The New York Herald Newspaper, December 11, 1878, Page 4

4 THE SUGAR TARIFF. Importers and Refiners Protest Against the Proposed Congressional Action. —— HOW FRAUDS ARE COMMITTED, Defects in the System of Collecting the Sugar Tax, MONOPOLISTS PROTECTED BY GOVERNMENT. ——__--——. Charges of Adulteration that Demand Investigation. ‘The publication in the Washington despatches yes- terday morning of the bill coneerning duties on sugar, presented to Congress by Seoretary Sherman through the Speaker, Mr. Randall, created quite a stir, though not altogether unexpected, among the sugar refiners of New York. The bill does not meet with the ap- proval of the trade, and to give authoritative expres- sion to the reasons on which the trade's objections are founded a meeting was called at noon yesterday, ‘at No. 97 Water street. In answer to the call the fol- lowing gentlemen appeared :—Messrs. Skiddy & Min- fora, E. D. Morgan, Havemeyers & Elder, Havemeyer & Eastwick, Havemeyer Brothers, Grinnell & Minturn, H. H. Swift, Aidama & Fuller, Bauerman Brothers, Mattheissen & Wiechers, W. P. Willets, George Moel- ler, Peter Moeller, Gustavus Schwab, Youngs & Co., Franklin & Co., and the Brooklyn Sugar Refining Com- pany. Mr, Solon Humphreys was elected president of the meeting and Mr. W. P. Willets secretary. The first bnsiness after the organization of the meeting was the presentation of the following resolutions, to ‘wit:— Rosolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the pro~ posed change i the tariff on sugar, as suggested by Mr Beeretary Sherman, is in the |) est degree wajust and im” tieuble i “lof decreasing the temptat and opportunity tof eatly in creases them by maki nee of no less than .OL3 per p on one namber in color or one degree of the polariseope. Resolved, That as the eople of this conntry demand for priced soft sngar, the mauufacture ‘able from a low rade of raw sugar, such low sugar Ix & Congress, if any change it so framed ay to «void ty of raw sugar, whether shall conform as near as very creut injnstice, is to be made in the tariff, toh discrimination of high or low « possible to an ad valorem The first resolution was adopted without disens- sion, but Mr. Schwab wanted the second amended so a8 to ask Congress for an absolutely ad valorem duty Dased on the home market value of the goods, Mr. Fitch said he doubted if Congress would go before the country on an ad valorem duty. Mr. Minturn said he was in favor of greatly reducing the whole scale of duties, and finally, after much discussion, Mr. Schwab's amendment was put and lost by a vote of 8 to 6, and the resolution as read adopted. Mr. Minturn offered the following resolution, which ‘was adopted without discussion :— Resolved, That in the oj i of this meet! on sugar, amouuting as ther do to bet tif per cent. ig the daties and sixty ud should be Feducod at seas’ ono-haif, in justice to the consumers of the country and for avoiding the difficulties and frands in col lecting the revenus | A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. D. A. Wells for the brochureon sugar. The book, it was stated, had some fanit#, and thoso wh+ voted the thanks wished it understood that they did notin all things agree with Mr. Wells. The secretry was directed to for- ward copies of the resolution to Secretary Sherman | and the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and ‘Means of Congress, and the meeting adjourned sine die, SUGAR WORKERS IN MASS MEETING DENOUNCE THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE TARIFY. The workingmen engaged in the sugar refining ‘Dusiness in Williamsburg, awake to the danger ‘threatening their industry from the measures pro- | posed t» Congress, assembled at Washington Hall, | NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER Il, 1878—TRIPLE SHEET. apital = as ited therefore, this effort of Cuban slave labor penenaene, ant : creat refin: promptly and ‘of the people, some importers to effect favorable to them alone and ing industry of the United stat decisively bs Resolved, Ofth, Th j toeach member of i Congress be called to sary. n committee men be fully lay before « ds upon this vital question. THE ALLEGED ADULTERATION OF SUGAR DENIED BY NEW YORK REFINERS--HOW CONGRESS COULD DEAL WITH THE QUESTION OF FRAUD— INTERESTING EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION. A great deal having been said with regard to adulteration and fraud in the sugar trade—fraud on the part of the importers and adulteration on that of the refiners—several geutlemen largely interested in the business were yesterday interviewed on the sub- ject by a Henap reporter, in order to reach the facts in the case. One of these gentlemen said:— “It has been remarked by officials connected both with the Treasury and the Custom Honse depart meuts that these charges have uniformly been of a general and vague character. Parties making the charges are said to have been repeatedly asked to make them specific, but they never did so, A promi- nent sugar refiner called upon the Secretary of the ‘Treasury for such proofs as might be in the depart- ment substantiating any such charges of fraud. The reply of the Secretary was that there existed no evidence, His assistant assured the importer in question that all the documents in the department relative to the matter were mere assertions.” Mh, HAVEMEYER’S VIEWS, Mr. Theodore A. Havemeyer, upon being questioned concerning this matter, said :-— “In the first place, there is a great public mis- conception with regard to the relation between these alleged frauds and an alteration in the tariff. I can only say, as Mr. David A. Wells says in his report: “That, even supposing fraud to the fullest extent sus- pected had occurred, it has no connection whatever with the proposed tariff revision and does not call for any legislation. And this last, for the reason that the remedy, as in the case of alleged frauds in sampling and weighing, is purely a matter of ad- ministration, and every law necessary for efficient administration on the part of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Custom House officials’ already stands on the statute books.” “From this it is clear,” continued Mr. Havemeyer, “first, that evidence of such frauds is totally want- ing, so faras New York importers and refiners are concerned; and, second, that if they did exist tariff | legisiation is not the way to reach them. To say | that the Treasury, with all the officials at its com- | mand, is unsple to enforce the present law ix to cuse Secretary Sherman and all bis subordinates of complete incompetence. I think they have proved very satisfactorily to the country the nonsense of any such allegation. But if fraud were to be chi il by an alteration of the tariff the means at p ‘ proposed would offer 800 per cent more inducement to it than the present tariff. The government supposing its officials to be color blind—could at present be defrauded of thirty cents per 100 pounds if an importer could sneceed in passing a No. 10 sugar asa No.7, the difference in color between which any child