Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 24, 1878, Page 4

e A R gl “petition that evenlng The Tribrwe, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. * BY MAIL—IX ADVAXCE: Dally Ediclon, one vear. Farts of 3 year. per mox! Sunds; tion: Literary d - Religious Donble Sheet.. - s 2.50 Saturdey Edition, S0 TN eekly, one year -00 Fextsof avear, per month. -3U et WEERELY EDITION, POSTPAID. s 1.30 & copy, per sear. : oo Yorr. e Lo " Epecimen coples sent tree. Give Post-Ofhce address tn fall lacludipg State snd Coanty. Temiusnces ‘maybe made elther by draft. express, Post-Office order, or In regtstered letters, 8t our risk. TERMS 7O CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Dafy, elivered. Sundsy :x:lcu;:g.' oninve e ) rered, Sunday nclu - week. ooy "THE TRIDUNE COMPANY, ‘Curner Madsson and Dearborn-sts., Chilcago. Til. Orders for the deliveryof Trz TEIRUNE a6 Evansion. Bnziewood, snd Hyde Park leftln the counting-room ‘stllreceive promot stiention. TRIBUNE BRANCH OFFICES. Tz CricAco TEIMTNE hes established branch offices gorthe recelpt of subscriptions and sdvertisements as NEW TORE—Room 29 Tribune Bullding. F. T. Mc- Faopxx, Manager. 'PARIS, Frunce—No. 16 Rue de s Grange-Bateliere. B.MamLxn, Agent. LONDON, Enz.—American Exchange, 440 Strand. BENEYF. GrL1e. Agent. BAN FRANCISCO, Cal.—Palace Hotel. SOCIETY MEETINGS. D. C. CREGIER LODGE. Hail, 406 ond 408 Milwaukecav. _ I mmi ton'Wednesday cvening, March 27, at 7:50 o'clucl . “Work on the 3. 3. Degree. VIsi(ag Brethiren cordlally fovited. By order ot JAMES KEATS, W. 3. JORN GINOCHIO, Sec'y. . 643, A. F. & A. M.— ulsr Commanica: LAFAYETTE CRAPTER. XO. 2, 2. A. M.—Hall o s elock pronpL for biMEess and Work DA ¥, Degrees. - Vialion cordiaily invitod to W. 1. REID, 1L ¥. nnn{:u.nmd’_x‘;. o Sfieng. By onler of ER. TUCKEL. Secretary. APOLLO COMMANDERY, XNO. 1. K. T.—Spectal ompt. Conciuve Tuesday evening fext at 7 o promp! TheOrder of the Temple will be conferred. Sir Knights biaving unlform are tequested to wear it. Visitars wel- wme., By order of thc K. C; i g J. R.DUNLOP, Recorder. D. A. CASHMAN LODGE.—Tegular Communica- 10u 5t thefr hall, corner West Madison and Bobey-5ts.. Tuesday evealng, March 26, Work on M. M. Degree. A. DOUGLASS, Seerctary. M RILWINNING LODGE. NO, 311 A. F. & A. Regular Communication Thursday eventn; fost., at Corjnthian Mall, 187 East Kinzle-st.. come mencing at % o'clock, 'Workonthe Third Degree. Visltors courteonrly invited. DI 1. THIBODO, W. M. LOUIS 5. CHARLETTE. Secreturs. YORK CHAPTER.—A Speclal Convocation will be held st their holl, corner. of liobey and West Madison- st5.. Thunaday evening, March 28.” Work on the Coun- . All Companfons of York Chapter are re- e PN TON. o, ¢ order. . G. INTON, H. P. GUY T. GOULD, Sccretary. 1. 0. 0. F.—By gpectal fovitation. the Ton. John Leak, W. G. M. of Iliinofs, will vislt Excelsior Lodge, No. 22, on Tuesday evening next. Members of he Orter are cordtally tavited. C. L. SEYMOUR. N. G. ST. BERNARD COMMANDERY, XO. 35, E. T.— Epecial conclave Wedaesday evening. March 7. Work ontic orderof the I C. Dishensatfon 10 act ‘upon 3 ar. J. 8 WHITE, E. C. SUNDAY, AARCH 24, 1878, In New York on Ssturday greenbacks wére quoted at 98 A curious incident of the McGuarnamAN investigation yesterday was the appesrance of an old Government official, 2 man who has been employed in the Department of Justice since ANpneEw Jacksox's time. It 'was quite an spparition. The eaptick is in Turkey about what the policemsn is' in New York. The Porto re- cently organized & company of zaptieks for the protection of Adrianople, and the fellows Jjust walked through that town in the most approved manner, taking all the jewels and other valusbles that they could lay their horny hands npon. Instand of being unraveled, the tangled skein of European politics seems to daily grow more perplexing under the manipula- tions of diplomatists. The 1st of April is approaching, and it is pretty sure that either GorrscrAROFF or BRacONSFIELD will be badly “fooled,™ slthongh, for obvious ressons, we abstain from mentioning which of the two * statesmen will triumph in the diplomatic game. One of tho most deservedly famous of the Russian Generals is ToprLEBEN, whose seri- «aus illness is sunounced by ceble from St. Petersburg. Although only 60 years of age, ~there are many older commanders in the Russion service,—he has been in ill-bealth ever since the Crimenn war, by reason of wounds received when conduct- ing the defense of Sevastopol. Last sum- mer bis famous enginecring abilities were called into requisition for the reduction of the fortified camp of Plevna, which had re- pulsed the repeated assaults of (he best Russian troops, and his tactics proved to bo eminently successfal. The singular fact has just been bronght to light, in the course of some litigation be-~ tween cortein mill-owners of Wurtemburg, that the Danube River flowing into the Black Sea is rothing more nor less than an afinent of the Rhine, which finds its ontlet in the North Sea. The Danube rises in the Black Forest, about 250 feet sbove Lake Con- slance, and during a part of its earlier course some of the waters escape and form the Aech, which flows into Lake Constance,’ whence the Rlune derives most of its fiood. Xtis to be hoped that his discovery (singu. Iar, by the way, that it has never leaked out before) will not introduce another vexatious factor into the discussions of the appronch- ing Congress. The London Z'imes has at a sufficiently Iate day discovered that the new Province of Bulgaris, as proposed by the treaty of San Stefano, would not be s just territorial ar. rangement, and would not exempt Europe from danger of great future disturbances. The Times complains that the boundarics of i:be_ province would extend beyond the !zmlu within which the Sclav population s preponderant,—a fact which is so ap- Parent as 1o scarcely requite sny ducidafiu;, —oud that the remuning possessions of Tarkey would be reduced to absurdity,—a truth that is equally self-evident. Tt is to bo Tegretted that the Times did not go further, &0d explein the exact bearings of these in. teresting deductions upon the vaunted in- terests of Great Britain, The New York Zribune, which the most offensive and i’nsalentw::o':: g; the Gold Ring in its war