Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, April 21, 1878, Page 4

.a THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. APRIL % . 1878—SIXTEEN PAGES skill, dividing them equally between compo- agination with jadulterous pabulum, g, e @ribune, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. TY MAIL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID. Datly Editton, one vea 12.00 ) 1 yein ver montli 100 \ one vear.. ar, per mouth, ckly, T'aatzor uv ane capy, per y R o Srecimen copies sent 17ec. Give Post-Qtice address n fall, Includiog State snd County. Tieinftianees may be made cither by draft. Post-Oflice order, o fn registered jetters, at our: TERMS TO CITY SUESCRIBERS. Datly, dclivered, Sunday escepted, 25 cents per week, Tty delfvered, Sucdsy included. 30 ceuts per week Adcres THE TEIBUNE COMPA: Corzer Madison and Dearborn-sts.. Chls Ordersfor the eliveryof "RINUNEat Evanston. Englewood, and lyde Park express, Tisk. TRIBUNE BRANCIH OFFICES. Trik CnicaGo TETRUN has cstabliched branch ofiices gorthe recelptof subscrivtionsand advertisewents as follows: NEW YORK-—Foom 29 Tvibune Bufiding, F. T. Mc- FappEX, Manager. PARIS, France—No. 161ue de la Grange-Datcllere. . MaNLER, Agent. LONDON. Eng.—American Exchange, 449 Strand. Rexey F. GiLL SAX FI SOCIETY MEETINGS. STR KNIGIITS OF CHICAGO COM- inighis Templar.—You are here. rner of Hlsted \lpl’\-\ 1 T;T. g t the Asylum, Tiotifled 0 upyicar o 3 ad JEandolph-sts.. on Sunday: ADFI 2t 1873, 8t 10 8. . sharp in fuil l\,lnll’c!m“lt:"il;cn(fl d!,;\'é?é:g;fl lccz:f West £nd_Opera-Houre. Madison-st.. 3 Teri el TRaap. | Visiting Sir Koigliis und Sir Knfzhts g o us. Gf titier Commanderles Invited 1o SOl ty oo o JAS. E. MEGINN, Recorder. . A, . GEO. A. CUSTER POST, i A TS N eond andiia compimentary therty Tiall, 150 and 182 Twéniy-second-st.. on T o veoming. April 22, - Stisie by Freibers. - All Comrades aud fricnds of shie G . [i- cordiaily tny iied, v rom’ an, InTatuons canbe B VIERLING, Commander. JOHN MORAY, Adjuta: ~Regular Com- * BUTLER CHAPTER. X0.36.0.E. giar Com: unication Wednesday cvening, A _ g‘x:' of Madison und fiobey-sts. * Members of the (,Xllllh 1o arc earncetly requestid 1o be present as there will e work, Members of sieter Cliapters cordially (nvied. Siis. ELIZABETH DUTLER, Wortby Matron. ETTE_CHAPTER. XO. 2. R A. M.—Hall AT R Cuioration Stonday evening, or busiess and work on (e M. and ¥. De’ ¥ tally fovited, | 1ty order o Visttors cordially fuvitedcc By orderof, 1 Erees. E. ¥. TUCKER. Sec. AL CONSISTORY, inthe Council [ ning, April 25 will confer the RD, 33d, 30ch grac i Wi in-cnter. NO. 9. B A. M.—Regu- ening, April 22" Work on W. BAKNARD, H. P. CITAPTE] COTINTRIAN ¥ zfon Monday Iar Convoca:| 1he Mark Degree. By ords APOLLO COMMANDERT. N0. 1, K. T.—There will be no Conclate of (his Commiaidery, ou Tuesday even- ¥ . By of the Com 5 Tig oext, By order of the oom UNLOP, Recorder. SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 1878. In New York oa Saturday greenbacks were worth 993@994 in coin on the dollar. Mutterings are heard in the air af Wash- ington of a genuine big explosion which the TiLpEx managers are preparing as a sequel {o Senator CovkriNg's recent. flash-in-the- prns It is said the House Judiciary Com- mittee have under consideration the ques- tion of reopening the investigation of the Louisinna affair, and the suspicion is sroused that inducements have been held out to one or .more members of the Returning Board tfo confess the infamy which the Democrats charge upon them, and in that confession to implicate friends of the Admivistration. 1t is impossible at present {o determine how much truth there may be in the rumor, but that such a rumor is cur- rent nt all is o significant commentary npon the effect nroduced by the CosELING inter- view,—the effect, indeed, that was intended {o be produced. - While the Tressury Commission is en- gaged in ferreting ont the monstrous frauds of the New York Silk Ring and the bogus iaim business at the East, 8 Custom-House ation is quietly going forward in Chicago which develops some intaresting facts in connection with the construction of ihe new Government building in this city. It appesrs thet MuELier, the stone-con- tractor, is an adept in the art of chiscling, ond that his proficiency in this direction has been applicd to the Government zs well as the Duena Vista blocks. Tpon sixteen chimneys, representing a total cost of about 60,000, he hes chiseled out a clear profit of $40,000; while in ihe matter of the {wenty-four ornnmental nrus be las charged for eleborate carving that never was done, whereby urns costing ) each have been put in and paid for at 325 each.. Thereis o Commission at work on MuELLER's case, that cvidently means to make a thorough job of it. It becomes a question of interest how long the present critical condition of ancer- tainty in and sbout Constantinople can con- tinue withont the occurrence of some acei- dent or incident which will light the torch of war. Kussiawould certuinly prefer peace to war, and the Czar no doubt hopes for good results from the anctive eof- forts of Germmny o smooth the way for the assembly of a Congress; but all this tokes time, and time begins to be an impor- tant featare of the sitnation. The Russian army bas sai downin front of Coustanti- nople, but the military men are growing impatient at the delays etfending peace prelimivaries, angry at the inactivity to which they are doomed, while England proceeds with Ler tremendous prep- ,.ond there is no telling when the military influexce may prove paramount in Russiz’s Cabinet councils, and a coup be cxecuted on the Bosphorus which will put anend to ull hope of peaci. The feeling begins to be uppermost in Europe that what- everis done in the interest of concession and conciliation between England and Russia snust be done quickly, and that the present critical aspect of affairs cannot long con- tinue. If Germany.fail this time, there will be war, and that right quickl; — _ The increase of school facilities is 2 ques- tion which has caused the Board a good deal of tronble, and which, because it has sense- lessly been confounded with other matters, has been unfairly trented. Al the children maust have a good common-school education, In the last mecting of the Board, Inspector Hozz reported that 10,000 additional seats were needed in the primary-schools, In- spector