cantell. According to the proposed tariff if the importer succeeded in pass- ing @ No. 17 as a No. 16 the government would be de- frauded of eight times the amount. he difference in color between these two numbers is almost im- perceptible.” WHERE THE DIFFICULTY LIES. “It is stated that much of the real difficulty has arisen from the importation of high testing, but low colored Cuban centrifugal sugars.” “That is precisely the case. There has never been any difficulty between the Treasury and the import- ers touching any other class of sugar. There is no | doubt that these sugars are loft low colored in order to evade the spirit of the law; but those who charge fraud on importers or refiners in this connec- tion fire very wide of the mark. The sugars are sold upon their saccharine strength and not upon their color, the 01 person benefited being the Cuban producer. Indeed, it is precisely these sugars against the importation of which under the low rate ot duty the refiners were the first to protest, inasmuch as they foresaw the difticulty which would arise from their importation in the amount of drawback to be paid on exported sugars. Their im- portation under the low rate of duty left Secretary | Sherman no choice but to lessen the amount of draw- back, and this has seriously interfered with the ex- portation of American refined sugar.” “Are there any other interests which would be af- fected by the proposed change in the tariff 7” “Undoubtedly there are. The shipping interests would be the first to suffer. Men like Solon W. Hnmphreys and Lawrence Turnure, who have spent their lives in the sugar business, e stated that euch a tariff would virtually exclude all the dow grade sugars. The importance of this matter to the ship- pine interests can be judged from the fact that American tonnage employed between the United States and four of the principal low grade sugar producing countries was, in 1470, 93,274 tons. In 1877 it had riven to 155,403 tons, with the pros- corner of Brosdway and Fourth strest, last evening, to protest against a discriminating tariff. Puily | 2,500 men attended, though all could not get into the hall. William C. Miller, a cooper from L. N. Palmer's | shop, was elected chairman, and Alexander McAllen, | from the same place, secretary. The chairman said that 150,000 people were getting | their bread from the sugar refining industry, and the | proposal to change the tariff meant beggary for all | and throwing the refining out of the country alto- | gether and into the hands of Cuban slaveholders and | coolies why worked for ten cents a day, and Congress | ought not to make laws that would destroy an entire | industry. Williamsbur; afford lose the income she gets from the 60,000 people living here who get a livelihood from the sugar refineries. Alonzo C. House, from Hayemeyers & Eider’s refinery, said that the question of American rights was bound up in this questi If Congress passed the proposed they would deprive every citizen of the Fighitto labor, for now in these hard times there ix no work in other trades and the refineries would all close on its passage. Legislation closed the salt works industry at Syracuse, to the detriment of the whole State, and now it is proposed to commit a greater wrong by ciosing the refining industry. Kar! Kranz followed in German and then Mr. ander McAlien. He said thes knew the ¢ adulteration was false frauds in ¢ portation Mr. . was the notify the 4 tempted frand Cuban shipper of ce paid onc cannot to The gover with tood, clothing but what will they d passage of this meas ment? Kobert Gillies, the Castro & Downer re providing the red Indians nd agricultural implements; ‘or the tens of thousands the * would throw out of employ- next speaker, ery, charged from the De that Spanish gold used indiscriminately was creating all this ex- citement, and the meeting to-night was to counteract its infinmence on far as 8 sible. The Lord helped them that helped themselves, and t to appeal t> Con as workingmen were assembled eas not to give to slaveholding foreigners work that their own citizens bave been do- ing and can do better than any slave or coolie is capa- Die of, and at the same time place it in the marxet cheaper, RRSOLUTIONS ADOPTED. Mr. James Trenor then urged the of the following resolutions in a pointed address, and they Were carried woanimonsly neue that. thi 1 couditic failing off in the uy the pa Awith harmfu Mueuts to that effect havin sted and deal f frand inggrod| veon widely cireulitod in the ening foreieners: and whereas ay Au donee; and wher adulteration aud rities In nina ve this eowntry againgt wil low — grade diverimination increnst: 5 woald sugars below in” severity od, wocond, That we hi ot frand + foisted be rightly or properly reached by taritt if they could of omgbt to be go roactied thn -” it Dateh than is pos ‘ub ly emsior ho govornme: ont twee ba y such alleged fine of Congres #0, to as not f the benattt of f aus between and labor employing to buse any Vility Roawnlved | wertions; tari’ | | . “What have you to say with regard to the impond- | | with the representatives of the people craftily | pects of an indefinite expansion. It wonld directly affect all the men in the West engaged m_ preparin | materials for cooperage to the number of about twenty thonsand; it would affect the national rev- enue, which would have to be collected from the highest grades of sugars prodned in foreign coun- tries; it would affect the consumer, who would very uickly find himself at the mercy of Cuban refiners, tris needieas to go into the details proving those as- they can ‘be found clearly laid down in the report of Mr. David A. Wells.” “There appears to be a considerable outcry on the subject of adulteration of sugars; have youanything to say with regard to this matter? “Lwould first say that I have been greatly pained at the apparent indisposition of some organs of pub- le opinion—and the inent in cir- 0 thoroughly te this matter. t the refiners have to at juncta: «not investigation but it. And it was this convi n thet | the absenc induced me them that the doors of my refinery i asking them to send the most competent and re- | liable men they had in order that the investi | might be ax searching and conclusive as possible. By | that I understand that both myself and every man | in my employ was to the keenest cross-exami- | nation to which they could subject us. This most unusual course I adopted in order to kill once for all charges which were affecting the public mind and in- | directly causing considerable distress among my workmen.” THY REFINERS DO NOT ADULTERATE. sed that refined sugars are largely adul- | terated with gincose “Twill first of all epeak with regard to our own Since it first began business, more quarters of & century ago, not pound of gincose has ever | been with or mixed with our sugars, single | manufactured | If Lknew any sugar retiner to be using it for the pur- poses of adulteration | would unhesitatingly expose | him, Self-preservation would force me to do this, even in the absence of any higher motive, because no firm making sugars as we do eouid stand the eompe- tition of any one largely adulterating with it. A por- tion of the prews has a#suimed that the increased pro- duction of glucose was referrible to its use in sugar adulterstion. The largest producers of glucose positively deny that they have ever suppli single pound of it to the and this, of course, we know fret. syrups. 