T2 LANCASTER DAILY IKTELLI&ENCEK FRIBAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1883. K$Wj Hancastct I ntelltgenm;. FEIDAY EVENING, FEB 9. 1883 Defining Our Position. Judge Black calls upon us te define our views upeu the-subject of taxation. He seems te think, because we adverse ly criticised the tax measure proposed by the Grangers' committee, that we de net believe that "equality in taxation is equity." We furnished the judge no ground for thus questioning our sanity. We de net dispute truisms, "when we can see them. We have no trouble in seeing this one. We knew no one who has, and can conceive of no such one in sound mind. The problem in taxation is te secure equalily. The Granger committee proposed a measure te this end which we conceived te be without virtue and we rejected it. We did net find in it even " a first step towards equality." Judge Black thinks it has this degree of merit, although it does net meet his ideas at all. If the judge will take this bill, and, striking out ail after its enacting clause, proceed te formulate under it his idea of the legislation that will secure equality of taxation, there may be a comely crea ture come forth that we can fall down and worship ; for the judge bears an en chanter's wand in clothing geed ideas in geed words. It is true that this subject of taxation is a hard-featured one which would frighten away any reputable fairy and stagger the most cunning magician. Judge Black seems te fully appreciate its difiiculty, but we would like te see his ideas clothed in the precise language of an enactment. We would understand him better ; at present we fear "we will have te say te him that we find as little precision in his statement of his position as he seems te find in ours. We would like te have him tell us hew the farmers pay nine-tenths of the taxes ; and whether he claims this is true of Pennsylvania farmers or of the class in general. Certainly they de net pay it en their real estate. If the fact is se, hew ever, does it net make against the posi tion taken by the judge and ourselves, and everybody else, se far as we knew, that taxation should be equal 'i for the farmer class is supposed te be the healthiest and wealthiest. Cm it. be. due te their excessive taxation ? or, if net, is net their heavy taxation but a fair make weight te their extra bounties from nature ? But it does net make a bit el difft'i euce te the issue in hand between the judge and ourselves, whether or no the farmer pays meie than his share of tux atien, for there is no doubt whatever that taxation is unequal, and it is quite immaterial who bears its chief burthen. Taxation ought te be equal. It is net. That is the wrong. Is there:1, rented ? What is it '; Judge Black admits the tact' of our objection te tjte taxation of invisible property; but he need net ascribe te " business men " only the ' smartness and dishonesty " which he finds iu theso who would net disclose their properly te the tax assessor. As we laid down Hit judge's letter alter leading it, our eye fell upon an item of the day's telegraphie news, in the newspaper we picked up, which is tee geed evidence upon this point net te be quoted. It is dated at Providence. It hede Island, and runs as fellows : "The estate .,f the Lite Rtsv. Dr. Mercer, ofNewpott, which seen alter his death was estimated ai $200,000. is new fount! te amount te ever $1,000,000. He had bon taxed for only $10,000." That man was a Yankee, but we have plenty of his type in Pennsylvania, and no doubt among the clergy. It is net generally considered in any way dishen est te avoid th tax gatherer. If the kingdom of heaven is net, for such as de, Judge Black will have a lonely time of it, we fear. Seemingly abandoning imiaible pi op. ertyas tee eel-like for the tax collector's grasp, the judge declaies that il is very simple and easy te tax ether kinds of personal piepeity; such as grain upon the land, tins rejits of real prejcrly, net used for agricultural put poses, ceai tinmen from the mines, eii from the v:-i!s, labrics of every kind created by the manufactuters, the tonnage of railroads, the stock of goods that passes through the warehouse of the merchant, and the money lent by bankers.. Certui'ily it is easy te tax all these things and many mere; and, moreover, it is practicable ie collect the tax, which is a vital element in taxa. tien. If the judge proposes in his bill te select such a list of personal property for taxation he will propose a practicable measure. But it will net secure equality iu taxation ; and we understand him te held this te be a fatal defect m any system of taxation, He docs net get held of the secreted wealth that new evades the tax gatherer. Our idea of equal taxation is the levy of a like sum upon every dollar of the possessions of each citren ; although it is open te question whether that is a proper defini tion. Conceding that it would be an equal tax in measure, it may ba doubted whether it is se in its weight, because the man with a thousand delhus would be taxed at the same rate as the man with a hundred thousand, who is able te be.t,r a bigger burthen than Ms proportion. Judge Black does net tell us what he means by equal taxation, but we piv. sume the definition we have given is his. His plan fails in equality, net only i'n letting escape invisible, while taxing visible things, but likewise it; the re peated taxation it imposes upon one thing. Take the farmer's wagon tire, for instance ; it is taxed in the ere, in the pig, in the bar and in the tire ; net less than four times distinctly. Tin farmer's bread only catches the tax twice, in the field and iu the mill, for he bakes it himself. Uis r.eal oil comes uu der