Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 29, 1878, Page 4

4 THE CHICAGD . TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 29, 1878—SIXTEEN PAGES- The Tribwe, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. (Y MAIL—IN ADVAN( STAGE. PRZPAIuD. 1536 2.5 2. 1.50 .00 11.00 Spectmen coj Glve Post-Oflice address fu fuil, including State and County. Ecmittances may bemade elther by draft, express 1 osi-Cfice order, or {n regietered letter., atous gk, ., TERNS TO CITY SUDSCRIGERS. Teiiy, delivercd, Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week. Zially, delivered, Sunday included, 30 cents per week. Acdress TUE TKIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madison and Dearborn-sis... Chicago, 1. Oréérs for the delivery of THE TUIBTNE at Evanstou, ¥nglewood, and Dyde Pars eft fa the counting-room willreccive Jromptatienton. BRANCHE O¥FICES. TRIBUN TnE CNICAGD TRIDENE hiss established branch oftices «rhereceipt of subscriptions aud advertiscients a3 A TORK—Room 20 Tritune Bulldfag. F.T.Me- Manager. ¥rance—No. 10 Ituc de 1a Graage-Batellere. 1 ManLre, Agent. LOSDOY, Eng.—American Exchauge, 449 Strand. GILLLIG, AFent. - CISCO. Cal. —Palace otel SOCIETY MEETT UNION PARK LODGE. NO. 610, A. F. & A, M.— P e e D Ba ba1 West i 1t Sheir IHall, os. o u:m i‘:fon&r,&"fi"?lhll’r: 2, at 7:30 o'clotk. 1 v in o e e O BEeMER, Sceretars. G RLAIR LODGE, NO. 303, A. F. &AM Commaniestion Monday evenlng. Dee. 0. wasons’ “nlll.\. 76 Manmgl-ni ‘]H!KIZ}'IIU%RY :J)‘l:dr\:fific". ¥ s are cordiatiy fnvited. ¢ Vsl brathers are con g O W C. W. O'DUNNELL, Secretary. ~Regular al Free- S LAER GRAXD LOLGE OF PERFEC- TLON-WIiL bold a rogular Assembly on Thursday cven- ets.. By o HUB Dot 10 DU MO E, T P.%.G. oM. ED GOODALE, Grand ecretary. VAN RE: SSPERTA LODGE. N0, 411, A. F. & A. M.—The ke DA Toseos notlied th itcr] 3 TeEuIAr Cam: Thunicalo of the Lode o1 the ususl piace of mectiug o Wednesday e\'uglllxfl. .hn.g}; l:m fi{v g:aln?;y‘!’ik; ¥ . riaut business. Short session. y 2 S Important BusliR O AVERT, WAL €. 11, BRADLEY, Secretary. e BOX-MAKE] AXD SAWTYEI UNION—~There wiil be a wmeeling Studay, Dee. t 2 c'clock p. m.. i Dt o frponaase 10 be (ANASea, By ? friporiase K i, Dustaess of Baportance g b SN T EE: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 187S. THE TRIBUNE'S ANNUAL REVIEW. Inits dssue of Jan. 1, 1872, Tur TRinUNE will ‘Drint its regulr Anoual Review of the Trade and Commerce of Chicazo for the year ending Dec. 31, 1876, 1o wilch will e preserved the features of acenrsey aud comprehensiveness which have here- tofore characterized this valuzble compendinm. In anticipation of e large demand for extra coples invangbly attending the poblication of TaE TRIRTNE's Review, arrangements will be made for prirting an unaspally large cdition of the paper of tkat date, and advertisers will perceive the ad- vatuage of arranging for space at as early o date as vossible. Gold and greenbacks are still on equal ferms. ‘ Washington gossips have now put Secre- fary SHERMAY on the Presidential track. He must, they say, however, first be elected rnor of Olio, and then once more be r before he can be considered as eutizely available. The National Executive Committee of the Sociatist-Labor party bas issued an address to the working people, in which the action of the Gennan Government in its deslings with the Socialists in that country isstrongly condeinnod, and the workingmen ell over the United States are called upon to testify in public meetings to be held for the par- pose. their approval of the sentiments em-' Lodied in the address. ' Negotintions between the Russian and ish Governments ‘relative to the pro- " definitive treaty are said to be rapidly ng shepe. Russia, although she will nl- ately insist upon indemnity, will not press her demands in the present financial conditionof the Turkish Empire, but will rest { conten$ with the promise of the Ports to -scttle its war obligations at some future . time. The signing of "the treaty will be the sigoal for the complete withdrawal of the Russian troops from the Turkish territory now. occupied by them. . Ricaanps, the sclf-confessed author of the Hlazpersox massacre and other butcheries, was trausported yesterday to Kearney. Buf- felo County, Neb., the scene of his greatest cxploits, where it is said Le will be im- prisoned until his - trinl. Tho dis- patch sigmficantly 2dds that there is no jail© in Kearney County, so it is liguly probable that the .wretch will Leve his {rinl and punishment all in ore dose.- This is no more than he anticipates, and there will hardly be 8 murmur should he Ve summarily hung up to the nearest tree by an indignant crowd who have undoubtedly been forewarned of his approach. To show to what straits the Democrats have arrived, it is staled that tho leading lights of that party have determined that, in order o offset any disagreeable resulis of the Southern election investigation, it wili Tiecome absolutely vecessary to prove that the bnlidozer was abroad in Massachusetts at the last election, and that the world may be assured that the voters in that Stata were . thamefully intimidated, the files of the Bos- ton Globe, Mr. Dexrawy Borren’s veracious sheet, will be prodaced and quoted from ad Ubitum. Ttishardly, to be supposed, how- ever, that the people of the Old Bay State, who treated the Essex member so unkindly at the polls, will be very deeply impressed tiy uny extracts from his personal organ, or that the Congressional Comuiittee, if one be sent to that- State, will pick up evidence taugible enough to hang.a cas: The case of AMrs. Opark and St. Peres, in this city, and the case of Mrs. Mack and Dicrypsox, at Janesville, Wis., had many points in common. The parties are all rela- tively nbout the same age,—the women in ench case being older than their alleged par- suours. The women had each threo chil- dren, and both Sr. Perer and Dicxensox were hired men, working in. the employ of 1ize myrderéd husbands. Both crimes were comimitted about the same timé, tho two trials were in progress at the same tiume, the circumstances ‘surrounding the ‘two cases were very similar ‘in_all their ‘aspeets, and pointed strongly (confessed in the AeE case by Dicxensox himself) to improper. zelations Letween the men and the women as the in- spiring causa'of the murders: Both trials “were protracted to very great length ; but at this point they begin to differ; *In the Macx trial, Dicxensos went back on