Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 22, 1878, Page 4

SRS W i 1 THE CHICAGO _iiliw Tribwre, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. TY MAIT—IN ADY, uf) Fatyrday Editio rt-Weekly, one yeu J'artaof & year, per mi i WEERLY BDI ne copy, per yei b ol Folrear Frecimen coples sent 17t Glve Poat-Oftice sddress in full inciuding State and County, Ttem(ttances maybe made elther b draft, express, Tost-Office order, o In registered lesters, at our risk. TERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIDERS. + Daily, delivered, Funday excepted, 23 cents per week. Tatly, delivered, Funday included. 30 canta per week, Address THE TRIBUNR COMPANY, Corner Madieon and Desrborn-st., Chicago, fil. Orderafor the delivery of Tnz TRInURN at Evanston. €nglewood, and Jiyde Park leftin the counting-room wilireceive promut attentlon. TRIBUNE BRANCH OFFICES. Trnz Cntcano TRINTNE has established branch offices for the recelpt of subscriptionsand sdrcriiscments a8 follows: NEW YORK~Room 20 Tyibuns Bullding, F. T. 3o Favpzx, Manager, PANIS, France—Ko, 10 Ttne de Is Grange-Datellers, . Mantxe, Agent, LONDON, Eng.—American Exchange, 449 Btrand, Zizyrr F. G L1189, Agent. AMUSEMENTS, MeVieker's Theatre, Madison strect, between Dearborn and State, + 8 A Celebrated Uase,” by the Unlon Squsre Company. Ilcoley’s Thoatre. Randolph street, between Clark and IaSaite Enprgement of Botkern, ‘*A Crushed Tragedian.” New Chicago Thestre, Clark street, opposite Shermsn House, Eogage- ‘guent of Liaverly's Minsrels, Tinverly’s Thentre, Monroe street, cotner of Dearborn. **Aladdin,™ Coliseum Novelty Theatre. Clark street, opposlts Court-Tiouse, Variety per- formance. Weat Twolfth-S8treet Tnrner Hall Lecturs by Gearge Francls Traln, Subjects **Or Kalzing Prosperit) . SOCIETY MEETINGS. WAUDASBIA L.ODGE, No. 160, A, F. and A. TReenlar Communication this (Friday) eyening at 7:30 nharp, at Maronic Hall. 78 Monroe-st.” Workon F. LDegree, All nembers ars urgently requested to be prerent, as business of laterest will come hefors the wmeenn + A, BTODDAILD, W, M, U &ioweLL, secy. o S ORIENTAL LODGE, No. 83, A, . & A, M.—flall 122 Lasnlle-ni. * Hpecfal Commiunication this (Friday) cxening, at 7:70 o'clock pronipty for work un ¥. C. he- Lo oy iiitors cordislly Invited to meet withat: By wider of the Master, K. N. TUCKKR, Becretary. 1. 0. 0. F.—Members of the Order favorable to tho 0 of new lodge in the vicinlty of Lincoin requested to meet at the 3fasonte Hail, cors acrof Clark snd Centre-sts., this Friday evealng at 7300 o'clock, FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1878, Greenbacks ot the New York Stock Ex- change yesterday closed nt 987, — ‘The two men charged with tho torrible triplo murdor at Wheeling, W. Va., which wan described in our dispatches yesterdsy, havo an oxcellent prospect of paying the ponalty of their crime boforo the sun rises this moming. At midnight crowds wers gathering, nnd it seomed certain that the auon would be taken out and hanged. A murder trial of uncommon interest in that part of tho Btate 18 in progress at ‘Waukegan, I, where Jony Davisox stands charged with the killing of Prres Ronent. soN, on old and wealthy citizen of Lako Connty. The tragedy grew out of anold dificulty about “the opening of a road through Davisox's farm, and an intenso de. greo of focling and interest has boen excitod in conuection with the trial. A Catholic priest, with tho medieval name of Brisivs Pistonrus, was found guilty of murder in the first degree, upon n second trinl, at Philadelphia yesterday, The re- ligious troubles in Germany some years sgo juvolved him to such au extent that he thought it safest to Sy to America. Arrived in Peonsylvania, at the farm-house of his brother, he took sides in a petty feud exiat. ing botween his brother aud a mneighbor, ond, in an altercation, shot and killed the neighbor, There were poculiar circum. stances surrounding the act, somewhat sim- ilar to those alleged in mitigation of the Liomicide committed by Davisoy, now on trial at Waukegan, HranLey Marraews had something to say on the timber-stealing question in the Benato yesterday which was quite to the point, He suggested that the sssailants of Becretary Scnusz would do better to expend thoir cloquonce in advocating the repenl of the Inw which probibits tho wholesala robbery of tho Government's timber-coverod domain than in abusing tho Becrotary for faithfully oxecuting the law ns it stands. Dut it takes o little more moral courage to openly urge the removal of all protection of the property of tho Government against the inroads of thieves thou to assall o Department officer on account of cases of individual hardship and persceution which never occurred, The signing of the Btay bill yeaterday by tlio Governor of Massachusctts was just in tho nick of time to prevont a disclosure of tho rottenness of the Brighton Bavings Bank, ‘which, taking prompt advantage of the new Inw, refused to pay out wums.upon which the sixty.days’ notices had expired. 'The Legislature having stepped in between the lank managers and the depositors aund as- sumed to chango the conract requiring the payment of dopositors aftor the requisite no- tico, the Saviugs Bunk Commissioners now sngounce to the Brighton depositors that they can only got 10 per cont of their monoy during thie next six months, and 10 per cent moro between Beptember, 1878, and March, 1879, and not a cent more unloss tho Com. wissioners 6o direct. 