PsussING offered a refolution, which was adopted, declaring thaf; in case the Board .abandoned the practice of renting buildings, and gave a full dsy's instraction in baildings owned by the Gty, the Iatter should furnish, as soon as Bossible, menns to erect buildings for 15,000 pupils. This js mmghm or wrong. The practice of Tenting b.uflflings, about which such an ado is raised, is unobjectionable. Ir: ought to be continued “indefi- nitely, or until the city has caught up arrears in its indebtedness. The fourteen rented buildings cannot be replaced by per. 1nanent school-buildings for less than $250,- 000: perhaps $300,000 would be required. The rent is a positive economy, for the pres- ent at lenst. Particularly so smco gaudy buildings five stories high do not improve the minds or the bodies.of the scholars. Their fathers did well in one-story school- houses built of wood. If the' Board will take hold of this matter in a bnsi- ness-like way snd with a determination to'stop needless expenditures of every kind, and to provide accommodations in primary - echools for every child who wishes to be taught, they will do their whole daty. They shonld not be driven by the clamor or preju- dice’of sclf-appointed critics to make sudden or extensive changes, or, in opposition to reasonablo advice, to persist in errors which have already been pointed out. - The impor- tant things are, first, to make the expenses of the current year come within the appro- printions; secondly, to place the schools on 2 permenent, economical basis ; and, thirdly, to give all the children a good common- school education. The accumulation of facts in the customs- frouds investigation increnses at a rate which more than justifies all that has been said in support of the demand for a thorough clean- ing-out of the New York Custom-House, the seat and centre of the enormous revenue robberies. The Treasury Commission has ascertained beyond question that the prin- cipals in the extended series of bogus-claim swindles just brought to view were assisted and abetted by some of the clerks in the em- ploy of Collector ArTHUR, and evidence is ‘now brought forward showing that the Col- lector himself was strangely, singularly neg- ligent, or dull-witted in dealing with the clamm frauds. His attention being called to circumstances of a suspicious character, he pooh-poohed the theory of dishonesty, dis- couraged an investigation, and expressed the opinion that the best thing for the Treasury to do was to pay the claims immediately. He also refused to take any measures toward the suppression of the frands, and when it was shown to him that clerks were receiving reg- ular fees for their assistance, he not only did not remove, but actually promoted some of the guilty subordinates to higher positions. 1t is evidence such as this that will compel the removal of the present New York officials as ono of the gratifying results of the Inves- tigating Commission’s Inbors. SIX YEARS' TAXES IN SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS. Notwithstanding that the legality of what are called “ city certificates ” has been dis- cussed continnously in this city for several years, there are numerous persous having deep interests at stake who do not yet un- derstand why there should be any contro- versy, nor what the controversy is really about. The City Government is a creation of Inw. It Las but little income or revenus cxcept from taxation imposed by itself. The organ- ization of the Government must of necessity precede ihe exercise of any functions, and, until there has been time enough to make assessments, make appropriations, levy taxes, and collect the same, the Government must esist without any revenue or other means except borrowed money or certificates with which to pay its employes’ and officers salaries, and otherwise execute and perform its functions. It must have Assessors and Tax-Collectors befcre it can have revenue to pay those officers and creditors for their services and supplies. It must havo offices, and stationery, brick, and iron, and building materials, offico furniture, light, 2nd fuel, and all these must be had before, by any legal possibility, it can have the money with which to pay for them. Thus of necessity the City Government from the beginning Les been compelied to incur expenses with- out the casih mezus from collected rovenue to pay them. Under the law as it ex- isted until 1870 the whole proceeding of assessment, appropriation, cxpenditure, and tax-collection was completed within the fiscal 'year ending March 30, and the City Government was at the ciose of each year sub- stantially free’ from all floating debt for the current expenses of that year, aud it began the new fiscal year as it had begun the pre- vions one. Occasionally some der:agogue Magvors and Councils would make a pretense of'€conomy by reducing the tax-levy below the rate necessary to meet the appropriations they made, and then there was a resort to the sale of bonds ‘o fund the deficiency. Donds were also sold to meet the cost of public worke, such as scwers, tunnels, pub- lic buildings. river and canal improvemenis, school-houses, and” other works of that gen- ernl character. In-this way there was a general growth of the city debt; but the cur- rent cxpenditures were usuelly met by the current tuxes, and, the latter being paid within the fiscal year, the City Government began the snceeeding year free from such an incumbrance as ** floating debt.” Then came the fire, and, almost simultane- ously, the change in the Constitution znd the Revenue laws. The Legislature, as part of its mensures of relief to the **city in ashes,” passed a law extending the time for the pay- ment of city taxes on real estate some six months or more; the State Revenue lnw, which followed soon after, made this a per- manent provision, and the City Government, wrhich previously had collected all its taxes within the fiscal year ending March 31, had the fiscal year, for some unwise reason, dated back to Jau. 1. The collection of taxes on real estate was postponed until September following the expiration of the year in which the expenses wers made. Thus ‘the city, instead of having the nssess- ment, appropriation, taxlevy, and tax-col- lections for cach vear all made within tho year, and each year’s business wound up and settled at the close Of each fiscal year, is