverities of hard times. The taxation of last year may safely be taken ns marking the limit of endurable tax- ation; and the City Council, while there may be appeals for meritorious objects for which under other circumstances they might ap- propriate ten or twelve millions of dollars, will recognize the actual state of affairs, and limit the total expenditures for 1878 to the extent of last yenr's appropriations. Even these might bo reduced without serious em- Dbarrassment by the sbolition of several offices which can be dispensed with. THE TUBKISH COLLAPSE. It is now apparent that the Turkish Em- pire has tumbled to pieces and lies prostrate at the feet of victortous Russia. Her power is utterly broken. Her armies aro crushed. Her Government is hopelessly confused and divided in its councils. Meanwhile the Muscovite giant is striding through Rou- melia at o rapid rate, finding no opposition in his path, and in a few days at farthest will be thundering at the gates of Adriano- ple, if not of the Imperial city itself. The £all of Shipka placed an army of 28,000 men, and the very flower of the Turkish army, Jhors de combat, aud gave the Russians 100 field and siege gnns. From this point they hase pressed on in overwhelming force to Eski-Soglira and Zeni-Saghra, which points Gounso once reached with his Cossack raiders, and a few days must bring them to Adrianople, whenco the civil population has alrendy fled. The disasters arc not confined to one point. It is a generalscollapse along the whole line. The Montene- grins have captured Antivari, with great spoils of war, and now threaten Scutari, notwithstanding their bombard- ment by the Tarkish ficer. The way before them is so clear that they have even asked for instructions as to how far they may go, and if they do not receivo a reply soon there is danger that this handful of the black war- riors of Czernagora will go clear through the Turkish Empire before peace is concluded. Even the Servians have sufficiently recovered from their recent defeat to capture the fort- ress of Nisch, and with it 8,000 Tarks, ninéty guns, and 12,000 muskets. Crete is in the full blaze of insurrection, and the Greeks are rising in Macedonia. It is evident that the Turkish power of resistance is hopelessly and atterly broken, and Russin has triumphed. In the face of this overwhelming fact, and notwithstanding the bluster of England, it is difficult to comprehend how Russin can even listen to any talk of armistice, much less negotiate terms for one. Tho idea of a truce of six weeks where one of the belligerents is incapable of longer offering resistance is absurd on the face of it. As to Russia and Turkey the war is substan- tially ended, and the only proposition to which Russia is now bound to listen is a di- rect request for peace from Turkey, and she is entitled to receive and consider such a proposition without referenco to Eogland or any other Power. If the terms conflict with their interests, that is a matter for after con- sideration. So far as the two belligerents are now concerned there is but one question of interest left,,and that is ithe exaction by Russia of such terms of peace as'shall blot Turkey out as s European Power, and con- sign her to the Asintic civilization and des- potism where she belongs. This once ac- complished, the world will look on with contest over the Eastern question be- tween other Powers. The whole temper of Russia thus far in the negotiations indicates that she will make no stip- ulations for an armistice, and consider 10 propositions except such as may como di- rectly from Turkey with a view to peace. If England is to make a protest, it must be done speedily or it will be too late. The genernl outlook of the situation indicates that England must immediately withdraw and take o back seat, or elso declare war. The time has passed for diplomatic delays, with the Russians in the heart of Roumelia. THE REVIVAL OF HONESTY. The preachers of the various denomina- tions are just at present seriously sgitated over the question of Hell, and the duration of punishment after death, as well as upon the Ikindred questions of Atonement, the Trinity, the Inspiration of the Bible, and numerous other doctrines, which, to all in- tents and purposes, are dogmas, most if not all of them man-malle aud engendered of controversial wrath. This is the significant fenture of the present condition of the relig- jous and theological world, and it is one of grent importance, even overshadowing other evangelical work, or the revival efforts of Moopy and Saskey. It is certainly a matter of the utmost necessity that the truth or falsity of these dogmas should be established in some manner, 50 as not to conflict with the reason or the critical sense; in other words, to fix them upon some plane where they con be believed. If the world has been going wrong all these years on these dogmas, it i8 time it should be set right. If the world is right, then the fact should be