'This is the practical operation of the Siay law which s the product of the inferior article of igtegrity and intelligence sbounding in Massachu- setts. It will help the banks mightily to re- cover or collapse at their leisure, aud it will provent paules by convincing depositors of tho folly of getting excited about money which the Legislature has declded is no longer their own, e ——— Au urticle ou the unfinished Custom- Houso sud Poet-Ofice building, and the present condition of the Government office sccommodations in Chicago, is printed in our columns this morning, with a view to demonstratiog to the Senators and Repre. sentatives the pressing necessities of the cuse. Figures are given which show the vol- ume and importance of the Government Lusiness transacted in this city, and prove the urgent necd of larger and inore suit. wble quarters for its transactions. The im. mediate sppropriation by Cougress of a sum sufiicient to rush forward the completion of the Customs-House with the same speed and energy thut pnivate parties would display nader similsr pressure would be a mieagure of downright ctonomy in dollars and ceuts; while the fact that the property nnd records of the Government nre constantly endan- gered by reason of insecure provision against losa by firs or injury by other canses shonld convincs Congress of the imperative duty of hurryiog up the work. In this instance time s money, and true economy can best be en- forced by promptly appropriating the money necessary to put the Lnilding in readiness for ocoupation and use. O'Leasy, the Chicago pedestrian, is at- tracting n large share of the world's atten- tion by his magnificent display of speed and endnrance iu the great tonrnament now in progress in London, While his other com- petitors lLiave availed themselves of tho privilege of varying their gait by occasional runs, skipe, eto,, the Chicago man has been guilty of no such foolishness, but has kept up thet wonderful springy atop which has made him famous as a modoel for walkers, and at the end of nine- ty-six hours from the timo the tournament bogan he had walked 373 miles, au average of nearly four miles an lhour, including the timo spent in restand sleep. The contest closes to-morrow night at 12 o'clock, and O'Lzany's victory over ‘all his competitors sesms to bs assured, An extract is printed from an editorial ina late number of tho London News,—a journal scarcelyeccond to the London Z%mes in char- acter and influence,—in which it is candidly admitted that the United States Government is not responsible for the statemont made in foreign prospectuses that tho bonds sold thiore would be redeemed in gold. The News thinks the Remonetization act was unwise, a8, of courso, most of the English presa pro- fess to think, but sdds: *We are bound to say that, if the United States Congresa takes a difforent view of the matter, thero is still no caso of repudiation against them.” The News goes oven further than this, aud, after noting that this country has the same right exorcised by other countries to change its standord of values within certain limits, it continuos that, * looking at the way in which gold bas been rising in value of late years, wa cannot say that in substituting a double standard instead of a single one of gold, Amcricana have no excuso for thinking that what they do meroly prevents tho overpay- ment of tho creditors,” That is it, precisely, with the addition that the American peopla bad the more right to this opinion, inasmuch s thoy liad never agreed or intended at any time to pay the debt in gold alone. RESUMPTION OF SPECIE-PAYMENTS, Tho conference between HSecretary Suxn. aax ond the Senate Finnnce Committeo led ton very thorough discussion of the Re- sumption question, and we think a careful consideration of that discussion will con- vince every ouo that practical resumption on the 1st of January noxt will be A much easier matter than the majority of people havo sup- posed, and that it will enlarge tho atock of money and promote general confidencs, to tho infinite rolief of the whole country. The question has assumed an entircly different aspect sinco the passage of tho Remonetiza- tion nct. Tho difference is just this: Ona singlo gold basis it was necessary to con- tomplate an sttempt at resumption with a limited and inadequate speele currenoy ; this waa & oirenmstance sure to arouso a general suapicion of failuro, and there would have been a rush for gold and subsequent honrd. . ing theroof in anticipation of a renewed sus- peusion and & consequont decline in valuo of the United Statos notes. With silver as well as gold as the basls of resnmp- tion, thoro can bo no reasonable doubt s to a sufliclency for spocie payments, there will be general confidence i the accomplish- meut of tho effort, the people will have no disposition to make a frantic rysh on the Treasury for redemption of greenbacks in speclo, nud tho specie will not bo hoarded at the loss of interest when there is no prospect of jta having ® special valuo over the na- tional curroncy, Becrotary BuenMan virtu. ally admitted thin distiootion botwoen re- sumption now and before, though Le did not eny it iu o many words, Becretary Suenyax made it very evident, we think, that all circumstances havo a tendency to shope themsclves in favor of resunption, As to the aotual specie ruserve which may be accumulated, it is evident that the authority of the Resumption law, as it stands, will enable the Government to scquire about $140,000,000 by Jan. 1 next, without doing any injury to the business of tho conntry, There will then bLe a re. demption fuad of moro than one.third the outstanding Goverument notes. Buch o veserve has boen regarded as ample for a private banking bumness conductod on principles calculated to inspire publio con. fidence, and there is no reason to doubt its adequacy in the handa of the Government with vast resources and an frreproachable ercdit that can command monoy at tho very lowest rates of intercst. Tho groenbacks will still vetaln their character as legal-ten. ders, it relssucd, and will still constitute the redomption fund for the National Banks; aud the free circulation of gold and silver, when resumption shall once be recognized as 8 fuit accompld, will speedily enable the banks to provide themselves with an adequate spe. cio resorve, the accumulation of which they havo already begun to a considerable extent. There are several circumatances which Sec- rotary Buenman thinks can be muade suxiliary to permanent resumption. Oneis tho saloof 4 per cent bonds for greenbacks, authority for which has already been given by the Senate and only needs the concurrence of the House, which will scarcely be withheld. The Gov- ernment can make such sales with profit, for, with the proceeds thereof, it can buy gold at the cost of 1 per cont where. with to redeem ontstanding 6 per cents sub- Ject to call, thus saving 2 per cent intersst peranonn, The fofluence of this procedure upon resumption would consist in the ten. doncy to equalize the value of coin and greenbacks by enabling the sale of bonds, fnterest and principal payable in coln, for groenbacks at par, The return of bouds from Europe to this