THE DAILY EVEmMO TiSLEGRAFH rfllLADELPHlA, SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1871.'
SATURDAY, MAY 13. 1871.
TEE LAST MO VE OF THE WASHING.
TON SQUARE XING.
The Washington Square property-holders
having failed to procure the abolition of the
Building Commission, have made a fresh start
by procuring the introduction of a bill in the
Senate to suspend the operations of the com
mission until the next general election, when
the question of its continuanoe or discon
tinuance shall be submitted to the voters
of Philadelphia. This bill was in
troduced by Mr. Connell yesterday
morning, was reported almost immediately
by the Committee on Municipal Corporations,
and was finally passed yesterday afternoon.
This was tolerably lively legislation, to say
the least of it. The anti-Penn Squareites are
evidently playing this bill as their last and
strongest card, relying upon the apparent
fairness of it and upon the popular oblivious
ness to the large-sized snake con
cealed under it to secure the object
for which they bare been laboring.
The primary objeot of the bill is te get the
subject of the Building Commission before
the Ilonse, when it is hoped that a majority
can be commanded who will do the bidding
of the ring of property-holders who desire to
have the pnblio buildings erected on the site
that has been rejected by the people of Phila
delphia. If this bill is brought before the
Ilouse, it will be an easy thing by the aid of a
simple majority to amend it so as to abolish
the Building Commission absolutely; aad this is
just what the men at whose instanoe it was
passed by the Senate expect to accomplish.
Let the Committee on Municipal Corporations
of the House therefore resolutely ref ase to
consent to this or any other proposition to
interfere with the commission, which is en
gaged in carrying out the wishes of a vant
majority of the people of this city in an emi
nently satisfactory manner. The commission
has done nothing, from the day of its appoint
ment to the present time, to justify the
clamor raised against it by men whose inte
rested motives deprive their arguments and
vituperations of all force, and if allowed to
carry out the work it has in hand without in
terference, it will give Philadelphia a hand
some municipal edifice that will be an orna
ment to the city and a souroe of pride to
future generations. The erection of the
public buildings has certainly been delayed
long enough, but if it depends upon the
Washington Square party they will never
be erected at all unless upon that
or some contiguous Bite; and the only way to
settle the matter is to let the commission go
on with its work without further interference.
The people of this city are heartily sick of
the whole controversy about the publio build
ings, and we appeal to the Legislature to in
terfere no more, but to permit this great
municipal enterprise to proceed in accordance
with the already plainly-expressed will
of the majority. If Mr. Connell's bill
passes and the anti-Penn Squareites suffer
another defeat at the polls, they will start
Borne new issue and perhaps demand another
popular vote; and bo the contest will go on
for years without any praotioal results. The
whole difficulty can be settled now in a proper
majaner by the House of Representatives re
fusing to accede to the demands of the anti
Penn Squareites, and by giving them plainly
to understand that they can expect no aid of
any kind at Harrisburg now or in the future.
AN INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
A bill creating an Insurance Department has
recently been presented in the State Legisla
ture and published in The Telegraph. Its
leading feature consists in the transfer to a
new official of the business and duties con
nected with insurance which are now en
trusted to the Auditor-General a change
which in itself will be of comparatively little
utility unless it tends to awaken inoreased in
terest and attention to the general subject.
In one respect the proposed reform would be
likely to be detrimental to the State. The
Auditor-Genera', being an elective offiaer,
ohoBen by the people of the whole State, is
asually man of wide reputation for honesty
and capacity, whereas the proposed Superin
tendent of Insurance would be an appointee
of the Governor; and if he proved a mere
mercenary spoils-hunter he might enrioh
himself by blackmailing good insurance
companies and by conniving at the
operations of fraudulent institations.