now compelled o carry on all its depart- ments from Jan. 1 of each year until Sep- tember of the succeeding year, or for twenty- one mouths, without the evenue necessary to defray the expenses which during that long interval must be incurred. Then came the Supreme Court decisions, which, if literally interpreted, mean that, from Jan. 1 in each year until Septem- ber of the succeeding year, the city can incar no liability for the support of its Municipal Government, or for any purpose whatever ; and that, before ewploying a workman, o bridge-tender,. a school-teather, fireman, clerk, or mending a bridge, repairing a sewer, or hiring an ofiice'% between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1878, it mupt wait until it collects the taxes in September, 1679! That is the effect of the judicial decisions, as ?laimud by ‘those persons and presses who insist that it is the duty of the Municipal Government to sbandon its existence and turn over the city to volunteer protection. The City Government, 1n years gone by, oadopted a system of bridging over the inter- \'nl'bf!tween the beginning of each yéar's ex- penditure and the collection of the revenue for that year by issuing vouchers or certifi- cates to thoso rendering servico or furnishing 1naterials to thecity. So long as the revenue was collected within the year, all this paper was F«aken up and paid before the year ex- pired. When the interval was broadened from nine months to twenty-one months, the nse of this kind of paper was necessarily cdontinued, the nmount outstanding equaling the wholo of ono year’s expenditure and nine months of the succceding ye: Then arose two difficulties: 1, an organized effort of tax-skulkers to escape taxation by non-pay- ment on technieal grounds; and, 2, by the ery that the certificates were ¢illegal.” The wform™ of the certifieate was declared to be illegal. Then the form was changed, and, instend of issuing certificates and using (‘he money obtained for them to pay current ex- penses, certificates payable out of the taxes when collected, bearing moderate interest, wers issued. Then it was seid by the tax- skulkers that it was “illegal to pay interest on a debt illegally contracted”; and now thers is to bo another changein the form of the certificato proposed, which new form will not bear interest. All this controversy about the form of the certificate is idle pettifogging ; it is a waste of words, and o mere quibbling evasion of the duty to pay taxes for the support of the City Government. IE tho city have no povi- erto hire aman ot the rate of a dollar or more o day, payable at the end of the month, then it violates the law thirty times a month by incurring a liability—a debl—ench day. 1t cannot change tho fact or thelaw wheth- er the certificate bear interest or not; the form of the certificate is wholly imma- terial, if it be corrcct that the city cannot lawfully hire an officer, or purchaso a foot of lumber or aload of brick, until it has in its Treasury the cash proceeds of a tax lovied for that purpose. We do not believe this to be the law, nor do we think the Court ever intended so to decide ; but the objection to the legality of any certificate on the ground that it represents, or is evidence of, & debt is substantial objection which applies to the certificate itself, and not to the mere form. If the certificates of last year were illegal, then the illegality can not be cured by a change of form or omission of interest. This brings us to the exact condition of af- fairs. % Wo have had seven years and a half of gov- ernment, seven years and a half of expendi- tures, seven yesrs and a half of fire, police, schools, and all other service, and wo have paid but six years' taxes. That is the whole difficulty. The public owe eighteen months’ taxes for services received. The public have had the benefit of seven years and a half government, seven years and s half protec- tion of the police and of the Fire Depart- ment, seven years and a half of the public schools, seven and a half years of the sew- ers, seven ond & half years' use of the deepened caual, seven and a half years' use of the bridges and tunnels, of gas on the streets, nnd of the streots and side- walks, seven and a half years’ city scaveng- ing, of Bridewell for their vagrants, of their Polico Courts, of their parks, seven years and n half of interest on the public debt; and they have paid but six years' tazes. That is the substantial trouble in the case, and it is one which cannot be cured by the issue of certificates, or tax-fighting, or injunc- tions. There ara those who have not paid their taxes for four, five, or six years. But those who have paid have paid but six years’ taxes to cover seven years and a half of municipal expenditure. The man who has occupied a house seven months and a half and has paid but six months’ rent knows that the only way to catch np is topay the rent that is due. Tho only cure of all the “illegality " in the city certificates is to pay the taxes for past expenditures. There are five millions of dollars of unpaid taxes now due; they can beprid auy day ot the Collactor’s office. Every 3100 taxes paid now renders the issno of certificates to that amount unnecessary. ‘The collection of real-estate taxes for 1877 can be made now aund save five months of official floundering with certificates whose legality is questioned. But (his is not all. Citizens must not only pay the taxes of past years, but they must find a way to return to the old practice and the old sys- tew of paying each year's taxes within the year for which thoy were levied. The eighteen-months-after-due form of paymont must be discontinued; the taxes, like rents, must be paid at tho time when they become due ; and then, and not till then, will the city be rescued from its slough of semi-bank- ruptcy and perpetual struggle against tax- fighters and injunctions to carry on a Gov- ernment with serip that furnishes an apology for those public enemies who are laboring to destroy all municipal government and turn over Chicago to the “voluntary” rule of the Communists. THE CITY-HALL CONTRACT. ‘Without dis¢ussing here the relative colors of the Bedford and Lemont stone, and let- ting that question be determined on its merits, there is every indication that the oward of contracts for the work on the city’s portion of the Court-Ilouse has been