Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 20, 1878, Page 4

@Iw Tribne, TENMS OF BUBSCRIPTION. BY MAIL—IN ADVANCE—TOSTAGE PREPAID. lly Edition, one year.. 913 a78ar. e o ditlont iterary heet. .. WEEKLY RDIT! ¢ copy, per ye o Tober e Specimen coptes sent fres. :Give Post-Offico address fn fall tacloding Btate and Saunty. Tiemitances may be mada elther by draft, exprees, Post-Office order, or tn registercd letters, at our risk. . TRRWS TO CITY SURSCRIDERS. Dafly, delivered, Sundag cxcented, 23 centa ner week, Datly, deltvered, Sunday ncluded, 30 cents per week. Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madfson and Dearborn-ata,, Chicago. Il Orderafor the delivery of Titx TinuNx at Evanston, foglewood, and Ilyde Park left o the counting-rooin #illreccive promnt sttention. e s TRIBUNE BIRANCH OFFICES, “Tha CricAno TRIRUNE has established branch ofices for tha rece!pt of subecrintionsand advertiscments o ollowa: NEW YONK—~Room 20 Tribune Bullding. F. T, Mce Fappes, Manager, PARIS, France~XNo, 10 iue do 1s Grange-Bateltere. . ManLze, Ageot, LONDON, Eng.—American Exchange, 440 Strand. Baxay F, OfLLio, Agent. BAN FRANCISCO, Cal.~Palace Ifotel. AMUSEMENTS, McVickor’'s Thentre. “Madltop street, between Dearborn and Btate, ‘* A Celebrated Case.” by the Unlon Square Company, fternoon and eyentng. Jlaoley’s Thentre, Tandolph street. between Clark and Laf . togagement of Sothern. **A Crushed Tragedisn.” Aicraoon and evening. New Chlcago Theatre. Clark street, opposite fherman iHouse. Engage- pent of Haverly's Minatr Afternoon sad evealug, Taverly’s Theatre. Monroe street, corner of Dearbora. Microoon and evening. ** Alsddin," - Colisenm Novelty Theatre, Clark street. opposito Court-llouse. Varlety vere formance, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, Greenbacks at the Now York Stock Ex- change yesterdny closed nt 987, 1878, ‘Gen. Bir Wirtrax O'Grany Hatey, Com- mander of the British troops in North Amer. icn, ia dead. The Lower Houso of the Iowa Legislature yosterday adopted o moasuro looking to tho enfranchisoment of womon, pormitting them to both vote and hold office, the voto: stand. ing 55 to 42, 1t is difficult to sec what uso there will bo io holdlag n Europoan Congross, as Russia not only refuses to formally submit all the clausos of the treaty, but doclines to be ulti- mately bound by tho decision of the majority of the Powers. BMeanwhilo we aro rapidly appronching tho scason of war proclama- tions, 5 Bills were yesterdny introduced in tho Bonate and Houss for tho bettor protoction of tho rights of authors and owners of plays and dramatio litoroture, The absonce of suitablo-provision in the law for tho products of foreign bralns whon assigned to American purchnsors hns beou o sourco of o wvast amount of dramatic piracy and- expensive and tedious litigation, and it is high tune tho defects in tho Copyright law were rem. ediod so that such cases may be covored. e —————— " Privato correspondenco which passod be- twoen tho Ton. E. B. Wasnpuang and Mr, H. . Hovuurox, of Galona, threo months 8go, and which is now meada publie for the first timo, shows that the ex.Minister io France then announced in the most emplatic manuer his dotermination not to bocome a candidato for the United States Benatorship 83 tho succossor of Gov, Oorzspy. Mr, ‘Wasnnuaxe's desire, when he nsked to bo recalled from Pans, was to permanontly re- tiro from official life, and it sppears ho has not changed his mind. Tull accounts are at Land of the disgraco. ful riot at Toronto Monday night on tho occasion of the appearnnce on tho lecture platform of O'Doxovay Rossa, tho Fenian exhortor. Doth tho man and his mission— tho ralsing of funds ostonsibly for thoe liboration of Ircland—woro known to bo intensely unpopular in Toronto, and his appoarance in public was a challenge which the mob promptly took up. The Irish liberator seoms to have got horribly frightened ut the consequences of his own tomerity, and on all hands the distribution of discredit as botweon thomob, the mobbed,and the inofficient police suthoritios was about even, Thetrouble brokoe out again fnst night between the Young Britons and tho mem. bors of the Catholic societlos, and largo ne. cesalons resulted to the number.of puople ‘wounded with pistols, clubs, stones, etc. son no dofinite nrrango:, ments mada rolative to the proposed Con. gress of the Powers to knit up and finish off the wmuch.raveled Eastern question, Cor- tain indefinite and uneatisfactory intimations sre mado, howover, with reference to u pre. liminary moeting of reproseutatives of the Bigunatory Y'owora to fix o programmo in ac. cordance with which the formal in. vitation to the wsoveral Towors may lssuo. Tho Auglo-Russian eontroversy hus ossumned no now phase, It appenrs that Russia Is willing to submit thoe untiro treaty to the Congress, but the cantious Driton is nwot satisfied with the concession, aud fears thero iy some reservation by which Ruusia oy liave it in her power to inflict damoge upon one or auother of tho varied British fnterests that have ployed such a prominent part in all tho rocent nogotiations, ‘Tho singular sympathy for the timber. pirates of Montaua which has been shown by Honators Braive and Savazst found an echo Yyosterdoy from tho manly bosom of Evstis, the Dewocratio Sonator from Louisiana, whioso zoalous consideration for tho feelings of the pinelog thisves of his own State " found tho same expression in abuse of the Bucrotary of the Tuterlor for onforcing the Iaws aud endeavoring to protaot the property of the Goverument. Mr, Ommsrianoy epitomizod the case wery couclusively when he sald that no wsuch. huo and cry would bo raised but for the fact that there Wwas more feeling sgainst Socretary Somuvuz than in favor of the poor settlers. He might have added that in reality the poor settlers cut no figure in tho case, since it iz not they, but the rich speculators who steal the tiuaber to sell, who have beon brought to grief by tho vigilance of the Interior De. partment. 