country, which has been held up by tho goldites as threatening dire disaster, will also operato, Bccretary Suesuay admits, in favor of easy and per- manent resurmption, as the payment of the coin interest st home will maintain the stock of coln in this country, which will not then be hoarded, but come into general use for integest or juvestment. After the sale of 4 per cent bonds for greeubacks shall Lave continued for a' few months, the Becretary further recommends as & measure also cal- culated to equalize greenbacks and coin that the former be imade receivable for dutics. Such & messure would, of course, be unwise if resumption were to be indefinitely postponed,and the distinction between coin and Government notes were to bo maintained; but the recelpt of green- backs for duties, which form the fund for the payment of interest in coin, would bo an official expression uf entire confidence in the accomplishmont of resnmption, and ecoin having no longer any special or exclusive value, and with no prospect of having aay, thers would no longer be any temptation to Lioard it; it wonld scek invostment as tho only way in which it could be mada nseful or profitable. Finally, Becrotary BmEnsan thinks that Congress should give express authority for the maintenance of the green- back issne to the amonnt of $300,000,000, and this suggestion is worthy of serious con- sideration, On the one hand, it wonld quiet the apprehension of thoso who think resumption will necessarily re- sult in A disastrous contraction of the currenoy of the country, for the reissus of any greenbacks redecmed at tho Treasury in specie would give the conn- try the specie, the greoubacks, and all the National Bank notes demanded by business, all of which would oirculate side by sids. On tho othor band, it wounld romove the necessity contemplated by some of tho re- sumptionists of redeeming tho whole stock of greenbacks at a fixed date, leaving the National Banks and all other institutions and people to do the same. The theory is that QGovernment notes shall bo kopt ont permn- nontly nnd steadily to the amount of §300,- 000,000, and that the Government shall maintain a coin reserve of onc-third that amount for redomption purposes, Thera ir little doubt that the co-operation of all the anxilinrios to resumption that have been named with the encouragement of proper legislation (or ovon non-legislation perhaps) will moko resumption a fixed fact even bofore the date named in the law. In contemplation of this strong probability, Secrotary Buznuax was warrantod in saying that ** to go backward over all of thislong, wenry agony and struggle toward resumption would Lo a sign of national weakness and do the nation great harm, do our credit barm, and bring injury on us all.” Those who be. lievo that tho distress of hard times can only be relisved by an enlargement of tho stock of money should now join the ranka of thoso who demand resumption, for it iz rosump- tion alone that can ndd gold aud silver to our paper currency; n further postponc. ment of resumption will again widen the difference between specio and groenbacks, and leave tho business of the counlry on the basls of greenbacks alone, with no enlarge- ment of the volume thereof, but with a de- cided decline in thofr purchasing - value, amounting in point of fact to so much con- traction. CANDIDATES FUR ALDERMERN. ‘The nominations for Aldermen made by what aro known as the local organizations of the Democratic party are, wo confess, moat disconraging, They aro discouraging be- cause they promiso, if successful, to reduce tho Board of Aldermen below any grade of respectability herotoforo existing in that body. All can reesll tho dnys when the famons ‘*19"—a majority of the Board— was 08 openly for sale s are horses at tho horse market, and tho coming Councll, it mnde up of mon such as havo boen nomi. nated by the Democratic ward organizations, promises to reatora that mode and character of City Government. We aro not disposed to bold the masa of citizons who ecall them. selves Democrats responsible for thesa nominations. 'Wa supposo that the major. ity of citizons of all partics dosiro an honest City Government, and aro equally interested in an cconomical ndministration of public affairs, but tho nomination of thess candidates leaves them no altornative but to vote for such mon or vote for the mon nominated on tho other side. Right here arises a serious diffioulty, Tho nomina- tlon of a number of disroputable and im- proper candidates on one sido is a strong enconragement for tho same class of persons to have thomsslves nominated by the other party. Tho mon who scok offices for which they are not competont are not confined to any one organization. If thero were ton organizations in tho city, each could turn out eighteen candidates for Aldermen, and no man of merc human capacity could distinguish which of the lot was the least disreputable, unfit, and incompetent, When- over elther party nominates o first-class man for n focal office, it, to some extent, compels the advo.se party to put up a candidate equally froe of objectionabls qualities; and 40, when one party names a bummer or a trader, tho trader or the bummer on the other aide puts himeolf forward. The result is the election of the class of men who too often make up the Oity Councila in the largor citien. Among those nominated for Aldermen by the Democratic ward moetings may bo found soveral of tho men who fig- nred in the hold-ovor Counoil of 18786, aud who were only ejected by the moral revolu. tlon of the outraged aud indignant citizous two years ago. ‘There s a class of men who, when not holding office as Allormen or County Comuissioncrs, are employed as bar. koopers or doorkeepers .to concort-saloons, and who turn up as candidates for any office thot may have to be filled. This year pre- sents a larga crop of this closs of office- aoekers, We not only ask what the Democratio voters of the city intend to do about this busineas, but what the Republicans and citi- zens generally intend to do. Is the election of the new City Council to go by defanlt? Is the City Government to be given over to tha control of the mab, and is the genoral crash, and disaster, and suspension, so much dreaded, to be precipitated by tho election of City Qouncil of the character foreshadowed by tho