con- ducted in an honest and judicious manner. The best prima facie evidence of this is to be found in the fact that the contracts aggre- gate only 000, which is less than the cgst of the stone-work alone on the county’s half of the building. This single” statement pointedly illustrates the difference between having the administration of public sffairs in the hands of Louest men, and intrusting them to a Ring. The foundation of the city’s half of the building will not cost much more than one-third as much as the coun- ty’s. Hanus, the county contractor, has al- ready been awarded something like $130,- 000, and demands more, while the city'’s work, covering the same ground, will come within §55,000. Thera is a difference of 100,000 in the masonry, and nearly as much in the iron-work, of the two halves of the building. Altogether, tho conuty building, of precisely the same size and character as the city building, will cost at lenst $600,000 more than the city building, and this differ- ence represents, not any superior mnaterial or workmanship, but excessive profits for contractors, fees for middlemen, and bribes for Commissioners. There is not much reason to wonder that Ep Warxen, the favorite county contractor, should endeavor to use the courts to putn stop to the performance of the city con- {racts. Ep WaLker was naturally excluded from an economical basis of public building. He has not been accustomed to this sort of thing. He is opposed to it. He prefers the County Ring methods. Hence he employs lawyers and puts somebody forward to ask an injunction. The main ground on which an injunction. is asked is that there has only beenan appropriation of $150,000 while the contracts let amount to $674,000, and that these contracts create an indebtedness which is prohibited by the Constitution.. But tho facts are opposed to the theory building-fund, which must be applied on the construction of the Court-House as fast as the taxes aro collected, making in all $750,- 000, or more than the aggregate of the con- tracts that have been let. Even if this were not the case, the courts would probably not confirm Mr. Warxen's theory, since it would then be necessary to tax the people about $750,000 during one year for expenditures that would extend over two or three years in all probability, or else confine the Common Council to the unbusinesslike and extrava- gant system of contracting for such work as tho Court-House by piecemenl. The Council appropriation of 150,000 is probably all that will be expended during the . present year, and the work will no doubt be allowed to go on. Of course, if Mr. WALER or any of tho parties with whom he is interested had secured the stone-contract on the City-Hall at their own terms, they would never have thought of brooking, wuch less asking, an interference on the grounds mentioned. As the stone-work is to be dono at a saving of more than £200,000 from what it would have cost if the WaLken and County-Ring gang had the fixing of the contract, the. people will insist that it shall procced. Tho Com- munistic bhtherskite, FraNk LAWLEE, seems to be tho only member of the Bmlding Com- mitteewho is dissatisfied with the proceeding, and he would very much like to have the con- tract set aside in order to give the McCar- FREY gang of the new Council a hand in the matter, hoping that some of tho county methods might be introduced into the city’s portion. But this is apother excellent reason why the present con- tracts should be sustained. So long as the contractors themselves are will- ing to proceed with the work, knowing that only $150,000 have been appropriated thus far, and that tho city cannot lawfully contract any additional debt, no injustice is done them. They will probably take good care to protect themselves. The opposition, therefore, is simply in the interest of disap- pointed contractors and blackmailers, en- couraged nnd abetted by certain scalawag politicians who would like to assist in the formation of & new ring. EVOLUTION IN PRACTICAL THINGS. Herneer Spexces has applied the theory of Evolution much more widely than Darwiy, with whose name this school of philosophy has been more-conspicuously associated. In aseries of articles in the Popular Science Monthly under the title of * Evolution of Ceremonial Government,” this ingenious and entertaining writer is tracing the genesis of all sorts of things, and following their de- velopment into the conditions in which we find them to-day. The latest number of this series trents of presents and present-making, and the history thereof shows the curious in- fluences this common practice has exercised, and how it has growndinto other practices which would scarcely be recognized as hav- ing originated in the dffering of gifts. Making presents is a custom that is traced back to the earliest ages, and bas been found among all peoples. Mr. SrENCER analyzes the practice into two concomitant influences, viz.: (1) gratification at receiving the worth of the thing given, and (2) the tacit expression of a desire to please, im- plied in the offering. It is from the latter property that gift-making bas grown into a ceremony, and led up to well-defined customs under other names. In some cases, the intrinsic value of the thing given disappears altogether, but the propiti- atory quality remains. Ilustration of this is found in the offerings of worthless things by the Peruvians to a fovorite god, the crosses made of pieces of lath that aro laid at the waysido crucifix in France, and in the stick or stone which a retriever-dog fetches his master when he fails to find a bird. In all these cases there is a common desire to please. It is this desire which originally prompts voluntary offerings, aud from these have grown involuntary offerings that subse- quently assume the character of tribute or taxation. In primitive tribes the Chief must be propitiated, not only by the people at large, but by subordinate Chiefs. Thus do- nations become not only compulsory, but of a varions characten The Chief is not only propitiated by subordinate officials, but the Intter are propitiat- ed by the people who seck their inter- cession. From this may bo traced the origin of bribes, which, instead of being a recent practice born of corruption, 1s really a sur- vival of one of the oldest customs known to man; in this case, however, it can searcely be claimed to be