At the same time there is no doubt that
insurance has attained such a magnitude that
additional legislation is needed to protect the
publio from imposition and to secure an
honest and faithful administration of the
affairs of the respective companies. Perhaps
the best method of attaining this end would
be to apply a principle like that Sidney Smith
proposed to apply to railway travel as a pre
ventive of aooidents. He suggested that
directors should be put on the locomotives of
passenger trauis, and it would be well to pro
vide that the directors of insurance com
panies should not only be made liable pecu
niarily for the acta of the companies
they control, but that they should also
be punished criminally for any specially
grievous aot of wrong-doing, it i3 becoming
a praotical question, in some instaaoes,
whether there is not a necessity for insuring
those who have undertaken to insure pro
perty and lives; and while' good and respon
sible companies abound, an overabundance of
"tricks that are vain" are practised by agents
and officials connected with some of the com
panies. Insurance is, inherently, snob .a
useful and essential part of the economy of
modern life, that it would be exceedingly un
fortunate if the publio confidence in it was
materially diminished or destroyed; but in.
view of the numerous misrepresentations
made from time to time by untruthful
gents, the obsoure clauses inserted in some
policies, and the occasional efforts to evale
their obligations, as well as the nuauoidl ooi-
lapse, new and then, of an insuranoe com
pany, it is evident that new safeguards must
be thrown around the system before it can
be made as perfeot as it ought to be. This
is not an easy task, but it would be a very
proper and commendable one for the Legisla
ture; and if that body will seriously under
take to devise means for discriminating be
tween good and bad companies, and for
prosecuting criminally, as swindlers, all
directors or agents who obtain the money
of the publio by false representations, it
will do a great deal more good than is to be
accomplished by the mere creation of a lu
crative new office. The subject of insuranoe
should be carefully considered in all its bear
ings, and a comprehensive system adopted
that would ward off all the existing dangers
and reform all the prevailing abuses.
"Thk Public Kkcoko" to-day completed the first
year of Its publication. It Is seldom that a new
journalistic enterprise can make such a good allow
ing; on the first anniversary of Its establishment.
By a studied attempt to meet a popular demand,
entei prise In obtaining the latest and most reliable
news without regard to expense, and a calm, dis
passionate, and Impartial discussion of the questions
of the day, the PxMie Record has fairly achieved the
large measure.of success which It has merited.
NOTICES.
"Let Us IIavk Pkace."
Tub Grand Fkacs
Festival
of OUK
German Fellow-citizens,
On Monday, mat 15, 1871.
All persons in any way interested in this,
THE HOST
Magnificent Pageant
ever designed in pnlladelfhia, will tlease
observe carefully the followino
Suggestions:
To Participants in the Parade 1
1st Suggestion. Much depends upon the appearance
of each individual, aud to look
exactly right, you should be clad
In clothes from
Wanamaeer & Brown's Oak Hall.
sd Suggestion. If you must have a pair of Black
Fants.remember you can get them
for from $5 to $10, warranted the
best In town, at
Wanamaeer & Brown s Oak Hall.
3d Suggestion. You will need White Gloves, and,
perhaps, a new Cravat. Tnese,
and all other Furnishing Goods,
are to be had also at
Wanamaeer & Brown's Oak Hall.
4th Suggestion. Waste no money In buying your
Clothes, but get good clothing at
the very lowest prices, for which
you must go to
Wanamaeer & Brown's Oak Hall.
To Spectators.
Suggestion 1st. To full; enjoy this grand display
you must have on a new Spring
Suit from
The Largest Clothing House,
W. & B.'s Oak Hall.
Suggestion 2d. As the boys are going to have a
holiday of It, Improve the oppor
tunity by bringing them to
The Largest Clothing House,
W. A B.'s Oak Hall.
Suggestion 3d. Remember that for men and
bnys there are no prices so low
as at
Thk Largest Clothing House,
W. & B.'S OAK HALL.
To Strangers.
One Suggestion. Do not fall to call and look
through the greatest business
housn in America. You wl lbe
heartily welcome whether you
come to buy or not by
WANi MAKER ti BROWM,
AT
Oak Hall, Market and Sixth streets.
Nos. 632, 634, 636, and 633 Market street, and 1, 8, 5,
7, 9, 11, and 13 South Sixth street.
Valuable Property M. Thomas A Sons will
sell at the Merchants' Exchange on Tuesday, May
16, the desirable property known as the "Phoenix
Hose House," Filbert street, above Seventh.
OUOTHINQ.
SPRING, 1871
Coachmen's Goats.
GREAT CROWN HAIL.
We are now making a specialty of
Coats for Coachmen.