upon the West now prints a verdatim repart of STAJV'L!; MuarrEEws' speech in favor of his Pacific Railroad Debt Funding bill, and an editorial spproving it. This is about as shameless & piecs of work as JoY Gour has aver pros- tituted his newspaper to perform. It shows at once the sincerity and the motive of the Tribunc's sititude on the silver question. The editor of the ZTribune picks up and holds on to the argument that *“a bargain is & bargain,” and tries to show that the Afar- TEEws bill contemplates an honorable fulfill- ment of the bargain between the Govern- ment and the Pacific Railroads. In other words, he holds now that it is fair topay a THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: debt to the Government drawing simple in- terest with o sinking fond drawing com. pound interest, although he formerly held that it was frandulent for'the Government to pay its own debts, principal and interest, in the coin which it agreed to psy them in. Mr. Rem must feel his humiliation keenly in making such an argument. By building & railway from Burgas to Jamboli, the Russians are exhibiting a re- marksable degree of acuteness. The distance is only seventy miles, and, by following the valley of the River Urus Kesr, little en- gineering difficulties will .be met with. From Jamboli o branch railroad connects with Adrisnople, thus giving the Russians an easy access to all parts of Bulgaria, with- out having cither to pass Constantinople or to make the difficult march across the Balkans. We trust no citizen will omit to read over carefolly the list of candidates nominated for Aldermen, and that no one will hesitate in making up his mind as to which of the men ought to bo elected. It is not a ques- tion of personal compliment or honors; the benefit and protection of tho city is the end to be attained, and this can only be accomplished by the clioice of the best men, —men whom the voters would employ. to attend to their own private business if they needed the services of persons for that parpose. Newspaper-readers can easily recall to mind the agitation two years ago for the opening of the Philadelphia Exposition on Sundays, and the defeat of the movement. In England there is s still greater pnblic sentiment against Sunday recreation of any kind, although for several years s Sunday Society, under the Presidency of that liberal churchman Dean StaNrey, has been advo- cating the opening of museums on the day of rest. At the anounl meeting of the Society next Friday a new President will be elected, in the person of the Earl of Rose- pERY, whose marriage with Miss RoTas- cmp we have so recently described. The Society is said to bo constently increasing. We do not wish to be understood as op- posed to the High Schools, or desiring in any way to cripple their usefulness. We think they are a valuable addition to the school system. But, if there is to be any closing of the schools, we haveinsisted that the Primary Schools should not be closed in order to keep the High Schools open. Itis under- stood mow that the closing of the school term one week earlier in June, sud opemng the schools one week later in Septomber, will be all the reduction needed in order to bring the expenditures within the limit of the means to meet them. If this can be done without any discrimination against the Primary Schools, and the reduction shall opply to all the schools alike, wo do not un. derstand that any serious loss will happen to the schools. The last week of the year and the first week of the year are probably those during which the schools might be closed with the least injury to the scholars, and that, probably, is the most satisfactory arrangement that can be made to meet the imperative necessity for a reduction. 1t Lias been evident sinca Wednesday that, unless some uaforeseen accident should ‘happen, the international walking match in Agricultural Hall, London, would be won by Daxrer O'Leany, the Chicago champion. Some fears have been expressed that the portisans of the English contestants would attempt foul play in arder to get O'Lrary off the track, as it was known that a large amount of money had been wagered on the match. Such things have been done even in England, whero the people pride themselves upon fair-denling in sporting motters. It will be remembered that in the HEENAN-Sivens prize-fight many years ago, the friends of the British pugilist broke into the ring and saved their favorite from defent. From sll accounts, however, the present in- ternational wnflgnt of brawn hes been conducted fairly, oand the American walker i s well earned the title of the world-champion. It may be added thet the interest felt in this match by Americans is even less than that excited among all clesses of Englishmen, who are as s nation pro- verbially fond of sportin, . The Rev. Joseerr Cook lectured in Wash- ington last Sunday evening before ** sn audi- ence of scholars, preachers, thinkers, nnd lndies, interspersed with members of Con- gress.” Says the report of the lecture : Starting out with the proposition that. if he could make it morally certain that death does not end all. e would thereby removeat] the loical ground upon which the matcnalists of the duy stand. he proceed- ed, by an analyeis of the kcieatific experimentein the rewoval of tlie cerehral bemispheres of animals, to show that the brain was purely matter, and thiat matter, by viriuc of its property of inertia, was incapable of orieinating movement. The great axiom of the materialists that cverything must bave a suflicient_cause is accepted, nnd hence 1t results that un external force to matter muat set it in motion. _Agaiu, the materialista eay that life is the cause of oreanization. Then, 'if iifc is ante- rior to organization, who shall deny that it Is sn sequent to disorzanization? Microcopic examin tion of the biopiasmic ceil gives nosign of organizi tion. yet that it poeseases Tife is unguestioned, Al terialiste admit the zreat puzzle of the co-ordina- tion of bioplasim. whici is chemically identical in the acom. the ez of the bird, the ovum of the anumal, and yet from this absolute identity of the genn is woven the utier diversity of the oak, the eagle. the lion. Aguin. the bone was grosser than the leeh, the fiesh the muscle, the tendon