r THE DAILY EVBlNllNO'TTELEGRArn PHILADELPHIA, MONDAY, MAT 8, 1871. MONDAY, MAY 8, 1871. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM. Notwithstanding the general expression of pnbl'O opinion last fall in favor of a Consti tutional Convention, empowered to revise and reconstruct the Constitution of Pennsylvania, the Legislature has shown no disposition to provide for such a reform. Several bills have been presented, but they have apparently been suffered to sleep, in committee-rooms, the sleep which knows no waking; and the habitual hostility to all genuine reform which. pervades the atmosphere of Ilarrisburg has stifled a proposition which promised to relieve the people, purify the politics of the Commonwealth, and benefit all its substantial interests. If the legisla tors wish to establish a valid claim to the gratitude of their constituents they will yet make provision for a Constitutional Conven tion before tbey adjourn, and thus afford an O portunity for the best men in the State to roret in council under circumstances which will enable them to tear tip'tbe roots of exist ing evils. As a port of balf-way measure, which is, however, insignificant in its scope, the Senate has passed a joint resolution providing for an amendment to the Constitution making the State Treasurer elective by the people instead of the Legislature, and the House Committee on Constitutional Reform proposes to do some additional tinkering to the fundamental law of the Commonwealth by increasing the number of Representatives or Assemblymen to 130 each county, no matter how small, to have one and the bal ance to be divided equitably among the coun ties entitled to more than one. This House amendment also proposes to perpetuate the present stupidly unjust provision, aimed at Philadelphia, whioh provides that no city or county shall eleot more than four State Sen ators, and thus deprives this city of her legitimate share of power in one branch of the Legislature. For that reason, if for no other, every Philadelphian should op pose the proposition made ou Friday last by the House Committee ou Constitutional Reform; but, in fact, the only proper action of the Legislature at this time is to have a Constitutional Convention called together. The whole constitutional machinery is antiquated, and unfitted to the require ments of the times, so that the trivial tink erings of Senators and Assemblymen, who can at best devote but a few hours of the session to constitutional questions, will in no event do much good. The greatest evil afflicting the body politic now is the Legisla ture itself, as it is ordinarily constituted, and it is folly to expect that the true remedy will be evolved, directly, from the sore spot of the Commonwealth. The best thing to be hoped for is that there is enough virtue and intelligence left among the members to prompt them to give the people an opportunity to eleot able men for the ex press purpose of reforming the whole Consti tion. The ana'ogous movement made a generation ago was efficacious in eradicating the peou iar evi s developed up to that time, and there would be fair ground for expeoting similar results now. But much more is needed than a s'ight increase of the chances of preventing State Treasurers from specu lating with S ate funds and a slight addition to the number of legis'ators. There is no use in doctoring a patient with a few weak drugs when his whole system is permeated with a deadly poison. GEARY. Govxbnob Geabt has bad enough of the minor honors of the executive chair of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and he ia beginning to develop designs upon the Presi dency. H? apparently proposes to run upon an independent workingmen's tieket, and to give both the Republican and Democratic organizations the cold shoul Jer. This is well, for Geary's characteristics are too well known both to the Repu licans and Democrats for him to have any great hope of obtaining a nomination from either of them, but if he can rally to bis support the various trades unions there may be some ohance that one or the other of the political parties will take him up. It will be observed, however, that there is a very large "if" in the way, and the men who manage