2 Becretary Huxnuax's sppoarsnce yesterdsy before the Benats Finance Committee, in connection with the consideration of the Houue bill for the repeal of the Resumption ahy was a0 occasion of sufficiont juterest to Justify the newapaper correspondents in at- tempting to as far ns possible defeat the restrictions upon publicity imposed by the Committee. From what is known of the procoedings, §t appears that Becrotary SmeasaN has matarially sltered his views concerning the effecta of the full remonetization of silver, and that henow sots the monometallists 8 commendable ex- ample of intelligent candor in admitting that the general effect of the Silver bill haa been beneficial, and that silver will bo a valuable aid to resnmotion if the law as it now stands ia not interfored with. The discussion of the subjccts under consideration and the in terchanga of views between the Becratary and tho mombers of the Committee will be road with interest when the official report of the conference is made publie. — We liavo boen shown n lotter nddrassed by the Hon. Winrtaxt Hexrr Switn, Collector of Customs, to an importor, requesting his co-operntion with the Meneprrn, Bixamaw, ond Hiwps Commission, appointed tvinquire into tho snbject of customs frauds at tho port of New York. The lottor ia excollont in intent and spirit, bul wo are of opinion that the scope of its purposa is not broad onough, It is not presumable that the Col- lector will, by ltter, reach one in ton of the importers of Chicago, But they all ought to be enlisted in the proposed investigation. The gentlomen of the Commussion have boen ment hore by the Bacrotary of tho Treasury to collect all -possi- blo attainnble faots boaring on the subject of the mammoth system of frauds carried on in New York by which the rove- nuo is robbed and interior cities aro driven from foreign mnrkets. What {s wanted first i an exprossion of opinion on the subject of tho investigation; and this expression of opinion should bo voiced by the wholo body of importers. Tho hands of the Becrotary of tho Trensury should be held firmly up, in tho grand reform he has undertakon, Then there should bo organization with the view of collocting ovidence,—not the ovidencs of ong, two, or a dozen importers, but the ovidence of all import- era who have suffored by reoson of tho discrimination practiced ngainst in. torlor ports. Thore aro botween throo and four hundred importers in this city,—enough to fill Hershoy Hall. We ronew our sugges- tion of yesterday,—that the importers of Chicago pssombla togother and toke stops to asslst the Commission in its offorts to romody tho abuscs of which they have eo long been the unresisting victims., BY. Gon. Tox Ewing, who aspires to the lead- orship of the Greenbackers, desires to have a notional curronoy cstablished on a pro. gressive scalo by an amendment to the Con. stitution. This notion is so far in advance of PexpLeroN, Dan Voonners, and your ordinary Greonbackers, that wo think the leadership of the Groonback movement can no longer be contested. Gon. Ewino re- cently introduced into the House of Repre- sentatives a jofut resolution proposing a six. toonth amendment to the Constitution, the purport of which is ns follows : Congress shall lnglslate for fsyning —-— milllon ot dollars of United States non-besring-Interent notes, which shall bo n legal-tender for all dehts, public and private: tho agzregato of such notoa shall be incroascd cach yearat a mate equal to the averago annual por cont of incregse of population of the United Btates, us ahown by the next preced- ng census; to which shull be added a reasonable amount for loes af outstanding circolation: of thi iirat fsruie of sald notes, as much as may be neces- wary ahall be used in rotlring al) the Unlted States notes boaring interost now ontstanding, and the romainder tn reducing tho interest-bearlnz debt, and each yearly {ncrenns shall be apnlied to the ex- tingulsliment of such debt or to unecessary public works. No notes of the United States not liearing intercat shall bo fased. axuvgl a8 herein provided, and no lawof the United States or of nny State shall authorlze the insuo of nnlglJlnyn\.\la 10 bearer on demsnd by or for the benctt of nny person, nesactation, o corporation, Cangross shall vrovide for withdrawing from circulation all Lank notes now outstaading, The omission in tho resolutlon, as.it stands, to stato the number of millions that shall first bo issuod undor thiy conatitutional amendment, isa't really important. In the end it will make littlo difforenca whether wo begin with-one, two, or throo thousand mill. ions; the outcomo will bo pretty much the samo in any avent. A fundamental objec. tion to tho schems is, that the rato of in. cropse provided for is altogethier tao low to attain the ultimate purpose of the amond. ment. It is cvidontly tho design to substi. tnto an iiredocmablo paper currency for the bonded dobt of the couatry, tho intereat and priveipal of which {s now poyablo in coin, As it 1s not proposed thus far to compel the bondholders, by dire ponalties in case of refusal, to exchavge tholr interost-boaring securitics paysble in coin for non-intereat. bearing notes payable in nothing and at no time, the Government will bo forced to go into the market ond Luy bonds with greenbacks at tho rate at which the holders of tho bonds aro willing to sell them.. Wo know of no mathomatical process by which wo can cstimate the proba. ble amount of absolutely irredecmable and uon-intorest-boaring notes n bondholder would tako in uxchange for a bond drawing from 4 to U per cont Intercst in coln and pay. ablo iu yeal woney within o dofinite period. We presume, howevor, that the first stop tho bondholder would take would bo to ascertain the value of old paper, and exchango his bonda for tho now issua of greenbacks on thot baslv. TIn this probable event, it is easy to forosoe that an increaxe of the greenbacks limited to tho ratio of the increnso of popula. tion would be lamentably inadequato to the demands of the scheme, no matter how large the volume of greeubacks might be to start on, ‘Lhioro is one significant point, Lowevor, in thiu proposed constitutional ameudmont. It is a confossion that, ‘under tho Bupreme Court's construction of the organic law of the nation, the volumo of legal-tonder notes must be contined within the limit of §400,- 000,000 fixed by Congress at tho time of the issue. Tho Bupremo Court has held tLat the onforcod legal-tender of Government notes wan only dofensible a3 a war moasure, Tho irresistible inferouce ia that no such ssue fn time of profound peaco would be recognized by the Court. But any fusue of Jegal.tend- org beyond the volume to which Congross limited them, when they were suthor. ized under an urgent emergency, would be o new issue, aud their legal-tendor function could pot be enforced. 