grosser than the nerves, and these iu turn grosser than the nervous influence. Death then may be, and prob- ably s, werely an unfesterinz from the flesh. not a disembodiment. The Jecturer added bis beliet in the existence of conscience as an independent faculty. Revelation ceclures there is a spiritual and 3 nutural body, any thus the vers latest whis- perings of science arc in hurmouy with the old. far- of wiisere of the Bible. Jie presented the subject ina smeularly clear manner. and deserves credit for admitting, und, by inference, defendina, the Droposition that the lugher orders of antinals are immortal. as man. With 1l bis cleutness of etate- ment, however, and logical method of arransze- weut, Mr. CooR presented no ressons, no argu- ment, to prove that deatn does not end all, which baa not occarred, probably, to all his bearer: ‘Wefearthereverendscientist is dealing with dangerous postulates. Leaving what he calls the * whisperiugs of rovelntion ™ out of the argument, the scientific deduction must be that, if death does not end all, it ends none. If “life” is au indestructible essence, against which death cannot prevail, why docs he Timit immortality to the higher order of ani- mals? Animals below the higher order are sentient beings, and possess mental facultios in various degrees of development. They also must have immortal parts. The ant ex- hibits more sagacity, forethought, and rea- son than the whale, and the bee more than the rhinoceros. Shall we draw a line be- tween pechyderms, and let in the sagacious elephant but rule out the Qull hippopotamas ? Sl:lxll ‘we accord immortality to all the monkey tribe and none to the marsupials? Shall :)ha genus canis and felis be saved and the bovines and ovines bo lost? Have silly, timid sheep souls to preserve, while cunm’xx}g', ‘courageous goats have no hereafter? shell the line of demarcation’ bo X:r'na among the species? Mr. Coos will find it more in accordance with Darwinism that the fittest of each sort survives death than that ‘whole species shall endure forever, and other whole species be annihilated. He will have difficulty in proving that all cows and crows have immortal sonls, but that no canary or centipede shall exist hereafter. Who can put his sonibilating finger on the wicked the fien, or desire annihilation for busy bee? If the Rev. Mr. Coox rejects the doctrines of Damwry, of the sarvival of the fittest, and nccepts the teachings of Moses, where does he find immortality promised to any breathing cresture, whether man or ant, whale or wensel ? The “ co-ordination of bioplasm,” whatever that may be, does not solve the great puzzle. Microscopic examination of the bioplasmic cell gives no warrant for be- lieving in apimal existence after the dissolu- tion of the materinl structure. Motion is as old os matter. The particles of matter are never in a state of rest. No man has dis- covered tho secret of life or knows what it is. He can trace it back into the acorn, the egg, or the ovum,—each of which contains the complete tree, bird, fish, or animal in an undeveloped or embryotic state; but that is as far as investigation can pro- ceed by optical and chemical wmeans. Follow out Coox's syllogism to its sequence, that if life is anterior to organization it is therefore subsequent to disorganization, and he proves too much for orthodoxy or any sort of doxy, for this would make all life immortal. And, if that be so, the eggs of all the fish, reptiles, or birds that ever were spawned or lnid also contain undeveloped ‘but indestructible immortal souls, no matter ‘whether they were hatched or not! Where are the souls of the mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and insects that have lived and died? How nro they employed or utilized? Are they transmigrated? The fact is, the reverend gentleman has ventured into water beyond his depth, and, as he is not web- footed or amphibious, he is in danger of drowning if not soon taken out. THE CITY FINANCES, Tho Mayor of Chicago, a few weeks ngo, speaking of the supposed effect of the Su- preme Court’s decision on the subject of an- ticipating the city revenue to meet current expenses, stated that, under the prohibitory copstruetion placed on that decision, he could not purchase $10 worth of lumber to repair a broken - bridge unless he had the cash, and until some revenue was collected there would be no money in the Tressury, and the bridge would have to remain unre. paired. The statement of the Mayor was theoretic- ally true. Under the interpretation claimed for that decision, there was no authority to buy lumber or nails on credit, nor any au- thority to borrow the $10, and, unless some- body should donate the lumber and nails and the labor, the bridge would have to be closed to travel for want of repairs. That was a pretty strong way of putting the case of the city’s embarrassment, if the Court reslly prohibited the city from meeting its current cxpenses by issuing orders payable on de- mand out of the revenue, when collected, from the tax levied to cover the par- ticular expenditure. The condition of the city finnncially, thercfore, is under- stood to bo: That the fiseal year be- gan Jan. 1, 1878; that the appropriations for that year are, in round figures, £4,000,- 000; that only o smeall portion of the revenue from the tax levied, say $600,000, will be collected within the fiseal year; that even eventually not over 85 per cent of the wholo tox will be collected, —therefore the aggregate expenditure must be limited to 85 per cent of the appropriations; that the total cash payments available during the year will not exceed $600,000,and the re- mainder of the city’s expenditures must be tcarried” until some time in September, 1879, when the bulk of the revenue wil be collected. The schools, the police, the Fire Department, and all the other branches of the public service are brought down to the lard-pan condition presented by this strin- gent and impecunious state of affairs, Some weeks ago the Comptroller furnished a statement of tha condition of the funds on deposit in the City Treasury on the Ist of March, aad we invite public attention to the figures end fncts, which ara as follows : General Fund (old) General Fuud, 1876 Geners] Fund, 1777 General Fund, 18 Sewernge Fund, 1876. Sewerage Fund, 187 Sewerage Fund, 1 Sewerage tax, 1873, Sewerage tax, 1677, Schooi Tax Fund, 187 School Tax Fund, 187 ischool Fax Fund, 187 1oard of Works appropriation, 1870, Department of Worke, 1877 ... . Department of Works, 1878. Police rund, 1670..... . Police Fund, 1877 Police Fund, 187 Indebtedness Fand, Indebtedness Fund, 18 Street-Lump Fund, 18 Street-Lamp Fund, Street-Lamp Fond, Pablic Library Fund, Water Tax Fund, 1877 Water Tas Fund, 157 Pablic Building Fund. Canal Redemption Fi Jonuthan Burr Fund Pereonal Redemption Fund . Police Life and Heaith lnvnrance Fund., Benev. Aseo. raid Fire Depsriment Fund Schoot Fund. Total ........ ‘That was the smount of money then on deposit in the City Treesury over and above ontstanding warrants drawn agninst it. This preseuts a somewhat anomalous condition of affpirs, The city has three-fourths of a mill- ion of dollars cash in the Treasury, and is not able to purchase $10 worth of lumber to repair a broken bridge. Here is $725,000 of public moncy lying idle in the . City Treasury, whils tho city employes are not paid, and, unless they can get orders and hove them shaved, must wait eighteen months for their wagés. . There is a law providing penalties against the use, con- version, or loaning of city money, and, therefore, we assume that the City Treasurer has not one dollar of this monoy drawing in- terest for his own profit or the profit of the city. But a City Treasurer less observant of the law and of his sworn obligations might : have an average of $750,000 of public money losned out to all manner of persons and corporations at the market rate for interest, while the city, whose money it is, is cut off from borrowing one dollar of it to meet its own current obli- gations. Taking ot the several items belonging to the Water Department, amounting to about $160,000, there is, perhaps, no part of this whole sum of money that is not under the general control and direction of the Common Gouncil. The cash in the Treasury be- longing to the Building Fund and the Canal Redemption Fand, amounting to $74,000, represents 8 sum now available for construct- ing the City-Hall, and we suppose will be applied to that purpose. While perhaps he Mayor aud Comptroller may feel & del- icacy about using the various balances for these many objects, there is nothing to pre- vent the Common Council, as the Legisla- ture of the city, taking such steps as will J / SUNDAY. MARCH 24, 1878—SIXTEEN PAGES. utilize this half million and mere of city money in meeting current expenses of the city. Thus, the money to the credit of the Board of Public Works under the appropria- tion for 1876 might, under an extreme ne- cessity, be used to purchase lumber and nails to repair a broken bridge, or to repair one of the many impassable street-intersec- tions, which have become not ouly disgrace- ful but dangerous. It may be supposed that, leaving out the ‘Water Fund, the other money in the Treasury represents outstonding ceriificates of old indebtedness, for the payment of which this money may be morally pledged. But this is not the case. 1f this money was applicable to that purpose it would be so applied. These are mainly cash balances of unespend- ed appropriations, and are so much idle money subject tothe general direction of the City Council, and should, if they are not now practically and legally, bo treated as a cosh surplus, subject to general use for city purposes. This large cash deposit in the City Treasury is not accidental or oceasional; it represents probably the average,—a sum which would be gratifying to a City Treasurer who might be disposed to collect a personal revenue from the loanof publicfunds. But our present Treasurer isnot that kind of aman; he doubtless sympathizes deeply with the Mayor and Comptroller because of the embarrassed “condition of the city’s finences, and will be glad to co-operate with the City Council in suy action that body may tako to enable the city to have the use of its own money to carry on its own Goverument and to pay the wages of its own employes. Wa aro not aware that the Treasurer's offico was estab- lished for the benefit, direct or possible, of the Treasurer. If the city be prohibited from creating a debt by borrowing money from A and B to pay its current expenses, we do not understand that it is prohibited from borrowing or using its own money in its own hands, without interest, to pay its own current espenditures, or to earry on the Government until the revenue is collected. With s balance of half a million of city money all the year round in the City Treas- ury (excluding the Water Fund) it does seem absurd that the Comptroller shonld be kiting round talking about certificates. Let every dollar of city money not belonging to the Water Fund be utilized by the city for the city. ‘Tho large balance on hand in the City Treasury is neither useful nor ornamental. Let the city bave the uso of it. Let tho Finance Committee investigate, and recom- mend the needed legislation on this subject. THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET. The good and evil go together in modern improvements, s in everything clse in the world. The credit system brings with it breaches of trust such as were not dreamed of in simpler days; we tzavel in luxurious railway cars at the risk of nameless horrors of desth or mutilation at Ashtabula or Tariffville; our sewers give & new aad ter- rible menning to the old seying that overy house has a skeleton in the closet. When the modern system of drainage wns intro- duced into Glasgow some yenrs 8go its first work was to carry typhoid fever from the slums into the most fashionable street, which ran along o height, till then the healthiest purt of the city. The sewers of Paris have been wonderfully described by Vicron Huco as the entrails of that vast capital, and their arraugement and the management of them malke them admireble agents of the public health. The small, un- lighted, unventilated sewers of Chieago dis- tribute disense instend of removing it. What sewer-gas is and how it affects the health are problems as yet unsolved. The practical measures to be taken to avoid its devastation of life and lealth are simple. Every sonitory engineer bas n different theory to acconnt for the