the “survival of the fittest.” So, as involuntary tribute is the outgrowth from gift-making, voluntary gift- making may again be developed from the in- voluntary ; in countries, for instance, wherc tribute has become so oppressive as to ab- sorb the entire substance of the subject, there is n disposition to resort to propitint- ing the Chief by unecxpected presents, in order to save something in the future. In the earlier stages of present-making the donatious were naturally of a kind most cosily obtamed Dby the givers, and tribute was paid in corn, food, horses, cattle, gold, silver, and what not. When currency was introduced, this beecame taxation. Irregu- lar presents developed into regular tribute in the case of towns and com- munities, as well as individuals. In early England, a visit of the monarch to. & town entailed 50 great an expense that ““the passing of the Royal family and Court was viewed as amisfortune.” The originally voluntary gift became an involuntary con- tribution, and this wassoon commuted by the payment of mouey. The fees pnid to Courts are due to the same origin. They began with presents ficsigned to_propitiate those in power, though subordinates. In France, in early times, the Judges received spices from those who won a cause; in the fourteenth century the spices were con- verted into money, and a little Iater on they were recognized as s due. In early Norman times, no step could be taken in a suit with- out paying a fee for the King's writ, which represented what the monarch had once exncted for his judicial interposition. Bracs. sToNE confirms this view by saying that now the Royal writ is .a matter of “common right,” implying that it was formerly o matter of Royal favor procured in the ususal way of propitiation. Salaries have likewise developed from an orign of gift- making. The growth of gift-making into involuntary tribute, under an absolute rule, lends to o universal control of property by the Chief, who in turn finds it necessary to give back to his dependents and assistants a part of his universal acquisition. Thus, in Dahomey, no State functionary is paid, but every dependent must live on the bounty of the King. This was undonbtedly the genesis of the largesses granted in tho Middle Ages, which Mr. WaLker hopes to establish in order that he may defeat the honest and - economical construction of the city building. Besides the £150,000 sppropriated this year, there is a credit of $600,000 to the then of "the Christmas boxes and the New- Year's gratuitics that still romain, and finally of fixed salaries. Gift-making in its relations to religion has a peoulirly interesting history. It began at a time when tho ghost was conceived as the double of the dead man, requiring food and drink. So the early religious offerings were of the same character as the gifts to the liv- ing. Food and drink are left on the graves of the dead by the various Yndian tribes, by the Africans, the ancient Peruviaus, Brozil- jans, otc.; the Esquimsux carry clothes to their dead; and so on. The sacrifices to the gods or to a. Suprome Be- At first ing were of a similar nature. such sncrifices were -made because they were thought to be as useful to the super- netural beings as to living persons; then they becemo symbols of obedience and worship. And as the present to the tem- poral ruler grew into a political revenue, so the present to the supernatural grew into ecclesiastical rovenue., The early ‘“medicine- man,” und afterward the priest, acquired 8 substantial share of the benefit from’the substantial offerings mado to propitinte the idols, gods, or Supreme Being. Among the Kukis the priest eats the fowl offered to pacify an nngry deity; in Sumatra the encrifico to the gods was of the particular animal which the priest happened to desire on that particular day; in Dalomey the offerings are removed by the priest; and s0 1 Polynesia, Pern, and the ancient States of America. Among the Greeks the remains of the sacrifice were the priest's fecs, and among the Hebrews ** that which is left of the meat-offerings shall be Asron’s ond his sons.” From this origin may be traced the maintenance of the clergy, the bequests, and the church revenues. Indeed, Mr. SPENCER would also trace the communion-service of bread and wine to the same source. Barter, and hence commerce, is similarly held to be an outgrowth of gift-making. This began by presents passing botween equals, It was the natural resource for pro- pitiating strangers, and travelers who en- counter savage tribes find no estimate of values among them. A little tobacco or ram offered ns a present frequently secures a re- turn of presents of vastly greater value. Later on, when an idea of relative values is acquired, this practice of reciprocal gift- making grow into barter, and, with a meas- ure of values, barter grew into commerce. ‘The original practice of gift-making is thus Leld to have developed into tribute, taxation, fees, salaries, church revenue, and barter, though these distinct and ordinary practices would rarely be traced so far back. In mak- ing out his case, Mr. SPENCER gives abundant illustrations, drawn from history and travels. THE CINCINNATI FESTIVAL. The time for the Triennial Musical Festi- val at Cincinnati is 50 near at hand, and the Festival itself has attracted so much atten- tion among the musical people of Chicago, that some description of its general scope will be of more than ordinary interest. It is to be noted, in the first instance, that no Festival before in this country has been so handsomely equipped. The preparations have been made upon such a scale as to in- dicate that the two former Festivals were experiments or, we might say, rehearsals, With their results and the great impulse they gave to music in the West the public is familiar. Those results evidently impressed tho people of Cincinnati to such a degree that they deemed nothing too good for the Triennial. They bring toit, first, one of the largest and finest music halls in the world, mainly throngh the public spirit and gener- osity of Mr. BrrixGer, who paid the money and saw his monument built in his lifetime, and thus was surs that his purposes would not be defeated by litigating heirs, and - that his money would not be squandered upon Inwyers. He built the hall, aided by a small subscription, and on the first day of the sile walked up and paid for