'Tus Trin. use has contended for this principle all aloug, aud it Las been a full and final answer to all the ralds on the Goverument and on Congress for an inflation of greenbacks, but wmost of tho dilutionists havo rofused to recognizo the force of the argument. Tom Ewvo's proposed coustitutionsl ameadmont, however, fs au sdumission that the issuc of grosnbacks cannot be increased beyond the limit of $100,000,000 without a change in tho Constitution. This fact was materially udmitted, also, by tho Banking and Currency Cowmitteo in the bill propared for the.pur. Pose of substitating a national curroncy for the prosent National-Bank currency. ‘This bill does not proposo to substitute green- backs for thy bark notes, but non-interest- THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY. MARCH 20, 1878 bearing and non-legal-tonder Treasury notos, the redemption of the now Treasury notes; and this issue just enlarges tho volume to the £400,000,000 limit and no more. Bo ome of the billa for a postal-savings system pro. [poses 8 new issno of greenbacks as a redemp- tion-fond, but limits such issug to $50,000,- 000 in orderto keep within'the original limitation. It seems that the lawyers in COongress have Iully concoded the forco of this argnment, and we hope this fact may have sufficient influence to bring the masa of the Inflationists to thelr sonses. At all events, if thero fa to be any furthor discus. slon of an unlimited issus of frredecmable paper currency, we hope it will be on the basis of a constitutional amendment, as it will thus be easior to mako the fallacies of the proposition cloar to the peaple. ——— THE VALENTINE SCRIP. Owing to recont information from Wash- Ington to the offect that tho sixty days’ limit for an appeal from the Land Commissioner to the Becretary of the Interior had nearly oxpired, and that the city suthoritica had not at that timo filed thoe necossary papers in the casa of the VALENTINE serip, wo ars prompted to recur to the matter. A brief rostalement of the case may urge the city anthorities to take an appeal, it they necd any urging, and will reveal to the poople n gross and inex. cusablo neglect of the interests of Chicago if they fail to tako the nppenl, which, wo have not the alightest doubt, will result in a rovorsal of tho Land Commissionor'a decls- fon. The Varextinz scrip was issued by Congrosa in exchange for wild Government Iands, and with authority to locate any pub. lo lands therowith. It was obviously tho intention of Congrosa to give the VarexTing claimants the seleotion of all the unoccu. pled and free public lands, but thero was no intention that the holders of this &crip should avail thomselves of any technical flaw in a previous sale or dedication of pub- lio lands to locata town or city lots, or other property that had acquired special valuo by resson of improvements masdé by others, ‘Thus, oven if the Fort Dearborn tract was not properly dedicated and sold, and if the United States Government still have a color of title by renson of some flaw in tho dodica. tion or sale, tho tract remains a reservation for military purposes, and is not subjoct to location by the holders of scrip issued for Govornment land not pravionsly disposed of orreserved. Tho absence of equity in the VarexTing claim, as well as the injustico dono to the ity of Chicago, and to thoso private owners who have improved the property nnder the impression that cortain portions had beon regularly sot aside for stroets and publio grounds, doprives this Varzxrise scrip location of every legitimato claim, There ia not a particle of doubt that Becrotary Bcrusz, when tho matter shall coma bofora him, will dispose of it accord- ing to the equity of tho ecnso, and it fa not unlikely that he will require tho Land Com. missloner to furnish o eatisfactory explana. tion of a docision which would practieally give speculators and blackmailers an advan- tage over funocent holders of the lands, Two glaring inconsistoncies have boen noted at Washington in the Land Commis- sioner's decision: One waa that, nnder the construction put upon the case by the Land Commissioner, he hed no jurisdiction over it. Ho leld that thero had been no regular transfer of tho Fort Dearborn traot by the War Dopartment; if thot fs truo, the tract is still a resor- vation for military purposes, and subjoot to the ordor of tho Bocrotary of War, ft wos, undor those clrcumatances, n plece of impertinonco for the Land Commissioner to undertako to dispose of the case, and his interference is not justified by oither law or courtesy, The Land Commissioner also treated the location of the Varxrrve scrip a8 if there wore o strost running along tho Lake-Front where BMichigan avonune for many yenrs has been supposed to be. But it there hos nover becn a proper dedication of thie tract, which s tho theory of the Land Commlssioner's decision, then thoro ia no such ntreot, and the Land Commissioner had no authority to make one in approving ths location of the Var. ENTINE Borip. In ono word, the Land Com. migsloner hos mndo such a dosperate effort in order to nccommodate the Varenring scrip epeculators with profitable advantages to which they would not be equitably entitled in any ayont, that ho Lias overroached himself, Bocretary Honuaz s the kind of man who will bo quick to seo the juatice of the case, and we have no doubt that a simple appeal will sottle doflnitoly Chicago's right to tho publio propoerty in the Fort Doarborn tract; snchi o decision would assist matorially in procuring from Congress tho proposed legis. lation to quiet the title for all time to come. e — VINDIOATION OPF THE RETURNING BOARD, ‘The Loulsiana question is probably disposed of forever by tho order of the Buprema Court raveruing tho sontonce in the ANpxnsoy case and roloasing tho prisoner from custody, It bas boen o curloua question from the start, involving, firat, tho right of the people to govern themsolves, and, socondly, their