blood-poisoning, the typhoid fever, diphtheris, scarlet’ fever, and otherills that are found to follow seswer- gas. One, who recently lectured in New York, says “the scwer-gas. that kills by giving rise to zymotic diseases, is an organic vapor”; onother writes that the decomposi- tion of sewage develops inimense numbers of the germs the growth of which in the body constitutes zymotic disense. Those who sscribe the bsd effects of imperfect sewerage to the gases genernted do ot agree as to the analysis, or qualities, of these noxious vapors; the **germ ” men have not been able, even with the assistance of TyNDALL, to decide whether each disease has its own germ, how the germs originate or are propagated, how they enter the body of man, or whether they ara ani- mal or vegetable. Worse than all, after the parasite has established itself in a human habitat, and has begun to ent ont the life of the body, tlie doctors cannot agree in their dingnoses or treatment. Obviously, common people, who cannot decide between germs and gases, must protect themselves by pre- ventive measures. Whether the things they drend are cxhalations or * demons flying in the air,” as Prraaconas defined discases two thousand years ago, they must cut them off. Fortunately, hero the authorities ngree bet- ter. Light and air are the great encmies to the fiend of the sewers. If gas, the air dilutes and neutvelizes it; if germ, the oir and hight bring it to rapid matarity and death. Ventilation of the sewers and the house drainnge is recommendad by all experts in senitary engincering. If yon are building a house, carry up your draiu-pipes to the roof; have no closets without side windows oralight and sir shaft. If your house is built and hias nnventilatod sewers and drains, stir yourself, for the skeleton is in the closet, and will walk forth at night to put its fatal arms eround you, or some other one almost as dear, when defenseless in sleep. In such o house a cheap snd ready ventila- tion can be had by running a pipe, like a rain-spout, without curves or traps, from tho sewer up the front of the house to the roof. Any roofer con put ahood on such n pipe that, whichever way the wind may blow, will draw the mir in tho pipe upward. In this way a grest deal can be done to cnrry away the sower-gas with its dendly burden before it enters the house. Another excellent thing to do is to counect the main drain in the cellar with a chimuey that is in constant use, so as to utilize tho upward draft caused by the heat. The traps in gen- cral use in plumbing are—traps, They are adelusion aud o smare. Ko trap has yet been invented that is accepted os o surg pro- tection sgainst sewer.gas. Disinfectants are useful only in emergencies and for certain purposes. The only permanent allies that have yet been secured in this battle for life with an unseen and unknown foe are light and air. It is by these agents that the city is to be protected against its sewers and the house against its drains. In the spring of the year the pressure of gas in the Chicago sewers is so strong that in every part of the city the air-tight covers of the sewers in the streets are seen bulging up, and some- times are forced out. The same pressura that exercises this enormous force is pump- ing poison and disease into every house in the city, through. every wash-basin aud waste-pipe that is not protected by a vent to the outside air. People shut their houses hermetically in winter, receive this deadly incessant stream, and never dream that the deaths from scarlet-fever are anything but the inscrutable dispensations of Him who chastens those He loves. THE SALOON-KEEPER IN POLITICS. ‘We have heard and read mora or less dur- ing the last few years of *The Scholar in Politics,” “Tho Young Man in Poli- tics,” and so om, but therc has been sh gular reticence gbout *The Saloon-Keeper in Polities.” Though neglected in the litera- ture of politics, this same potent and ubiquitous agent has apparently been gain- ing in practicalinfluence in most large cities, and never fails to assert himseif with more or less success during the preliminary and active municipal campaigns. The Saloon- Keeper in Politics rather overreached him- " self in Chicago during the Conviy regime, and suffered from the natural law of reac- tion. At the last two Aldermanic clections, the instinct of self-preservation hes prompt- ed the more responsible property-owners and taxpayersto put forth exceptional efforts against improper influcnces in the choice of Aldermen; but temporary retirement and rest seem to have reinvigorated the bar- tenders, and it is ovident that they are going to put forth desperate efforts to secure tho election of a Council especially favorable to their own interests and to the classes which constitute their main support. We have no special objections to urge ogainst the saloon-keeper per se. It would be unmetropolitan to take broad ground against such a numerous and weil-recognized component of city life. He can scarcely be the subject of panegyric at any time, and there are those to whom he always seems to bo an offensive person. Tre Triztye, how- ever, does not partake of this wholesale dis- like of the saloon-keeper as & class. Though there are numerous cxamples to the con- trary, we can couceive him to be a good citi- zen, an excellent family man, o fast friend, and o responsible person. A man is not necessarily objectionable on geneval prin- ciples becnuse he happens to be a saloon- keeper. But the Saloon-Keeper in Politics is always an undesirable person, and this be- cause he is always determined to subordinate politics to his own business. When a mer- chant makes a choice between candidates for Aldermen in his ward Lo is not guided solely by his busiuess relations with such or such o candidate ; but the Saloon-Keeper in Politics has an eye single to the saloon- interests and to the well-being of thoso who frequent his bar and contribute largely to his till. The Saloon-Keeper in Politics always reflects upon the character of his own busi- ness by advoceting the nomination and elec- tion of a depraved or untrustworthy class, and by fighting all men who lay claim to respectability and responsibility. His influ- ence is far-reaching, for it extends not merely to those who arq