estab- lished beyond all question. Bat, after all, these aro only dogmas and parts of the framework of creeds. They are non-essentials to the goodness of a man's life, whatever relations they may bear to theology. As Dr. Tmoyas very eloguently said in his recent remarkabla sermon on “Modern Doubt and Religious Dogmatism,” * Religion is an upliftingof the soul to Gop, and an ontgoing of the heart in deeds of kindness to men; and a belief in Hell or in some specinl creed or theory of inspiration is not essential to such a life. It is wicked to any longer stand up 'and teach that the only way to Heaven is by a Romish mass, or & Baptist immersion, or a Methodist class- meeting, or the Presbyterisn five points. They have all done good in their way. 3Men may be good in all of them, or may get to Heaven without any of them.” This state- ment of Dr. THodas, the sentiment of which runs through his whole sermon, suggests to us once more the necessity that ministers should give attention to the practical sug- gestions that have frequently been made to them by TEE Cmicaco Tninuse with refer- ence to the necessity of preaching to men on the vital topic of honesty. During the panic, and especially during the Mooy and SavkEY meetings, we urged upon them to get up a revival of honesty. The publica- tion of the black-list of defaulters and em- bezzlers recently made in Tre TRIBUNE once more suggests this old-fashioned, homely text. That list showed that thirty million dollars have been stolen in the United States during the past four years by men who held comparative indifference in any subsequent | positions of responsibility in corporations, and were regarded as high-minded sud hon- orable citizens. It showed that Bank Pres- idents and Cashiers, Collectors of Revenue, State, County, and City Collectors, Post- masters and their clerks, railroad and insur- ance officials, State-Auditors, managers of estates, and guardians of thy trust-property of widows and orphans, had been engaged in stealing money, their operations differing from those of vulgar, common thieves only in the amount of plunder carried off. It was afearful record of national dishonor. The peculators were not ail men of the world by ony means. There was a startling array of members of churches in good stand- ing, of church treasurers, and of Sunday- School Superintendents, thus showing that the moral influence of the Church was im- potent in restraining them from yielding to the temptations of extravagance, the pas- sionate haste to accumulate riches, and the insatiato tendency to speculate with other peopie’s money. We suggest to the clergy, therefore, that here is a subject of graver and more startling importance than any dogmas. It involves national honor, indi- vidual reputation, and the good name of the Chnrch itself. It involves life-long misery to the families of those who steal, and in- describable suffering to the widows and or- phans whoso savings are stolen. It under- nines the morality of the whole people, it saps that confidence without which there can be mno surety of anything, it paralyzes business, it entails wretchedness, sorrow, and infamy. In view of the appalling character of this national sin, we once more appeal to-the ministers to work for a revival of honesty. Surely upon this they can drop their dogmatic differences and join hands. As Dr. Troyus says, ‘‘ Let us think more of conduct and less of creed.” This need not interfere with the settlement of the dogmas. Thereis time enough and room enough to fight on the creed guestions. They are important, but of little conse- quence as compared with this vital question of honesty, as between man and man. It is the startling evil of our day. It is in the world, and it is in the Church and the Sunday- school. Itis growing. Human laws do not punish it. All the more should the pulpit thunder its condemnation. There can be re- ligion without dogmas, but there cannot be religion without honesty. A man can live o pure life without either creed or dogma, but he cannot live a pure life without honesty. THE ICE AGE. A scientific question that now receives a grent deal of attention concerns the cause and pature of the Ice Age. The theory of Acassiz that both hemispheres were once covered with thick fields of ice to Latitude 40 hes been generally accepted. No other hns been found sufficient to explain the un- stratified drift. But even Acassiz was not able to say how these vast fields of ice came into existenca. When &till a young man, he maintained and proved, in spite of the sneers of the then authorities in science, that a glacial sea must have covered the Northern Hemisph:ro from the Pole to the latitude of 40 degrees. He showed this from the mark- ings on the rocks, from the moraines still preserved in both continents, from the dis- tribation of the drifi, and from the exact correspondence of all these phe- nomena with those observed in conuection with the Alpine glaciers. When it