Democratio nowinations ¢ This is no trifling matter, ore is uo room for indifference, and it will not do to assume that * things will take caro of them. selves.” The condition of the Olty Govern. ment {4 hopeleas enough evea with u Council composed of the best of citizons, What will it bo with a City Council composed of men who seek places in that body for plunder; to sell their votes to contractors, and to vota any expendituro for which they may be paid ? There is no use in mincing worda about this watter. That that is the purpose, and the sole purpose, for which these men seek places in the Qity Councll is notorious and is not disguised. Are the peoplo of this city prepared to submit tathis kind of rule? Will théy idly permit these men to be elected Aldermen without an effort to prevent the calamitous disgrace ? The Republicans have yet to make their nominations. While national politics sro of very little consaquence in municipal affairs, party organizations afford the best way to bring forward candidates. When the candi- dates on both sides for Aldernien are repu- table citizens, voters can follow their per- sonal and political cholce without 1njury; but when there ie & ohofce betweon men because of their character for honesty, Btness, ezpo. rience, acd general qualificatious, then meore party nominations should have little weight, There are eighteen Aldermen to be elected ; can there not bo that number of reputable maen of personal fntogrity aud ordinary fite IBUNE: FRIDAY- noss who can bo nominated? And, if nomi- nated,fean thoy not he elected? Certainly thera aro voters onongh in the city able, will- ing, and anxions to elect reapoctable citizens, and can thoso not be united in a dotermina. tion to preserve what littlo is left of Munic- {pal Governtment from uttor wreck and ruin? ‘Wo appenl, therofors, to the Republicans to do their duty to the city in mnking selec. tions, Let them morit success by the char- ncter of thoir candidates, and trust confid- ingly in the iulelligonco and patriotism of the publio generally for the clection of those DLost fitted for the placos, AN ANTI.SILVER CIROULAR, A correspondent in Wisconsin sendsus n printed copy of a business circalar issued by a firm of motal dealers in New York City, The circular is romarkable particularly for ita ignorance, ita bad grammar, and its eool impudence, Wo give two paragraphs from thia documont, which read : The Silver bill, in ita original Intention, contem. iated baying tho honanza sliver production, coln- ng it. and compelling the peoplo of thess States snd othore o fecelve 1t at a forved ‘valuations Kuarantecing thereby the ailver producor against allthe resulta of an enormonsly incrensing vio- ductlon, and tn the magnificent woalth snd power which he now possesscs, During the War the creation and Insnes of cur. rency were made by the Government for the nl‘y- ment of Its war oxpenees—thd material of war, its armices and navics—but now, in [{uun.wllh limited and contracting wants, the creation of thousands of milltons of sliver coina or greenbacka would ¢anse them Lo lay fdle in the Government vaults, unless the public pot uP another war for the Gove ernment to apend thin money for, or unless 1t beneticently distribnted it to tho general public without cundaeration, or return, or security, For #)l baving ascurity can mow get any quantity of ¢irculsting medium st a very moderato interest. 1t Ia true the Jay brethron of life—the socially lume, balt, and bilnd. the tramp and the Com- muniat, aro not ablo at present to get ot the **medinm, " but perhaps a llttle more loglalation will distarb it wore to their satisfaction, This is but a sample of the means resorted to by the New York dealors to influence pub- lic sentiment thronghout the country. The fact that this kind of stuff is sent out indi- catos that tho writors really beliove tho peo- plo of tho West are ns ignorant as it is the custom in New York torepresent them to be, ‘The atatomont that the Silver bill hnd for its orlginal purpose the purchase of the prod- uct of the silver mines, and compelling the people to receivo it at a forced valuation, is a fecblo repetition of nonsonse published in the New York papers, but which nu intelli- gent merchant shonld feel ashamed Lo soo in. print over his own signature, The Free Coinage bill allowed any holder of silver bullion to doposit the same with the mint, snd to receive tho same when coined, upon paying tho cost of colning. The bill as passed muthorizes the coinagoe of silver dollars to the full capacity of the mint; and as the amount possible to bo coined in eithor case is precisely the same, wo do not undorstand how the owners of silver bullion could be benefited in the one case any more than in tho other. We know of nolaw in this country that can compel any man to soll his labor or his goods for silver, gold, or paper at *‘a forced valun. tion," or at any valuation that ho does not ohooso to ncoept. The Government now coins silver, and with silver coin purchases othor silver bullion, which is in turn coined ; butin this thero is no compulsion upon any person to take silver coinat a forced valua. tion. If the builion doposited by private persons was coined and delivered to thom, thero is no law by which they could purchase any moro matal or othor property with it than thoy conld purchnse with tho gold or groen- baoks for which they might sell their silver bullion, The objection to the coinage of ‘“‘thousonds of milllons of silvor coins,” which would “lie idlo in the Governmont vaults,” i8 ono of those brainless declarations which brainloss individuals make without having any idea of what thoy are trying to say. Wo do not know that the Government could be placed in a bottor condition than to have some *‘ thousands of millions " of silver dollars on Land in the Treasury vaults, A tax-plundered and oppressed people would rejoice in thosituation. This intelligentiron. monger of Penrl street would probably have tho “crontion” or the coinagoe of motallic money limitod, just as the manufacturers of pig-iron would be glad to have the produc- tlon of that metal limited to the demands of tho homo market. As a litorary as woll 0s a ecicntifio production, this circular is worthy of presorvation, marking as it does the prog- resa of oultnre and knowledgo in the matal trade of New