the harrow three limes ; in the earth, the refinery and the sleie. We doubt whether the fai iiiejs will be deeply impressed by the beuefit their champion proposes te secure them in relieving their land from -i tax, which he puts upon their products, and upon every thing they use. Judge Black invites us te turn our electric light upon the subject and make luminous the hack of tax legislation. Our electric light is in a fog en this ' ocean. Electricity in a fog, as the judge knows, is of no mere account than a penny dip. That may be the reason he rushes en rocks. We knewwe would, if we put en steam. We prefer te lie te until the fog lifts, which we hardly ex pect te see it de seen. It has been down as long as our civilization has lasted,and will be down until all men are as geed as the farmer friends of the judge, who show up all their ewnings te the asses, ser. We de net think it possible te secure entire equality in taxation. We cannot even declare what perfect equality would be. We must de the be3t we can. Let us tax fairly all visible property ,real and personal ; and let us patiently wait for our share of the invisible until its owner dies. The property a man leaves behind him is a just object of heavy taxation. It has no owner but by the grace of the law. It moreover loses its visible char acter and passes through the courts in a most convenient shape for the tax gath erer. The heirs need net complain, for they have net earned what they arc te get. As the real property of the decedent has borne its share of taxation during his lifetime it might be just te let it pass untaxed te the heirs ; but the personal property need net be spared, but should be taxed with in creasing rigor a3 it swells in size. The state would hardly take tee great a share from an estate of a million dollars if it took half. Of ceutse, the tesult would be that rich men would try te distribute their property during their lives ; but death comes when least expected, and comparatively few men have their affairs arranged in anticipation of it. More over, such distribution of wealth in the lifetime of its collector would be a benefit te the state ; and she would have this compensation, though the tax did slip through her fingers. Then the exemp tion of real estate from an inheritance tax would cause rich men te invest in it, which would raise its price and secure a greater revenue te the state, and be a compensation te the landowner for the unlucky convenience ei his laud for tax ation. Judge Black finds that we have net had occasion te " rush " for him very savagely. If his fellow-yeomen de net rush for him any harder he may feel very comfortable. We are comfortable, aud at peace with .ludge Black, Gov. x'.uiisen, tne u rangers and everyone who wants equal taxation. We want it. We knew none whom our views are specially calculated te aggiieve, unless it be dead men, and they cannot make a noise. Cut Down the Appropriations. The Heuse at Ilarrisburg is making geed lecerd for itself in the vigilance with which it scrutiiiize.sand the courage with which it cuts down the lavish ap prepria tiens proposed, and especially these designed for private charities. We hive contended all along, that here is where the test of legislative virtue and strength was te come, for which there was no better preparation than ler the members te deny themselves the personal and political advantage of filling uiuier cessary ellices with their friends. In what the Tinas calls " the battle between prelligacy and economy " the Ilense committee en appropriations showed :( disposition te be liberal, or, at least, te shirk responsibility : but the chairman,' -Mr. Hassen, leads the contest en the lloer for the reduction of such grants as appear te be excessive. He is doing him self great credit aud his party mucfy service. Mr. Landis, of this county, is entitled also te credit for the industry with which he has applied himself te an examination of the merits of some of these applicants for tli state's bounty, and the ze.il with which ha exposes the imposition sought te be practised upon the commonwealth in making it bear the burden of support ing chai ities established without tiie authority of the state and net under its control. Like Mr. Ilassen, Mr. Landis is an old member of the Heuse, and en their respective sides they can be influ ential in preventing a lavish waste of the public money. Appropriations for private charities should be examined with great care. As s'mwn by Governer Butler, they are often expended te maintain an extrava gant pay roll ; and in the debate which ensued ever the house of refuge appre priatien yesterday, it was disclosed that this institution had $17,000 left ever from a previous appropriation, that its superintendent gets $::,000 salary, an as sistant $1,500, fireman $1,-00, carpenter $000, bandmaster $S()t), coachman SStiO ; that the engineer has an assistant, as well f.s a fireman, and the baker also has an assistant ; that the 000 children get only $1,500 worth of beet last ear, while the 50 officials get $2,385 worth ; the chil dren were made te swallow $500 worth of perk, but the officers could net relish mere than $3 G5 worth ; the efiiceis' bill for mutton was $200 larger than that of the children. Upen this showing the bill was cut down $7,000. A similar in vestigation of ether institutions that are te come will likely result iu similar razeeing. Tiikuk are a variety of bills belere the Legislature te prevent freight dis ci iiuinatiens and te otherwise secure for the people the freedom from corporate tyranny which it was the purpose of the seventeenth article of the new constitu tion te effect. Of these that of Mr. Hulings is furthest