capacity to govern when the right was oon. ceded. They had the sympathyof a good many enlightened mon at the North when they stood in the position of a downtrodden and oppressed poople, struggling for thelr liberties and reslstivg ueurpation through the exervisc of their leaven-given right of contesting their tazes. But whon they got their libortios and proceeded to yse them badly,~particularly for tha oppreasion of thelr political opponents,—they lost ground in publia estimation much mora rapidly than they had gained It. It was Wot understood that the liberty for which thoy were con- tending was the liberty to Imprison persons who diffored from them politically. The liberty to erect & Dastile, to restoro letires du cachet, or to persecuts for opinion's sake, was never {ncluded in the American schomo of government. When the Democrats of Lou- ixiaua, thorofore, used their power as soon o4 they oould tor purposes of revongo, they showed that their deprivation of power, howover brought about, was no great moral wrong. There was not the excuse of a sufficlent motiva for the prosocution of Awpxmsoy, It was instigated by s number of New York politiciaus in the interest of Banvzr J, Tir. oy, and the inducements they held out to the Loulslona prosecntors aust, from the naturo of the case, have beon small. They could only promise that, in cass of Mr, Tir- pex's elevation to the Presidency in 1880, the laborer should be wortby of his hire, This was, 1ndeed, a remote prospect. Thero arv two important steps to the Presidency, velther of which Mr. TiLozs scems at all likely to take. He must be nominated, and he must be clected. If Lo should live so long, and clear away the cloud of charges affecting his character, o would go into the which shall be redeemable in greenbacks; the only fasue of legnl-tonders proposed in the bill is that of 250,000,000, 88 A rescrve for next Democratic Convention with chances much inferior to those he atarted with at St. Lonis, For ho bad then tho prestige of an alleged roformer to help him, whorens he has now only the prestige of dofeat, Desides, a nomination is not so likely in 1880 as in 1876 to bLo followed by an election. The Democratio party haa traded on ita refurm capital fust as AMr. Touoew did, and both are now bankrupt in reputation. This is why tho Louisiana Democrats sold them- solvos lightly, They undertook to perform a grest service for a donbtful promise of small and remote componsation. Tho Iaborer 18 worthy of hin hire, not morely of n promise to pay it if things go well. It cannot bo esid that the Democratic mnnagers of tho ANpEnsox trial have been chieated. 'They agroed to convict tho Re- turning Board. They not only failed to do this, but they did just the opposite. They gave the Returning DBoard n aortificats of good character. Nbver was labor productive of o smallor result. Tho Bupreme Court, in revorsing the declsion of the Court be- low, used tha following languago: * It overy consolidated return wore forged, and the Roturnifig Board complicd with the law, and mnde their statement from the Commissioners’ returns, ho injury could result, It is tho essonce of the erime that it should be committod by a public officer, nnd on a document which would chango tho result of the eleotions. This was not done.” It this is not a certificats of good charactor wo do not know how one could be framed. It may be said that the lnnguago usod applics meroly to the partiou. lar returns of Vernon Parish, for tho allogod forgery of which Axnzasox was put on trial, But the fact that the Vernon Parish returns wora spocially sclocted by the Democratic proscontors to mnke an fssue shows that their strongest case lay in them. ‘The re. versal of judgment and order of relenso is ovidenco that there is no caso ngainst tho Roturning Board, and consoquontly that it aoted strictly within the law. Thus tho legality of ils canvass and of the casting of the Electoral voto of Louisiann for Prosidont Iavzs is affirmoed by the high- ‘est Demooratlo court in the State. - —t——— ENGLAKD AND RUSSIA, The wrangle between England and Russia now concerns the future, The troaty bo- tweon Russia and Turkey bas eliminated the Inttor os o bone of contention in the Con. gresa, Her power is broken, and there is no desiro or intention to reinstate hor. No nation in Europe would daro to undertake so bopelesa o task or oppose the ameloration of tho condition of the Blavie Christians, or even roduco tho limits of Bulgaria as defined in tho treaty, as that would once more bring o portion of the Bulgarians under Turkish rule, to froo thom from which even England consonted that Ruasia should draw tho aword, In fixing the new limits Russin has gained immenso advantages. In extending the ter- ritory of Montonegro sho has gained two sea- ports on tho Adriatis. The new boundary of Bulgarin gives hor an outlet into the ZEgean Sen at the port of Kavala. The de- molishing of tho four fortressos in Bulgaria removes that gigantio obstaclo ‘of the Quadrilateral, which has heretofore stood betwoen hor and Constantinople, The rotro- cossion of Bessarabia once more enables hor to rogain hor foothold upon the Danube, and ia equivnlont to tho commereial extinction of Roumania. The surronder of Batoum gives her possession of the best harbor on the Asi. atio const of the Black Bea. Kars and Arda- han give her the control of Armenia, and the occupation of Bayasid places her squarcly upon the frontler of Parsla, in whose Court, Councils, and commerce Russian *influonces alrendy predominato. Lastly, tho oponing of the Dardanclles to merchant vessols in timo both of peaco and war cannot but ro- dound to thoadvantage of Russisn commorcs, 8o far as any of theso clements of the treaty are concerned, it is doubtful whether the Congress will disturb them, Thoy are points of vantago logitimately gained, and of a charoter which Turkey was competent to concede. The danger which threatens the relations of England and Russin does not concern Turkey, which i a by-gono, nor the complieations in Eastern Europo. The cloud of war looms up in Asis, and tho encrgy with which England {8 reor. ganizing hor army in India shows that sho rocognizes hor dangor in that quartor, She haa no Interosts in Southeastern Euraps, The only