York City. e ANOTHER DEMOURATIC ABSURDITY, The bill introduced in Congress by Mr. Goobk, of Virginia, to authorize the Govern- ment to embark in tho life-insuranco busi- ness, and take risks npon tho lives of a cerlalo class of ita servants, Is in keoping with the general sentimoent of tho Demo- cratie Roformers. ‘Che bill would be a sur- prisiug one, if the majority of people had not ceased to be surprisod ot anything Demooratic ingenuity can suggest. If the Tublic Treasury can bedepleted for tho bone- fit of Bouthernera who lost their mules nnd peannts during the War, if tho Govornment can uudortake to improve all the property of farmers on tho Mississippl River, and it it can go into the business of circulating nows- papers, of course there ia nothing in the Counstitution or the laws to provent it from setting up in the life-insurance business, is- sulng policles to the fow or to the multitude, and closing up busincss eventually with a grand collapse, after the manuer of the Toyal Anglo-Bengalso and several others couducted hers at home by manngers more real than 2'igg Montague, Mr. Goopnx's bill purports to be for the beneflt of those who go down to the sesin ships that belong to the Government, and authorizes the Bocretaries of the Navy and of the Treasury to open up the life-iusurance business in Washington, probably under the firin uame of Messrs. TuonrsoN & Suzeyay, as agonts for the Governmont, It provides that any officer of tho navy or of the marine corps, possesslng the requlsite physical dinguosis, may take oat s polioy in any amount not excesding §235,000, ' Tho Bocre. tary issues the polioy at a premium which is determinod by ascortaining the death-rate {for the several ages between 18 and 75 ycars, after the manner of 8o many otber insurance companics now rotting on the sands, Thero will be no doubt that the premiums will be paid, becauss the Paymasters will reserve them quarterly out of officers’ pay, though there is no condition that the tax shall be re. duced if the psyisreduced, Asthe Democrats love neither the army nor the navy, a reduc- tion of pay is not an impossibility, in which easa the tax would be an onerous one, Off- cers can choose whether to take out a paid. up policy or one on the yearly-payment plao, which shows that the Goverument is determined not to be outdonoe in courtesy by the companies that doa general business, but do not carry the Btar-Spangled Banner at the fore. The Government is also to agree to make no special charges for dangerous servioo, which is gratuitous kindness, sinve it is imposaible to conceive upon what dan. gerous errand our fleet of tubs could be sent, 1t is also provided that no polioy shall be in- validated by tho suicide of the holder, in MARCH 22, 1878 which respeat the Government Company wounld differ from othor corporations, in which the policy-holdoer is usually invalidated by tho saicide of the company, Lastly, offl- cors who resign ean. keep up their policy by keeping up the preminms, which shows that we live undor a traly paternal Government, that will look aftor itaservants so long as tho servant does not Iot his premium lapso. Tho most remarkablo featurs of this bill 18 the discrimination it makes, If the Gov- ernment ja going into the insurance business, why should it select a few officers of the navy who have nothing to do and live to great old age, and of the marine corps, who never die, but dry up and blow away, and leave the crews without this .inestimable blessing? If it is golng to insurs naval officers, why not army officera? Why con- fine its favors to the aristocratic branch of the service? And if to army officers, why not Postmnsters, and Collestors, and Sub. Treasurers, and all their employes, giving them the eame option of continuing their policies after their official heads are off? This beingn Govern. ment of, for, and by the people, what right hna a gilt-edged Admiral or high-toned Com- modore to stop into Tigy Montague's pfiice and take precedence of the lowly letter-car- rier who does more nnd better work in a yenr than an Admiral, althongh the otiquette of tho nrea and the lamp-post isnot eo elegant or exncting as that of the quarter-deck? Re- ducing the matter to first principles, if the Government is going Into the life-insurance business for the benefit of the Commodoros, why not lot tho whole people who employ and pay the Commodores have the advan- tago of it also? As the people just now have & groat deal of confidence in life-insurance companies, thoy would undoubtedly rush enthusiastically to the Governmont concern, and business would speedily boom along so merrily that in a short time it could follow the precodonts of tho private corporations and smash, What the office itself would not be ablo to accomplish In that divection would be supplied by the rings, jobbers, agents, doctors, nctuaries, and tho rest of tha rotinue incidental to the business, Berions- 1y, members of Congress ought to know that tho only insuranca the people desire at the hands of the Government is the insurance of good government, economy, wiso legislation, and prompt execution of laws. If the Com. modores want to insure thoir lives, there are privato corporntions yot doing business who can accommodato them. Tho Goopx bill is 8 bad bill. It has neither the advantago of constitutionality nor oxpedioncy. REDUCING THR 80HOOL-EXPENSES, Tho Ionrd of Education seoms disposed to distributo tho loss of revenus resuiting from the 16 per cent reduction of the school- appropriations through all departments equally. With this object in viow, the Bpecial Committeo nppolated to consider tho subject has recommended (1) that Prin. cipals be required to devote two-thirds of their time to the instruction of classes; (2) that the general school year be shortencd one wook, and the high.school year two weoks, No better plan than this could be dovised if tho main object were the equal distribution of the loss among teachers, But the question to bo considered is whether such a distribution will tond most to socure the officiency of tho achools and promote the intorests of the people. There i no doubt something captivating to tho Board in the idea of Jmpartiality as betwoon the different kinds of schools and different classos of tenchers, But if thewr impartiatity works an oqual injury to the