came, howaever, to accounting for the origin of the’ jce he wis mute, or offered an explanation which hnd hardly the merit of a careful con- jecture. Suppose the main features of the glacial theory to be established ; that ice spread over the continent as one continuous sheet, hav; ing a thickness of many thousand feet; that only the summits of the highest peaks, like Mount Washington, rose over this frozen ‘wasge,—what can have becn the cause of the phenomens then presented? Fossil remaing of flora and founa now indigenous to the tropics are found in stratifications extending far up into the polar circle, underlying the drift. The earth must then have enjoyed & geological summer, as it afterwards did a geological winter. These seasons must have been millions of yenrs long. Was the cause of them a solar or a terrestrinl disturbance? Are we to conceive a change in the sun of such a kind and degree that in ono epochit had more thanits present normal temperature and in another epoch less? This theory would contradict all that we “know of the present constitution of the sun. It would involve the necessity for a belief in an irregular arrangement of force with refer- cnce to all the solar system, of which astronomy affords no evidence. If the sun wero conceived as having gained in mass during the early tropical period and lost during the suceeeding glacial epoch, it would need to be imagined as gaining again sud-* denly, by collision or accretion, sufficient heat to melt these fields of ice. Ac- cording to this hypothesis, it would now be passing through another pe- riod of decadence. It would be impossible, however, to reconcile these supposed differ- ences with the simplest facts of astronomy and natural history. Can it bs supposed, then, that the change was terrestrial ? Jay there have been an alteration in the position of the poles,—a gradusl displacement, in consequence of which ice was driven far out of its original course over what had previ- ously been the tropics? The facts of geology contradict this assumption, for the markings on the rocks produced by glaciers all trend in one general direction, and show that the ico moved from north to south. The north- ern sides of mountains are scratched deeply, while the southern sides are comparatively free, showing that the ice ground up the slopes from the mnorth and cleared the southern sides almost without touching them. Besides, there are no ice- marks in the present tropics. Aacassiz con- jectured that the continental glaciers were formed by aceretions of snows, but he failed to account satisfactorily for the fall of such animmense mass of snow or for its preser- vation. Others hnve imagined that the large glaciers were growths of the small ones. This theory is now generally abandoned, and the contrary one, that the small glaciers are mere remnants of the ice period, been adopted. A solution of the difficulty has been looked for by others in an extension of the theory of latent heat, which is now held uscful to dispose of everytb\ing strange or accidental in Nature. Another mystery connected with the gla- cial period is the motion of the fields of ice. ‘Why should they bave moved so far and with such resistless force over level surfaces? Acassiz maintained that the phenomena of glaciers, like those of currents, are in great part meteorological, and that glaciers do not move solely or mamly on account of the sloping bottom on which they rest. “ What would be the result,” he says, *“if a field of snow many thousand feet thick, correspond- ing except in its greater bulk to the accu- mulations by which the present glaciers are caused, were stretched over an extensive * level surface? The moisture from the upper superficial layers would permeate the larger moss 88 it now does the smaller one, trick- ling down into its lower portions, while the pressure from above would render the bot- tom hard and compact, changing it gradually into ice. If this should take place under climatic conditions which would kecp the whole as a mass in a frozen state, the pres- sure from abote would force out the lower ice in every direction beyond its original circumscription, thus enlarging the ares covered by it, while the whole would sub- sidomn its bulk. Let us for a moment as- sume that such an accumulation of smow takes place around the Northern and Southern Poles, stretching thence over the northern and southern hemispheres to Lati- tide 40°, and that this field of ice acquires a thickness of from 12,000 to 15,000 feet. Such amass would subside upon itself in consequence of its owa weight; it would ba transformed into ice with greater or less rapidity and completeness, according to the latitude dotermining the surrounding cli- matic influences and the amount of moisture fallingtipon it as rain or dew, the alterna- tions of temperature being, of course, more frequent and greater along its outer limit. In proportion as, with the rising of the tem- pernture, these alternations