embraced in the general designation of ‘‘bummers,” but also to n largo class of reputable business-men and workingmen who frequent saloons -moro or less. Those who sit down to a glass of beer ond a newspaper, those who pick up a little lunch with the accompauiment of a mixed drink, and all who ere in the habit of drop- ping into saloons often, get familiar with the keeper or bar-tender, aro subjected in o greater or less degree to the saloon-influ- ence; and observation shows that this influ- enco is not calcalated Lo improve the charac- ter of city government. Recent ovents in Chicago furnish a war- rant for all we have said. The Saloon-Eeeper in Politics has shown his power by dictating most of the Aldermanic nominations that have been made by the Democrats so far, and most of these nominations are admitted on all sides to be of an objectionable and dangerous ‘character. The list includes sev- eral bar-tenders, whoso occupation and ex- periencs are certainly not the best to consti- tute a proper guardianship for imporiant municipal interests; also - several chronic office-holders and office-scekers who have been accustomed to live for years on places to which little or no salary is attached ; also several others whose names cannot be found in the Directory, who have no visible means of support, and who are not likely to con- cern themselves in the conservation of peaco and property ab the lowest possible cost to the people. The estent to which the Saloon-Keeper in Politics has dic- tated to the locsl Democratic party this year identifies that party with the saloon-interest more closely than ever before, —and that was entirely superfluous. The zesult of electing the Aldermen whose nom- ination has thus been dictated may possibly be favorablo to a greater licenso and better patronngs of the saloons ; but, however de- sirable such a result may be regarded by some persons, it is scarcely so beneficent as to com- pensate for the danger of giving over the City Council to a set of incompatent, igno- rant, and irresponsible men. There was never atime in the political history of Chicago when the property-owner and taxpayer have more need of careful and economical admin- 1stration of municipal affairs than now ; and if the saloon-ksepers persist in using their influence to bring bummers to the front tha business and working classes ought to resist that influence with renswed pertinacity. The Chicago Saloon-Keeper in Politics hag not been satisfied, it seems, with dictating the Aldermanic nominations’ on the Dem- ocratic side, but also desires, with certain characteristic shrewdness, to make the gen- eral sploon-question an issue in the coming city election. To this end, Mr. * Boanrer” MuEsLLER, who appears to be a leader of the faction, caused the Society of the Saloon. Keepers (in Politics) to pass o resolution re- quiriug of every Aldermanic candidate, 05 o condition precedont of their dupport, that he sign o pledge of the following purport : The undersizned hereby declares that he is op- posed to ull so-called temiperance and sumptuary lerrielation, and that, if elected to the Conunon Cuuncil, he will not Tote for any ordinance pro- Biviting' the sale of liguors on Sundays, or to minors. or at any time between the hours of 5. m. and 12 p. m., or for any ordinance which is calcu- Tated to injure the legitimate trafiic in intoxicating liquors. Of coursethis is nothing mora nor less than o trap, the working of which is designed to justify the Saloon-Keeper inPolitics innsing his influence against every respectable man who may consent to Le a candidate for the Council. As a matter of fact, there' is no issue, and can be no issue, about keeping saloons open on Sundays. The sgitation of that question has already done Chicago injury eaough, and no sensible person wants it reopencd. The “pledge” drawn up by the saloon-keepers is intended asa notice that this question will be incidental to the city election, and, if ihey could convince the Germaus and liberal-minded peoplo that this were the fact, there is no doubt but they could gain a more general support for their bummers than they will otherwise be eble todo. But it is nota fact, and the mere say-s0 of the Saloon-Keeper in Politics will not convince snv intellizent person that it is. The present ordinances permit the opening of saloons on Sunday in a decent, inoffensive manner, and nobody is going around complaining of it particulmly. There has not been, and there is no indication any- where that there will be, any movement o pass o Sundsy ordinance. The sale of liquor to minors is an entirely different affair. Such sale is already prohibited by the State law, and the practice itself is one that will not be approved by anybody outside of the saloon-keepers. Judge ModrrisTer, how- ever, found it incumbent upon him to set aside the faulty ordinance adopted to bring this particular phase of the saloon-business under the control of the city authorities, and nothing but prosecution under the statute is nowinorder. TheSaloon-Keeper in Politicsis, therefore, endeavoring to widen hisinfiuence by deception and fraud in the impertinent dictation of a certain pledgo to Aldermanic candidates, and decent and respectable peo- ple should be careful mnot to be misled thereby. — JURY SERVICE. 1t is a very common practice for business men and the * respectable ” classes to in- veigh against laws, courts, and bailiffs for admitting incompetent and irresponsible men upon juries. Justice in the courts, whether criminal or civil, is said to be out of the question, because the character of the aver- age juryisso bad. Yet it is a matter of common notoriety that, whenever a business man is summoned for jury service, he em- ploys every possible expedient, even down to a doctor’s certificate of illness, to get himself out of what he regards 2s a bod scrape. 