the trades unions, despite the many foolish things they have done, are scarcely fools enough to pin their hopes to such a brainless candidate as Geary would make. The speech made by the Governor at Harrisburg on Saturday bristles with Presidential aspirations, although the White House is, with the superficial cunning of a praotised demagogue, carefully kept in the background. By glittering generalities about the rights of laber and the oppressions of capital, Geary in this speech makes a bid for the suffrages of the workingmen and for the co-operation of the tradoa unions; but we fear that when the Presiden tial nominations are made our pardon granting Executive will find that the hard handed men of toil, even if they are silly enough to put up an independent candidate, will have sense enough to fix upon some one besides a mere trading politician, without brains, without educatien, without a reoord calculated to inspire . confidence in his future performances, and, in fine, without a single qualification for the office, It is a gratifying fact that hitherto the men who have sought to nominate themselves for the Presidency have uniformly failed to do so, and better statesmen than Geary ever was or ever will be have lot their vaulting ambi tion o'erleap itself, and have seen the choice of the country fix itself upon comparatively unknown individuals who have been oontent to remain in the background and to aooept only snob. honors as are offer ed them. If Governor Geary ever had any chances for the Presidency he has destroyed them by his conduct sinoe he has been in Lis present potion, for he has demonstrated in the plainest manner possible that he is utterly unfitted by nature or educa tion to perform the duties of any high office of trust or honor. He has alienated men of all parties, and it is too late for him to hope to regain his lost ground by flat tering the workingmen, for the workingmen of this country read the newspapers, and they know that he is not to be trusted. Having proved such a wretched failure as Governor of Pennsylvania, it is terrible to think of the mess he would make of onr national affairs if he should by any possible chance manage to become President of the United States; but suoh a possibility as this is too remote to be thought of, and we are pleased to believe that when his present term expires our ambitious Governor will re tire to the shades of private life, where he will have ample opportunities to amuse his leisure moments by extracting from his legs those bullets which he bears about with him as memorials of his warlike career. VLB A 8 A NT ON 8 PLEASANTRIES. Oub townsman, General Pleasanton, has made a discovery that will give Darwinism, andscienoe generally, a boost such as it may not get over for a long time. On another page of this paper will be found some account of the General's experiments with blue light upon animals and plants. It appears that light when transmitted through blue or violet glass has a strange in crease of vivifying power, and instances are given by General Pleasanton in whioh grape vines, etc., flourished in an unprecedented manner under the improved treatment. Nor was the General content with operating upon inanimate nature. He tried his blue and purple arts upon the humble but useful pig, and that creature so thrived under the tinted sunlight that a genuine educated hog, some thing quite different from the make-believe article, mny be confidently expected shortly. With poultry the same success i claimed. Particulars are not given, but we are led to infer that the hens laid eggs like clockwork, and that the roosters crew themselves blue in the face. The strangest experiment made was upon a calf. It was such a weak calf that its pre cious life was despaired of, but in twenty, four hours after being placed under the General's cerulean-roofed stable it took up its bed, or some of it, in its mouth, and walked about with it. A more thoronghly-reoovered calf than that calf in a few days you could not find. Aftor detailing the facts of this experiment, General Pleasanton says: "If by the combination of sunlight and blue light you can thus mature and strengthen animals, you can scarcely conceive of the im measurable value