Mrs. Macs, turned Statcs evidence, and related | Lis wholo experience with Mrs. Mack with uublushing effrontery and disgusting par- tieularity. To . all ~ond . singular of this debased’:brite’ and cowerd’s state- ments Mrs, Mack entered her solemn denial ander oath; but the jury found her guilty, and the Court hns seitenced her to the Penitentiary for life—as. there 18 no hanging in Wisconsin, DickepsoN, who is yet to be tried, denies hoving had anything to do with the killing. of Mack, but con- fesses that he nided her in placing the body iu the barn under tlie horse’s feet. A more dastardly and contemptible scamp than Dicxensoy swears ho is cannot be fourd on the face of the earth. In the Crark case there was no turning State’s evidence,—the two alleged culpnts hanging together from first folast,—and the resulf is the acquittalof Loth of the nccused. Whether the absence of o law inflicting capital punishment in Wisconsin had any influence on the jury at Janesville in finding Ars. Mack guilty, or whether the fact that the gallows are still in vogue in Ilinois had anything to do with freding Mrs. Cranx and the man arraigned with her; is.a matter that is left for the speculation of the reader. The case of Mrs. Mack was no doubt greatly damaged by the sudden retirement of her senior counsel, the Hon. Jonx Wrxaxs, whose wife died sudden- ly of heart-disease just as he was about to open hés'nrgument. The proceeding of a temiperance reformer in the City of Cleveland, O., who has just come to grief, reminds us of Mme. Roraxp’s famons lament, which may be parodied into, ¢ O Temperance, what meannesses are com- mitted in” thy name!” A young lawyer of the name of Excer undertook to ferret out transgressors of the State law prohibiting the consumption of liquor upon the premises. In pursuance of this pious endeavor he employ- ed aset of saloon-bummers to seduce the hotel-keepers. into selling drinks on the sly, and then sought to compromise with tha de- linquents for a price considerably less than the penalty imposed by the law, The Court of Common Pleas promptly rebuked the young man for this crooked.method of teach- ing red-ribbonism by disbarring him. M. Eacer may bea clever member of the bar, but he is probably in kis proper vocation on the side of ihe bar where all the stealing is dene. . WHY HE WOULD NOT DO IT. Mr. C. B. FarwELL, finding that four Dem- ocrats wanted to vote for him for United States Senator two years ago, laid the state of the case before his friend, Jonx A. Loaax, who had failed to obtain the requisite num. berof votes. The first proposition made by Farwern was that Locay should use his in- fluence to get the Republican members to support him (Famwerr). This Locay de- clined to do for his “‘friend.” FirweLn then offered to resign at any time before the Legislature adjourned if enough Independ- ents to elect would in the meanwhile ckange | their minds and agree to vote for Logax for Senator. Then, in his anxioty to save the Senatorship to the Ropublicans, he made a third proposition: ¢ that, if he (Farwerr) were elected, Le would resign after tho ndjournment of the Legislature, and let the Governor fill the vacancy for two -years by appointing ILocaw, leaving him and OcLespy both to canvass the State in 1873 as candidates to be their own successors.” TrE Trrsuse simply re- portérl Mr. Faewerr's statement. There- upon the JTnter-Oceen rushes forward with uplifted hands, and eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, and screams out, ‘“‘Do you think FaArwELL's propositions to Locay were hon- est and commendable "? For the purpose of allaying its excitement and calming its nerves Tae TRIBUNE quietly remarked : The offer to resign §0' thst Gen. LocAN might be appomted by the Governor was cortainly on Aci of friendship which cannot be denounced as im- morai by tne frierds of the ex-Semator. THE TrBsUSE is asked further whether the offer was onc that Gen. LoGax should have accepred and acted upon. As the offer was declined by the person to whom it is made, it follows that he did not think it shonld be accepted. FaRWELL could have been elected, however, on the other propo- kition, of resigning in care cnough Independents signified subsequentiy a derire to vote for LocAN; or he could have been_elected without conditions of any kindif LocAx had given his consent. The 1.-0. professes not to be satisfied, and replies: We aze free to say that we cannot indorse it. We are glad to know that one who has becn contempt- wously termed 3 ** machins politician*” indiznantly spurned it. We rejoice in the belief that, bad_as politicians are, there .cannot be found another promineni pablic man in the Union who will dare to come out and pablicly defend such un act of dis- bonor. But Mr. MepiLy indorses it, aud, as we said, that interrogatory s answered. The Bloomington Pantagraph, discussing the same subject, says: FARWELL €158 that LocAN's answer was, T ‘won't doit.” If eo, it was every way creditabie to Locax, whether considered as tho revolt of an hon- cst man against 8 plot full of clumsy treachery (tho baseness of which FARWELL scems quite inca- pable of seeing). oras the refasal of a sensible fly 1o walk into a pider’s web on the faith of the spi- der's promise to let him out agaln presently. ‘Whilé in no wise doubting the delicacy of feeling and eclevated sense of honor which suggested this refusal to accept the offer, common justicz to all parties requires that the exact language of the refusal should be given, which was, as Mr. Farwern relates it: *“Noj if that is done, it will provoke an investigation. That is hardly safe.” Pru- dence and safety are by no means incon- sistent with high sense of honor and delicacy of sentiment. Judge Divis was elected Senator. It may not be impertinent to cnll atten- tion to the manner in which FARwELL was treated by the-man whom he, according to these papers, had tried to inveigle intoa plot or scheme o disreputable that Gen. Locaw's personal honmor instantly took affront. Let Br. Farwers tell the rest of his story in his own words: T received a note from him [Loaax], which I have now, thanking me for my efforts in his bebalf, and asking me to co“to Washimgton and ask HAYES to make him Secretary of War. And FrANK PALMER lme Chicazo Postmaster] asked me to get WiLLIAX Iosny SiTix to write aletter to HAYEs to make Losax Collector of Customs. I saw Mr. Swrra, sad the letter avas written. The result was the offer of the