1am informed that certain our syFups mix glucose with then:, and that the pub- | He like the mixtare. Imuet say that I was as much ja ent of one New York daily, wh ‘poigonons cop- | comitant.’ Surely they must bave cou densest kind of ij in their readers, | gard to other gre : id not nec their afti- davits to be assy were as blameless in this inatter as ourselves. Ix there any troth in the rumor about the sugars peing adulterated with muriate of tin?” “As for sugars, they were never treated by us with mnriate of tin, For abont a year previous to 1469 we need muriate of tin for the purpose of improving the color of syrup, the proportions being one part of mutrlate of tin to 100,000 parts of syrup. Since 1860 we have never used an atom of it,” DANGERS CONGRESS BNOULD AVOID. great refiners, to be a ing action of Congress 7" “Merely this. The matter is one of great national | moment and should not be legisiated upon hurriedly. } [feel contident that the seuseless clamor about fratid and adulteration will not have the slightest weight aud, further, that if any present action is deeinert noee be taken only after the calmest and tos’ liberation. 1 feel the rediners have the stron | sible for the following reasons ‘ for no ptovection whatever, for the sunple that free trade in sugars would be the greatest they could have conferred upon them; boon secemd, they axk for no special legisintion in favor | of their own indus | comsumer, or, in 0! 4 larg ui 6 industry nd, it can be It itcan be proved that the 1 the public at mn of th ine jy estublichod that u uty which does not depriv raw product they need the Ani cheaper and better say rt of the world, that that indus- y other in tinhampered Thot the Amerioan pec erican vetinerive we aru pre vidence, and we ask Congress to take this proof be tion.’ “What hare | tions made to 1 to say with regard to the objec- « Use of the polariscope for testing strength of angers?” objections made have no force, Tt the Polariseope were an instrument on trial there might be some hesitation in its adoption, but it is in | universal use by planters who sell their «ugars, by j Muportars and by refiners, it 1 want to buy a eacgo of sugars in Havena | telegraph for sulare polarizing Just What Lneed. 1 got thor, and no others, affair is jret as sivas ax | have atated the pwhlie that tho ‘Treasury of States vot use ai instrument universally and successfully adopted for precisely oue end et which it nas in view is nonsense, to which no reason- able man will listen for a moment. When I tell you that two boys in our house were given thirty samples of sugar to test in rooms apart, and that in the ‘ua jority of cases their tests agreed to within one-tenth of one per cent, while the greatest difference in the thirty tests did not amount te more than one quarter of one per cent, you will be able to judge for yourself var or not the use of that instrument is difii- ult,” “Is that all that you have to say on this question ?” “It is, unless it be to state my gratification that the HekaLp has taken up the question at a moment when, more than at any other, the public mind needs to be disabused of much error, and informed both with regard to the real issue hidden under all these charges and the importance of a right decision upon that issue by the representatives of the nation.’ EVILS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF COLLECTING THE TARIFF AND HOW TO REMOVE THEM-— A MONOPOLY THAT WSIGHS UPON THE PEOPLE. To rue Epitor or THE HERALD:— ‘The annual importation of sugar into the United States aggregates about seven hundred thousand tons, or, say one thousand five hundred million pounds, ‘The duties thereon are levied and collected accord- ing tothe “Dutch standard”—-i. ¢, samples of sugar in botties, prepared in Holland by an obsolete pro- cess, are supplied by the Secretary of the Treasury from time to time to the different collectors, and the sugar imported is compared with these semples, which range from below No, 7 to No. 20 in color. It is a teet by color only, ‘If the sugar imported is below No. 7 in color the duty is 14{ cents per pound; if above No, 7, and not above No. 10, it is 2 cents per | pound; and if above No. 10, and not above No. 15, it is 244 cents per pound; and if above No. 13, and not above No. 16, it is 3 cents per pound; and if above No. 16, and not above No. 20, 33; cents per pound. Twenty-five per cent is added. In every package of sugar imported there ure at least two, often three grades of sugar—i. ¢., a package of sugar will contain No. Tand No. llor No. 9 and No, 14, perhaps, according to the general quality of the goods—the lowest number being the “foots,” the highest the ‘heads;" the “foots” being formed by the “head” sugar draining down into the ‘bottom’ or “foots” of the package. To arrive at a just classi- fication, therefore, an average sample is taken (from the head, middle and bottom of the package), and upon this average sample the duty is fixed. Of the whole amount of raw sugar imported five- eighths are below No. Tand three-cighths between No. 7 and No. 10—i, ¢., the present discriminating tariff has induced the production of a low grade of sugar in the producing countries which are unfit for im- mediate consumption, In other words, every pound of sugar Ge ahi has by force to go to the refinery to be refined befure it is fit for use, and consumers are compelled to buy their supplies from the refiners, who control absolutely and are the arbiters of the sugar trade. HOW FRAUDS ARE COMMITTED. Frauds on the revenue cun be classified under two heads—-First, by under sampling; second, by under weighing. In 1877, of 560,000 tons of raw sugar imported into the port of New York 350,000 tons were imported by three of our largest refiners. These 350,000 tons were landed at the docks of the refineries and within twenty-four hours after landing were boiled up and all trace of them completely wiped out. The only government officers at the refiner’s wharf are the sampler and weighmaster, both underpaid officials ($800 to $1,200 salary), who, it isa notorious fact, are “purchased” ‘to serve the interests of the refiner. The sampler, by taking samples from the ‘‘foots”” of the packages, or by simply accepting such samples ‘as the refiner may choose to give him, thus enables the refiner to pay only for No. 7 sugar, while three- fourths or more of his importation» may consist of a grade of sugar equal to No. 10 or No. 12 Dutch stand- ard, which are subject to a much higher rate of duty. ‘The weighmaster then comes and performs his sim- ple duties with the same success. es weighing from 1,400 to 2,200 pounds are made to weigh from 1,400 to 1,600 pounds, thus enabling the defraudcr to “economize” from $12 to $15 on every package. If lots of dry goods or other merchandise were imported and went directly under the control of the importer, and the duties thereon put under the same control, the matter would be unprecedented and would surely cause great astonishment, and yet there is no class of goods imported that could not af- terward be traced out, re-examined and reappraised more easily than a cargo of raw sugar can be after it has reached the refinery, where it is at once boiled up and all trace of it effaced. The great majority of refiners and importers claim that th « privilege should not be granted, and there is certuinly no creditable explanation offered to sustain it. Whether intended for fraudulent purposes or not, this loose system must necessarily beget frauds, Honest men among refiners aud importers have been driven out of the trade, not because they lacked legit- imate facilities or buxiness qualifications, but simply Decanse they could not compete with men whoae practices are known to be dishonest. CHEATING THY PUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT. Not content to defraud the revenue on importa- tions they must also rob the pockets and cheat the stomachs of the poor consumers by admixing with the supposed refined article such’ ingredients as glucose, tin, muriatic and sulphuric acids. ‘The consumer is powerless. Forced to use an ar- ticle which he knows does not sweeten, he is now told that the article is also injurious to health. He has no alternative. He must buy adulterated refined sugar or must be deprived of an article of prime ne- cessity. ‘Such is the exact condition of snyar affuirs under the present discriminating tariff—a tariff which suits only the foreign producer and the American refiner. In considering the subject of levying and collecting duties on sugar many difficulties present themselves, not from the subject itself, but from the different in- terests asking favorabie consideration. First, tho Louisiana planter, because Le forces from an’ un- yielding soil, im an uncongenial climate, an article of prime necessity, therefore must be protected. Second—A few refiners clamoring for special, legislation, simply because they manipulate an imported article. add nothihg to the home woduction, nor do they add ove iota to the sweeten- Ee qualities of the sugar. They simply take an im- ported article, aud, by adulterating it toa d&yrce that renders its dangerous to health, they demand, authoritatively, that the government should sustain them in an odious monopoly. : Last of all comes the weak yoived and downtrodden consumer, who fails to see why he should be made to sustain Louisiana in her couflict with natural difi- culties, or, again, why he should be compelled to pay tribute to the refiner. THE REMEDY. The ad valorem system has been tried and con- demned because it opened the door to frauds by under- invoicing. Then the “Dutch standard,” force, was adopted; but this ix now and very justly condemned, because it also opened the door still wider to fraud by undersampling and underweighing. It is clear that Congress should not mako cheating profitab: The only equitable system now left to be tried (since the government needs revenne) is one that is very generally advocated and asked for by a large ma- jority of importers and refiners, and one that will more closely assimilate the interests of the three con- flicting parties than any system hitherto tried—that is, a uniform or specific rate of duty on all sugars imported up to No, 16, Dutch standard, and another and higher rate of duty on ail sugars above that num- ber and on all retined. This system will facilitate and make more certain the collection of the revenne, will rediice the possi- bilities of fraud to 4 minimum, and do away with an army of samplers, weighmasters and thereby saving large expenses to the gover Louisiana wouldget all the protection the refiner would be protected in his leyitin try and the consnmer would at least lw option of purchasing xi und pure raw sugar if he wanted to at a much less cost than he is now forced to pay to the refiner for an article which is, at best, impureand nitimes adhilterated to a dangerous extent. ‘or the further protection of honest trade the gov- erument should seo to it that all importations of sugar, like el! other goods, be lunded at public bonded warehouses, there to remain woder the control of the government until thoroughly examined and passed upon. By this «imple precaution, which mend itself to the honest man, the ge pnt would save millions of money, and, operating with a uniform rate of duty, would protect honest trade and finally put a stop to all the troubles that have sprung up in the collection of the revenue since the existing tariff came into force. AMEN. “BLACK LENA” WANTED, Indge Dykman, of the Kings County Supreme Court, General Term, yesterday morning affirmed the conviction of Mary Morris, alias “Black Lena,” on the ground that no error in the procce lings could be found. Mary Morris, it will be remembered, was arrested with Catharine Martin, in April, 1875, for shoplifting at the dry goods ‘store of ‘Journeay & Burnham, on Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn. Bail was offered to the extent of $20,000, but was refused, They eevaped from Raymond street Jail in May, 1875, while awaiting indictment. "y were rearrested in Boston in Deveniber of the same year. Their trial took place on the Zist of December, aud they were convicted and sentenced to the Kings County Penitentiary for four years and six months each. Eighteen nionths after the conviction and sen- tence of the avenwed Mary Morris, through the efforts of het counsel, secured her release on bail, it bein claimed that au error had been mode in the proceed: ings. An effort will now be made to reerrest the re- leased prisoner. ATLANTIC not but com- AND PACIFIC, At a mecting of the Board of Trustoes of the Atlan- tic and Pacific Telegraph Company yesterday a divi- dend of three-quarters per cent was declared, payable out of the net earnings forthe quarter ended Novem- ber 30, 1878, to stockholders of record on the closing of the transfer books on the 1th inst. The company’s financial atatement of November 30 ts as follows:— Unavailable assets (stocks of othe panies, patents, i rash assets, $201 68; total Tia+ Lilities, 40 ms; not cash amety, $1650 45; amount reqttred to pay dividend of three-quarters of oue per cont, $103,000, surplus December 1, 1878, $0u,vau 45, AMUSEMENTS, A FINNISH CONCERT, An audience respectable in numbers amd character gathered at Chickcring Hall last night to agsist at the third grand concert of Miss Selma Berg, The pro- gramme almost exclusively comprised Swedish and Finnish music, the folk songs and operatic cndea- vors of the composers of Finland being given the | preference, After a medley of Swedish netional airs by Lander's orchestras Miss Borg appeared on the platform and was heartily welcomed, She at once proceeded to deliver her address, in which she said that nothing she has ever hoard cither in tho concert room or at the