more and the less uscful branches of the sorvice, it is foolish and waateful. An equality of this kind may, in tho long run, be o great inequality and in. justice to tho public. ‘The most important intorests to be con. sidered in making n reduction are not the intercsts of the toachors but those of the scholars, The questiona the Board ought to put itself aro: (1) What class of scholars, it any, can afford to do without instruction at the publio exponso ? and (2) What class of sludies, if any, can be dispensed with? It 18 evident that, on the theory that the achools are ossontial to the preservation’ of fros govornment,—the only theory which justifies their existonce,~—the moat important are thoso in which the primary branches are taught. Thess aro the conditions of all fu. ture education, of an averago degree of pop- ular intelligonce, and even of profitable em- ployment, The privileges they afford can. not be denied or abridged without a denial or sbridgment of the fundamental righta on which the whole school system is based. The class of scholars in attondance upon these schools is more important than any othor, because it is the largest and because it {8 tho neodieat. About nine-tenths of the scholars in attendance in the primary schools never go into the ligher brauches at all, ‘When they have been grounded in the rudi. monts they leave school forever and go to work. Moreover, their necessities are such that they havo to toke their schooling when thoy can get it. They cannot wait the pleas. uro of a Doard of Education or a City Coun. cil. If they fail to get their schooling this yoar, many of thom must fail to get it at all, The question, thenm, is flatly presented, whether it is more important that a largs number of persons should learn to read, write, and cipher, or that a smaller number should learn the difforential caleulns and the catalogue of the sbips. This question leads to the further one, whethor tho reduction of the moans of instruction equally in both in. stances is a fair provision for the publio wanta, There can hardly be any doubt as to the rolative importance of thess brauches of studies, The Leogislature recognized it in the distinction it drew in the statutes between common and high sohools, making the establishment of the former compulsory and that of the latter optional, Thore is even a question as to the legality of tho latter institutions, The Constitution of the Btate only empowers tho General Assombly to provide *a thorough and ef. clent system of freo schools whoreby all the children of this State may receive a good common-school education.” 1t doea not pro- vide for academica such as our high schools, in which there is a course avowedly intended to prepare young mon for college, The «question has never been passed upon by the Bupremo Court, but it is at least doubtful whether the Board of Education has not erred in its definition of *‘a good common- school education.” 8o long as this doubt provails, it would be wise in cartalling ex- penses to discriminate ageinst the classes which bave only a presumptive legal ex- istence. ‘The class of studles which can bo easiest disponsed with are plainly those which oon- for the least good upoa the loast numbers. These are the studies now pursued in the high uchools, many of which are merely pre- paratory to something else, and the so-called ornamental branchos in the common schools, viz,: Musio, drawing, snd German. The absurdity of making the common-#chool sys- tem preparatory to something olso, while it fs not completa in {tsclf, is manifest. Prep- arntior. Is a high and importaut function of & liberal education, but it cannot be justified a8 port of o publio system which is crippled by insufficlent nppropriation. Thora is nei- ther symmotry nor seuse in such a system, The ornamental branches which ara pursned in the common schools are objactionable, under the prosont circumstances, chiofly be- causa thoy are ornamental. Thé city, being in straitened financlal clroumstances, is com- pelled to lop off all luxnries, and it should siart with music, drawing, and German at onecs. Thoargument is not, as ono innocent mombor put it, that these studies help oitizens in after life. Tho quostion is whethor they ara a grester benefit to the public as a wholo than rending, writing, and arithemetic as & wholo. Are they, in short, such bonefits that nll the children must bo deprived of resding, writing, and arithmetio one week in the year in order to pay for music, drawing, and German? Is it not batter that one boy should learn to read and writo than that ten should learn to sing, s boys dosing? We hold that it is; aud that the nbridgment of the formor privi. lega to maintain the latter iss public scandal ond disgrace. . Mr. Exorsit, in his minority roport ou this subjeot to the Board, ex- prossed the common.gense view of 1t. What- evor redustion is made ought to bo made in the higher schools, drawing, musie, and German; aa theso are the last to be added to overy school system they should bo the Airst to bo withdrawn, Tho deprivation need be at tho most only temporary ; and it it loaves unimpaired the moans of instruction in the primary branches it will be approved by the peoplo, INDIAN AFFAIRS. The Board of Indian Commissioners have made their ninth nnnual report, covering their oporations for the year 1877, and pre- sont somo extromely interesting statistical matter, showing considorable agricnltural, industrial, and educational development among the natlon's wards, The summary of results undor tho peace policy inaugu. rated in 1860 is specially valunble, and will surprise thoso who have been unacquainted with the workings of the policy in detail. Of the 278,000 Indians now in tho United Btates, not including those in Alnskas, the penco policy has induced 112,03 to doff thoir furs and blanketa and don citizen's dress, which is a decided advance in tho direction of olvilization, if not of graco and beauty, They now occupy 22,199 housos, and have 830 schools with 437 teachers, attanded by 11,615 soholars, against 111 schools, 18¢ tonchors, and 4,718 scholars in 1868, In many other respects thoy show a groat ad- vance during tho past ten years. There aro 40,897 of thom who can read, whoreas none of thom could in 1868; and 28,000 of them attend church, and are as good Ohristians, lot