Brazilian Mission. The perfidions demon who had tried by perfidions menns to elect a Republican Sena- tor by a Legislature that was anti-Repub- lican, and whose nefarious scheme had pro- voked such an indignant and annihilating rebuke, -is ““thanked” for his labors, and, despite Lis *infamy,” is requested to go to Washington and labor with Mr, Haves to have his friend mede Secretary of War! Could oviraged virtue ask more than. this? Then, too, ccmes the worthy Postmaster of Chieago, keenly resenting the outrage at- tempted by FARWELL ot Springfield, bitterly lamenting the decay of politics, which had emboldened Farwers to give such mortal offense a5 fo propose a scheme that might not be ““safe,” and that might ‘“lead to an investigation,” and asks the **bafiled villsin" to ask WiLrra Hexey Syrrr to importane the President to appoint his outraged friend Collector of Chicago Customs! And Fan- ‘wELL asked the President, but he had already selected a Secretary of War, and therefore offered Locax the Ministership- to Brazil as the best thing at his disposal at the time. It will be seen, therefore, how the offense of Fanwery, in offering to have a Republican Senator elected by the aid of Democratic votes, completely cut him of from all farther friendship or recognition by the man whom' he vainly sttempted to enlist in scheme which might have led to investiga- tion, and was not safe. \ THE CITY-HALL AND COURT-HOUSE. { There now seems to be a better disposi- tion among the city and county officials than has prevailed heretofore to agree upon some common and harmonious design for con- necting the Court-House and Oity-Hall The conference between the Commissioners and Aldermen, at whkich Architects Ecix and CrEavenasp assisted, resulted in an instruction to these gentlemen to prepare o design for connecting arches on Randolph and Washington streets, for leaving cff the fourth story over the arch and the balustrade on the roof, and for completing the one story of the abaudoned dome. It was understood from ihe comments that were made that Mr. Ecax, on the part of the county, and Mr. CLEAVELAND, on the part of the city, will have mo difficulty in agreeing, and that their nctions will bo governed by a consideration of economy which, it is now believed, exercises the . principal influence in Doth the County Board and the City Council. It is pro- posed to construct the connecting arches with & imaferial differing from both the Lemont and Bedford stoue, on the theory that the two buildings can be harmonized the better in that way. As to the central connection} where the dome was started by the county, it may be completed by build- ing one side of Lemont and the other of Bedford stone, as only one side can be seen at the same time, so that the work may be equally divided between the city and county on the basis which each has adopted. The plan favored for the rotunda was to make the first story a large hall. or common meet- ing-place, with a covered hallway extending ecross the roof and connecting the third stories of the two buildings. A considerable sum of money may be saved to both {he city and county—and both include pretty much the same taxpayers—by leaving off tho proposed story above the arches and the balustrade, and by substituting columns for the caryatides. The caryatides are ornamentzl figures in Greek architecture which support the entablatures in place of columns; the name is derived from the priestesses in the Temple of Diana in a city called Carywm, in Laconia, and they are prop- erly female figures, The substitution of columns for such figures will not only be cheaper, but probsbly more in keeping with the general design of the two buildings. The entire omission of the balustrade is also very desirable. It is a trifling affeir as com- pared with its cost, and it is of no practieal use inaclimate like ours. Altogether the structure will be at once improved and cheapened by the changes that have been soggested. It only remains now for Messrs. Eaax and CreavELAND to agree upon the plans and specifications for the proposed slterations, followed by the approval of the County Board and City Council, to terminato all differences between the two official bodies that rule over virtually the same people and administer the same interests. An agree- ment upon these or any other changes would have been dangerous business during the lifo of the old County Board, for they would have furnished a pretext for “ extras ” which would have been so well improved as to turn a proposed saving into an additional expense. But thero is reason to Lope that the County Board as at present counstituted will defeat any scheme of that kind. The Board has. the proper ruthority for ordering all modiSi- cations, and for determining the cost thereof, and those which bave been suggested ought to save money on both buildings, and at the same time improve the general effect of their being combined into one. A NEW DEPARTURE IN OCEAN FREIGHTS. Mr. Vaspersit has made n commercial advance which is gigantic evenin its present proportions, and which promises to be revo- lutionary in its futurc progress. The carry- ing trade between the United Stetesand other countries has passed almost exclusively into the hands of foreign vessel-owners. The bulk and the value of American exporis have been incressing anpually for n number of years. ‘So large and so profitable has been the carrying business that stenmers have re- pentedly arrived in this country in ballast, or with little freight, depending on taking back a cargo profitable enough to pay for both ways. The merchants of the United states have vainly appealed to Congress for yoars to so change the revenue and naviga- tion laws that American steamers might e built in this country for the foreign trade, or that American merchants might be permitted to purchase fcreign-built vessels, and have them registered as American steamers. ‘Vaxpeeprur has settled the question to a large estent. The companies he represents have built 8 number of elevators in New York so located that steamers may run along- side and take in cargoes of grain at littlo ex- pense for handling, and relieved of all the scandalous and excessive charges which hava prevailed so long in New York Harbor. He has secured in Europe no less than fourtoen screw-steamships of 2,000 tons each, {0 run in conuection with the New York Central Railroad and its branches, to carry freight exclusively. These steamers are to run be- tween New York and Liverpool, Havre, ‘Hamburg, Antwerp, and wherever else thero may be business offered. These fourteen | steamers arc but the beginding. The num- ber can be increased indefinitely as the busi- ness may demand. 