became more general, o packing of “the mass would begin; an internal movement would be initiated; and the result could be mno other than & uniform ad- vance in & southerly direction from the Arctic and in a northerly direction from the Antarctic regions.” This view, however philosophical, has been combated by such an authority as Prof. Dana, who finds it neeessary to account for the motion of the glaciers by supposing that the continents wero formerly 1,000 to 1,500 feet higher above the lavel of the sea than they now are. “ Another difficulty is presented in the sit- untion above the alluvium of gigantic bowl- dors, torn from their original positions by some unknown force. Below the alluvium are gravel and sand, carried along by theice of the glacial period. How came the large rocks above the small gravel? If they had been deposited at the same time gravita- tion would have reversed the order. Nor can it be supposed that the gravel was made by the friction of the lower surface of the glaciers while the rocks were borne on the upper surface, for the alluvium intervenes. The theory that the rocks were brought by jcebergs 1n’a subsequent period is perhaps more rational, but 1t has been objected to by eminent suthorities, who refer all the phenomena to one period. 1t is far easier to state difficulties than to disposo of them, and such has been the en- deavor of the present article. When a good explanation of the Ice Ageis offered, THE Trmouse will place it before the public. The history of the *thrilling regions of thick- ribbed ice” remains to be written. Who will undertako the task? — e AMUSEMENT PRICES. One of the results of hard times has been a very general discussion of the prices charged by public amusements. The general patronage of theatres, operas, concerts, and 50 on, has fallen off imaterially, and it has been somewhat rashly concluded that it is all owing to excessive charges. The decline in the patronage of amusements may be accounted for on entirely different grounds, and it would probably be as mnotable if the prices of admission were only half as much as they are. The tendency to retrench, ren- dered nbsolutely necessary 1n many cases, has become a habit with nearly all people, and it is natural to dispense first and more generally with those things which are regard- ed s luxuries. The young man smokes fewer cigars and consumes lesswine, if those ‘wero his luxurious habits; the young woman makes two new hats a year take tho place of four, and cleans up old gloves instead of buying new ones; the theatre and the opera are visited less frequently, because they are jnvestments which are not mecessary, and can best be spared when one is pinched for money ; and to most of those who frequent smusements the same renson for saving a dollar would suggest itself for saving the half-dollar, if the latter were the admission price. Amusements sre commercial enter- prises, notwithstanding their province is to promote art or afford the public enjoyment ; ond if the mannagers of first-class amuse- ment-places were convinced that they could maintain their standard and make more money by reducing their prices to the level of the variety-shows or Bowery theatres, they would be the first to jump at the change. It bas been suggested by severnl newspa- pers that have discussed the subject that the grent mistake is in failing to furnish enough variety in prices, and they cite the European scale of prices (which is much higher than that of American awusements) to show that what is wanted is the privilege of paying 15 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, 75 cents, $1, $1.25, and $1.50, making seven different prices of admission, according to location. But this suggestion ignores alto- gether the radical distinction between Eu- ropean and American audiences. In Earope, caste is an acknowledged fact, and the peo- ple do not resent it; they range themselves in the public amusement-places, according to their means and conditions, in locations costing from 12} cents to $2.50; but in America, where every man and woman ds- pire to the same privileges as every other, man and woman, such a distinction is re- sented rather than favored, and the chesp _locations are only tnken, as a rule, from sheer necessity, or when the higher-priced ones are all gone. The manager of the lead- ing theatre in Chicago recently made a re- duction in his prices with good effect, but some of the results have demonstrated the pecnliar disposition of American sudiences we have described. Thus the admission to the lower floor is 75 cents, but reserved seats are sold in one part of this floor at $1; his experience is that nine-tenths of all the peo- ple on this floor still take the $1 places. So, admission to the second floor has been reduced to 50 cents, but people have the ‘privilege of reserving seats on this floor at 25 cents extra, and nine-tenths of them do so. The result shows that, notwithstanding ,what is regarded in