of this disoovery." It must be understood that we in no way dispute or disparage these results. We are proud that Philadelphia has given one mare proof that she is the soientifio leader of the country, and that Pennsylvania has so liberal and intelligent a body as her Agricultural So ciety, through which these important discove ries are certain to receive the attention they deserve. General Pleasanton winds his theory up, however, in a tantalizingly abrupt manner. The first thought of every reader, in learning ef these wonderful doings, will be of his own interest and possible share in this rejuvenation of the world. If this blue 'ight has so magical an effeot on plants and n the lower animals, may not man be expectel to get a little good from it? It is quite unreasonable that this mogio ehou'd be reserved entirely for the cabbage, the goose, the squash, the mule, and not for the Paragon of Animals. For ourselves, we will not believe it. We feel sure that the General builded better than he knew, and that it is impossible yet to say what good may not come to the human race through this improved way of taking its sunlight. The hypercritical will be ready, of course, with all sorts of objections. From the in vention of steam down to the time of a Paid Fire Department, every new idea has been assailed with ridicule. The principal objection to the new philosophy is easily foreseen, and may be answered once for all. Briefly, it will not be necessary for men to live in hot-houses. Such an idea would not enter the mind of any one search ing for truth for the truth's sake. More or less blue glass disposed about the place where the philosopher abides is . of course neces sary, but that need not derange in any way his o'd mode of living. Leaving, however, these cavillers, who see good in nothing, let us supply the omissions in General Pleasau ton's theory, and look at the possible work ings of the blue light theory. If tried at Washington we should doubtless find the most ordinary men springing up, under the influence of these enlivening rays, into'energetio legislators, and possibly for who can limit the wonders of science? into honest men. It would be an instructive Bight, that of the Senate or the House, with its blue ceiling, and the consciousness ever present that our representatives were volun tarily developing themselves, and were en listing the forces of nature to call out their BluggiBh faculties. That would be a humility with some point in it. But not only to Congress could General Plea eanton's Aureole with propriety be applied. ThinK what an altogether unique attachment it would be to the courts! Our judges, lawyers, juries, and witnesses are actually suffering, although tbey may not know it, for this new atmosphere, and it may even happen that the General's blue glass will yet so sublimate society that there will be no need of courts, their supporters or sur roundings. Blessed day! If the agricultural Sooiety can do that we ought all of us to be come honorary members. Then, to bring this matter down to the level of our daily lives, it is only necessary for a man to put a blue skylight in his house in order to note the most astoaishing pheno mena in himself and his progeny. The General has fully matured animals in twelve months, and as man can do more than any other creature, it follows that under the new treatment we should have human beings of a year talking politics, joining trades unions, marrying, and in fact going the whole round of the tread mill we call life. There is no evading the logical conclusion of the General's argument if we once aocept his seductive premises. Then this most rare Nimbus aots not oaly upon the physical nature. As it induces with plants and flowers not only a greater quantity but a rarer quality ef fruit and fragrance, so man under its influence may be expected to shoot into a moral stature little less than appalling to the degenerate sense of the present age. The Good Bishop in Lea Miserable, or the popular G. Washington himself, could not have held a candle to the moral completeness of the in dividual who thinks and' acts on the belief that Blue is the only Wear. Then conceive our jails with blue glass roofs. A flippant person may