us hope, as those of their white brethren who spend s0 much timo wrangling over dogmns. Industrinlly also they make o very good showing. Thoy are cultivating 202,550 acres of land, and, not in. cluding the five civilized tribes, 34,682 of them aro engnged in tilling the ground. Thoy have raised during the past year 088, 278 bushels of wheat, 4,656,602 bushols of corn, 849,247 bushels of oats and barley, 566,975 bushels of vogetables, 148,478 tons of hay, and they own 216,286 horses and mules, 217,883 cattle, 121,88 swine, nnd 587,414 sheep, In addition to these cheering rosults, tho Commissioners urge, ns another strong argument why tho management of Indian affairs should not be intrusted to the War Department, that supplies contracted for and furnisbied to military poata have cost from 88 to 78 per oent more than at the neighboring Indian Agencies. The Commis- sloners make a vory strong appeal, upon the atrongth of tha practical results of the peace policy, to have it continued permanently, The strongest arguments to be made against the peace policy are the Indinn rings on the onehand, organized for purposes of plunder, which, under cover of the peace policy, aro continually repelling the Indian from civilizing tondencies; and on the other that, during the operation of the peacs pol- oy, four bitter and expensive wars have been fought,—the Apache, Modoc, Sioux, snd Nez.Peroes,~and that the Chlefs who have conduoted theso. wars, among thom OarraN Jaox, Srrrmve-Bupy, and Omixe Jo- szpx, have been monof superior intelligence, Although one of thess leaders iz dead, an. other in the British dominions, and the third surrendered, there {3 no guaranty that we may not have moro wars, and that othier In- dlons may not rise and take their places, The solution of tho Indian question most un. doubtedly is to be found in absorbing him into the body politio and making him a citi. zen, with all the rights, and at the same time responaibilities, of citizenship, There is no doubt that tho pence policy can - accomplish & great deal by educating the younger In. dlans and bringing them up under the influ- ence of civilization; but, so far aa thae older Indians are coucerned, the army is the most complete civilizing agency. If proper legal tribunnls wero eatablished and law and good government wero extended on the reserva- tions, there wonld be little need for the army on them, and the Agencies would need no protootion wo long as Indidns could be convincéd that treaty stipulations would wnot be violated. If, how- ovor, Agencies are to bas the locations of orgavized swindling, and the posts from which arms and material of war are to be freoly distributed, then there must be con. stant use for the army, besides which it is notorious that there are still roving bands ‘which utterly refuss to go upon the reservs. tions, and will have to ba forced there by the army, 'The, Peace *Commission is doing & groat and useful work in reclaiming the red 1nen, and no one woald wish to have the ex. periment abandoned; but the time has not Yot come whon the army can be abandoned a8 an agonoy in oivilizing Indians, Its with. drawal from the vicinity of the reservations and the frontler forts would plunge the whole Indian question into confusion sgain, and expose tho frontier settlers to cer- tain massacre. ‘Tha Commissioner of Indian Affairs in his report tothe Becretary of the Interior recoguizes more clearly than the Commission the drawbacks to Indian prog- ressthat exist attheso Agencies in the dis- honeaty of Agents, traders, and contractors, and lays special strees upon the value of educating the young. If the Commission will purge the Agencies, and lend their aid to tho Becrotary of the Interior in his efforts to smash the Indian rings, there will be great hope for the future of the Indian; but, so long as these abuses exist, and so long as the insane policy is persisted in of furnishing Indians with arms and smmunition, thers will be almost constant use for the army. No one questions the correctnuss of the peace theory in the abstract, but so long as the older wild Indisns exist, who cannot be reached by the Commission, and greedy ras- cals can organize rings to flecce those at the Agenoies, tho talk of discontinuing the use of ths army is idle. The New York World thinks it {s Tonsenss 1t to suppose that the editor of the Chicao Times was Influenced to support TILDBN by *‘the ante. clection prophecy of the ghost of Cavnouy, It wasn't the ghost of Carrnoux, but a chartatan pamed HunTooN (s stmilarity in uames), who claimed tho power to summon spirits from the vasty decp, or elsewhere. Yet, notwithstanding the exposure of Huntoox, and his own con. feaslon ot having played upon tho susceptivte Mr. 87onRY with & base decention, the Time again comes out with an editorial oxpreaston of unbounded faith in the solrit-influence. e fear, therefore, that the Times will commlt ng many folliea in the future as n the past under the influcnco of sunposititious ghosts ot Demo- cratic antecedents. Tho orld, by g way, cxbresses the oplulon that M, Stoner doce not do anything under such unsubstantfal {influences as spiitnal manlfestations, *'nor, fndeod, without tAowsands of substantial reasons.”” The IWorld has ey dently heard that story about the Tymes and TiLDEN's barrel of money, and credits Iy fn prefereuce to the apirit influences; that ex. planation certainly commeonds itself to a com. mon-sonse estimate of the Zimes character, But how many **thousands of substantinl rea. sons ™ did it take to convert the Times to the Tost Bcorr subsidy, which it was alleged that Mr. Huxtoon's bogus ghosts had brought aboutl, ——— The Aldermanic contest in the Thirteenth yard posscsses some features of pecuifar nter- est by reason of the exertions of tho taxpaying, non-politiclan clement among tho Republlcans to securc n suitable represeatative in the Com. mon Council. They have made s most excsl- lent sclection {n the person of Mr. A. C. Kxore, & substantial, intclligent business man, and will labor hard to sccure his nomination at the primary polls to-morrow. Tho Detnocrats have, as usual, taken tho other extreme, aod haye nominated for Alderman one O'CALLAGHAN, a saloon-keeper uttorly without fitnoss for the blace. Against such an opponent Mr. Kxore,, it nominated by the Republicans, would poll o tremendous vote, He is of the right sort, and. can be nominated and clected without doubt it the busineas men and reapectable taxpayers of the ward turn out and attend to it. San Btetano, where tho treaty botween Russia and Turkey was signed, is about six miles from the old Rownan wall of Constantinople, and is the village ncar which an American, Dr. Davis, started an unsuccossful model-farm fn 1843, ————— PERSONAL. Sardou ssys it takes him fivo months, working five houra dally, to write a comedy. 