Europe as the best part of the theatre (the second balcony) is thrown open to the public at 50 cents, the American resentment of caste induces people to pay 75 cents or $1 for the privilege of being seerin the higher-priced seats. s The real trouble about amusement-prices is rather the failure of the public to dis- criminate than a disposition of managers to overcharge. For one thing, people do mot avail themselves of good locations at low prices when there "are higher-priced seats offered ; for another, they fail to make a proper distinction in the class of entertain- ments, for they will pay as much fora con- cert as for the opera, though there is a vast difference in the expenses, or as much to see a crowd of *birnstormers” make a thentri- | In fact, when reflecting upon the cuse cal performance ridiculpus astoseea good play handsomely mounted and well acted. More discrimination is needed rather than cheaper prices. As far as Chicago is concerned, and’ judging from reports that come" from other cities, the general amnsement interest has suffered less here than elsewhere, and it is well that it is so. Amusements of the bet- ter class, and *especially the theatre, consti- tute one of the most essential and attractive features of metropolitan life, and it should be the aim of the public, on whom the re- sponsibility finally rests, to maintain in Chi- cago as high a class of public entertainments as any city in the connt: e THE PUBLIC-SUPPLY HOUSE. The repeal of County Order No. 4, thereby admitting everybody to obtain meat, flour, bread, and vegetables, besides coal, tea, coffee, and sugar, from the County Agent's office, has had an effect which has even startled the most reckless of the County Board. The free distribution has attracted thousands of persons to the County Agent's office who had managed to get along guite comfortably without public aid. All that was needed was for the man, however able- bodied, to declare that he was out of work, ond he was put down as entitled to be sup- plied for himssl and family at the public expense for sixty days. This was inaking times ensy. It was rendering work and wages unnecessary for sixty days. A man working for a dollar & day, by stopping work was suthorized to draw coal, beef, bread, ten, coffee, sugar, potatoes and other vegetnbles, for himself and family, which would cost him at the stores for cash sbout $1.50 a day, and of course the rush to be disemployed, and to become recipients of the public benefit, has been a large one. The ordinary distribution by the County Agent has always been a liberal one, being one of the greatest charges on the County Treas- ury ; but thisaction of the County Board has had the effect of doubling the recipients of what was originally intended to be relief for the aged, sick, destitute, and helpless poor, or persons actually suffering. The action of the County Board hns been widely advertised in all parts of the country, and the ‘‘able- bodied men out of work" are marching on Chicago from every quarter. All the dead- beats, loafers, and tramps are moving to Chi- cngo, where for sixty days they are to be supplied with roast-beef, and bread, and tes, and coffee at the public expense. The County Commissioners have been brought to a sense of the enormity of their action. In the first place, the county has no money, and can get none, to purchase the ‘provisions which it has invited the multitude to call for. The outside mob will consume in a few doys all that the county can pro- cure for tho whole winter, and thiere is danger that the Agent's office will have to befi closed to the really destitute poor. It is proposed, therefore, we understand, that the action of last week shall be reconsidered at the meeting to-morrow, and that the regula- tion which has heretofore governed the dis- tribution of relief by the County Agent shall be restored. This ought not only to be done as promptly as possible, but the fact that the order of last week has been repealed ougbt to be advertised to all parts of the country, in order to mrest the migration hither of the large population preparing to come or which is now on the wny to Chi- cago to be wfic expense. THE DEVIL AND MISS PAPINSKI It is awkward, just at the' time when Messrs. BEECHER, SwiNG, THoM4S, and other learned divines, are occupied in demolishing Hell, that s young Polish woman of this city should happen to become possessed of the Devil. Fine-spun theories are well enough in their way, and may serve to amuse the populace for an idle hour; but how the plensing sophistries of these reverend gen- tlemen fade away into insignificance before the actual presence of the Angel of the Bot- tomless Pit, who has, no doubt, made a trip up to this mundane sphere for the express purpose of disproving them ! Perchance, he has listened to the calumnies that have Iately beon spread abrosd to the detriment of his dominions until patience has ceased to be avirtue. It will be remembered that some