say "It would be n good thing for the prisoners." So it would, but not as you insinuate. No; let one good hour of sunshine pour through the celestial panes, and the prisoner would have no desire to escape. He would be glad to remain where he felt himself growing in grace every minute. Or suppose a sudden blast be let in upon an old bachelor, that worst pest in a busy world. No sooner does the bachelor feel it, than piff ! he is off for the old flame he has lost sight of for many years. In short, the application of General Pleasanton 's theory has no limit, and with these hints to s-nide him, the subject can safely be left to the reader's imagination. THE MILITIA TAX. Otk ventilation of the militia tax swindle has had the good effect of inducing the individuals who have charge of the collection and distribution of the tax to make a statement of receipts and expenditures. This statement, which we find in the columns of one of our Sunday con temporaries, is, we presume, the best that the assessors and receivers of the tax are able to Bay for themselves; and if we accept it as correct. it only substantiates the general assertions made in The Evening Telegraph. Accord ing to the figures given, $22,37(501 were col lected from May 2, 1870, to May 2, 1871. One-third of this amount, or $7205 '27, was ex pended for collecting the tax, and the sum of $ir,OSO75 was distributed among the several brigades, leaving a balance on hand of $213581. It will thus be seen that the ex penses of collecting the tax absorb one- third ef the whole amount, an enormous percentage, and the publio certainly do not from the balance of the tax get the worth of the money thus paid to the assessors and col lectors. The statement referred to makos no mention of the 15 per cent, which goes into the pockets of Mr. Pearson, the collector of delinquent taxes, nor the $2 05 charged by that gentleman for "costs," which make his perquisites amount to the nice sum of $220 for every 85 cents paid over by him to the Board of Division. Taking the figures at their full value, however, it must setm absurd to every one that only $22,370 01 should have been collected by Mr. McCtmmon. From a reliable source we learn that in 1870 72,407 persons were assessed. These were those between the ages fixed by law, and it would be certainly a large allowance to say that of this number not more than 22,000 were ex empt under the law. This brings down the number of those absolutely liable to the tax to about 50,000, where we placed it in our first remarks upon the militia-tax swindle. Now, we want to know why all these 50,000 individuals were not forced to pay the tax as well as other people? In the first place we know that the assessment is loosely made, and in the second place we know that many persons are permitted to exempt themselves for totally insufficient reasons, and in the third place we know that the tax is waived in many cases where its collection is sturdily resisted, and the party liable shows a dis position to make a disturbance. If the tax is a proper one it should be collected with strict impartiality, and if it is not a proper one, it should not be col lected at all. If it is collected, such official publio statements of receipts and expendi tures should be made as will enable the tax payers to know where their money goes, and the whale matter should not be left in the hands of men who are responsible to noboJy, and who exercise the power of expending thousands of dollars of the publio money in secret without being under the necessity of rendering any aooount of it except to persons who are as irresponsible as themselves. If we must have a militia tax, let it be levied in a proper manner and im partially upon all classes of tax-payers, and let it be collected by the regular Receiver of Taxes, who will inform the publio in a proper manner with regard to its disposition. The present tax is what we have called it, a swin dle, and the Legislature will do the people of Philadelphia in general and our militia orga nizations ia particular an essential service by abolishing it, and by providing a better method of supporting the home guards. The New York sensations of last week con sisted of a somewhat detailed description