intorostod partios thern sro Germany, Austrla, and the little Blavic Principalitica. Russia has nevor given a thought to territo- rial aggrandizemont In Europe. Tho direc- tion of her growth is enstward into Asla, and she has followed that dircotion so porsistent. ly that alrendy sho has spread across the wholo northorn balf of tho continent to the Paolfic, dropping down, on the ono hand, to tho Chinese frontler, ncross which her trada has already gone, and on tha other to Persla and Afghanistan, which brings Russia and England almost face to faco on the Indian {frontier, and to Armenis, which throatons Byrin and the Valley of the Euphrates, A prominent Spanish politiclan and close ob- sorver of political ovents recently contributod to the P'all-Mall Guzetts some thoughls upon the situation, in which he writess The military position which England should <covet 1s tho Valley of the EKupbrates und that of tho Tigriv, with wuch a part of Qltll a8 would securo st loust oue port on the Medllerranesn, the portion of Armenis anuexed including u yuod natural boundaty, —-us, for instauce, tho mounte aine which himif the watersheds of both rivoes. This dounuton not to be & wera military outbust likv Gibraltur and Malta, but s large territory with resources of fts own, Gf 8 valus warranting the . atount of cxpeLyo nocessary to creato furmidsblo strongholds un the Mudilerrencsn and on the Porslan Gulf. This would securo to England the second road to Inding but, as this position is already threatencd by the tusaian occupation of Armonis, there seems to be but one resonrce left in case England is not going to contest tho entire troaty by the arbitrament of war, and that is to dooure Ler other and main route to India by taking possession of Egypt ond the Suez Canal. This may yet bo the great quostion before the Cougress, and, it seems to us, is the only solution of the East. ern question that promises lasting peace, Egypt Is now tributary to a Power that has practically ceased to exist, and can no longer defend Ler, or even dictato to her. In case this rolution continues, it is almost inevita- ble that she will become Russianized, and, whon this happens, Russia will stand bo. tween England and India. The occuption of Armenis has therefore forced upon En. gland the necessity of taking the Bues Canal, and of ‘sssuming s protoctorate over Egypt. Germany {8 already trying to infuence her to recognizo this conclusion, and the Berlin correspondent of the London Times declares that the Government has advised the English not to hesitate, g in advance the con- sont of Germany, Austria, aud Rusais, and predictiog that in a year hence France would preferto have Egypt in the baunds of the Euglish rather thao remain looger under the sulo of the Khodive. How far Germeny is authorized to speak for Russis doss not sppear, but thers can be Llittls doubt thas portant that will come before the Congress, and that upon ita solntion will largely dopend the future peaco of Enrope. In viow of tho. situation, it is not hazardons to prediot that the concentration in: the Mediterranean of the most formidable fleot the world has ever soon, and the bustle and stir in army circles both in England and Indis, means the ultimata seizure of Egypt by force for the protection of thefr Indis route, if they can. not occupy it peaceabl, HORSE-CAR LIOENSES. The City Conncil on Mondny evoning passed an ordinance requiring a liconse at the rato of 850 a yenr for each horao-car run on tho stroots of Chicago. The total num. bor of cars run on all the city ronds is osti. mated at 700, and, if the ordinancs bscome o law, the total revenuo from licensgs will be $35,000 & yoar. The amount of revenus is not 80 great as to mako tho licenso system a bonanza; novertheless, being onsh recolvablo within tho fiscal yor, it will be especially accoptable to tho City Government., The Iaw officers of the city have given an opinion ¢hat the city has no powor to exact any such license fae, nor to minke the freo ‘operation of the horgo-railways depondent on tho paymont of a liconse foe for enchear run, The Councii did not scem to recognize the ruling of the Law Dopartment as sound, and proposed, by passing the ordinanco, to force the rallway companios to resort to the courts for a declaion #s to the powor to make any such demand. ‘Wo do not propose to argue that question of law at this timo. Ontalde of the legal points of the case, we supposo tho proposed taxation will be somewhat popular,—first, for the ronson that the general public ragard all corporations as fair objects of the thost rigorous taxation that the law will pormit ; and, second, be. causo thero is an impression that the hiorse- rallwny companies escape o large share of legitimnta taxation, The govoral horse-rail- way companles aro nssessed in the aggrogate, in addition to tho valuo of thelr real estato, on personal property about $300,000. That sum, though not exact, is tho valuation on which the Btate, county, town, and city taxea are oxtended agawnst all the companies. Of this, $125,000 aro chargod agsinst the Bouth 8ide Company, $80,821 against tho North 8ide Company, and the remaindor will cover tho asseasmont of tho West Bido Company, which happens to bo taxed partly in two towna, The South Bide Company is charged with & franchiso and capital stock valued nt $269,- 687, and tho Wost Bide with the same, val- ued at 188,436, From theso valuations are to be deduoted the valuations for tangible property,—renl and personal,—and tho bal- ance, if any, is subject to taxation, Without any oxact figures, it is probably correct to say that the Bouth Side Company paya taxes on a total valuation of about §250,000, and the West Bide Company on a valuation of abont £200,000, and tho North 8ido on some- thing like $100,000. It was suggosted that, if this ordinance bo legal, and bo enforced, tho West and North Bide companies will discontinuo the sale of tickats, and thus relmburse themselves, and that thoy will also reduco the num. ber of cars {n use. The Bouth Bida Compa- ny solls no tickets. It is probablo that the Mayor, guided by the legal opinion of the Corporation Counsel, will veto tho ordinance, and thus end tho matter; but, even if ho ap- provo it, the rallway companies, who hold their logal