The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-07

ments brings about in time an adjustment
and equilibrium.
The most perplexing thing connected with
our financial condition and future prospects is
the premium on gold 1t will not go down, SEEM
ingly. 1t has stood for some time between
fourteen and sixteen, fuctuating only few
fractions lately above or below fifteen. 1t did
at one time fall below ten, though it seems
now to linger about fifteen, as if that were its
normal position. Two years or so ago, when
the United States Treasury held generally over
a hundred millions of gold in its vaults
nearly as much as the specie reserve of the
Bank of England-there was great deal of
talk in and out of official circles about specie
payments. Now little is said, except by GER
tain newspaper writers and other financial
theorists, who clamor for specie payments
without knowing how to reach them. The
Treasury has but little more gold now than
is liable to be called for to pay what
it owes. Nor do we see how it is to
accumulate again such stock as it had o
year or two ago. Surprising it could would
that bring us nearer specie payments than we
were then? Gold, in fact is with us only an
article Of merchandise, and the mistake that
has been made was in regarding it as any
thing else and in attempting to make sort of
mixed currency, having different values. All
the specie we have, and more, in addition to
all we can extract from the mines, we owe
abroad. AS long as the balance of trade is
against us our creditors across the ocean can
take the gold we have when they want it or
when they please. A more favorable state OF
trade, such as we have noticed as growing up
during the present year, might leave us q
pretty good supply and bring down the pre-
MUM; still we are, and must be for some
time, at the mercy of our creditors. While
there is reason to be hopeful as regards the
general welfare, progress and prosperity of
the country, we are in an anomalous con-
dition as to the gold question and currency
He would be q prophet indeed who could
tell how and when specie payments
can be established, or even the gold premium
be much reduced. Why, an able Wall street
speculator can almost defy the Treasury De-
partment and send gold up or down, as long
as that is considered money and the regula-
tor of values. If we could return to specie
payments and make specie the money of the
country there would be very different state
of things in Wall street. But making gold
money for one thing and not for another, and
when it seems impossible to come to specie
basis, opens the door for gold gambling and
all sorts of financial decentralization. In short,
it enables few men with few millions of
to change the value of thousands of millions
of property A remedy is needed for this
complicated state Of things, and it remains to
be seen whether the government can find one,
or whether the country will be left to work
out, by the force of circumstances, its own
redemption.
The "Croton Bug'' Pcst-shal There
BE War or AnnihiIation.
Like the locust swarms of Egypt have the
so-called "Croton bugs taken possession OF
nearly every dwelling house, Office, warehouse
and other buildings in the various parts of the
city. Scarcely desk, bureau drawer, closet,
wardrobe, or even the refrigerator, is exempt
from the presence of these annoying insects.
The -four barrel is special hive for them,
resting and breeding there by the million
under the hoops, headings and wherever q
crevice can be found. Even the sanctity of
beds and bedding is not exempt from their
visitations, and, no matter how careful and
tidy housewife may be, she cannot over
fha do of khoxy
swarm from wainscotings, mantels, sur
bases, dining tables window sills, foorings
under carpets, from cupboards, and else
where and everywhere. They revel in the
''dead shot powders that are represented to
be their ''sure exterminators, and dance-it
may be the ''dance Of death" in the dough
trough and bread basket, if they are dosed
with Paris green, poison so fatal to human
life, and which they can track with them
wherever they travel. They are said to be as
harmless as crickets, but unlike the cricket,
which is seldom visible, they are to be seen
with the naked eye almost everywhere. The
cricket is heard, but not seen the Croton bug
is seen, but not heard. 1t does not bite, but
pinches and scratches
On their first appearance they were sup
posed to be without teeth or fangs, but by cul-
tivation and high living they are now not only
able to show their fangs but to rake over the
sheepskin binding of copy of Blackstone as
if it were simply copy of the Cricket on the
Hearth" in paper or pasteboard. Of the
genus cockroach they seldom get SO fat as
that insect, and hence are not so valuable as
an article of food to produce obesity or plump
ness of form in the Circassian and Georgian
female slave marts of Turkey and Egypt
A friend determined to lay trap to catch a
swarm He laid cloth in spot where they
most did congregate in his kitchen, close by
the range, for they covet warmth, hence may
not be considered Siberian or Northern bug,
but rather bug of the Timbugtoo tribe. In a
few minutes the cloth was covered with, per-