centd¥es ngo the Devil became angered agninst Dr. Faustus, and one dreadful night carried away that individual bodily, together with a8 piece of his garden-wall. TLet Messrs. BEecrEr, Swivo, and TmoMAs pon- der over this awful precedent, and take heed in time, else they too may hear the flap of the Satanic wings and the paddling of hoofs across their chamber-floors in the stillness of the midnight watch, when the city is at rist, and even the vulgar guardians of the peace are snoring against lamp-posts or courting grass-widows in a distant quarter of their beat. L 4 The case of the young Polish woman, Pa- PINSEI, presents many interesting traits— that is, interesting to people whose con- sciences, unlike those of tho reverend gen- tlemen in question, are guiltless of sinning against the Devil. Of course, it is not to be supposed that the Rev. Mr. Trodss, for in- stance, can imperturbably read the plain, unvarnished interview of our reporter with the Papmvssr family; he must, being human, experience a fattering of the nerves and perhaps an involuntary elevation of the hair. This young and hitherto in- offensive girl, it is alleged, has been giving the people of her neighborhood, for a weck past, what the vulgar Twelfth street police- man terms ““a lively mcket.” To explain this expression to ordinary comprehension, it may be said that she is subject to occa- sional fits, during which she rolls about and swells, and her cyes look glassy, and she swears in Polish. But the most ominous fenture of her performances is that she talks from her stumach, or, rather, the Devil does the talking for her. This is, indeed, a pe- culiar freak. We have many instances of diabolical ~manifestations in history, but nothing that resembles this, My Lady Harrs' Devil, in Essex, did not attempt to interfere with her Ladyship's digestive or- gons. The Drumming Devil at Oundle, in Northamptonshire, was a paragon in man- ners to this one. When the Devil appeared to Cmances IL, in France, in the midst of & wood, and during a hunting expedition, no imputations of a culinary or profane nature were made; in fact, the conversation between their Majesties was conducted in the most gentlemanly manner. The present case of the young Polish girl is entirely without precedent, not only in the fact that the Devil has taken up lodgings for” the winter in her stomach, but also in the fact that he indulges in vile language,—a habit quite foreign to his character. Itis well known that he has been misrepresented from time immemorial, but no preacher, we venture to say, has yet accused him of swearing. His mischievous propensities have formed the subject for innumerable texts, in and out of the pulpit; but what minister or orator has credited him with the good deeds that he has performed from time to time? of the Parmvsxr girl, we are really disinclined tobelieve that she, or, rather, the Devil, really indulges in profanity. Was it not- the Devil who, through Cardinal Ricrerrev, sent 400,000 crowns at one timg and 600,000 crowns at another time to the Scots, in order that they might raise an army and march into England? And can it be that one who has performed so meri. torious an act as to induce anybody to com. pel the English to fight is reallyso dis. reputable ag the present case would indj. cate? As g'everybody « kmows, the great ditch at Newmarket Heath was called the Devil's Ditch, because it was con. structed by him for the benefit of the people. S0, 100, he built Crowland Abbey and the whispering-place in - Gloucester Cathedral. 1t is probable, after all, that the appearance of the Devil in these parts is only meant ng a kindly warning to the preachers who are denouncing Hell, and that no serious harm need be anticipated. As tor the girl, her sex may explain in a great mensure thq cans, of her being selected by thé Devil as a tem porary mouthpiece. A wise historien ot the last century said that *‘ modern natural. ists, especially some who ‘have not a large charity for the fair sex, tell us that asscon nas Satan saw the Woman and looked in her face, he saw evidently that she was the best- formed creature to make a tool of, and the best to make s hypoerite of, and therefore tho most fitted for his purpese.” However that may be, it is undoubtedly often the case that— The pretty and witty are devils in mask; The beanties are mere apparitions. A NATIONAL SAVINGS SYSTEM It is pretty certain that the present Con- gress will agree upon some definite and per- ‘manent plan for affording national security for savings-deposits. The sentiment of the country, and the great advantage to the Gov- ernment of encouraging frugality among its citizens, alike demand such legislation, since it has been demonstrated at the cost of enough suffering that the private savings- ‘banks can never fernish the absolute security whichis essential to a thorough savings sys- tem. An abstract of the bill introduced into the House of Representatives by . Prick, of