advanced and is be ing discussed before the committee, the Pennsylvania railroad company opposing it and Mr. Gewen premising te disciss it iu his characteristic brilliant mam er, supporting the main features of the bill, but desiring some modifications of it. Senater Gorden h:is introduced an elab- oi.ite and cempiehensive measure which may be t opposed te represent the ad vanccd views of the administration en this vital issue. It is mere severe and far reaching than any legislation hereto fore seriously proposed en this question, and yet it is te be doubted whether it is net. in harmony with the fuudameniallaw. Even should it fail of passage, bscause of etheis which have precedence of it en the calendar, it will serve an admirable purpose in furnishing a standard te mark the lines of discussion of this great issue, which the Democratic party of the state stands pledged te press te effective conclusions. THE GRANGER TAX BILL- JUUGK ISL.ACK'4 UKFSK OF IT. He lUda the " Intelligencer " Turn en Electric tight Wants the Farmer Its Hollered Prem Kxcessire Taxation. Te TnE Eurrens of the Lancaster Intellligencer : Gentlemen. Your pa per has been Bent me, with two articles marked, in which your opposition te the Grangers' tax bill is very strongly ex pressed. That bill does net meet my ideas at all, but it comes from a source entitled te the highest respect, and is an effort (which you may call crude if you will) te distribute among all the people as evenly as possible burdens which are new imposed with a frightful disregard of jus tice. Isiet this movement of the Grangersommittee a first step towards equality '.' Criticise it if you please, for its probable inefficiency, but de net pooh pooh the great principle. Where is your democracy, if )ou are net in favor of equal taxation ? Wheie is your fidelity te the state administration, which you did se much te elect, if you meet the admirable Joctrine of the gover nor's inaugural with ridicule of the Grangers' bilP.' Yeu are very anxious for harmony among our political friends at narrisburg. Yeu wish they would settle their little diilcrcnces about offices. Se de I. But, if they "neglect the weightier matters of the law," I de net care hew much they quarrel about the "tythmg of the mint and the cummin ; " for the sooner they tear one another te pieces the better. Perhaps I misunderstand your views en mis wuete suejecr. it i ue, it is some body's fault. Let us see if it is your waut of precision or my dullness. I reckon you knew (for you knew all things of that kind a great deal better than I de) that the farmers pay nine nine teuths of the taxes. (5f eourse, I de net speak with fractional accuracy, bat that is generally supposed te be about the de gree of the inequality. Citizens engaged in ether pursuits, which are ten times as profitable, are taxed . only ene-tenth. Judgiug this system by the rules of com men sense and common honesty, T call it lebbcry. What de you call it ? Is it uet possible te right this cruel wrong . Perhaps it is difficult. It is net easy te devise the machinery which will work out perfect justice in the collection and disbursement of the revenues. Some of jour objections te the Grangers' bill are well founded. It may be, for aught I knew, that a tax upon property net iu sight would be evaileu. leu give the business men of the state credit for an amount of smart ness and dishonesty which would probably make that kind of a tax impracticable. Domiciliary visits of assesseis, prying into the sceiets of men's private business, are. odious and ought te be excluded as mueu as possible from every system of taxation. I think a pievisiua which prevents ic ic ic covery en a bend or note unless the tax is piid would be impauing the obligation of a con ti act, and tht-icfere unconstitutional. Hut what is te pi event an equal aud fair imposition of taxes upon alt clashes ac ac ceuhug te their visible products which the business of each turns out ? Why can you net fix it seth.it a fanner will pay for the legal privilege or raising a bushel of wheat no mere than ethor pee.de pay for the light they enjoy of makiug what they sell for the same piica and at a far higher profit '.' If all will pay about one-tenth as much as the fanner pays new, a fund will be created large enough te suppeit the schools, the courts, the jails, the peer houses, pay the salaries of all officers aud meet all public expenses of every kind, general aud local. Would net this be just, righteous and proper:' If you deny that equality is equity iu taxation as in all ether things, tell us, iu the name of heaven, the icasen of your judgment. Yeu may say that the way of doing it is hard te sec ; the little lantern of the Giaugcis. which you sneer at, dec3 net show a clear path. But turn your own electric light upon it, aud the whole tiack will be luminous. De you net sec hew easy ana simple will be the process of as-c-m taming by proper officers the quantity of grain produced upon the land, or tbe rents of real property net used for agiicul ttnal purposes, the co:il taken out of the mines, the oil from the wells, the fabrics of cvery kind cieatcd by the manufac turer, the tennage of railroads, the stock of goods that passes through the ware house of the merchant, and the meuey lent by bankers? Then lay your taxes with horizontal equality upon all alike ; net pile the whole weight, or nearly the whole, upon one unfortunate clasp, as it is new. Uev. Hejt said he didnotsee hew the revenue thus received could be ledistributed : but that will net. nnzzln Gov. Pattison ; aud you need net fret about it. Tit-distribution is net the thing piopesetl, but merely payment of it, at such places, ami te such