of the prooess by which the railway magnates of that city' victimize ill-fated stockholders, a disclosure of methods whereby panderers to vice conduct their operations on a scale com mensurate in infamy with the grandeur of the metropolis, and a touching picture of the universal interest exoited by fears that the death of the wife of a shoulder-hitter, through "alcoholism," would postpone a prize fight. This reoord is worthy of Fisk, Tweed, and Tammany, and if it is well followed up by a development of the movement recently commenced in that city to reorganize sooiety on the basis established by the Commune in Paris, the glories of Gotham will shine forth with a lustre that will well-nih become a self consuming blaze. Noank, Conn., boasts of a three-eyed cat, and inquires, "How is that for eye?" Kulberfordton, N. (J., ia to have an "Ivan hoe tournament and KiBg John ball" boou. Yellow amber in large quantities U beiuij found at various points oa the Mexican coast. Jewelers, Chestnut fc 2tli Sts. Are now prepared SPRING OF Gr O L I T And respectfully invite inspection of their Stock, which will be found the largest in the country, and embraces many goods entirely new and very elegant. NOTICES. Wanamakkr & Brown, Proprietors of Oak II all, Philadelphia's Largest, Cheapest, Best, and Most Popular Clqthiko HorSK. Wanamakkr & Brown, Manufacturkks and Dkalkrs in ' Gents", Youths', and Boys' Fink Clothing, ready-made or to order. - - Wanamakkr A Brown, OENTS' OOTKlTTf R3, Supplying Gentlemen at a distance with Clothing, cheap, durable, and stjllsh. The Finest, Largest, and Cheapest Stock of Spring and Hammer Clothing ever offered In any American Establish ment I i now being sold at oar buildings, S. E. corner Market and Sixth streets. SrRiNO In every Department we have the Rlch-Annoukce- est Goods, the Best Styles, and the hunt. Greatest Variety, and the Prices are lower than ever before. The Boys and Children have been especially cared for, and Parents and Children will do well to make early selections from our stock. Oak Hall, 8.E.j:orner Sixth and Marketsts. CLOTHING. HINTS FOR TO-DAY! Suit for the Boy At ROCKHTLL A WILSON'S. Business Suits fr "pring Wear At ROCK HILL & WILSON'S. Fine Melton Ches'erflelds At ROCKHILL A WILSON'S. Elegant Dress Pauts At ROC KI1 ILL A WILSON'S. Choice Clergymen's Suits At KOUK.UILL A WILSON'S. Easy Fitting Sacks At KOCK BILL & WILSON S. Bveryday 8prlng Hults At ROOKHtLL & WILSON'S. Fine lot of Piece Goods Ready to be made to order At ROOK HILL 4 WILSON'S. Choice of Vast Variety AtBOCKniLL & WILSON'S. FinpRt Custom Department On this continent At KOCKHILL & WILSON'S. R. W. Rockhlll & Wilson's Orcat Brown nail Is ahead of every other entalilshuient In Philadelphia in Kxeellenee, Prcmptues-i, Reliability, and Cheapness IT IS TO YOUR INTEREST TO CALL AND BEE. ROCKHILL & WILSON, 603 and 605 CHESNUT STEE2T, PHILADELPHIA. Sqjjy PHILADELPHIA- PA, A NEW LOT OF DARK'and LIGHT MIXTURES IN Scotch and English Check and Striped GOODS, FOR BUSINESS, TRAVELLING, and MORNING SUITS, Looking, when Cut and Trimmed Stylishly, j VERY ELEGANT. WESTON & BROTHER. TAILORS, S W. Corner NINTH and ARCH Sti, PHILADELPHIA. A fall assortment now in store OF THE CHOICEST NOVELTIES OF THE SEASON FOR GENTLEMEN'S WEAR. A SUPERIOR GARMENT AT A REASONABLE PRICJ& 4 8 Bmrp yyE OFFER ANOTHER LOT OF Worked Shoes and Cushions Commenced and Pattern readya Bargain. One lot of Shoes, 78 cents. Oue lot of blioea, 11. Ilai'dsome Black Uimp. Mack and Colored Buttons, Black and Colored Silk Fringes. Pearl and Ivory Buttons. Coat Loops. 4 26 wfm lmip RAPSON'S, H. XV. Corner EIGHTH mud CIIKKRYSts. "spectacles. MICROSCOPES, TELESCOPES, TIIER MOMETERS, MATHEMATICAL, SUR VEYING, PHILOSOPHICAL AND DRAWING INSTRUMENTS AT REDUCED PRICES. JAMES W. OUEBP4 & CO., 1 SO uiwr "4p No. 9ti CUE3N UT Street, Pttlls, to display their STYJL-ES E W E L IT Y, HOSIERY. BALBRIGGM1 HOSIERY. SUMMER IMPORTATION now oi-usiv.a i HABPLESS & SON Respectfully solicit the attention of their customers for this additional department of their business. SHARPLESS & SON, CHE8NI7T and EIGHTH Sts., B 6smw3irp PH 1L ADELPn t A. TRIMMINGS. PATTERNS. ETC . IVlencke & Broihp.r, No. 804 ARCH St. JUST RECEIVED, A NEW IMPORTATION OF