opera, gave her so much comfort as the feeble little heart songs of her “When we study a nations songs,” have # perfect mirror of that nation’s heart.” was not speaking aguinst the maguificeut works of the modern composers; but before « single nocturne or a single symphony was written the music which she is now introducing into Amer- ica was snng by the people of Finland. ‘The charm of the address was in i Borg’s wonder- ful attempts at managing the ¢/44)st words in the English language, in which she 80 oxquisitely that there was in the endeavor bh of the sweet simplicity of the Finnish folk songs. At the conclu- sion of the address Professor Lander prescuted her with @ beautiful baton, and she at once wok ber place as the leader of the orchestra in the interpretation of Finnish inusic. First she gave @ series of Finnic songs, but an irreverent youth who got into the hall by mistake complained that there was too inuch heart in them and too little mnsic. The last number was “Ihe quaint old March of the Finns, played at the battle ot Lubzen in 1¢ Sab. sequently the orchestra, under Miss Borg’s leader- ship, gave the overture to the Finnish opera of Filip von Sclautz’s ‘Kullervo,"’ and Mile. Amanda Carlson sang a Finnish song by the sume composer. The en- tertainment closed with Bjorneberz’s ‘March’? and the “National Hymn" of Finland by the orchestra. MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES, Annie Louise Cary is thirty-four years old. The Josh Hart Combination are playing in San Francisco. Miss Ada Cavendish is playing with her usnal suc- cess on the Pacific slope. Miss Emma Abbott is attracting large and fasbiona- ble audiences in the West. Paris has 48 theatres, which give employment to 1,777 actors and 1,102 actresses. Miss Kate Claxton’s company, now playing ‘The Double Marriage” at the Lyceum Theatre, are draw- ing well. Miss Bateman has appeared at the Prince of Wales Theatre in @ new character for her, that of Queen Elizabeth in Giacometti's translation of the play. It is denied that Henry Irving, the actor, has been commanded to provide s dramatic entertainment at Windsor Castle on the occasion of the marriage of the Duke of Connaught. Mme. Patti and Nicolini appeared in ‘Aida’ in- Brussels last month. Mile. Albani—now Mme. Gye— has been engaged to sing at Moscow and St. Peters- burg during the winter. Mme. Rose Hersée is to receive £5,200 fora six months’ engagement at Melbourne. She will be ac- companied by her husband, Mr. Arthur Holet, late of the Carl Rosa company. This is the last week of “Our Boarding House” at the Grand Opera House. Several of the company have made “hits,” among them Mr. Harry Little as Gillypod and Frances Kemble as Betty. The directors of the Cincinnati Musical Festival Association arnounce that the fourth festival will be given during the month of May, 1580, in the Music Hall Building. Mr. Theodore Thomas has been en gaged as musical director. A princely violinist of remarkable ability is Prince William, the eldest son of the Crown Prince, and the Germans, in praising his skill, refer to the fact that Frederick the Great was a thorough musician. It is hinted that the young Prince is not by any means captivated with the music of the future, Signor Bettini, the operatic singer, has brought an action in the English courts against his wife, Mme ‘Trebelli-Bettini, from whom he is separated, to re- cover £2,000, which he claims to be due him in the division of certain property that was made in the settlement of their mutual interests. The case is still pending. At the late exhumation of the bodies of Beethoven and Schubert from their graves in Wachringer Ceme- tery, in Vienna, the fine, delicate, almost feminine head of Schubert contrasted strangely with the massive, thick, bony and great brain-holding skull of Beethoven. The bumps of musical talent were miss- ing in both—at least in those places where bump theorists put them. Schubert had still thirteen teeth and Beethoven fourteen. The former's skullshowed more perfect proportions than the latter's, “THE BANKER’S DAUGHTER.” WAS IT THE “GOLDEN CALF” OF MR. ROGE— MESSRS. PALMER AND CAZAURAN DENY THE SOFT IMPEACHMENT. Mr. Ad. Rogé’s letter in yesterday's Heat on the subject of American plays and the authorship of the “Banker's Daughter,” now performing at the Union Square Theatre, created quite w ripple of interest in theatrical circles. As will be seen from the inter- views with Mr. A. M. Palmer and Mr. Cazauran, pub- lished further below, these gentlemen treat the mat- ter asa good joke, and Mr, Palmer particularly ob, jects to pay Mr. Rogé the royalties on the play handéd in by Mr. Howard until he is ordered to do so by a court of justice. Mr. Bronson Howard himself could not be found to personally defend himself against the charge of plagiarism, but both Mr. Palmer and Mr. Cazauran declared that he knew nothing about even | the existence of Mr. Rogé’s play until last Saturday, when Mr. Palmer was first threatencd with legal pro- ceedings. With a reckless disregard of the dire legal consequences threatened by Mr. Rogé, Mr. Palmer means not only to continue the performances of the “Banker’s Daughter,” but to pay the royalties as heretofore to Messrs. Howard and Cazauran until he is actually served with the injunction so sternly promised by the injured Mr. Rogé. INTENVIEW WITH MR. PALMER. Being asked what he had to say in reply to Mr. Rogé’s charge that the “Banker's Daughter” was but a plagiarism of Mr. Rogé's own play, Mr. Palmer re- plied :-— “I really am unable to say whether ‘The Banker's Daughter’ is or is not the offspring of M. Rogé's fertile brain and bovine fecundity, a8 exemplified in a play which he did leave here, entitled ‘The Golden Calf.’ I cannot answer the question, because I never have read ‘Che Golden Calf,’ and never expect to read at. All Lean say’ is that a lawyer has written me a letter, stating that “The Banker's Daughter’ is a sort of stepchild of Mr. Rogé and of this ‘Golden Calf,’ If it isso I think it an unutterable disgrace to both Mr. Howard and Mr. Cazauran, who should certainly have instructed me to pay that gentleman the royal- ties they so complacently receive as theirown. Mr, Cazauran admits that the play was left with him, He has been feeding on Den- nery, Sardou and the rest so. long that he inay have been driven to Koyé at last. As to Mr. Howard, I really think he ought to be ashamed to have produced in Chicago in 1873 the play tuat Mr. Rogé intended to compose in 1876. It reminds me of Daly's remark, that the elder dramatists had stolen their best works from modern authors. Mr. Rogé vertainly evinces a spirit of chivalric generosity that Mr. Howard aud Mr. Cazauran would do well to emulate, He ix willing, he writes mo, through his lawyer, to permit me to continue to play “Lhe Bank- er’s Daughter’ as such if I will pay him moneys for the pri and will also allow me to go on payt the gentlemen who stole it from him. This 1 kind. As to M. Roye's play, Mr. Cazwuran, I have no doubt, has it by heart. “See him.” WHAT As BECOME OF THE PLAY? ‘The reporter asked “Where is the play now, Mr. Palmer?” “Cazatran has it, of course, He is the regular sal- aricd dramatic shark of this house, and even Rogé would only be a wide dish to hiv cap “Ia it true, Mr. Palmer, that « ‘Jealous coterie, cager to seize’ the plays of slumbering dramatic geniuses controls your management in the selection of the dramatic productions offered to you?” “It is true, undoubtedly. ‘The coterio consists of Buiwer, Dumas, Sardou, Sheridan, Denney and such other small tyrannical parasites who suck t Diood out of us so thoroughly that they leav for Koge.”” r, Paline se owe it stall con not See lim, Ho knows al “Where shall [find him?” 1 thw nanuvcript closet, L wappose, |The. Janitor will help you dig him out if he ie entirely sub- merged,” Tauy taken out of it, THE “MANUSCRIPT CLOSET. The writer directed his steps to t Horrors,” the “iaayuscript closet,” where the chil- dren of the American muse ao cruelly slaughtered by the terrible Cazauiran are sleeping in that happy ob- liviou which even the sharpest critical peu cannot disturb. It is # sort of Wooden sate built into the side wall of the theatre, and the cfvet won an imaginative mind in seeing flowers of dramatic fancy ruthlessly in the bud is appallingly grim. Every ono of these dusty, yellow manuscripts seems to assume life and voico and to cry out for revenye upon the head of the slaughterer who as doomed it to these musty and moldy shelves. How many crushed ambitions and destroyed hopes these piles of pressed manuscript represented—how many anxious days aud sleepless nights, and racking torinents of the mind! “Here,” said the murderous Cazauran, pointing, apparently unmoyed, at Lis victims, “are plays re- jected by the management in their entirety, and,” he added with grim yatire, “that afford me absolutely nothing to steal. “Hero are plays trom Texas, trom California, from the Territory of Wyoming, from the editorial sanetians and reportorial rooms of the mag- | wanes und the daily press, No idle French manu- scripts but two!” WHAT MR. CAZAURAN BAY. “1 wish to ask you regarding M. Rogé’s play “+The Golden Calf? "’ was the ready reply. “No good, not 4 single burst ot applause, not a tear, not a Jaugh, not a shudder in it.” s the ‘Banker's Daughter’ # plagiarism from the ‘Golden Calf?" “Could not really say, Mr. Howard brought the ‘Banker's Daughter’ here in its original shape of Lillian.’ But is it like the ‘Gplden Calf?’ Well, there are suggestions and possibilities of ef- fect in it that Howard seoms to have either hit upon or imitated. If the latter it is hurd on Rogé.”” “Did you read the ‘Golden Cult’ conscientiously and carofully 7" ptt “What did you think of what you did read of it?” “Phe play struck me as being too far above the average capacity of our New York public for success. Au audience of Heratp editors, members of the Cabinet and of uwembers uf the Board of Education might come to ses it once or twice, but that wouldn't | Pay for the getting up.” “M. Rogé, I presume, is an American author, as he takes up the cudyels for American authorship.” “No, sir, M. Roge is a Frencliman, but, as a second (dramatic) Lafayctte he has placed his pen, if not his sword, on the ride of American liberty and progress.” “M. Rogé complains that rejected plays arc not duly returned to their authors?” “My dear sir, Mr. Rogé never camo for his play, and [supposed he had actually forgotten it us much as 1 had, or else wished us to keap it as a valuable acces- sion ‘to our mournfully increasing collection of re- jected plays, which now numbers some seven hun- dred and twenty-seven copics—exclusivs of tho ‘Golden Calf.’ "* “Are you not afraid of the injunction threatened by Mr. Roge ?” nd “Rather like it. ‘Lay on, Macduff, and so and so be he who first cries Hold! Enough!’ ” It was evident that nothing serious could be got out of Mr. Cazauran on a subject so grave in itself and magnitied in its importance by the prospect of & protracted litigation in the courts, and the writer therefore bade Mr. Cazauran and this graveyard of plays farewell. “NEW CHINA.” THE MONGOLIAN COLONY IN MOTT STRELT—A CHOP HOUSE OPENED. That portion of Mott street and its immediate vicinity known as ‘New China’ has been of late making efforts to supply the wants of the Mongolians who comprise what is really a Chinese colony. A drug storo, a grocery store and a tailoring establish- ment have been opened, to say nothing of gambling hells and opium dens already in operation. ‘Tho fronts of many of the establishments are adorned with hieroglyphic shingles which proclaim the par- ticular business carricd on inside. A few days ago a chop house was opened—the first Chinese restaurant in this city. It is owned jointly by two intelligent-looking young Chinamen, named ‘Thomas Ahyee and Narcizo Afouc. Their establish- went is located in the basement of a house in Mott street, and contains three rooms, the front one being the restaurant proper. There are a number of plain chairs and tables, and the walls are embellished with Chinese pictures, portraying battles between the Celestial gods and ancient horoes of Asia. On cach table is a glass tumbler, holding a number of chop- sticks. At intervals on the wall are pasted squares of red paper, which serve as a sort of registry book, where the patrons of the place are expected to write their names aud addresses. The fare furnished is really excellent, and Rds, being so cheap almost every customer can afford to enjoy a good meal. There are roast ducks, boiled chickens, roast pork and & va- riety of other dishes, including boiled rice, the last named dish constituting the favorite diet of the “almond-eyed”’ gentry. A HERALD reporter visited this place last evenin; and found a number of Chinamen grouped around one of the tables, discussing the late admission of ‘Wung Ah Yee to citizenship, One of them was James C, Baptist, who acted as witness im the case. Recog- nizing the reporter, he rose, with a smile upon his face, und volunteered the information that the pr prietor was doing a fair business, The visitor wi then escorted through the culinary department and. learned that all meats and other solids were cut up small, to obviate the use of knives or forks. The class of Chinamen who patronize this new eatt house are eminently respectable, being nearly al skilled artisans. They propose to make the honse a model one of its kind, No intoxicating liquors are sold, nor will any drunken man be permitted to enter, On Wednesday last a Chinese lady arrived in this city from Havana, en route to Shanghai, She is at present stopping ata friend's house in Mott street, and will remain there several days. There is only one other Celestial female in this city, but it is ex- PM that several will come to this country before oug. Numerous reports have been circulated from time to time about certain Joss houses alleged to exist in the city, but the residents of Mott street are united in denying that there is any such place of wor- ship. The only body that has a bond fide existence is the Chinese evolent Association, whose head- quarters are at No. 34 Mott street. The president of this society is Mr. George Acong,. who presides at the yearly and monthly meetings. The society funds are often drawn upon for the support of widows and or- phans of defunct members. Agreat source of annoyance to the meck-minded Mongolians is a crowd of roughs who infest Mott street and are said to do all in their power to drive off their Chinese neighbors. The recent criticism of this gang by several indignant citizens has led to the increased vigilance of the pol and efforts are being made to put a stop to its bad conduct. A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION. INSTRUCTING PASSENGERS IN THE USE OF LIFE PRESERVERS DURING OCEAN VOYAGES. Bautimone, Nov, 29, 1878, To Tax Epitor or THE HeRaLp:— Lunotice in to-day’s Henaty Captain Schwensen’s statement, in which he says that nearly all the pas- sengers of the ill-fated Pommerania might have been saved if they had properly used the life preservers on board. That they were used improperly by many and not at all by others is assured by the statements of survivors, one of whom was reported to have said, through the Henan, that immediately after the disas- ter many persons floated “upside down” around the boat in which he was rescued, or, in other words, were unfamiliar with the proper use of a life pre- server. Having placed it on wrong they kept their feet aud not their heads above water, What I wish more particularly to say is that this whole ery of not knowing where to find a life preserver on a transatlantic steamer, and not being acquainted with its proper use after finding it, can and should be remedied. I know you will gladly receive any sug- gestions that will tend to lessen the danger of those who find it necessary to crons the ocean, and by pub- lishing this in your wideawake papor bring {t prom- inently to the attention of the agents or managers of transatlantic steamers. It is this:—Amony the officers generally apportioned to a first class ocean steamer carrying passengers there is one whose duties (I #] from personal experience) as compared to that of the more active officers, are very light—I refer to the ship's physician. [t is the duty of this officer to Jook after the health of the crew and passengers as well as the sanitary condition of the ship. These duties, of course, are very essential $8 well regulated seagoing vessel, but they do not ocenpy all his time, in facet, but @ small portion of it. Itis evident, and will etrike any one as common sense, that there are Many passengers who cross the o annually folly unacquainted with the appearance or use of a life preservor. That this is highly dangerous as well as fatal Captain Schwensen's statement will bear me out; that itis true will be attested by hundreds who have crossed the ocean aud have never seen @ lite preserver from the time they started until they reached thefr destination. 1, myseli, found it necessary to cross the ocean in 1874, and can assure you that Tmever saw a lite pre- server to my recollection during the entire voraue. To be sure I had a faint idea that one would be found under the bunk or mattress, but never satis. fied myself by looking there, Now, as this medical has Cay time on his hands, would it not a good idea for him to instruct myers in the use of a life preserver and where to find one in case of need? This could be easily done by him on the day of departure or the sneceeding day. It would take five minute: to find a Lite presery found, He would t and low to p' ing anaet t mit, im case of a collision or other ing many valuable lives. This wae wn voyages “has been greatly neglected, and it receive immediate atten- tion at’ tho hands of managers and others the movements of transatlantic steamers. ns should be given to thy medical officer of ‘ mer to see that every passenger—man, woman and child-<is instructed where to find and how to tse a life preserver, Let action be taken im- mediately on this enbject and we will P igeoatd hear joss of 86 any passengers being found drowned in ease of Jents from not knowing whore to find and bow to use one of the most simple aud sure de- vieos ever made for hin dite 9 core parieiion. . her face. a A THE LECTURE SEASON. MMR. FRANCIS DILLON EAGAN ON “THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.” Last evening Mr, Francis Dillon Eagan, late rector of St. James’ Protestant Episcopal Church, San Fran- cisco, lectured im Steinway Hall, before 4 cousider+ able audience, on “The Spirit of the Age.” He was introduced by Rev. Dr. McGlynn, of St. Stephen's, Ho said:—In reading the history of the world we discover certain epochs distinguished by peculiar characteristics. The spirit of the present age is godless and is distinguished especially by its hostility to the Catholic Church, The Prot estant and godless world bas been particularly abusive of Catholic doctrines and of the Pope's sylla bus, in whick he condemns that which is per- nicious and antagonistic to the Divine mission of the Church. The Pontiff fairly declores that the Church has been the fostering mother of civilization, but when there are elementa in that civilization that would conspire to uproot and destroy the Church of Christ on earth he denounces them, and those elements are what take refuge under the names of progress, liberalism and free think- ing. Among Other features in the spirit of the age is the fanaticism of secular schools. Whatever affects children affects _societ, for ood or evil, for au authority more than humun fas declared’ that ‘‘whatever a miu shull sow the sae shall he reap.” Education, according to Plato, is to give to the body and soul the development of which they are capable, and Plato, though a payan philosopher, was much more ad- vanced than many so-called Christians. The education of the day lacks the clement of inorality and religion, and our boasted pul school system, ag at present conducted, is flinging away the Dlessed lights of civilization that came to us from the Cross of the Redeemer. Referring to the press, he said so disgraceful had become the parade of pol- lution in the columns of the papers of America that it was impossible the public mind could escape being vitiated; and such is the depraved spirit of the age that none but the most nal shocts can be made to pay. EVFORTS OF THE INFIDELS. The libraries and publishing houses contain on their shelves a multit ous quantity of contam- inating literature, and judging by the cuormous sup- ply wud deinaud the taste of the age is fast degenerat- iny. But even going up to the higher and more pre- tentious class ot books that this era has been remark- able for, we find such men as Darwin, Huxley, Tyndall and other infidels striving to overthrow the, most cherished traditions of the Christian world. le re- ferred to the prevalence of divorce caused by the libertinism mre impurity of the tines, and which was fast helping to undermine the most sacred founds- tions of society. ‘The spirit of the age is seen again in the dishonesty that perv: the com- mercial and political world and in the progress of gigantic fraud, and, if allowed