persons, as are entitled te it, or authorized te use it for local purpjse.s. The United States have a model system for the collection, safe keeping and disbursement of the public moneys, which jeu cannot study five min utes without seeing that the objections en the scoie of this difficulty are merely im aginary. If a tythe of the talents and skill which our politicians exeit iu devis ing ways and means te rob the laud and labor of the state were bestowed for ene day upeu a plan te rolievo them, we would get justice, without sale, denial or delay But this argument ab incenvenienli, which I hear from all quarters, is disgust ing. Is our government te be a tyrant for the convenience of its rulers ? Shall our legislators be 'knaves because it is trouble some te be honest? The labor of dein- right may be very arduous, but the duty of buckling te it is all the mere imperative for that leasen. I am suie you believe this, and therefore I gratify both your pride and friendship by telling you that our governor will stand steadily with you by the piemises of his inaugural. " The leader we love aud the chief we admire " Lwiil net tritle with his conscience bv de serting the truth for tbe sake of his ease. If I take tee much for gratitcd when I assume, as fact, that y.-.u, the faithful or gan of the Dcineciacy, are in favor of making the tax laws just and equal, then I offer you my personal congratulations upon the safety with which you may ad vocate the hideous oppression of the I rj resent system. AW thn hnnMt innnrr . v, .v MWWW. J4MUU& J of the state, resent nothing : we have no pluck. Injustice, long submitted te, has " cowed our better part of man." Lord Bacen says truly that an overtaxed class is never valiant : the blessings of 3 Judah aud Issaehar cannot meet in one people ; for no tribe can be at once the ' lien's whelp" and the " ass between two burdens." I wish you would priut this and se give yourself an occasion for defining exactly your true position. It is necessary that your friends (of the which I am) should knew where you stand. " If you are with us for equality, we will take your instruc tions hew te '" catch the nearest way" and fellow them implicitly ; if you are opposed you need net make much of a rash upon me, for I will back down with all possible haste, as a yeoman generally does when a leading politician draws upon him. J. S. Buck. Washington, Feb. 7, 18S3. VIINOR TOPICS: Tun Maine IIouse has adopted a prohib itory constitutional amendment by a reusing majority, cider being included. The "peach crop " is already reported raited in Illinois and Missouri. The Western Yankees can give the Delaware Yankees points. Cixcikxati has lest her grip en the perk packing business,but her people have been sublimated te an appreciation of the higher arts. The recent great tausical there netted $40,000 profits. There are oil pipe lines running te Bal timore and New Yerk, carrying the pro duct of our state out of it te be refined. Ten years age three-fourths of this busi ness went te Philadelphia ; new nine tenths of it gea te New Yerk. Why should Philadelphia kick against a free pipe line bill ? Tun munificent offer of Mr. Audrcw Carnegie te found a free library in Pitts burgh if the city would contribute $15,000 a year for its maintenance, has never been accepted and, besides the serious financial responsibility it would irapose upon that city, it is coming te be qucstieued whether public libraries have net seen their best days when the " Letters of Junius," " vKsep's Fables " and Cole ridge's " Ancient Mariner " are pub lished for two cents each ; aud 101 stand ard volumes, containing neaily ISO pages each, can be had for $2. The Ilagci htewu (Hele tries te make out that the ground hog weather prophet theory is a superstition because some curious citizen ever that way watched a pent-up ground hog last Friday aud his, m tjesey never tined te come out and see his shadow. Ten te one the heist with which thus alleged experiment was tried was a Republican 'possum, se disgiistcd with the results of last fall's election that it liies by skulking hibernation te pass itself elf as an heue.it gieund hog. The very fact tha' the animal was net out la!, Ftitlay proves that it was net a gennine g.h. Seme of the select senatorial cemmittee en education aud 1 iber have had te blush rosy led, cleau te the roots of what hair is lefc them, at the awful revelations made te them by Mrs. Charlette Smith, who, iu behalf of some nevpl legislation piopesui byher, has related te the shocked sena tors that it is a common practice anion" senators anil members of Congress te compel vicious concessions from female clerks for whom they obtain places iu the departments. The senators te whom sue plainly communicated these things ex press the greatest astonishment, but Mrs. Smith docs net propose that it shall end theie. Tins time it is the feicmau of a soap aud caudle factory out at Milwaukee aud his name is Jehn Clements Ralston, who is wanted te go riht ever te County Mon.i Men.i Mon.i ghan,Ircland,whcnce heeimc fifteen years age, and join his aunt :u enteiiug upeu an estate of tbiee millions lei t them jointly by Uncle Silas Ralston, ten years deceased in Glasgow. The estate is all settled up ready te be handed ever te the heiis new that the) aie found Jehn Clement-, had never ceased te expect this windfall and kept reading the newspapers for the iu telligeuce of his rich uncle's death aud adveitisnicut for hishciis. The m oral of this story is obvious. A i'emticai. philosopher who knowe it all and isu't ashamed te tell it te his Tel low mortals, reviews our political history in the Pittsburgh Dispatcli and figures out that befere lenp, following