Berlin Worsted Embroideries. SLIPPERS 50 cents and upward; COSHIONS, STRIPES, ELEGANT BEAD SCREENS, TOW AT, RACES, Etc. Etc Bcutlier's Paris Kid Gloves. THE FINEST GLOVE MADE. Victoria Kid Gloves, $1 Per Pair. The best f I Qlcve In the market. LACES, GIMPS, ORNAMENTS, ETC. WM. MENCKE & BROTHER, .HOIAItII Ntreet, P 8 mwf3Up PHILADELPHIA PIANOS. STEIN W A V SUNS' GRAND SQUARE AND UPRICJnT PIAN03. Special attention Is called to their PATENT UPRIGHT PIANOS. CHARLKS BLASIUS. Warerooms, No. 1006 CHESNUT Street, Philadel. Phla. 4 13 trrp ffgj SCII OA! ACKER, A CO., GRAND SQUARE AND UPRIGHT PIANOS. Special attention is called to our Upright Pianos. They possebs the highest Improvements of any (u strumenta made, and are unrivalled for tone and auraDuuy. Alao, sole Agents for the celebrated BVHDETT ORGAN. SCIIOMACKEIl v CO., 4 13 tm4p No. 1103 CUES NUT Street. PIANOS AND ORGANS. GEO. 8TECK CO.S.) BRADBURY'S, - PIANOS, HAINES' BROS', EOS', j MASON AND HAMLIN'S CABINET ORGANS. GOULD Jr. FISCHER, No. 023 OUKSNUT Street. J. I. GOULD. No. 1018 ARCH (Street. WM. O. riBCHKB. 1 IT tfitl SOAP. SOAP! SOAP I! SOAP HI PATENT PEEFUMED DETERSIVE. PATENT PERFUMED DETERSIVE. PATENT PERFUMED DETER8IVE. I This la the best and moat economical LAUNDRY SOAP In the United States For house-cleaning, and i washing Flannel or Woollei Goods, it has no equal, j It is told by all grocers, and manufactured only by McKEONE, VAN HAAQEN A CO., 15 wfm2m Philadelphia and New York. STRIFE. rpo FIRE INSURANCE AGENTS. A PARTY L who has a kaowleiige of the business, ul caa coatrol considerable risks, desires to saj :itun biw Bell with an agent who rt-preneuU one or uore cuia pftblen. References ei changed. a AddreM "11. F. P.," Nor.li Amur to in once. 6 8t PAPER HANGINGS, E I O. WALL DECORATIONS. Ninety Different Shades OF TLAIN TINTS, Of the most beautiful and delicate colors, suitable to take the place either of painted walls or fresoo. They can be washed with a s.)ft brush or sponge WITHOUT INJURY TO THU COLOR. In addition to the above, we have a large assort ment of ORIENTAL SATINS, An entirely new class of PAPER HANGINGS; which, together with ' OUR EMBOSSED AND BROCADE! GILTS, VELVETS, ETC., Cannot fall to please the taste of tho most fastidious. The above gonc'ls received theFiRT PREMIUM at the late exhloluonof the A merles u Institute, New York. J. H. LONCSTRETHf No. 12 NORTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA THE HANO'NG DEPARTMENT, t-nperintendfld by T. J. O't-'ONNEH, can show ihsut nudities. Alt work warranted tatisluctory, ana lsguarantetxt to be so by us. 0 3 6Up IVACLE, COOKE AND EWINC, Paper Hangings, No. 1210 CHESNUT St., 8 13 smwSmrp PHILADELPHIA. WATCHES. JEWELHY, ETO. HENRY HARPER, No. 722 CHESNUT Street, A NEW STOCK AT LOSV PRICSJ OF WATCHES, OPERA AND VEST CHAINS, FINE JEWELRY, SILVER BRIDAL. PRESENTS, Roger', Sllver-PIated Spoous, Forks, Tea Seta, Castors, Ice Pitchers, Etc. 191ni4p CARPETINOS, ETO. 4th of July, .376. From April 1, 1871, until the opening of the Centennial Anniversary Exhibition. We will set apart A. IPe-rcen-tag-e On our entire sales of CftRPETIMCS, OIL CLOTHS, MATTINGS, AS OUR CONTRIBUTION. R. L KNIGHT & SON, 1222 CHESNUT STREET, 8 17 fmwStn PHILADELPHIA. McCAlLUEt, CREASE & SIQ&N, No. 509 CHESNUT Street. FIVES n CANTON MATTINGS, ALL WIDTHS, WHITE, CHECK, AND FANCY. LOW PRICEH. tfeCALMJM, CREASE k SLOAtf, No. COD CUUHiKUT Street, 8 1 wsmSmrp PHILAD ELPHIA. MNANCIAL. TRAVELLERS' CREDITS. Our Letter of Credit gives the holder the privilege of drawing either on DREXEL, 1IAR JES & CO., Paris, IN FRANCS, OB ON fflenrs. A. 8. PETRIE & CO., London, IN 8TKKLING, As may ba found most convenient or profitable, and Is available throughout Kuropu. To parties going abjoad we offer special facilities, collecting their la. te rest and dividends during their abaenca without : harge, DREXEL & CO., ITo. 84 SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. STOCKS, LOANS, ETC. BOUGHT AND SOLD AT THE BOARD OF BROKERS. BY ClfiOKGB J. BOVD. ' 4 88 tuths2mrp No. 18 S. THIRD Street. PRINTING. THEO. IEONHARDT & CO., Engraving and Steam LithograpMo PRINTING ROOMS, Voi. 612 and 614 CHESZIUT Street a nwrm imrp dshocrat building. 1
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