'To all practical intents and purposes, they will be American vessels, owned and controlled by American citizens, carrying American exports, and generally engaged in the American trade. - But, under our law, they will not carry the American flag, nor will they have American papers. This line of steamers will be exclusively for carrying merchandise. One of them will leave New York every two or three days, and every steamer will be furnished any deficien- ¢y in 8 full Ioad from the grain elevators of the VaxpEnsIzT reilvoad lines. This enterprise will enable the New York Central Railrond to command the entire transportation from the West intended for export. Shippers of breadstuffs and pro- visions in Chieago will be nble’ to .aake con- tracts here with the VaypERBILT lines for transportation to Great Britain, France, Ger- many, or to the Dutch ports, with the same facility that they can contract from one do- mestic point to another. The trans. portation will he continuous, . from the Western city to the stenmer, and thence to the European destination. The contracts will be for through freights, in- cluding rail and steamer, or lake. rail, and ocenn steamer. Provided with these facili- ties it is not unreasonable to expect that the Vasperpiir lines will be able to defy all competition in the matter of shipments from the West for exportation. This large line of fourteen steamers, capable of being increased indefinitely, will ecable ‘New York to com: mand all the foreign trade in Western prod- ucts which now findsits way to other At- | lantic cities. Simultaneously with this an- nouncemeht of VixprepiLr's scheme there comes from Boston the following: . Bostox, Dec. 28, —The announcement from New York that WiLriay . VAxpEmniLt has mnade arrangements for lines of transatlautic stewmers between New York znd Livervool, and New York and Havre, and Ilamburg, and Bremen, comes at the eame time with the news from Eurone that the grent English louse of Bswixe Bros. & Co. has iude eimilar Arransements for a line of fourteen steamers velween this city and Liverpool and Lon- don. "Mlicy will be used for freizht and for carry- ing cattle. Bheep, and hogs, and will be fitted up with all ‘the nlodern ampruvements, They wiil take grain_direct from stationary or floating ele- vators, und will thus reduce the handlinig of that product to a minimum. They wiil #lso take cattle direct from the railway cars, which will be run out upon the wharves . which the vessels land. We are now shipping from here oy seversi lmes of steamers an unusually large quantity of Western vroducts of all kinds, ‘Whether the two announcements‘relate to the same thing really, or refer to independ- ent lines of steamships,—one fron: Boston and tho other from New York,—will soon bs minde - known. Tho New-York line is an ascertained fact, and if the other bealso a reality, so much the better for the country. The addition of twenty-eight ocean steam- ships to the ocesn trade—these stenmships rmnuing in close and direct connection with trunk lines of railway—opens up a future of cheap transportation of which the world lias not before dremmned. The days of infia- tion have passed away. Small mietters have essumed great importance, 'The saving of Lalf 2 cent o yard in the manufectura of cotton cloth may command the cotton market of the world; the saving of afew pennies per ton in the cost of transportation mny direct and control the trado of thoocean. In tho grand competition of industry saving in cost is to decide the issuc. He who can produce and deliver at the least cost will overcoms all rivalry. The saving in the cost of ocean as well as domestic transportation ndds to the strength of the American people in rotaining and controlling the markets’for all the great food commodities, and will add to the value of such commodities in the hends of the producer. How far Balti- more, Montreal, and Philadelphin will, be nble to compete with these new and large lines of ocean transportation has yet to be determined. The addition of twenty-eight ocenn steamers to the great commercial steam fleets now: doing business in "the At- lantic ports can have but one effect. Run- ning vessels empty iz not a profitable busi-- ness, and the inevitable competition for the freights hence must end in such a reduction of rates as will give to the great producing West a promise of prosperity far exceeding all pn}vinns expeetations. In the face of the fact that these twenty- eight steamers will' be practically American in all their essentinls, and possibly be owned substantially by Americans, the humiliating spectacle remains of having them bear the British flag, and registered as British ships, If the antiquated navigation laws, which are relics of ignorance and stupidity, long since abandoned everywhere except in Spain, were abolished, all these steamers, and as many others, would be entered as American'vessels, snd, bearing the American flag, would do the carrying trade of the American people. It. is a singular commentary on our nationdl in- telligence that American merchants are com- pelled, in order to carry on a trade in Ameri- can products, to put their ships under foreign flags, and have them protected by foreign registers. A GERMAN WARKING TO SWITZERLAND. A most significant warning has been con- veyed to the Swiss Government, through the German Minister to that Republic, relating to the political -intmunity Which Socialistic refugees front Germitny enjoy there, and the. large degree of liberty accorded to them in publishing and circilating Communistic lit- erature of the most ‘dargerous kind. Some of their papers have. commended the recent sttempts to assassinate the sovereiggs of Ttaly, Spain, and Germany, and openly ad- vocate the continuance of this vengeful and Dloody business. All the prominent Swiss cities swarm with French Communists, Ger- man Socialists, Russian Nihilists, and Italian Radicals, who flock thither because Switzer- land imposes no restrictions upon ther. ‘There is no State in Euvope where they can enjoy such license, and they improve it to such an extent thal they are often a_ source of annoyance to the Swiss themselves, These annoyances, supplemented by the emphatic