his seats; and if any person in the groat multitude of listeners will enjoy this Festival and the spectacle of secing other people happy, it will be Mr. SerrxGER. Sccond, by the help of the same public benefactor and other citizens, an or- gon has been provided, which has been built in keeping with the noble structure in which it will have a place. In size it outranks any organ in this couniry, not excepting the great instrument upon which Boston has plumed itself so long, and it is one of the five great organs of the world, ranking with those in the Albert Hall, London; the Chiirch of St. Sulpice, Paris ; the Cathedral at Clm; and St. George's Hall, Liverpool. ‘What its tone will be remains to bo heard. Its case will represent the artistic talent of Cincinnati ladies,—the numerous panels that adorn it being carved in native woods by the lady pupils of the Art-School in that city, and each panel being contributed by the lndy who patiently and skillfully wrought it. The organ, therefore, is not alono interesting for its musical capabilities, but as a souvenir of the fair hands that have toiled to make its exterior artistic and comely. Third, the music that will be performed at this four days’ Festival 15 worthy of the dignity of the occasion. The matinee performances will include pleasing sclections of the popular kind, and yet not one of the numbers is ont of keeping with the unity of the per- formances. The evening concerts will give such great works as HaNDEL's masterpiece, the ‘¢ Messinh”; Liszt’s ¢ Messe Solenelle,” which was written for the thousandth anni- versary of the Cathedral of Gran, in Hun- gery, and has nover yet been heard in this country; the larger part of GLuck's grand opera of *‘Alceste”; the great dramatic setting that Hecror BERLIOZ gave to the story of ‘“Romeo and Juliet”; choruses from the ‘‘Meistersconger,” and a fragment of the Nibelungen Trilogy in selections from the * Gotterdiemmerung " ; the Eroica Sym- phony of BeeTsovEN and the colossal Ninth ; and the Dedication Ode, composed for the oceasion by Otro SINGER, the Kapellmeister, an aoalysis of which has already appeared in our columns. To. interpret this music, the Festival officers have levied wupon the best avnilable talent. The so- pranos are Mme. PAPPENEEDM, the great dramatic prima donns, and Mrs. E. Arse Oscoop, one of the very few American singers who have achieved a great name in Europe, who comes across the water from England to take part in this Festival, and then returns. The altos are Miss Axyie Louise Cary, whose reputation is national, and Miss Esyra Cravenm, of Cineinnati, and Miss Louise. RoLuwacey, of Indianapolis, who are not strangers to the Iyric stage. The tenors are Mr. CHARLES Avaws and MMr, CurisTiaN Fritsch, both of whom are well known in the operatic world. Signor Tacriariera will take the baritone parts, and Mr. Fraxz Ronowerrz and Mr. M. D, ‘WaITNETY, both of whom are known to all concert-goers, the bass. These eminent solists will be backed by a chorus, 800 strong, selected from the Hest material of former Festivals, with the Harmonic Society of Cincinnati as its nucleus, and an orchestra of eighty players, which hes been rehearsing its music for months under Trropore TroMas, who is the central figure of the musical forces, and who has made these matchless progrummes with unusual sitions of the classical and modern schools and the **Music of the Future.” The rapid strides that Cincionati has made in music are clearly shown by the outlines of the Fes- tival that we have indicated. It is not only an ocension of national importance from its dimensions, but it promises to eclipse any other American Festivals that have ever been held, not excepting the venerable and solemn anniversaries and triennials of the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston. In its digni- ty and completeness, and in the severity of purpose with which it has been prepared, it closely resembles the Birmingham and Low- er Rhenish Fests. It is significant that such an oceasion should be celebrated in a West- ern city, and it is a happy city whose citi- zens are public-spirited and liberal enough to contribute the resources necessary for its insuguration. THE UNIVERSITY. OF CHICAGO. The more {avorable auspices under which the University of Chicago is now brought afresh to the notice of our citizens justify its friends in asking at lcast some consideration of the plea made in its behalf. The uufortunate complica- tions which have wrougat such mischief during some years past, to whatever cause due, are Gn- derstood to be now completely out of the way. We learn, upon Bsatisfactory testimony, that there is perfect harmony in the present admio- istration, and a prospect of zratifying improve- ment in all departments of university work. ‘Tus TRIBUNE fs interested in all that con- cerns the welfare, the prosperity, and toc good name of Chicago. To each of these ends per- baps nothing serves more «fficiently than insti- tutions of advanced learning such as it was hoped, at the time of its foundation here, the University of Chicazo would become. Planted witbin the limits of the city, and bearing its name, it is brought into peculiar relations with us, and may be said in some sense to represent us asacity in the department of educational work to which it pelongs. Upon every account, the citizens of Chicago must be Interested in. the question how far they may reasonably hope that this University will be of real service in the work of edutation, and creditably bear the city name. Nor is it too much to say that, if it shall appear tliat the in- stitution comes before them in a way to justliy in these respects their contidence, it should have their cordial and generous support. We raise no question here as to the wisdom orotherwise of placing schools of this grade under the especial care of some denomination of Christians. It may at least be recognized as true that many of our best and most successful collezes and universitics have grown to their present proportions upon a basis of this kind. And therc is some show of reason m what is urged by the friends of this method in education, that institutions are more likely to have the fostering best adapted to their largest growth and usefulness when there is a greater or less num- ber of intelligent and conscientious pco- ple who feel themselves charzed with the administration of thelr affairs. At all events, this plan in building up great schools has been highly successful in other instances, such as Yale, Harvard, and Brown, and there is no good reason why it should not be equally successful in this. Besides, the connection oi the University of Chicago with the Baptist de- nomination does ‘not seem to be of a Dature to justify embarrassmeat or hesi- tation on the part of any onme. By the terms of its charter the President of the University and a majority of us Trustees are to be always Baptists. Beyond this it has no distinctive denominational character. There 15 nothing to hinder the election upon its Facul- ty of a member of any denomiration, or one of no denomination; uothing to suggest any sus- picion as to the existence of sectarian teaching within its walls. The charter provides, upon the contrary, that the tenets of no religious de- nomination shall be taught In it; and it has therefore been from the first understood that no divinity school, of any denomination, could be included among the departments embraced in its orzanism. The Baptist Theological Scin- inary, though for some ycars located near it, was never orzanically a part of it, and never can be. The gentleman recently called to the Presi- dency of the University, Dr. GALUSHA ANDER- sox, needs no introduction to the people of Chnicago. Although his residence amongst us has been' brief, as compared with that of some other of the city pastors, he has fully won his place among the foremost men of our dlergy, and, in proportion as he has become known, has gained the absolute confidence and esteein of all classes of our citizens. His record in his own denomination, both 8s a wminister ond as an educator, isa brilliant one, and in every respect unexceptionable. For some years he Ims been looked to as one of the compara- tively few men suited to fill high and ditlicult posts in educational service, and, when the an- nouncement of his election to this Presidency was made, responses came from all quarters indorsing it as the best possible. Commended thus by his own personal merits, as well as by the unanimous recoguition of those whom he es- pecially represents, Dr. ANDERSON has a pecul- far title to a hearing {rom those whom he may address in behalf of the University, whether in public or in private. Our readers are already informed of the terms made with the Company bolding the mortgages upon the property of the University. A debt of $174,000 is reduced to $100,000. To this a floating debt of $35,000 is to be added, mzking a total of $135,000. The plan of the President and his Finance Commitice—made up of well-known business men of this city—is to raisc as rapidly as possible the sum of $100,000; the firat $100,000 of tais to be used iu paying the mortgage debt. The floating debt is to be provided for in other ways. After the payment of the main debt, all money raised will be de- voted sacredly to the endowment of chairs in the University. It may be that the two aims can be carried on together. There may be those who will pre- fer to give, either money or land, directly for endowment. Some wealthy citizen may find it well worth while to fully endow some one of the Professorships, connecting with it bis own pame. In whatever form it shall be given, there can be no dvubt that the University should now bave theactive and generous co-operation of the {riends of good education in Chicago. ——— ‘The Chicago Zimes is spreading its feathers over an inchoate scandal in Detroit involving the character for continence of the azed Bishop McCoskRy, under whose ministration SToRreY is said to have * worshiped ” while he lived there. He struck the trail one day last week, ran down his old spiritual monitor, and toma- hawked aud scalped him. He devoted the re- mainder of the week to a war-dance over his prelate’s remains, spreading the alleged obscen- ity pretty much over the entire paper, in double-leaded large type, garnished profusely with suggestive disploy headings. By this sys- tem of padding, elongation, and inflation, the scandal was made to monopolize the columus of the concern, until his readers were supplicd with it ad nausearn. The remainder of the Times' space has been chiefly devoted to abuse of the other Chicago papers—Tur TRIBUNE coming in for a liberal share—for not giving it due credit for any reference their columns micht contain to the scancal, and in loud vauntings of its superior enterprise in unearth- ing the lapses of the editor’s old apiritual teacher. The Times lays claim to the “‘exclu- sive proprictorship”yof this particular libid- gained a great repntation for nosing ogg tous histories ol private IMe, and serypy, % 68 up in the styloof the Police Gazette gng Doings. Tuns TRIDUSE has no ,Mw% enter into competition with th Time ™ & sort of journalism; it does not desire g fn 16 1€ 1t could, and it could ot if it woq; matter how hard it might try. Poets Gy, to be born and not made; the conductor gf ¢, Times has certainly 2 genius ang !pfizn;l scandal-mongering that sliows the !akm= 3 agift of nature; he need harbor no ]m‘ 3 feelings against any Chicazo newspy : experience no apprehensions that they wi;? seriously infringe on his patent o iy = domain of dirt. ey ———— Gen. McCreLLA: ce he b rated Govornor of New Jerser, nb::",f,’.."‘;" smoking. - Rezulariy 3t nightfal he sraecn. § masterly flank movement up stairs, fegijge 1. § way cautibusty, and maskine hiz 1dm:fbhu . cloud of skirmishing pretenses that hy LB to write aveto-message; then, atter sy a line of retreat in case his wife (who by L] respect for the curtains) should attemp; ; wd ) upon his uniruarded rear and sever hiscoppr catlons with the ¢izar-bos, he prepares g © upon the cizar. These operations age 5 m_ of asamong the most brilliant concepr military genius that. the world. has pepgrr !t and the plans of them are as comphiatag - of Harper's Bazar pattern-sheets, Jm::,h has surrounded the cizar and eut off s lin ? retreat, and is prepared to bite off its Jofy o It is time to go to bed, and the Little Napgper ¢ takes his little 3D, t0 resume the g next evening. Connoisseurs in tohamm e strategy bave estimated that the cigarwiy o © mellowed by age that it will be one of lheuu» N valuable ané coveted possessions the a;n,,j = will bave to bequeath to his heirs. Aljqu, on the Delaware. e —_—— : Ope of the most important