'The fact is almost universally ignored that thore are duties as well as ben- efits attachod to popular government; thera is great outery when the privileges or ben- efits are impaired, but a common disposition to evade the duties. The most striking instance of resistance to the public duty of serving on the jury that has been reported lately is that of a railroad officer in this city who took upon himself to thresten the discharge of an employe in case the latter should serve on a jury to which he had been summoned. This was, of course, o serious matter to the employe, who repre- sented the situation to Judge Jasmsox, and begged to be oxcused in order to save his place. The Judge told the summoned juror that he would excuse him if he could bring a letter from his superior officer showing that he would be discharged in case he did bis duty as a citizen, and for that reason. The result was the produaction of the follow- ing letter: Jroee JaxesoN—Dear Sir: The bearer, v D clerks in this office, having summoned to ug juryman, I peg leave to that our business id #0 pressing at this Lime that, it he is compelled to serve on the jury, be will lose his position here, a3 our work must be done. wonld, therefore, ask that he be excosed, If con- sistenl. Yoursttuly, D, K. RiopeLy, Azent. Judge JaxEsoN excused Mr. DUwy, as he said Le wounld, but very properly instrncted the bailiffs to summon Mr. RippELL to serve as the next juror that might be needed. This was done, and nobody will feel sorry if said Mr. Riopern be detained a week or two in doing the State some service, nor if he be obliged to carry around the order for his pay some months before he can get it cashed. The only danger is that this Mr. Ripper will still discharge the unfortunate employe whom he proposed to punish for doing his duty; but Mr. Ropery’s good sense williprobably not permit him to exercise his suthority for any such purpose. This case, aside from the gratification it will afford most people to know that a good juror was securéd, is only important as indi- cating the difficulty which the officers of the Inw encounter whenever they endeavor to se- cure the proper kind of men for jury serv- ice. This service is as much of a duty as the payment of taxes, or any other common exaction, in consideration of the protection of Government*and courts, and it is bad citizenship, if not positively immoral, to re- fuse to submit to it, and especially to pre- vent others from serving by intimidstion, threats, or actual penalty. The character of our juries will never improve until business men take a higher view of their own respon- sibility. O'LEAR Chicago is ahead again. Chicago is always ghead. The splendid record that O'Leary hes made in his walk in London is something of which every Chicagoan hasa right to be proud. It has been a great time for the Uniied States and for Chicago, and * a great day for Oireland.” Dasrer O'Leany went over to England without 2ny blowing of trumpets or waving of flags. He did not array ljm- self in the Star-Spangled Banner, like Sergt. Bares, He has not mede a public exhi- bition of himself after the style of WesToN. He left us quietly to take part in a walking- match in which a scoro or more of the best pedestrians in the United Kingdom were his competitors, trusting to his legs rather than his tongmo for success, and he has used them to such good edvantage that to-day the one mname that is blown over the world through the trumpet of fame is OTLeiry. The international wrangle over Turkey pales before the inter- national contest of legs. All London throngs to the arena as the great struggle draws to its close. Even members of Parliament leave their tiresome debates on the Eastern ques- tion to wateh O'Leary and greet him with applause and inspire him to renewed efforts with their enthusissm. Ireland is in a very sunburst of excitement over the achieve- ments of her favorite son, who lhas returned from America to beat the *‘blarsted Brit- isher” on his own soil, and, now that he bas won, will probably clevate him to the peerage by virtue of lus descent from some early Irish King and * the legs ho has uonder him.” The Esstern guestion halts until the match is decided, and Bisumarcs, ANDRASSY, GORTSCHAROFF, SCHOUVALOST, Derny, Disrarur, and STonBERG-WERNIGE- RopE have ceased their squsbble over the Cougressional conditions because their Gov- ernments cannot pay sttention to minor mat- ters uatil this all-absorbing question, in which the whole world is interested, is settled. How sudden are the changes of fortune ! Five little years ago no one knew OLzizy except the servant-maids on his postsl route in this city, to whom ke brought every morn- ing good or bad tidings from sbsent swains. Little they dreamed that O'Leary was to be one of the heroes of the world, the first ques- tion in the morning and the last nt night, the burden of every mewsboy’s yell, and the theme of discussion in every social gather- ing. Little tiey thought of the fame those legs that went plodding along from house to house would achieve. Little e thought, perhaps, that the time would come when his, name would go flashing along the oozy bed of the ocean day after dey, and that two Continents wonld hang upon that one word OLzany. There is uo one who will gnes- tion bis right to his fame. Ho has earn- ed it honestly and legitimately. It is useless to attempt to decry his achievement with the sneer that thisis a mere question of legs, and that the achievements of hig femur, tibis, fibula, tarsus, metaiarsus, pha- langes, ond the musculsr fibres are of that low order that pertain to the brutes. The remorkable victory of OLzamy will not alone be n triumph of legs, but of brain, It will not alone be the result of physical endurance, but of mental and moral endu. rance also. It required courage, patience, will, and intellect,—a mighty concentration of will-power,—upon a certain object ‘to ba attained. If, furtlier, it is thrown out that 21l these qualities were exerted for money, it may be answered that all efforts nre made for money, aud that without the spur of money the world wou!d stand still stagnate, androt. Itisall very well to glorify the victories of,the intellect ; but, if thedollar of our fathers were removed as au inciting cause for effort, intellect would ba about as strong an incentive toaction as a horned frog bottled in alcohol. Money makes the.ipars go, and OLeary go, and the minister, philosopher, poet, end sculptor go. Tha dollar is the hub on which the world re. volves and will continue to revolve until the last man reaches that blessed country where money is everlastingly demonetized, and tho peaceful saints are not distracted with legal