rights under contracts mado by tho Btate, and not with thoe City of Chicaga, will rofuso to take out licenses, nnd thus’ transfer tho question to the court for doter- mination, —— POLAR EXPLORATION. The Presidont has notified Congress that ho has approved tho bill granting an Ameri- can rogistry to tho Pandora, tho understand- ing boing that tho vessel is to be used oxclu. sively for purposca of Polar exploration, Mr, Jasmms Gonpoxn Bewxerr, propristor of the New York IHerald, is the patron of the entorpriso. Ho has engaged to buy the ves. sal, provide it with an outfit, and place it in chargo of o competent commander, looking for bis reward only in the epproval of his own consclenco and tho credit that may at- tach to the Herald in consoquence of so brilliant an achievement. Mr. Dxwxerr's method of conducting a great newspaper fs, indeed, somowhat differcnt from that to which tho world has been accustomed. He' makes his news ,and then rocords it. The only privilogs he naks for his enter- priso in the first instance is the reputa. tion of entarpriso in the sscond, which is not striclly hisduno. For anybody who has a monopoly of the interiorof Africa or the circle of perpetual snow and fce can have the distinction of writing the first latters from those thrilling reglons. Tho trouble is to get thers firat, not to collact the nowa aftor ono has got there, Tho veriest ponny- a-liner that ever breathed could write an in- teresting lotter about a laud that his fellow. men had never seon or hoard of bofore, It is, therefore, not as & newspaper proprietor, but aa an explorer,—** theoriginal and only " explorer in the business,—that Mr, Bexyzrr deserves recognition and praise. # Original and only® Mr, Bewwerr is, for he is the original and only man to make exploration a separnte business, without referonca to tho thing to be explored, Belence, commorca, and religion are all ono to him. Ha ex. plores for his own sake; and sclonce, com. merce, or religion may scramble for tho pro. ceeds. It is certainly to the credit of My, Bexvxrr that he works with system and enorgy, e is worthy of tho name of *'Thorough,* which Lord Brzarronp has usurped too long, QGiven a certain work to be accom. plished, what are the best means of accom- plishing §t? This is the question Le puts himsolf at the start. Having answered it, or hired somebody to answer it for him, he provides the necossary means with tho ut. most Uberality, This is the secret of Brax. 1xY's #success in Africa. Explorors uo less 1otrepld than he havo falled for the want of sufficient equipment. He succeeded becsuse ho had the means of success which were de- nied them ; and for the providing of these moans of success Mr. Bxuerr deserves tho largest praise. Ho has apparontly sdopted the same method in the organization of his Polar expedition. He has purchased a ves- ol spocially adapted for the purpose, and has procured from Congress a special dotail of naval officers to sail it. Ho will probably place in command a man of experience aud coursge; and it will not be strauge if he sgain guccesds where all others have falled. Ho 18 to bave tho advautage of the Howaoars plan, which late ex- perience tends to show is the only practica- ble mode of reaching the Pole. This con. sists, in effect, of tho establishment of a per- manent base of o] a8 far north as vessels can safoly go, with the promise of re- turning home si their convenience, The depot in this instanco will probably be estab. lished on Ledy Fraoklin's Bay, though Dr, this question will be one of the most im. Hares recommends Smith's Bound for the purpose. From the permanent depot, wher- aver it may bo, oxcursions will be made by aledges until the Pole fs roached. The plan contemplates the roinforcement of the colony evory yoar until fta objoct Is mocom- plished, It will, under this arrangsment, be possible to take sdvantage immodiately of an opon winter, such as tho presont one has been, No doubt, if thore had been a colony on Lady Franklin's Bay this yoar, the North Pols would have beon discoversd by this timo, It {s to be hopod that Mr, Brwnzrr's oxpedition may have weather ma favorable next yoar, ond, in any evont, that his enter- priso and liberality may ultimately havo thelr roward in the roalization of his plana. LS e where have thoy besn bidden since 18781 Thare were cofucd that year $077,150 of tha *aq. dico,” and fn 1878 $1,113,001 of them. [Tty pose sible that this 8800,000 lot had been exported and fold by soma forelrm banker, ang upon the passage of the Biver bili he shippeq them home, now that tho ' daddy * was himaelf sgoin, Other stray Iots of old sflver dotlars may turn up in the same way; the morg the merrier. Tho number of old subsidiary colng— £5, 10, ana 8 ceut ploces—which have come back into circulntion I quits surpriatug, considering that from 1803 until 1878 comparatively fow were atruck off at the mints,—only enough for use on the Pacific; but most of the old substdj. arics that have reabpeared have older dates than 1803, beink tnostly of 1853 to 1659, during which yoars mauy millions of them wero cofnad, - e —— We havo a smail cditlon of Tammany Hall o ganized [u Chicazo, which countains just s ray. enous men with as corrupt purposes as tha fn. famous parent institution In New York, A Tammany Democrat, wherover Lo may be found, Is o pcrson who belloves that govern. ments exfst among men for the purpose of eq. riching tho wire-workers of the party. One of this class of Democrats ts Tox DUNLAP, of New York City, He has sslon of a sinccury offica called ** Cowmmissioner of Jurors,” {g. vented by Tammany for the enrichment of lenchmen, This Duxrar acts upon the Beript. uro saylug that he who provideth not for his own housohiold s worsc than an infider. After absorbiny 88,000 a year for himself, he divides $15,000 8 year among the following cubs and collaterals: Tuouas Dustar, Jr,, Commis Franx P, Duxtar, Commissione Wittiau Dunsar, Commissions Joux d. Duxrar, Commnleloner's son A.J. Kenoax, Commisstoner's consin FRaNK D, JolxaToRE, Commissionet's brother. n-law, The Now York ZTimes is *chunkiog” thls *nest,” trying to knock it off the **banyan tree which overshadows tho city and sucks upitg substance, — 8hoo-fy Cox says he deprecates * person. alitics" In debate; he