the present current of political tendencies, our re maining national domain will he .sold and the proceeds devoted te the purposes of public education, that the army aud navy will be disbanded and their tramiug schools converted into Nermal schools, that foreign ambassadors and ether rep rcsentatives will be abolished and our diplomatic intercourse conducted by tele graph aud special agents. A gieat deal mere than this might be accomplished and the millenium still be delayed. The advocates of vaccination have had their theory strengthened by the death, in Baltimore, from small pox, of Mr. Jehn l'. ivapp. lie Hart a s'reng prejudice against vaccination, and read all the pamphlets and ether printed matter writ ten by medical man in Europe aud Ameiiea in opposition te the use of virus as a preventive of smallpox. An order, new en record in the office of Geueial Railroad Agent Wilkin, shows that he was instructed te have himself and thn men under him vaccinated. It is sfiirprf the order was ebeye 1 se far as the men were cmcprned, hut personally he evaded it. He used measures te counteract the effects of the viru3 used iu vaccinating his children in the public school", in the honest belief that the vaccination UjyZwt be injurious te thorn. When the epidemic District Attorney Corkhill en the eeea- eu theep struck him it can led him off in four days. ACmriGO pcnlpfnr is- weri-ing out a group in mirble representing the transit of Venus, which premises te have grea'cr popular attractions than the mysterious maze of technical terras iu which the as tronomers describe the great event ThU realization in stotieofthe celestial baauty'.s escapade is te dimly outline " the figure tif a mi ;hty man, whose flowing locks, be.ud aud majestic outlines at once su- gest him as the Ancient of Days. j3Sul gent rays of light flash- from this orb downward and te the left toward a strengiy-drawn nude female figure, which, with face partially turned away, is lloat lleat ing with restful grace baueath and 'pat the sun. This figure, which is voluptuous in every line, has about it a buoyancy and lightness which are indescribabb." Al together the Chicagoans expect te de'jb'.e discount Mrs. Langtry aud Oscar Wilde when they get their floating Venus and majestic Ancient set up. Jeffersen Davis the original JeiT proceeds te explain that he is responsible for the feathers iu the cap of the figure en the dome of the National capitol. In the original design of this statue, representing " America," Mr. Hiram Powers had sug gested a " liberty cap," te which Mr. Davis, then secretary of war and entrust ed with the supervision of the work ob- jected because it was among the Remans the badge of an emancipated slave, aud as the people of the United States wcre born freemen, it was held te be inappropriate te us. Mr. Powers yielded te the objection, and designed a head dress of feathers for the figure. This was accepted. The feathers seemed, ia view of the original in habitants, appropriate te a statue typical of America. Mr. Davis might also explain hew it comes that this statue has its back turned te the Seuth, which haj been the subject of some complaint from that sec tion. The preposition, which in 1370 began te assume cousiderable importance te bring; into practical and extensive use subterranean telegraph lines in Germany, has resulted in extent and value far beyond the first anticipations. These lines, which iu 1879 amounted te 1,545 miles with 10,402 miles of conduits iu 1879, at the end of last March had been in creased te :5,390 miles in extent, with 20,252 miles of wire, an increase of 1,151 miles in the length of the lines aud 12,850 miles in that of the circuits. The con struction of the 20 lines, of which the tin tin tin dorgreund telegiaph net of the German empire is composed, occupied, altogether, fifty eight months, and the cost amounted roughly, te 1,500,000. The subterranean system connects 221 towns with one an other, amongst which are te be found all the most important centres of commerce, and all the principal fe. trusses situated. within the province of the imperial tele graph management ; all the principal river-beds of th,it province aie also crossed by these lines, which have added im mensely te the safety of the telegraphic communication within the empire, as has, new open shown by several yearn' exper, euce. ; PEESOKAl, Hit. neu IJmt.'s estate pins eir :54.0flO for his widow and relatives. Wtoeixs' big storm was due te day. It did net come oil' anil as a weather prophet Wiggins lias gem te meet Ver nor. Gex. Jaiie; Wat.-e:; Weihj, of New erk, who began te de newsp.mer work fitty-six years age drank te his own health en his eighty-first birthday yesterday. Sar v RF.UNn vrtvts' jewels were sold iu Paris yesterday te the dealer.; and the ilnmi monde. A necklace ei iose diamonds sold for 21,000 fiaues, aud two bracelets fetched S,000 francs each. Perkv H. Smith, a well-known mill ionaire, politician and speculator jf Chicago, shows signs of failing mental faculties and his friends ak for the srp, peintment of a conservator of his csfcitty Wilsen thinks Patti is "just perfect" new. " She is grand ; she cannot in prove ; she will etdy grew weaker after this. Singers mavlasi uutil ttiev :un r.ft witneut breaking down, but thuv seldom continue beyond that point." Cor- Raymond, or the Denver Tribune. was appointed te be military sec retary en the governor's staff; and the next day the Tribune raid editorially that he was totally unqualified for the place and without timu te attend te it3 duties. Cel. Tem OrminiEE was marshal of Texas before he became cengiessmau, and for a shortage of $3,000 ia his accounts the government has iudi'ment (.,:( him which must be paid befere he can draw any of his salary as cengrc-seian. Quite natmallv he wants te " settle " it for $500. Onv E. Owen, the thieving teller of the Third National bank of St. Leuis, was arraigned ycsteiday and pleaded guilty. His counsel read a statement, iu which Owen confessed that he " gradually be came involved in grain and cotton specu latieus, which ultimately caused his ruin." Sentence was deferred for two weeks. Cei, McClure, who was one of the largest, if net the largest, individual mi? mi? fe: ors by the burning of Chambersburg and the repeated incursions of the enemy during the war, manfully tells the. border county people that the state will never pay their losses, but may aid them te recover from the general government whose demand for our state seldierv ex posed our border te incursions of the ene my. Lee Hartman, the Ru--sian Nihilist, arrived in Philadelphia en Thursday night, and had an all night conference with Hen Most and three members of the Interna tional society of New Yeik. The confer ence had relation te the coronation of the Czar. Bachmau, another Nihilist, arrived and another conference took place. IJcrr Most sent a cipher cable dispatch te Berlin socialists, and arranged for another con- lereuce. Hartman has declared te Ger man socialists that the coronation will net be allowed te take place. Charles II. Smith, of Montrese, has been nominated for the position of grand warden of Odd Fellows, and his brethren of Northern Pennsylvania ask for lcprc lcprc sentatien in the elective offices of the Grand Ledge for the fiist time since the intioductien of OJd Fellowship in that region. Mr. Smith is a past grand iugoed and of long standing. He is approved and heartily endorsed by every ledge in Sus qiichinna county. In addition te hi-, be ing a man of great executive ability, he is said te be thoroughly posted in all the workings of Odd Fellowship, and is well and favorably known throughout the state. f'T-r- tTr...... ! - 1 1 sien et his sixty third birthday and his rethement from the army. The cempiny was distinguished, the dinner elaborate ami the bill of fare 1 elated in song and embellished pages the story of Sherman's 1 military achievements. A fine half-length portrait et tuc general atterned the front cev-i, with battle flags and a wreath of lauiel stacked behind his head. On its reverse side was a poem iu his honor, of which the concluding stanzi ran thus : We .Irin'jte t'.Trrsiy years n;je. Win 11 Sle mi in Jed ear '.i.iniier ; lii-nuNti .-.- weie fmtte-.cj. Ilia t.liristm is jjltt, Savannah. IV. WESTERN TRAGEDIES. A UOKIlllfLK CXOKIClitS AND SDICIDK A Uliiltl of tlie Victim YVItiu-scs the Crimes vicl:ntn5 I7ct:itl Lest in the 9111m Crime ami Calamity. Henry Dices, a teamster, living in thrce rooms of a tenement house in the rear of Ne. 2,300 Mullanphy street, St. Leuis, who had beceme jealous of his wife, ou Wednesday killed hci- and himself with a razor. They had live children. Drees was a hard working man, and had accumulated $8,000 in savings. He ill treated his wife continually, and en ene occasion she left him. She was a geed woman, and gave her husband no cause for his iusaue jealousy. On Wednesday night the couple retired at about 1Q o'clock with the two little girls in ene bed, the two boys in another, and the baby of two years in the same bed with themselves. Lcuis. the eleven-) ear year old son, was the only witness of the tragedy. The noise aroused him and he saw his father cutting his mother with a razor. Then he saw his lather spring into the air and fall down near the stove. The boy then get up and lifted the baby (Mina), who wa3 lying en "no bed with her mother's corpse he night clothes soaked with her mother's oleod into his bed. He changed the baby's clothes and both went te sleep again. Next morning, when the children awokethe fleer and bed were covered with bleed. Leuis tried te find they key with which his father had locked the deer, but could net, and it was uet until nearly nine o'clock, when Otte Farcnherat (a bjy of 10 yeais) came up aud called Leui- te go te school with him, that the condition of affairs was discovered. Otte's mother, who lived iu the lower p.nt of the home, then opened the deer and a most ghastly scene was revealed. Drees had cut his wife's thie.it while she was asleep and there was ue struggle. The heads of both were nearly severed from their bodies. FrC7mi te DriUIi iu tlioSneu. A coach which left Pacific Springs, W. T., en the Sweetwater stage line last week was caught iu the storm of Friday. The coach was abandoned, and the occupants started back ou feet te the station. The driver, W. J. Stewart, was feuud frozen te death standing in the snow, aud Thes. Scott, superintendent of the iine, was also found standing stiaight up iu the snow, frozen se that he could net move. He wilt lese his hands and feet. W. V. Stark, a passenger, has net yet been found. They weie out tin 00 days aud uigbts. Anether stage driver was badly hezen. He repi.rts two feet of snow en the level, and cattle staiving. This stage line ; una from Green river, en the Union Pacific railway, te Feit Wasitakie, Wyoming, through the Seuth Pass of the Recky mountains. ThoVIejd 111 Ohie. Seiieus losses by the floods are reported from numeieus towns iu Ohie. At Marietta it is estimated that $50,000 will net cover the damage. A woman was drowned in her heuse. At Pomeroy the Heed i-. the greatest siace 1817 and prom prem ises te exceed that. Three hundred build ing; have from one te fifteen feet of water in them. The damage te dwellings and busin.'S" houses i estimated atfiem $100, 000 te $150,000. The salt furnaces ami iron weiks aie badly damaged. Ne trains have run since Tuesday night. The only means of communication in thu city is by skillV. The river is rising an inch aud a half per hour. At Iionten, Ohie, it is lilty-live feet and still lising. The lower part of the city is flooded and all factories aie stepped. At Poitsmeuth, Ohie, the river is rising thiee incises an hour. The water works and nearly all factories are stepped. A hundred families aie driven fiem their houses. 