Iowa, indicates that he has the correct idea of making the Government use- ful in this way, so that it may simultaneouns- ly extend a great blessing to the fragal classes in this country aud do ifSelf a good turn by reducing the interest on the public debt. Mr. Price’s plan may be subject to criticism, or open to improvements in its details, for aught we know, but he has incorporated tha vital principle in his bill, and apparently in a practical method. The aim of Mr. Price's bill may be snid to ‘be the refunding of the national debt, in part, by its conversion into popular bonds at s low rate of interest. To facilitate this, and at the same time afford an opportunity for savings-deposits under Government guar- anty, he proposes that the United States shall isstie, through the agency of United States depositaries and Postmasters, certificates of deposit in denominations of $10, $20, $30, and £100 each, bearing 3.65 per cent inter- est, or exactly one cent a dnj”on $100. His proposed method for issuing these certifi cates seems to offer excellent protection against defalcations, ns each Postmaster or depositary is required to account every nine- ty days by returning the coin or equivalent, or the certificate itself with which he has been intrusted. The certificates themselves are redecmable only in United States re- fanding bonds, bearing 4+ per cent interest, and payable in coin of the standard of July 14, 1570 (silver and gold), under which terms the refunding bonds are suthorized. It may be that limiting the redemption of these certificates of deposit to bonds will be regarded as a fatal defectin the bill, ings. much as a deposit under these conditions looks like a permanent investment. We presume the theory is that these certificates will alweys be negotinbleat their face in open market, and it was evidently to assist this that the bill farther provides that all banks doing business under the National Banking law shall receive them at par and accrued in- terest in payment of any debt due the bank, and, in compensation, may hold the certifi- cotes as its reserve to an amount equal to two-thirds of the reserve required to be held by law. This provision would undoubtedly give material aid in making the certificates equivalent to ready money, and hence more desirable than accounts even in solvent savings-banks, where notice of sixty or ninety dnys is required before the money can bodrawn. It is possible to conceive, how- ever, of an investment in these deposit- certificates to such an extent as to moke them, when only redeemable in ‘bonds, prac- tically s permanent investment, whereby an essential element of the savings-deposit 535 tem—rendy convertibility—would be de- feated. But it would certainly require an enormonus issue before this condition would be reached, and there would be sufficient warning to give time for the nocessary modi- fications of the savings system to avert this inconvenience or loss from shaving.” % R ——— The animus of Craxprer's attack on the President is snid to have been tho refusal of Mr. Hayzs to appoint him Minister to Ttaly. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Times relates that Caaxprzz attended the Cincin- nati Convention, and was loud in his praises. of Mr. Brarse, for whose nomination he worked night and day. The Maine Senator subsequently called upon the President sud asked for CnaNpLER'S appointment to TItaly, and, s the CHANDLER tribe narrate it, Mr. Haxes endeavored to draw from Mr. Brave an admission that he would support the Ad- ininistration, but the latter fought shy of committing himself. Mr. EvaRTs afterwards declared that Cmavpren would not be ap- pointed to Italy or to any other place. This story goes far towards explaining the recent CmaNDLER episode. S —— Mr. MANTON MARBLE, late cditor of the World, who was TILDEN'S right-hand man dar- ing the capvass, and, bad the Democratic candidate been seated, would have Ead his choice of the State Department, the Treasury, and the English Mission, writes to a New York paper to say that the placing lo office of 3Ir. Haves has for the Democratic party “prede- termined the one supreme Issue upon which it will contest the Presidential etection of 1880, and ils choice of candidates as well.” ‘We sym- pathize with dessrs. HENDRICKS, BATAED Dav1s, CuurcH, THURMAN, BISHOP, and many other gentlemen, too numerous to mention. e ———— A Second Adventist, who has recently pub- lished his sage reflections in a book, has ‘assared. us that the end of the world will occur in 1914 A.D. If be had been content to rest his repu- tation upon that single assertion, he might bave got along well enough until the approach of the year in question; but he chose to go still fur- ther fnto the prophecy business, and has conse- quentiy made a deplorable failure. According to Mr. SwomusTepT, Italy Was to conquer Turkey and Egypt, and 2 long war was to con ciude with the death of VicTos EsvaRvEL. AS. 7 | 41 Rroia e RIS BHE SN iy s o ®