We have In store a splendid
lot oi them ready for lin me
diate uBe.
Fine Driving Coats
for gentlemen
who drive In the Park,
or elsewhere.
Light Spring Overcoats of every description
Fine Spring Salts from $10 upward.
The beat and the cheapest of everything,
R0CKH1LL & WILSON'S
GREAT BROW HALL,
603 and 605 GHKSHTJT STREET,
k PHILADELPHIA.
.CHESTNUT ST.
1 HOTEL. "
PHILADELPHIA) PA.
ELEGANT
AND
FASHIONABLE
CLOTHING TO ORDER.
Sold Cheaply
and always
Finished Promptly.
Both of which our unusual facilities enable us
easily to do.
.1 IV kfo (OS
VV LI NDl l .V
PHILADELPHIA- (CLOTI HOUSE
W
ILLIAM
IT. W. Corner
NEW STYLES STR
HANDSORQEZ
WW.
In Black, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Stripes, and Neat Mixtures.
TWENTY THOUSAND YARDS BOYS' GASSUVIERES,
RANGING FROM 0 CENTS TO PER YARD.
LINEN DUCKS AND DRILLS.
LADIES' 8ACQUEINC8,
111 Great "Variety. "Wliite Sacqieiiig,s a Specialty.
CLOTHS FOR LADIES' WRAPS.
COMPLETE STOCK OF
WOOLENS FOR FRIENDS' WEAR.
W
ILIUM
H. W. Corner
REEVE
CHESNUT STREET,
IMPORTERS AND DEALER S IN
CARPETINGS,
OIL CLOTH 0,
MATTINGS,
DRUGGET I NGS,
Ugs,
T.
SN0
of Ninth and
PED
SPRING
SCOTCH! CHEVIOTS.
T. SNODGBASS & C0.
of NINTH and MARKET Streets.
L KNIGHT
Door-Sats-
1222
mmm & co.
Market Streets.
IMERES,
COATINGS,
& SON,
Etc.
CASS
WINES.
SHERRY 17 IN EG.
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY CASKS .
in stock or our
Favorite Table Sherry,
At f S-50 per gallon by the cask of SO gallons, or 13-TS
by tae nve-galiou demijohn.
E. BRADFORD CLARKE,
(SUCCESSOR TO SIMON COLTON A CLA.RKK.)
S. W. Corner BROAD and WALNUT,
1 81 tnthgtMp ' PHILADELPHIA.
JEWELRY AND SILVERWARE.
ROBBING,
CLARK
AND
BIDDLE
SILVER.
ft An immense stock of
C9
Jjj Sterling Silverware, I"
J Made to our order by Gorhatn Mfg.
Co. ?2
CO 2J
ftf Dinner and Tea Services. (O
Panch and Berry Bowls, f
J Large pieces suitable for Biidal or
CO general presentation. 29
SILVER.
f SPOONS, FORKS and KNIVES, CJ
bi
Over twenty different patterns, in
J 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, G, and 8 dozens,
CO Leather, Walnut, and Maple Gases. 33
SILVER.
g We have one of the largest and (0
best selected stocks of SILVER mm
in this city. f"
!
J ' Prices always satisfactory, as evinced ZJ
by our sales, which doubled
CO the past year.
ROBBINS,
CLARK
AND
BIDDLE,
AILEJY &
JEWELLERS,
CHESNTT and TWELPIH Sts.,
Invite attention to their wedding outfits o
STERLING SILVER
F0EES AND SPOONS,
Cf whlcb thej hive nineteen patterns, all of the
finest quality, and at lowest prices.
8lmwB5"p
o. 002 CHESNUT Street.
NEW DESIGNS IN
PLATED WHITES METAL
TEA SETS.
"EARL AND SATIN FINISH,
18ttlilbJ
? tft HPT 10 ioan in SUMS OF 1,0W
.-Jl'''' aud upwards. Anpij to
LEWIS 11. HhJDNER.
e is st
No. HI WALNUT Street.
BKDDINI PI A NTS OP EYKKT SORT.
Jjt. wf I: gicwp. aud at the lnwrnf pricr at
It. HI IST S Nnrnes.
6isf fclXTV-fEYKSTH St. and DARBY Koal.