1lo throws away twice as much as he uscs, and usually eliminates some of his characters after ho has be. gun the final draft of his play. Baron Grant's, Kensington mansion—or, rather, the London residence of Bonanza Mackey —1ia ona of the llons this ssason. Tho hoad-se; ant's income from **tips" for showing the curions over it Is placed at $125 a week. A Georgia husband recontly suod ont a writ of habeas corpus to recover his wifo from (he pusaession of his father-in-law, but tho upright Judge dlsmissod the suit on the ground that the parent was entitled to the sorvices of his daughies until she was 21, Olusorot, the Communist Gonoral, who took a leading part in the insurrection in Parisin 1871, la eald by a French paper to have been shat by the Rusalsna after the captaro of Plevns, This {8 probably incorrect, for Cluscret is belleved to b in Porsla, drlliing the 8hah'a troops, In a book review not long ago the New York Evening Poat, wnting of Sir Philip Francus, called him about half the time Bir Philip Sldney, using the two names as {f they wora Inter- changeable, a lapse which nofther the Int. Comp, nor the Vigilant Proof-Reader noticed. Another miracle is reported from Paris, The danghter of the proprietor of the Unirers, be- ing afMicted with a sore toe, was cured by tho ap. plication of some lint which had bean employed on the legs of the late Pontiff. Thers laa vigor and :l“.hm" about this story which compels admira- on, ¢, ns proposed, the Queen’s youngost son, Princo Leopold, should ba created Duke of Snases, only four counties in England will be loft unoc- cupled aa titular designations,—Dorsct, Midale- sex, Monmouth, and York, Thefo ato two coun- tles vacant In Wales, five in Ireland, and ten in Scotland, President Hayes Is left alono at the Whita Houee till Aoril 5, his family being on a threo weaka' visit to Chililcothe and Clacinnatl, Dy the way, the ladies of the Execative Mansion'do not g0 Ioto hysterice when they see a barlesque of their temperance principles or Bunday evening sioging of hymna, They only laugh. Miss Lucy Hooper rocently took part inan amateur performance of the well-known play, ‘‘Caste,” in Paris. Her acting 1s thus described by Mrs Lucy Hooper In a letter to the New York Graphte: **Mise Hooper s Polly was full of gayety and vivacity, and received from an English critie present the supreme compliment of belng compared to the original croateix of the pact, Marls Wilton, now Mrs, Bancroft.” A London hostess apologized to Count Bchoavaloff the other night, at & political party, for the stuptdity of & servant who had snnounced bim ss Coont ShufMa-off; but, as the Austelan snd German representatives wi sonounced imme. diately after nndor the names of Beast and Mon- stor, tho Rudsfandiplomat passedon smiling. This perverslon of the names of Cuunts yon Beust and Munater la characteristic of the Landon seevant, Nowspaper readers may remember the marriage of Prince Alezander do Lynar, a German noble, with Miss Parsons, a Columbus girl. One of the London ‘‘*boulevard weeklles™ says, in ite Parls corrospondence, that the Princess is still vory pretty, but retains **some of the war-whoop," whatover that means, {atimating that as time zocs on she s evolating into s belng of inferlor caste to hor **handsome and sccomplished husband,” Herr Bigiamund Librowicz, of Hamburg, ‘has published & book called **The Kliss and the Kisalog, " In which ha makes the ridiculonsly low estimats of 150,000,000 kisses a day given by all tho Inhabitants of the world! Chiy one kisss week on an average!! England he puts down for 13,000,000, many for 20,000,000, ¥rance for 18,000,000, and Russls, where male osculstion ls the rule, for 30,000,000, leaving only 69,000,000 for the rest of the universe. Why, Chicago aloue 1a good for—for how many? A rag-picker's daughter was married in Now York Bunday, and the teromony was de- scribed by the Horld ss being one of romantic in- terest, Tho brida, Miss Rosarls Clardalls, brought 10 ber husband & dowry of $3,000 tn cash, which showa that the business of rag-plcking is not so unromunerative as might be supposed. In return- 10g from the church, each cacriage of guests was supplied with & liberal quantity of pennies and aweetmeats, which were thrown out {n Landsful 10 the crowds gathered on the atrects. ©Ono of the most succesaful newspspers in the world 18 the Argus, pablished 1n Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoris, Australls, It was startcd aboat tolrty yesrs ago by Mr. Edward Wileon, & young Englishman who bed lmmigrated (o the new country jngrder to torn his small capital (o better advaolage than hie couldat home. A numbarof cap- itallats wore Intereated with bim in the enterpries, which sunk a large amount of money befors it be- came profitable. Jn1853the Argus had a circulation equal to that of any three London papers, and bad bicome excellent property. The weokly edition, calied the Australasion, contalns an enormons smountof reading matier. Of late years Mr, Witson Rag lived In Englsnd, still retalning up to bis death, recently, bhis propristary interest in t20 Argus. The Duke of Atholo has esventeon inferior titles, the Dukes of Argyll and Hamilton have siz- teon, tho Marquisof Buie bas8fteeq, snd sobse tho Dy f Buccleuch, while hls Grace of North- amberland bas thirteen. Ths Doke of Athole’s fall name is Jobn Jemes Hugh Henry Stewart Murrsy, soventh Duke of Athols, Marqule of Qullibardinesnd of Athiole, Easl of Tullibardine.of Atbole, and of Strathlay sad Strathardle, Viscount of Balqubldar, Viscount Glonslmoud and Gienlyon, Daron Maresy, Baron Balvenls and Gask, Baron Percy, Baron Lucy, Baron Poyninss, Fits-Psyne sad Bryan, Baron Latimer, Baron Sirange, Baron Muzray and Earl Buange, sod Baroa Glenlyon. O thess the Baron Porcy, 1200, ia the oldess title aad Baron Lucy, 1414, next