to yo on, aioe end in the destruction of society: this arises from the greed for money. It is worshipped as a god, and the loye of it leads to an internal mael- strom, in which body and soul are swallowed up. So inordinate has this passion become that men violate every priaciple of truth and honesty, and dread not even the jail or the gallows. There is ouly one power on earth that can stop the tide of social anarchy and corruption, and that power is the Catholic. Church. {t arrested the confusion threatened the destruction of civilization in centu+ ries far back, and it is still strong and lusty cnough to arrest the avalanche of infidelity aud irreligion that appears to imperil Christianity, MR. BOTASSIO ON GREECE AND HER LANGUAGE, Mr. Botassio, the Greek Consul in this city, lee tured last evening in the schoolroom of Mme. Koch's academy, No. 14 East Fifty-seventh street, on the “Language of Greece and the Influence of the Hellenes.” He gave a brief, interesting sketch of the history of his native country from the earliest times, noting particularly the leading events in ancient times. He claimed that though Rome was the superior in the material world, Greece ruled even Rome in her liberties and spiritual pleasures. All the leading characters of aucient Greece were spoken of by the lecturer. At the time of Demosthenes, he said, Greece was like 2 man in the prime of life, living rather upon what had gone before than on ambitions for the future. When the Greek republics were lost the liberty of Greece was gone, but two great men yet peared—Aristotle and Alexander. The latter sought to rule the material world, the former the intellectual, ‘The next chief event was the introduction of Chris- tianity into Greece. Christianity persecuted for » long time Hellenic science. Fin: Aa) ancient faith and the new were reconciled in the form of the Byzan- tine Church. Passing on down through the centuries the lecturer next spoke of the Age of Darkness, after Greece had become # Turkish province in 1481, and next of the seventeenth century, when the Turks were assailed. He then discussed the Greek language as it is spoken to-day, and said that in time the anu- cient language would again become the lan- guage of the people. The modcrn_ lan, was really the ancient one with the - tion of numbers of new words brought in nec- essarily by the many foreign le with .whom Greece had to cast her fortunes, It been said by some German critics that the modern language was but a conglomeration of many foreign languages, Just as they said the people were a conglomeration of many foreign peoples. But still it was a tact the alphabet and the orthography of the modern language were the same as in the old, and he knew that in the mountainous parts of Greece the old beauty of Grecian form was to be seen to-day as pere fect a8 ever. In tle French colleges at the present day the Greek language was pronounced as it was in Greece, and he hoped the Aincrican colleges would adopt @ similar course. It would not take # long time to rid the modern language of all the foreign words which had become part ot it. The University of Athens had been weeding out innovations by degrees and supplying their ieee with the old Greek words, In less than half a centuty the ancient Greck would be the language of modern Greece. It had not taken fifty years to make such an advance that the accom- plishment of the purpose was assured. In all the text books of the schools this reform was going on, and the books of forty years ago would not be recognized as the language nnd by the scholars of today. In conciuding Mr. Botassi do- claimed several pieces of modern Greek poetry, writ- ten in the language of the people and in the ancient language, showing the contrast between the two. ‘The University of Athens, he said, gave, no prizes for poetry written in the language of the people. JERUSALEM AND ITS FUTURE. Rev. Dr. Newman lectured last evening in behalf of the city mission of the Methodist Episcopal Chureb in the Attorney Street Church, his subject being «Jerusalem and Its Future.” After an interesting description of the Holy City as it was he traced its marvellous vicissitudes to the present time. ‘Eleven "he said, “have been built on that site, and during the twenty-seven sieges from which they have suffered the rubbish has accumulated to the depth of 150 feet. The city is now in the hands of the Moslems, and where stood the temple now stands the mosqua, Jerusalem has » propnete future. It is yet to be aguin the great Jewish capital of the world. The rews are intermingled with all ple on the face of the globe, yet confoun with nono, They are a nation without ® country, # people without a government; and they we been proscribed by em re, pa! es, sultans, infidels and Christians, yet the civ! world to-day is singing their psalms. They have not only sur vived the adversities of two thousand [res but many of them have risen to distinction. There will be no sudden cxodus from Egypt—the return to Jeru- salem will be gradual. Some will go for pleasure, for wealth, for patriotism and some ror religion. Their return is prophetically announced, and the Word of the Lord standeth for ever. Palestine is the great high bridge between Europe and Asia, Jerusalem is a capital, not from choice, but from nature; its locas tion has a political significance. sony thousand Hebrews are now there, and Disraeli is the minister of Providence for the re-establishment of the com- monwealth of his fathers, whose power and glory pe bay brightened by the acceptance of Divine chris tianity.”” ¢ ACT FIRST OF A TRAGEDY, “Why won't you treat this woman better?" ssid Judge Otterbourg to the stalwart mulatto before him, ‘The complainant was bis rather pretty spouse, (reat her better? Treat her better?” he swears that you struck her.” ‘Ah, Jedge, she swears Istruck by her, But why? Did she tell you why?” “No; she said you nict heron the street and slapped Tdid strike “So I did, sah; so Idid, But I loved dat woman dar wid all my heart, an’ would give her my life! Would work my hands down to de bone fo’ her! Wouldn't I Kose? (turning to her with a large tear trombling on his eyelid). But, Jedge, I would rather see her dead than where she was agwine, when — struck her dat blow for which she swore agin’ me.’ “What do you mean?’ gaid Judge Otterbourg, looking from one to the other. “Jedge,”” replied the man, in trembling accent “she wor gwine down, down inter a brothel, when putiny hand on her shoulder aud said, ‘Rose! don’t yo down dar, my wife; don’t godown dar. Dat am de qate ob destritestinn,! ” “And then—— 2?’ “An’ then, You ‘Onah, sho iaughed at her away from dat ar cussed place. Nex’ ting I know ot d, as you see.” ro Was & pause fur a moment; then the J etioned the woman, whose replies were # iy given, and who did not deny her desire to leave the husband and do as ehe liked, My p ian,” said the Court, “I am sorry for tha and will not hold you. But you must not strike er again. "l'were better to leave her; she is irre claimable, The pair lett the san witeheke Court—the woman defiant, the