'J he railroads 1101th and-east arc under water. IVII.D I5DV.-, FStJ.n TUK WOODS. Ciul.ireu lti inijiit up i.siin iiB, i:, the lie!tl There have been hi ought te the St. Mary's Industrial school. Ualtimoie. fiem Cnmberian'.', two small beja who have been ihieugh iae:c .suffering than usually falls te the let of people se yeuug. Fer mere Uiau a year pabt they have lived with th-ir mother in the mountains near Lonaceuing, in the coal legions. Their home the mother built with her ewu hands, and it was about as big as as a turkey-pin, and juss about as comfortable. It was built of the limbs et trees, with a thatched loot, anil contained nothing but a stove, aud frying-juu. The mother, whose name is Clark, had been driven fiem hei home about a mile from the place by her parent-, en account of her ernngliie. IJeth hei chil hen weie iile. gitimate. 'ihey fared well enough during last Minimcr, but since the winter began they had siilleied terribly. There was plenty of weed se they kept from fieezing. but the hut was se celtt that tuny were obliged te He close te .1 10a. ing Site all t ly aud night. Iu this way the flush of he children has become absolutely baket' aud theie are large ciacks and seies up . 1 it. They had the scantiest of clothing ;u.d the mother had the only pair of shoes iu the hut. When they weie discoyeied a ceuple of days n'ie she had only one garment, a ragged gown, while the boys were stark naked. They had had ue feed at all for two days. The father, who is a farmer, was peis'iadrd te allow his erring daugh ter te letuiu t. his home while the child v, ere sent ie the Industrial school by a magistrate. It had been known that the mother was living in this way but ue efforts te .ud bur were uiade until Sund.iv Nr.YVH NOTl h. ,ilbOu:iuuy 1'ieni the Morning alalia. A curious mistake was made by the New Yerk morgue officials, by which the re mains of two women came near going te wieng destinations. Thus, the body of Miss Lizzie Quiulan, instead of being sent te Honesdale, Pa., was- held for burial in Calvary cemetery, while that of Mrs. Mary E. Giaham was sent te Honesdale instead. The mistake was discovered by one of the relatives of the latter body, who desired te view her icmains. Iu Mount Vernen, Dr. Seaman, a den tist, was attacked and severely beaten by Mi-. Ilre.vi), a carpenter, who states that the doctor took advantage of Mrs. Brown's calls at his office for dental treatment te make improper proposals te her. Sea man's standing in the village is high, and the community is much excited ever the affair. Twe diflerent companies have applied ler charteis te build a ship canal across Cape Ceil, and they arc icady te deposit, as a guarantee of gerd faith, from $100, 000 te $200,000 before commencing opera tions. An explosion in a restaurant at Norfolk, Va.. killed the cook and injured several ether persons. The disaster is attributed te tbu everiicating of ga-oline machine pipcs l.iJV.f fervi-t, ri. ., Henry Gebhart, tbe bii wbt. was shot by Gee.Gutid'rmati. iu a qu M,el ever a garnn of dominoes en Snub-, .'!-; died. Gundcrrnau has net been leuud. Geerge Gulliver was fatally injured and Mt-hac! Moieny was killed by failing through dtfl'.Tciit elevator wells in Husten yetcrday. Tne le Tti'iiaus rcfttsstl some time age g upon a lescrvatien. They ase new -tn m,; r:.d ask the government for aid. A eem-u-5 ofPir.vide'nce, Rl'ode Island, jnt completed, gives that city a pepula- "' ' llfl,7B5. again of 11,878 since 1830. Z..te I.ecei I-rum Tire 1 TiV Royal Opjra Heuse in Terente was 1 r- ).c yii.eycsi.:r.-iiiy morning, iess ", 000. Pi.t riiv:'K paittomiine trone . a as pn.-Jimsi g ti.ere. The sheds of the Grand Trunk Rail nay, at llcmingferd Quebec, were burned veterday. Less ; $20,000. Cetirtland M Weeding's livery stable iu New Haven was set en fire yes terday morning. This is the seventh in cendiary fire from which he has suffered aud the fourth in his present quarters. Twe of Ills employees were arrestetl en suspicion. xtcimnti'icnoeo mews. I'.ent AcreiM the County Line. Reading has sent te Germauy $1,505.12, for the sufferers by floods iu that country. The Pennsylvania electric light company of Ilarrisburg his rctved its charter. Henry Scott, t.t Keadiug. wants te wager $eU that he caucat tripe a day for a week. 71 tinii7ii1 nl Jehn 1 . St. Jehn, ex governor of Kan sas, lectured en prohibition at Ilarrisburg last night. One of the finest farms in Northern Chester county is owned by the Philadel phia & Reading railroad company. It. is used for winleriii;, 75 canal mules." Tne Western nail association has ie ie selved, after the resumption 0:1 Monday next, te run the mills. for three weeks and then shut down again for .1 fortnight. Ne change was made in the card rates. The contract for furuiture for the Uarge office at New Yerk and the new govern- awarded te the Middletewu furuiture com pauy, for $3,1599 and $0,255 respective!) . A movemoiit was developed ye-.tcrd.iv at Reading for the formation of a peel in the interest of the Pennsylvania railroad company for thepurchasoef a majority of the shares of the Schuylkill At Lehigh railroad ruuniug from Rcadiug te Statin;' ten, a distance of forty-threo miles. Considerable excitement was cieated in Reading yesterday iu the northern part of the city by the abduction ami attemptu! outrage of a uine-year-eld girl named Vu gie Keller. She was induced te accompany a well dressed stianger into an old sheii. but the man was liightencd away by the police bofero injuring the gul. Mrs. Sarah Bahn, of Yerk, heard that her husband was calling upon Mrs. Nettie Musser. Having but little faith in her husband at best, hc seized aievelver, inn te the Musser house and pounded Abraham, a 3 ear-old baby, en the heat' until its yell brought Mis. Muster into the room. Mis. Bahn then pounded Mrc. Mu.