remonstrances of the German Government, have aroused the attention of the Swiss au- thorities, and it is hinted by the Government organs that the Federal Conncil. will be re- quested to introduce Anti-Socialist bills cov- ering tlic exigeneies of the situntion into the two Chambers of the Federal Legislature. The Pall-Mall Gazetle, however, intimates that if such bills are introduced they will greatly perplex that body, for this reason : The authorities of Switzerland have no more power to interfere with the freedom of the press than the authorities of the United States. The cantons are not only soverally freo as regards domestic legislation, but they are 5o jealous of dictation from the Federal Assembly that they incorporated in the new Constitution a provision which*acts as a check upon it by empowering any 30,000 citizens, or any eight Grand Councils of can- tons, to refer a Federal bill to a national ple- Discitum. If the Anti-Socialist bills, therc- fore, are introduced, as Germany desires, it is absolutely certain that they will be taken out of the Federal jurisdiction and referred to the people at large. What the result of the plebiscitum would be it is impossible to say with certainty, but it is the opinion of the English press that any measure interfer- ing with the freedom of the press or of pub- lic meeting would be promptly condemned by the majority of the Swiss people. The danger to Switzerland from such a condemnation, however, is of an alarming character. A refusal to comply with this request wouid properly be construed as au act of Lostility to the German Government, for it is useless to deny that the presence of theso Socialists in Switzerland, with no re- straint upon their folly and madness, is menacing 1o the peace of the adjoining States, and that the incendiary’ documents and journals which they circulate are dan- gerous stulf to place in the hands of ignorant perscus. Nor are France on the one hand and Italy on the other any more likely to regard the operntions of theso firebrands with more complacency than Germany. The pence of the one is us much endangered as that of the others. - Hence is is not sur- prising that the DBerliner Post, which speaks with authority, being sn orgen of the Government, warns Switzerland that if she allows her cities to becomo the hot-beds of revolution her partition may soon be re- sdlved upon. The necessity for circumspee- tion|is all the greater becanse she would be o tempting morsel for Germany, France, and Italy to divide up between them: Sixty per cent of Switzerland, the north part, is Ger- man, 25 per cent, the east part, is French, and 15 per cent, the south part, is Italian, in race, Janguage, and literature. It is doubtfnl whether the French and Italian portion counld or would make any material resistance. The German part is inhabited by a brave and hardy race of mountaineers who might make a desperate struggle, but it could only be a shori-lived and utteriy hopeless one, against the northern Colossus. Auy resistance that she might make would be weak at best, and though she might not suffer the miseries of Poland, she would share her fate. Should such a calamity overtake Switzer- land, and the little mountain Republic dis- appenr, she could hardly receive sympathy in any Enropean quarter except from the fanatics who precipitated her ruin. The Swiss people know the character of these men they are larboring. They know that they are plotting ngainst honest industry, ngaiust the rights of property, against capital, and against all ex- isting Governments. They know that the methods of these men are not such as would be tolerated by any Government, and that they do not stop short of incendiarism, pillage, violence, and assassination. They know that they are not only in leaguo agninst Governments, but against religion, order, law, and the existing condition of society, and that if they,are ever succe§sful it ean only be at.the cost of all the rights and privileges of modern civiliza- tion, of the loss of personal ac- cumulations, and of the overthrow of the sathority of law. The Swiss may answer that our own Republic harbors these refu- gees, and does not interfere with their pa- pers,or meetings. Their immunity here is largely due to the reason that they ‘do not, and ean not, endanger any adjoining State. Should they go so far, Lowever, as to men- ace the safety of the Government, they would be stamped out with the same sever- ity that overtook them when they attempted to overthirow the French Government, Itis an-important question for the Swiss to con- sider, whather they are willing to risk par- tition merely to gratify their pride in keep- ing their country open as an asylum for political refugees representing the chaotic and murderous system of Socialism, and allowing the Iatter to make their territory the base of operations against neighboring Governments. APPROACHES TO THE PARKS. Chicago, in the matter of parks, has been, and is still, very much in the condition of a man who has built him an elegant house at o cost of several hundred thousand dol- lars, but will not spend a few thonsand to furnish it and make it habitable, or one who “has expended a fortune on a model farm, but will not construct a roadway to made it ac- cessible. We have a gigantic park system, which has been provided at an outlay of enormouns sums of money ; but, with the sin- gle exception of Lincoln Park, which con- trols the Lake-Shore driveway running into the heart of the North Division of the city, these costly breathing-places are useless, be- cause thereis nota decentor comfortable street leading to them. The pleasure, recreation, ‘and hénlthfulness of spend- ing au honr or two in the South or West Parks aro all sacrificed rather than incur the misery of reaching them over the dilapidated pavements on the city streets which it is nocessary to traverse ; and strangers and visitors to the city cannot be entertained by park drives because their friends ‘are-ashamed to jog them several miles over pavements that are more trying to the bodily system and mental equanimity than the old corduroy ronds. There has long been a popular demand for relief from this absurd and ennoying hin- drance to the nse and enjoyment of Chica- go’s parks, and the gitation has now taken a form which . promises prompt action. There is reason to beliove that the Cook County delegation will go into the Legislature - unanimous in ask- ing the proper authority