does especlally whanever ho gets the worstof It. “The other day,” he #ald, *‘bie had somewhat informally, nnd in the honcst feryor of the moment, characterized the President as a fraud,” but ““the moral to which he would polat his colleague was, that, when one takes an office to which Lo 1s not clected, and takes 1t through corrupt means, 1t I8 batter not to trust anything ho does.”” This, remarks the New York Tribune, “did scem somewhat fn- formal, but no morc 80 than the remark mada vy Bquire PoMeRo, of Stonfngton, who, referring to somo obscrvation of a personal character by Bquiro HuLL In the trlal of = caso, said: ‘Per- uonntuhu-o will avail you notnlug, you blankea weather-beaton, withered-up, blear-syed scoun- drelly old son of » sea cook;’ and then, turniog to tha Court, *This remark fs somowhat In. farmal, but the moral of It Is that this old scanp Is a blackguard and a Mar,! " ——— BOSTON FINANOCIAL MORALITY, * Tho Boston pnpers have been extromely malignaut towards tho pooplo of the Wost concerning the silver agitation. They havo donounced us as dishonest and ignorant, and with destroying the national oredit in ordor to avoid paying our debts, The IHerald of that city pnblished the following: We learn, from an autlientlc source, that within e lage from the pasaze of the'Siivor bill, The money” wae obtained by tha sale of United Btates bonds and the withdrawals of deposits from Uanks aud say- Inge banke. One of the mechanica ramarked to the agent throngh whom he changed his jnvest. ment that, when s Qovernment had shown such & disposition of Injustice and dighonesty ae had ‘been shown b‘y he EHIMG of the Silver bill, thers was no telling what next might kaopen, and he preferred to have his money whero its value wonld not be llsblo to farther roduction by act of Congreas, Hinco that time somo twonty thousand more of theso mechanics and lnboring men of Boston, accepting the predictions of the papors that tho passage of the Bilver bill was the mero prolude to the general wreck, assomblod at the doors of the savings banks' and asked for tholr money on deposit in thoso - institutions, Whethor they wantod their monoy to invest in Dritish consola be- cause ‘ théro wns no telling what noxt might happon,” is not stated, but the institutions which had declared so vehomently in favor of all paymonta in gold sont frantio appeals to the Legislaturo that alaw bo passed au. thorizing the banks, whenever thay conald. ored dopositors were injuring themselves by drawing out thelr own money, to refuso to pay ot all, and, if necessary, to rotain one-half tho dopositors’ money for two yoars. Compered with paying debts with §0-cont dollars, this New England mor- ality of rocelving dopositors’ money, payable on demand, and then, on the plea that de- positors do not know their own business, authorire the banks to refuso to pay any. thing, ia, to say the least, peculiar. Itlooks vory much like a schemo to onable the Bos- ton banks to lock up depositors' money, and then, oporating on tho nocoasities of the victims, privately purchaso the depositors’ books at 50, 60, or, horrible to relate, at even *“00 conta” on tho dollar. In all the history of ropudiation of just and honest dobts, nothing more scandalous has ever been proposed by any Btate Legislature, It for excoods anything like a Stay law. It authorizes any bank, on ita own motion, to notity tho depositor who hag loft his monoy in tho institution that tho bank will not pay him, lest ho might injare himself by the misuse of his own oarnings. Wo shonld think that thero would bo a general invost.. ment by Boston meohanics and Isborers in British consols, when the laws of the State sanction such opon and undisguised confis- cation as this low proposes. Better sven than this would be the ** 90-cent ” dollara. One of the strango dovelopments of tho tele- phone tests recently has been that sounds are trausmitted from one wire to another even when the wircs are not connected. In Rochaster the other day, o telephone gave out tho full notes of sume singing in Buftalo, much to the sur- prise of the people In. the oflice where it wag located, Investigation showed that the tele- phone wire avproached at ono pofnt within ten fect of the Western Unlon wire used in the coucert. By what mysterious fores tho sounds were carr fcd across the ton fect of alr, and then carried on along tho sccond wire, has puzeled electriclans to explain. For practical uses this new freak of the tolophone is a drawback rather than au advantage, as poople employing tha telophone In busincss do uot caro to have thelr language made publfc. ” ————— At the earnest solicitation of = large number of the best citlzens nf the ward, Ald. Rosex- BERQ, of the Second Ward, Las consonted to be. come a candidate for re-clection. He had de- termined positively not to scrve another term in an oftice congonlal nelther to s Interest nor his inclination, and his change of purpose will be learncd with satisfaction by the taxpayers of the ward, who will doubticss mprove the op- portunity to sccure o contipuance of the faith. ful service in thelr Intcrests which Ald, Rosex. BERA has rendered durug the term just expir- {ng. —— 1t 18 notlced that the Wasblagton Post (Con- fed.) savsgely abusea all the nppolntments of Republicana to oftice made by the Prestient sy unfit and improper meu for the places: but it has never once found fault where the appointee was an ex-Rebel, and a Republican was turned out to make room for him. It loudlyapplauded the removal of the oue-legzed Unlon soldler who Lold the Petersburg, Va., Post-Office, to make a placo for a Confederate Democrat, The Post hns pecullar idoas of Clvil-Servico reform. ——e—— ‘The Board of Education meat to-night to curtail their expenditures and to bring the Yyear's outlay for sohools within the year's in- come, It is undorstood that the Committas having the matter in chargo will proposo to reduce the number of school days in the pri- mary dopartnents, and thus save what is to be saved by closing the sohools to the largest number of childron. The school system of this Btato I8 essentinlly a systom of primary fnstruction ; i#is intonded with tho means at hand to glve instruction to the largest num. bor of children, who othorwiso would have none. If