-ser en the heat! with tl.ts leveiver. She finally was captured ami bound ever te keep thn peace. J. R. Eby, a well known citizen of liar risburj. while leaving his icsideiu-e lately received a fall en the pavement and in jured his spine r.311 t'te neck. He was compelled te take Ins lied fiem the acci dent and has continually giewn wero. Yesterday lie lay ui a emiatose condition and was unable 1 1 re.egtsu'j any pet seu. Iu the afternoon the phvsici.ius held :. consultation wh -u his tse was pronoun ccd critical In the Nerrist wn state asylum thuie aie 950 iiiraafi" . Tee annual cost for keeping each .miiv: dial is $193.15, 1 1 $3.81 and six tenths weekly the state contributing (51 and three -tenth:; cents apiece for the pa' cuts Upen each patient, there has been a Jt.ss for two years of 1 1 and 25 cents. It w ids-, .".fated in the tius tees accounts th. 1 I'e institution has bet 11 forced te the n "c stty id bei rowing 11101 ey from its ceustitie ncy .tad patienage TIIKAi'PliOlljUt.St "KIKNT -Neme KeluTjtilim in 1110 Meney; iKitrKcl. A few local failures, the tardiness in the tobacco trade aud the tightness iu tl e money market here dtuiug the pies'-ut winter have ocea-aerul a g,ed deal u uiieasii.ess lest thcit tuhfc t.e appre:1 1 '1 ing a seveie finane: tl contiactieu in th" community, which would lesuh in a scat city of meny, hijb rates til itdt-iest, backwaidncss of lentleis ami it-suiting distress around the first of April, our geneial settling day, vow ue.t. at hand. " The first" this year will fail 0:1 Sunday, seven weeks from day after te tnonew, se that the business e.ubniuating en that annivcisary will be divided between Sat urday aud Monday, though for Mjveia! yeais there has been an mcieasiug ten dency te divide the 'ni-iiness through the peried of a week bufeie aud after " the first." Obligations maturing en April 1, will, of course, fall tine and h:w te be met en Saturday, March 151. Inquiries m financial circles and among this be.ut a" theritics of our merchants and baukis, result in the satisfactory conclusion that there are no geed grounds for serious ap prehension of stringency in money matter., this spring. The lcccnt contraction hern has been due te tin heavy drains I r cat tle. A million dollars, at least, was taken West by our drovers, who weie paid gi.-n-eially with uetca by the farmers, which they hoped te met t, by the s le of then tobacco. They have tl.mr rattle uud to bacco betli still en hand, ami l.ave been sjiely pressed te meet their manning ob ligations. But tl:u stock being all bought there is ue fin i her drain in this respec', and the tohacfe m.irket is gradually open ing, at least $50 000 a week lintli lg it:; way hither from New Yerk en this ac ac ceuut. The farmers, tee, are selling their wheat at fair prices, ami altogether am n better condition than had been expect d. As theliiht" approaches they will he still better piepaied for it, and geed paper has no great dilHc.ilty lit finding di-cr.uut. The banks will be able tet-crve all tin ir regular customers and nspensible bor rowers can liiie accommodation 51 1 reason able rates. There will net be the satne plethora as last year, when menej went begging as fiem -l te 5, and this e:tr geed leans will command from 5 te 0. ibit this is net an uufavotabie cembti in of things. 'Plie merchants are geneially hopeful anil fail Jy puis pe eus, though they may have learned a spirit of eeneivatt--ii. Antl this, tee, issilutaiy. Altogether t'1,1 outlook is favorable. l.eg ItreKnii. While E. O. Eaby aud Christian Hunch berger were returning in a buggy last evening from the fox chase at Rohrers Rehrers Rohrers tewn, their horse became frightened and for a time unmanageable. Mr. Eiby jumped from tbe buggy for the purpose of securing tli- li )!, but in doing te fractured the small bone of his left leg abevu tlm ankfe. He was brought te the city and the lnekci limb was set by Dr. Davis. Keluriieil Alter rlny IJuys. After an absence of twenty-three yeai -, Leuis Gershei has returned from Australia, and arrived in New Yerk yesterday, ac companied by hi.s daughter. His brother, Meri is Ge.rsliel, of this city, will leave te met row for New Yerk, where a reunion of the seven Geiuhr! brothers will take p'ace. Mr. Gersht.I and daughter will iu a short time pay a visit te friends in this city. )rclnl lis -tin,; ; , ti-iniliHtcr l'rtiytery Rev. J. V. M'tchcll. D. D., moderator of the Presbytery of Westminster, has called a pre re rata of the body te be held iu the .Marietta church en Monday, Feb. 19. at 11 a. 10., te consider the re quest of J. McElmoylnte be released from his piescnt pastoral relation there, and te determine the place of the next stated meeting of presbytery. Cit-itrt.il .SIS.I On Wftlr.es lav night the committce appointed by the A M. E. Strawberry chinch te held a fair made the following rep'iit : K"icip!s :;,- , Expenses 200 amount clearel SIP.". Vu Uti.ise. Y-3terd.iy a fox chase took place at the hotel of Am .s K.iuilman 5n lluhrerstewn. It was I.trg-1 v 'tended by sp.ntsmen and the l.). was c uiht aftei a short chase. V
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers