New-York tribune., 1873-05-12

ton accessible shows that the few craf'"
which yet hold out are fuctuatihg po'"''"
opposing opinions. In Brooklyn, whcio
strike of the gas laborers has gwen sono
cause for alarm, The danger seems !" naSo
been avoided without much trouble fFooaoy
these Intellectual attempts Will gradually DC
morgod inio canddly conducted negotiations,
nv which the interests of employer and en-
rloyed may be adjusted without wastetui
strikes.
II ia reported from Washington that the
Administration is about to begin work III
earnest in Louisiana. 1t is likely that things
will be made very uncomfortable for the peo-
ME who do not believe that Mr.. Kellogg is
Governor of the State. Congress had fair
warning that the President would do exactly
this If the question was left to him. He said
explicitly that he should maintain the Kel-
logg Government; and he will have no half
way measures. just now, there rs pause
while the Administration waits impatiently
for Kcllogg's requisition for more troops. 1t
is barely possible that the mock Governor has
more discretion than they have in Washington
The Common Council of Brooklyn has been
investigating the East River Bridge, and the
reports of the Committee are to be submitted
to-day What has been found cut about the
expenditures may be summed up in the IN
tmatiOn OF the minority report that nearly
So, 600 900 have been expended upon uniinlshed
towers, which by the estimates were to nave
cost only $3,OO0,00O; and that there is no eX-
PLANTATION to be had of the expenditure
of the other $2,OO0,000. Both majority
and minority reports reflect ON Uon-
troller Schroeder for issuing Brooklyn bonds
against the provisions of the charter requiring
that private subscriptions be paid on call !;
and resolutions instructing him to issue no
more bonds until private stockholders pay up
their delnquencies are attached to each re-
! port. The proposition to consolidate the stock
as provided for in Controller Schroeder's bill
bending at Albany Is condemned as permit
ting the present management, by subScrip-
ton of $25O,0OO, to control an enterprise which
it is now estimated will cost not less than
! $g.0O0,0OO These reports will create great IN
terest in Brooklyn, where the bridge is q
| greater bone of contention than with u.s.
| There can be no possible objection to turn
|
monuments; but when it comes to selling
revolutionary and other time-honored tokens
of victory to the junk dealers, we must deInur.
! Even nation of shopkeepers might blush to
see It's battle relics knocked down to the
highest bidder as 80 much old metal. But
this is just what the War Department has or
dered to be done with the National
trophies stored at the Watervlet Arsenal
The unique bronze cannon from France,
bearing the names and devices of the French
Revolution of 1889 and of Louis XVI as well
as the guns and mortars captured. by the
patriots at Saratoga and Yorktown, are con-
signed to the auction block. Are we, then,
so poor that we must sell historical mementoes
which can never be replaced2 We might
better afford retrenchment in some other di-
rection. When nations deteriorate and grow
effeminate, it is said that they do not care to
be reminded of the brave deeds of their
sturdy ancestors. Perhaps the War Depart
ment is only anticipating by few years the
limp epoch into which some of our recent pub
lie scandals seem to point the national hfe.
In Washington the othef day, an appreciatiye
hotel keeper bought at an auction in the Cap
itol, among other relics, the Speakers chair
used in the House since the days of Henry
Clay 1t would not have cost the nation very
much to have kept the old bit of furniture
it would cost nothing-but honOr-tO get rid
of the trophies of Saratoga and Yorktown.