to enable the Park Commissioners to exercise the same coulrol over some one street leading to the park in each division of the city as they now exercise over the boulevards and driveways that form parts of the park system. Snch control is necessary in order to keep such approaches in the same excellent condition 25 the boulevards, for no pavement has yet been invented which can be maintained in good repair for any length of time with the general traffic of alarge city. In the South Division, for instance, Michigan avenus is the most direct -ond desirable approach to the parks,—at any rate as far south as Thirty-fifthstreet, where the Grand Boulevard Legins. But the property-owners elong the line of Michigan avenue, which is exclusively a residenco street from Ven Buren street south, no sooner incur the cost of repaving than the business b;ueks and heavy teaming scek that thoroughfare and begin the work of quick destruction. There is no city ordinance to prevent - this ‘universal use of the street, and perhaps the passage of such an’'ordinance for the benefit of ome street would establish a precedent that might sub- sequently be abused. The law does not, nuthorize the city to keep on repaving the street every year or two, and it is too much to ask that tho individual owners of abutting property should saddle themssives with an expense of such frequent recurrence for the general good. The proper solu- tion is to extend 'the jurisdiction of the South Park Commissioners over Michigan avenue, after which they will be able, al. comparatively slight cost, to ¢onstruct and maintain in repair a codtinu- ous driveway similar to the Grand Boulevard. The property-owners and residents of Mich- igan avenue are, we believe, unanimously in favor of the scheme, and it will be a blessing to all the people of Chicago who ever visit the South Parks, or ever hope to, no matter in what quarter of the city they may reside. There will be no injury to the business interests and no injustice to those who drive the heavy trucks, for the exclusion of the latter from Mlichignn avenue will leave them Wabash avenue, State and Clark strects, as thoroughfares in the Sonth Division, with many other streets after reaching Fourteenth. The proposed change will be desirable in any case, but it is.especislly so because the cost will be comparatively insignificant. There will be no condemnation or purchase of property. There will be no interference with any one’s rights or privileges to warrant o claim for damages. ~ Michigen avenue is already graded, filled, and curbed, and the water and gas pipes are laid. The cost will De limited to the laying of the pavement, after the fashion of the boulevard pave- ments, which the Park Commissioners are uow prepared to do very cheaply, and there- after the cost of keeping the driveway in repair will ‘be scarcely an apprecisble addition to the current expenses of the South Tark. The bill which Mr. Hrrcmcock has prepared,. and which will probably form the basis . for any legislation that may be secured, proposes to put upon South * Chicago a Isrger shere of the expense than upon Hyde Park and Lake property, which has already borne the bulk of the cost for ‘the purchase and construc- tion of the parks. 'This would seem proper, asit is the people living within the "city Limits who will esjoy most of the benefip. from the improvement; but, indeed, the cost of the whole undertaking will be com- paratively so light that the division thereof on any basis should not be permitted to de- feat or delay the scheme. It will only be necessary to frame the bill in a general way to meet the constitutional provisions, and satisfy the members from other portions of the State, to secure the ready assent of the Legislature’; and there is no doubt that the Common Council will alwsys be ready to yield up the police regulation of this single street in consideration of the benefits the city will derive from the concession. ‘What has been spid of tiie South Park schemo will apply likewise to the West Parks, with the difference that the selcation; of an approach through the West Division of the city may not be so obvious as it isin the case of Michigan avenue. But the West Parks are now just as inaccessible from the centre of the city, and from alarge pari of the West Division, as the Sonth Parks are, and it is equally desirable that the same plan for a central driveway, under the control of the Park Commissioners, shall bo adopted. The North Division, as we have said, al- ready enjoys the advantage of the Lake- Shore drive; which extends into the city as far as the Water-Works, but a general bill would give any additional access to Lincoln Park which tho people might desire. - The active ‘demand for these facilities, the ab- sence of all objection thereto, the interest which the Citizens' Association and Cook County members of the Legislature ought to take in the project, should result in the early passage of a proper bill, so that a driveway on Michigan avenue, and perhaps one in tho West Division, may be constructed and ready for use during next summer. DISRAELY'S SPEECH ON THE INDIAN FRONTIER. The latest Esglish papers contain the speeches made in Parlinment upon the amendment of the Opposition to withdraw the supplies for the Afghanistan war. It was a field-day in Parlinment, nearly all the prominent_speakers on both sides taking part, among them AMr. GrapsroNe, who made one of his strongest and most fuistied efforts. Perhaps the most striking feature of the debate wos the speech of the Earl of Beacossrierp, which, though brief, as com- pared with the others, is very siguificant, not only because it aided in securing the farge mejority of 186 for the Government, but be- cause it stated the object of the Govercment in making war against the Ameer, and de- fined the nctual relations of Russia and En. gland in the matter of the war. His state- ments upon these two highly-important sub- Jjects are worthy of consideration, as throw- ing light upon the origin and objects of the struggle. In defining the object of the war, the real cause was boldly stated to ba the “rectifica- tion of the frontier ” of India. This was ad- mitted without any reservation, though in his definition of the meaning of that term he indulged in the diplomatic hair-splitting which has so long been his favorite occupa- tion. It had been charged by one speaker that rectification meant. spoliation and,an- nesation ; by another, that it was a word to concenl wrong and robbery, and savored of the worst traditions of the French Empire; and by still another, that it was a dark word, full of danger. In his reply, the Earl of BeacoxsreLp described the present mountzinous frontier of Indin «as one which was always lisble to the mids of ipvading - armigs add“ the - rav-" agesof fiirbiilent tribés.’ Tic Eoglish’ have been in possession of that boundary twenty- eight years, and during that time have had to fit out nineteen large expeditions and sixty guerrilln enterprises to- control its in- habitants. As such a frontier was a' weak- ness 2nd an injury to Indis, it was the inten- tion to rectify it. After claiming that the rectification of frontier was & correct diplo- matic term, that between 1858 and 1868 there were twelve important treaties of rectifica- tion concluded between varions Powers, and that the peace of the world depended very largely upon these treaties, he. proceeded to the definition of the term asapplicable to the pending struggle. Tpon this point we quote his language : 7 A rectification of frontiers does not necessarily involve a diminution of territory. Mzny such trea- ties are carrled on by an equivalent. I mode no application of thuse treatics to any case Jike Af- ghanistan. I have not touched upon_that poing yet. The nobte Earl is impetoous. [Lauchrer.) 1t hins been said that I stated the oblect of the war 1o be a rectification of frpntier,—the substitution of a scientific for a haphazard fronticr. Butin the first place I never said that was the object of the war. Itrented ftasa possibie consequence of the war, which is a very different thinr. Our ap- plication to the Ameer was, in_fact, founded upon the principle of rectifying our frontier withont any disturbance of territory whatever. What was our difticulty with regard to Afehanistan? We could gain no information as to what was poing on be- yond the mountain range or what was preparing in the nomerous valleys of Afghanistan. What we wanted, therefore, wias eyes {0 see and ears to bear, and we should have attained our object had the Ameer made to us those concessions which are commonly granted by all civilized States, and which even some Oriental States do not deny us, — namely, to have 2 Minister at his Capital, —a de- mand which we did not press,—and men fike our Consuls-General at some of his chicf towns. At this point the mystery and evasion of the diplomat come in. We know now that it is the intention of - the English Govern- ment to establish scientific rectification of the frontier of India; but upon what scien- tific principles the frontier is to be rectified, what changes it may involve, what it im- plies, or what condition Afghanistan will be in after the frontier has been scientifically rectified, there is nothingin the speech to indicate. Wo have such declarations as these: “Tocly say that abstractedly thére is mo absolute necessity for any change, because you may rectify a frostier in Giffer- ent ways—Dy equivalents and.so forth.” ““What is a scientific frontier compared with o haphazard one? Why, it is, as a great mlitary authority has said; this: A scientific frontier can bo defended with a garrison of 5,000 men, while with a haphazard one you may require an army of 100,000 men, and even then not bo safe from sudden attack.” <1t is not for us mnow to consider what arrangements may be maede with this object further than to say that her Majesty’s Ministers, after all that has occurred, will feel it their duty to take care of the security of the Indian Empire.” Thesa are the only gleams of light that he throws upon the results of a scientific rectifi- cation of the frontier; but, after all, what do they mean? If language is made to con- ceal idess, according to TaLrevrasp, then certainly the Earl of BEACONSFIELD is a con- summatae master of its application. Upon the relations of Russia,and England he is more explicit, and leaves no doubt as to hismeaning. The mostimportant feature’ of this part of his speech’ is the assurance from Russta‘herself tiat she has no inten- tion of interfering in the present straggle. In his allusions to Russia he is courteous, and even friendly. While he acknowl- edges that attention has been called to the weakness of the frontier by the sudden appearance of Russia in the vicinity of Afghanistan, he justifies her in making hér expedition -into Central Asia, and declares that hod England been in the position of Knesia she would probably have followed the same course. Such an ex- pedition was justifiable while war between the two countries was linble to oceur at any. moment; but now that the relations of the two countries are again friendly Russin hng frankly disavowed. any hostila intentions, ag will be seen by, the following extract from the speech : The Emperor of Russla aid: Tt I very trme did infend to injure you as mach as m'!m.x.f e your Indian border, but war hus not occarre War, 1trust, will not occur between Russin and Engiand. We have alreads given orders for tha troons to retire to their oid stationa beyond the Oxus; our Ambassador shall be merely considereq a3 s provislonal Ambassador on a mission of conp tesy, and as 500n a3 posaible be shall retarn, In summing up the speech, therefore, wa ‘find that Russia has no present intention of interference, and that, owing to the Russisn contiguity, England proposes, to' make g scientific rectification of the northwestern frontier of India, whatever that may mean, Hitherto English rectifications of frontiers Lave usually meant absorption and annexs- i tion, accomplished by superior forca iather** than by science. While in this case she could hardly ‘go to the length of annexing the whole of Afghanistan without the risk of war with Russia, she will without doubt ap. . nex the whole independent strip of territory ; between Afghanistan and India, which wilj place her in possession of the passes and n control of the whole mountainous frontier of the former. How far Russia will regend this as a scientific matter remaing to be seen. —— SPELLING . REFORM. The movement in favor of spelling-reform has found a qualiied support from a writer on educational subjects in the Chicago Journa', The writer in question is not quite sure of hin- self or his grounds, but be guotes with ap- proval the resolution passed by the Chicaco Board of Education some time ago, which reads as follows: g Resolred, “That the irrerular spelling o - glish langunze is o serious hindrince Ie‘;r!l‘xltenf;..u read and write, and is one cause of the ajarming illiteracy in our country: that it occaples much time in our schools which is needed for other branches of stady: and thatit is_desirable to re. quest our Legislatures, State and National, to ap- point Commisaioners to investizate this ‘mattor, and report what measures, it any, can be taken to simplify onr spelling. 3 This resolution was passed at the instance of the American Philolozieal Association, which tias secured the appointment of Commissionsto examine the subject in Conmnecticut, Pennsyl- vania, and Wisconsin, and has memorializeq Congress to take some action in the same direction. [p England, also, the movement has received & new impetus. 8petlmz-reform i attracting more attention smong teachers than ever before. It i3 desirable, therefore, that the reasons for which this reform is advocated shoald be again stated, and that it should be urzed npon the attention of the people. The Engiish tongue is best adapted to hecome the universal language, because it i3 flexible, rich in words, a fair comoromise between, or rather union with, German and French, and already spoken by nearly 100,000,000 of souls, and isin use by the rulers of about oue-quarter of the earth in population andarea. But it fsleast adapted to become such a language, because it - has a capricious, irregular, and arbitrary orthog- raphy, makiog it the most difiicult of European lunguazes for foreigners to learnm, and hence the glowest to spread on its merits. . it this orthography werd reformed, like that of the German,’ Ttalian, or Spanish, and the simple rule adopted that words should be spelled at least approximately as they were pronounced there would be absolutely no obstacle to the univerzal use and adoption of Enclish withina comparatisely short time. Already it is ‘the languace of stience, belles-lettres, and art. Its, literature is the most abundant and valuable in the world. It is slowiy displacig Freoch in diplomacy, and German in philososhy. If it could be Jearned in a reasonable way it woula he the learned Janzuagd of the world almost , withims gengn m. the” time of, such re-- - form. -~ E v t ‘The advantage of a reformed spelling would not be seen only in the spread of the lnguare, Ilowever Uesirable ihis may be, it is compara- tively a remote and sentimenial obfect. Iifsa philanthropic entrprise,—a concern for the wel- Tare of foreigners who are not ai all concerged for themselves. An end much pearer the hearts “of true spelling-icformers is: the saving of tine in teaching children at home. It is estimated that a general averaze of three " years are lost and wasted by every child who ° learns to read Eoglish in masteringits irregular, srotesque, and unselentific spellize. Opponents of spellinz-reform_ contend that theré is some compensation for this loss of time in the discipline ziven to a child’s mind in learn- - ing to spell English! Bu I discipline of this kind is valuable it can be wained just as well in spelling throuzh Joux Ertovs Indizn Bible, the key to which has been lost, or in learninz Chinese, or in pourinz water through asieve. There is really no end to the methode of dis- ciplinine the mind, it the pecformance of Irra- tional tasks is a good way, and any one of them will leave the Enzlish language—the inheritance of 100,000.000 of people—open to the improve- ments it needs. The saving of three years'time to the child fu learning to read English means the addition of that time to the Intelicctnal life of man; it means also the opemng of a way to icarn to read to millions who would otherwise be deterred from attempting It, or who would be discouraged by its difficulties from keeping an after they had begun. ¥ There are other arguments, which, as they opoeal to the pecuniary side of the question, may be more effectual with * practical mea” than any others. The catting down of the diffi- eulties of teaching would abridge in some de* gree the cost of kLeepinz up the common schools; and, as it is. not to be supposed that all the time saved would be taken out of school attendauce, the average education of each scholor would be improved. What- ever time should be saved in this manper ihe schools would be less expensive {n propor- tion. Beside, the release of chifdren at an earlier age ‘would add to the effective laboring - population, and so incresse the material re- sources of the pation. Still other gafos—not . small in themselves, but of secondary impor- tance—would be in the diminished cost of print- ing books and the decrease of time consumed in - reading. By dropping out useless letters from 5to 10 per cent would be saved in space, and an cnormous aggregate’of time in reading, asevery- body would then read without hesitation or stopping to think what the group of letters really meant. ® The only plausible objection to this reform: urged in the face of the overwhelming argu- ments for it, is that it would fnterfere with the etymology of the languaze, and wipe ot its history. This objection, although apparently reasonable, :is mot founded in fact. The frregularities in English spelifog sre mostly in words derived - from the Anglo-Saxon. The silent letters represent modifications of the orizinal words, caused by provincialisms and by arbitrary printers’ rules adopted by CaxTox and his successors. Tbe-« - frregular spelling does mot assist in the re- motest way to trace the derivation of these - ° words. Un the-contrary, the orizinal Anglo- Saxon is phonetic. Correct etymology would © require us in nine cases out of tea to drop the silent lesters. We gave, in a .sevlew of Dr WEIssE's remarkable book on the English language not lonz since, a list of some of the. words that were phonetic in the original Anglo: * Saxon, and frregular in modern Enghshe Among them were the following: Bord for board; col for coal; flot for float; iren for iron; feld for field; wulf for “wolf; ned for need; tunge for tongue; ren for rain; los for 10885 y for yous; iung for young; dor for doors fiht for fight; miht for might; thobt for thought. DL WERSE gives a table of fifty Anglo-Saxon words, represented by 179 letters, each word averaging three letters, all of them pronounced; whereag the fifty correspond- ing Enelish words are represented by 23, letters, each word gveraging four letters, of which at least one is unpronounced. These 8¢, ouly illustrations of the general rule that mod s i