there bo 810,000 only to furnish instruction, and there bo 10,100 persons to bo instructed, ‘and the $10,008 will farnish 10,000 with all tho [nstruction they can ever hopo to racoive, and it will cost $10,000 to instruct the other 100 ohildren in higher studles, there can bardly be any doubt as to which clasa should be dropped. Wo are informed that, by s rovision of the list of studies, the exponsss of the schools may be reduced fully 16 per cent, and this can be done without closing a primary clasa or reducing tho term in the lenst, Wo ropeat that over 80 per cont of the children in the publio schools never ad- vance nbove tho fifth grade; to thess chil. dren this education is vital, bocansa it {s all they ever get. Tho cost of maintaining sohools for this 80 per cont does not excesd posaibly €0 per cent of the cost of the whole schoola, In bohalf of thesa children, whose only hopo of schooling is thus afforded them, wa protest agalnst closing any primary class, and against reducing the number of school days and school hours in thess classes. If thoro bo retronchmont needed, lot it not touch these. Let not the Doard dismiss four childron that one may continue at school ; on the contrary, lot tho one be dis- miased that the four may be retalned, if it be necessary to dismiss any. The London Spectator vas lately betrayed Into a curious blunder, In & leading editorial on the Eastern question 1t ranked tho Russtans as soldiers bolow tho French or Germans, and wound up by saying, * We have not the force to defeat tho Russian army, If oncamped opposite ours upon s plain." Of course the Spectator did not mean to fmply that tho English wera worso soldlera than tho Russians, Fronch, and Germaus, but such Is the {nference. — A promislog younz journalist of 8t. Louls cams to un untimely end Monday, a victim of the Blue-Ribbonmovemont. About a week ozo be sigued tho pledge and quit drinking, but this sudden deprivation of his favorita cock- talls was too much fer his delicate frame, and ho passod away, There I8 o warnjog in this ex- ample which we refraln from polutiug out to the remaining 8t. Louls journallsta of promise, ———— In tho debato the other day in the House on the alleged failure of Clvil-Bervice reform, Wairruorns (Bourbon, of Tennessce) gave what he understood coustituted such roform, vit: “Putting Reoublicuns out of office and Domocrats in, That is the only ides of Civile Bervico reform the average Democrat Las. —— Ono of the honorary Commissioners to the Parls Exhlbition s only 31 years old, and, of coursp, Lis father Is & “prominent politician.’ ———— PERSONALS, Bob Ingersoll's personal appearanco is neat, bat not god-dy. ‘Thoron Barnum, the oldest hotel.kespor in the country, died at 81, Louls Sundsy, Mrs. Lucy Iooper has commenced a serles of amatsur theatricals in Paris for the benefit of Impecunious Americans {n that city. It is nonounced that Prince Philipps do Bourbon is shoztly to marry Mile, Blanc, daughter of tho lata dizesior of the gambling-Lables st Moo BACO. 1% Among the aots of the Britlsh Parliament which took effect on Jan, 1 was one to socure ' 1o married women fu Scotland thelr property and earningy, ‘The pleasing Intelligence comes from Indis that the Jam of Nowsnuggur has choson the J-year- oldsonof his brother as heir preaumptive, which leali Jam foolishasss, of course. Scribner's Monthly publishes s number of letters written by & Boston young lsdy who wasa schoolmate of tho present Quesu of Spain in & Parisian convent, The Priucoss Marcsdes was 8 nlce Hetl iction for playing prisoner's base, but she was far from diligent fn her studies. Thare was a romance in the life of the late Judge Lsooard, Representative in Congress from Loulefans. Boms time sgo at New Orleans he met & young Cabsn lady who was visiting this country. ‘with ber parents, and between whom and Judge Jeonard 8 warm sttachment sprsog up. Tho paronts oppossd the wmatch, and shortly sfter- wards returned to Cubs, having, bowaever, agreel 1o perwlt the couple to correspond. After her de- vafiure Judge Leonard readsaveral lettors. but, 88 celved, be suspected that they d. About thres weeks azo ba determiced to go to Cuba and get 82 explanstion. After be left Washington nothing wss heard from blm uutll 8 dlapateh reached Socretary Evarid atating thal by bad died ot Hevana of yellow-fever. He was ouly 32 yoars of age. b vos advocates thelr bill has not {njured the . Then howdo tney account for ure to place the 4 porcont bonds? gn of injured crodit to fall froma 4 86 percent natlont—New York T'rib- Inthe first place, the 4 per cent bonds had ccased to sell long before thoe Bliver bill passed. ‘The Byndicate broke down as Jong since as Jast Uctober; secondly, the Onancial columns of the New York Tribuns show that bonds have not depreciated fu price, mor greenbacks elther, siuce the Silver bill became a law: on the con- trary, they havo enhanced fo value; thindly, more 4 per cent bonds have been sold by ths Becretary of the Treasury In the three weeks slnca tho Bilver bill becamo a Jaw thau Io the three months previous thereto; fourthly, tho twass of those willing to buy aro waitiog uotll Cougress passcs the bill msking legal-tender notes recelvable for 4 per cont bond do not want to sell thelr greenbac! count for gold in order to pay s premium for tho lowest bond on the market. Lt the New York Tribune proserve its soul in patlence until tho law (s so auiended that the 4 per ceat bonds cats be pprchased ot parin legal-tenders, and it will sco them aubseribed for fast ewough. It would be more patriotic It {t would cease its vetulant suarlivg and contemptible lylog, and urge Congress to pass the novded amnendment to the funding act. e— It was contidently alleged and gensrally bo- Meved that not & “dollar of the daddies™ was fn exlstence previous o the recommencement of the coluage under the rvmonetizing sct of Feb. 2, 1878, 1t was supposed that during the verlod of demonetization tbey had all gone abroad or into the welting pgt, but bere comes this sunouncement from New York: At the Sub-Tredsury (bu the 14th Inst.), $300,000 4135~ grain sllver doljars wers reculved for customs duties, These wero ot of rerent coluage.! Whero bave theso “daddies” coms from, asd 1 in sbort dresses, ond had & prod-