consideratipyjy ;- the selcction of Stone for the new Clyply - the quality of resisting the action of fie. Ty s A E are too many places in the city where the Joliy stone has suffered severciv from this Qans Justafy its use in costly public bulldines, Br the entrance to the LaSallestreet tunnel, whery the flame did not come fu. contact with thy stone, shows how casily the'Tace ot a wall bl ¢ of that material can be destrosed by heat, 11, | hot fire driven westward by the wind weretyce. | cur on the east side of Clark street, appogy . the County Building, what would become of % the finely and expensively carved wprkog i * cast front, especially if it oecame neceseayy, | throw water on the building? . Girgus sona. ¢ thing for the City-Hall that will not erackqr scale off when 50 exoosed, even if the coler [y slightly different from the County Building, ———— Mr. BRYANT takes exercise with tha Infiy clubs and dumb-bells every day before brak. fast, and, when the elevator in the New Yorx ZEvening Fost building is full, skips up theniny flights of stairs that conduct to his offios ity the agility of ar Alpine chamois. We mentim this because n London boulevard weeklyhy just related a touching story of the man wyo had oceasion to call on the proprietor of oue of the new fashionable tenements that are masisy such a sensation in the British Metropolis, ez who, on reaching the top story, inquired, I St. Peter in2" This is a very good story. When we first heard it, it was told of -the asthmatie caller upon Col. GreEN,of the Boston Pod, vy, 5+ after toiling up many aoparcotly interminsbls flichts to the cditor’s room, at last reached tie sky-parlor, and, totterinz in, asped, “ I-fsm Gop—in?” ———— We were in crror yesterday in saymg that ‘ToMLINSON & REED’S bid for Bedfordstons work of the City-Hall was 353,307 lower thu the lowest responsible bid for Lemont stose. ‘We made the statement on the authority of o of the Aldermanic Building Committee; buts subsequent inspection of the bids showstaat, while theirs was the lowest of all the bids, thers were other responsible bidders who offered to do the work with Lemont stone for ncarly the E.% H B same sum,—being only a few thousaod dollrs higher. Our informant misted us bya ms- statement of the facts. —— ** Busted, by thunder!™ saia the editarof a csteemed Democratic contemporary fn toe wilds of Indiana, when the news reached bim. “¥rs. TiLDEN has confessed, and ail the bottom fts about CRoNIN and the Income-Tax willome ¢ out.” And herushed to the telecraphoficr, ¢ and sent 2 dispatci to Mr. HENDRICKS tosy that Mrs. TILDEN'S admissions had put Suear out of the way forever and cver, amen. L —— The Inter-Ocean publishes the following fron its Cleveland correspondent: Your correspondent met McCosknr in Tpper Michigan at the time the Beecnen-Ticros sandl first came out, and the Bishop expressed hisdis- gust at the publication of the staff conwinedinthe Chicazo Thmes. When WiLsck F. Stoney masin Detroit, attending his (McCoskry's) church, be did not consider that he was the man who woald enzage in such publications. Lle and Stosst were grent friends, and never had any secreis fromesch other. On the whole, Mr. BERCHER comes oat shead! No wonder that a reporter found the Revereod gentleman throwing somersaults oo the bd and doing the parallel-bar exercise ot Lo foot- board thereof. “DORY’s got ELiZaBETH back” hie said to himself; *Mrs. Morse is goicg ©0 live with them ”'; and he swallowed haif of3 Jersey-hotel plilow. His exultation maybie been unsceinly, but was not ungatoral. e ——s The BARBARA-FRITCIUE discussion hs come upon us simultancously with the ssieriss strawberry short-cake. The epidemic of 153 broke out in Evansville, Ind., where onalleeed § nepliew of the allexed heroine was the frst v tim. His disease has communicated itsell to the local papers, which are being very geaenllj struck off of the exchange-list by their earaged contemporaries. . ————— A leprous Chinaman is pedaling matches o San Francisco, and the respected citizens of our Occidental Metropolis are indigoant alarmed. Up to the hour of going toprth however, the Jeprous Mr. KEARNEY W5 dling his incendfary. matter in San Fi without let or hindrancg, or any particular mar ifestations of public disapproval. e —ea———— O T Precisely what is th be gained, either b HexRY WARD BeEcHER or TeopoRE Titoh by a reopening of the Great Scandal, it 13 tosee. The lecture-scason is pearly oven both gentlemen are said to have beea dramiis full houses without any resort to special adver tising. T A S L 5 5 S S5 S S § rep— The Hespricks Democrat who stole Mt TrLpEN's overcoat bas been convicted by 8 NC¥ York court. Sentence has been deferred, iatbe hope that, to secure his hiberty, he will sgree 10 get elected to the Legislature this fall, introduce the BLAIR resolutions iato that badl: ——— There are those who insist that it is 1ot mX: 1y important that the Republican party 8200 sphit itself wide open in getting up s platiorn on which to go into this fall’s clections,—3% the Democrats are left alune, they wil 264 up the best platform the world ever saw. il STy oty When Gronce, the Count Joaxxz3, Is biled to play In a town, peanuts and oranges§Y "3 2nd everrbody tries to zet chanze tur:am:x A in péonies. After the performance they up the fragments, twelve baskets full. e ————— The American public, risiog {n its mizhk I quests-everyhody who knows apything abol the Plymouth Scandal to shoot off bis o mouth fnto a phonozraph, aud then stick * potato on the nozzle of the machize. inous morsel, and asserts o patent on all this description of news. As far as Taz TRIBUNE {5 concerned, it docs not pretend to compete with the Times as the champion scandal-monger of the press, or as a purveyor of lascivious accounts of erotic experiences; it has small ambition in that di- rection. The Zimes has long since estabiished its clalms to undisputed superiority in pander- ing to the morbid curiosity and vile appetites that revel in sexual scandals, and fced the im- iz s In the Tall-Tower gin-mill, in New York ‘z proprictors, secing that the chromo-busiess = played out, give a year’s subscription 80 JAT GOULD organ and an Unabridged Dictio®” ary with every drink. e ————— % The Zimes continues to insist that TaB T85> uNE borrowed, without credit, the follovi2% words from its report of one of Bishop % CoskrY’s love-letters: “He wishes be Y