tenders, bullion certifieates, outstanding debts, or the balance of trade. We are in. clined, therefore, to congratulate our wiry little O'LEeARY upon the splendid exhibition of Chicago brawn and brain that he hag made, and that he has beaten the Briton in the very class of exercise for which the lat- ter has always been famous; and Chicago will congratulate herself that she is nhead agein as usual, however much it may add to the discomfort of St. Louis and her other suburbs. At the same time, the tension has been so great that we are glad it is remoy- ed, and that we can once more know the exact status of the Enstern question and of the great war which England is now waging against the bold, bad Caffres, as well as have time to clear up the Pacifie Railroad muddle and unsnarl our municipal finances, which have been held in abeyance pending the re. | sult of the great contest in Islington. SoMaster S4:1vEL Cox has been laid across a Congressman’s knee once more and fanned withy an indignant slipper. Mr. FosTER, when speak- ing of that wretched little runt-statesman’s demagogry about the unpaid workingmen in the Brooklyn Navy-Yard, omitted to make 2 voint that he might have made. While Saxiver+ Cox, whose constituents the suffering laborers are not—indeed SAMIVEL himself is, we believe, a carpet-bagrer and a constituent of Mr. Mc- Coox’s—aited some months and then madea superflnons speech to the salleries, Mr. Carr- TENDEN, the Republican Congressinan from Brooklyn, had not only been working with the Appropriations Committee, but had offered himself to edvance the money for paving off the men immediately, discounting the probable action of Congress. That is practical sympathy for the workingman, and eassily to be aistin- guishea from the Democratic counterfeit. Saar- 1ver Cox should hire a ball—or, ag least, a pumpkin-shell. The mystery about that portraic of “Pap” ToAs, which Miss Raxsox wished to lay npon the altarof her country in exchange for a §20,000 appropriation, thickens. It was said that the artist had sold it to a Western connoisseur for $2,590, but cne of her friends contradicted 1his stutement, and declard that Miss Raxsox still valued the picture at $20,000, and hinted that the purchaser who offered her $19,900.99 forit wowd only be wasting his time. And now cometh the Dayton Journal and declareth positively that the painting, as Gen. SHIRMAN can testify, was offerea tothe Army of the Cum- berland at Pittsburg five vears ago. Onthe whole, we do not think that a grateful country had better buy that picture at $20,000 just at present. it A New York paper printed in one issuc last week the death potices of foriy-three people, of whom thirty-seven died at the age of 70 or over. These included one person of 70, one of 3, four of 76, seven of 77, one of T3, two of 79, one of 80, four of 81, two of 82, one of 83, two of &4, one of 85, two of 5, two of 89, one of 90, one of 92, twoot 94, and two of 95, giving an averave of 2} years. Forthe beuefit of dealers in vital statistics who might otherwise be apt to build upon these fizures 1genious theories as to the canses of the ereat duration of life among - habitants of the United Statcs, we may say that these are clearly selected deaths. e The next time Queen VicToR1A takes pot-luck with you, remember that, {f she says “You bet!” whea you say * Beer!" it is not etiquette to sling the schooner direct to her Majests. You must hand it to one of ker Majesty’s ladies in waiting, who will hand it to her Majesty. Lack of acquaintance with this fact has cost one of the Queen’s recent hosts an awful wiggivg, and for some time it was reported that Lord Dexrsy had tendered his resignation. ——————— It has been laid down by a New York patrol- man as sound law that when a patrolman is sit- ting down to bave a quiet chat witha ysung lady friend, and a member of the dangerous classes bids him ‘‘cheese it,” the offender is liable to capital punishmient, unless his skull is unusually thick, in which case he will be let off with severe but not necessarily fatal injuries. ‘The last mails which have swept {rom the South did not bring to our ears any persoual fo- teliizence concerning the Old-Line Whig of whom we heard so much a year ago. Itis to be feared that hie has gone to meet CHARLET Ros3. P We don’t know whether all the missfon of England has been during the recent crisis to ¢~draw and sheathean idle sword,” but certait- 1y she has not been able “to_fool the crowd with glorious lies.” —_—— At Princeton, good Dr. McCosi, When with shot-guns the students go glosh- ing about, says, **O boys. Those guns make too much noise Te ought to swap heads with a squash. It seems 1o us that * Little BiLize? CoAND- LeR should favor the country with bis fourth epistle to the Americans, taking the complet2 returns from New Hampshire as a text. e —— The Eastern War has been a sad and #avage - affair. Except, perhavs, college-life at Prigce tou, we can think of nothing quite so excitioX and disagreeable. —————— PERSONALS. Mrs. Woodhull and her sister, Tennio c. Clatlin, arc to return to Enzland, to reside ther® permanently. Allen S, Barnum, of Baltimore, heard Lst Monday of the death af his brother Theroe 8¢ St. Louis. The same evening bealsodied. . Col. Henderson, Chief of the London Police, has been nmominated by the Queen 333 Enight Commander of the Order of the Dath,—E- C. B., inshort. This Is 2 high honor. Charley Ross’ father is abont to take to the lectare-platform, in the hope that by keepin 07 the interest in his child and describlng fes appear ance he may yet be enabled to discover it Sir George Jessel, the Master of the Rolls, whom un Enzlish lunatic recently tricd to shoot, 1s described a3 one of the most aupopular mea 08 thie Bench, baving an abominable temper sud 33 undue shere of the iusotence of ofice. AL de Lomenic, one of the Forty Immor- tals,—or. rather. of the thirty-eight, because ther® are two vacancies in the French Academy,—53 had to 0 to the south of France to nurse 2 threste entog cold, and is probably followed eazerly VY the earnest wishes of many authors ambirions of 3 Jauteuil for nis—dzath. > There is o good chanta “~come an,” telegraphed one Iriend 1o 5 candidate when one of the Imumortals recently told 3 [ s e e e AR R TR ST LS S R