New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-28


vii, ahondon ;ts economical notions, and pro-
vide the city with plenty of good gas, ana sec
tbat tho lamps are regularly lighted anu
cIe,red they will confer II greater benefit we
do not paw half enough in gas bills, nor nave
one third the light we should have.
Although the session of the American Seem
| ti6c Association is over and its members nave
| dispersed to the rotous eating OF clans on
the New-England shore, the luminous results
of its labors still continue TO come to us, as
the RAYS of n star we are told by the astron-
omers would continue to stream upon the
earth for ages after its humiliation. The late
session was a remarkable one in point OF in
dustry and practical results as all our readers
will bear witness.
1t seems to us idle to talk Of restricting or
taxing the delivery of goods across the side
walks. That method of doing business Ii
unavoidable. IL is not this to which pedes-
TRANS object for this necessary nuisance is
only occasional. But many merchants occupy
parts of the sidewalk with the display OF their
wares. There are numerous streets where salt
barrels, stoves, vitriol-fasks, and even china
crates are constantly exposed as signs. These
should be prohibited. The relief would be
very appreciable.
The American Museum Of Natural History
has recently made some valuable additions TO
its scientific treasures, which we enumerate In
another place. 1t is also in treaty for fine
collection of fossil fauna and fora now for
sale in Berlin. The Museum of Natural His
tory. as well as that of Art, is In excellent
hands. and deserves tho cordial support OF
every enlightened citizen of New-York. Its
collections are soon TO be made more availa-
BILE by means of careful catalogue which
Professor Bickmore has passed the Summer In
preparing.
Senator Morton's back pay, which he declined
saying anything about in his speech of Aug.
49, except that he chad not drawn it, and
"never expected to-" and which his Indian
apolis organ on the 26th said "was covered
I" into the Treasury some time since" and which
had not been received at the Treasury Depart
ment on the 26th, but was referred to IN
published letter, dated "New-York, Aug. 49,
directed to Secretary GOrham, and instructlng
him to return it to the Treasury" to com
"ply with a formality which seems necessary"
was formally covered into the Treasury yes
terday, Aug. 81. The delays of the postal
| service pass comprehension.
| The laundering apprentices who framed the
| present Charter have left the city authorities
| in a perplexed condition about the evening
! free schools. II is thought that no experienced
! teachers can be found to conduct these schools
because of a provision of the Charter which
makes il impossible for a teacher in day
school to receive pay for services at night.
| OF course, if this is insisted on, the salaries
of teachers in the night schools will be in
sufficient to justify competent men in engaging
to teach. Some solution of this new municipal
riddle should be reached at once. The
evening schools are for the benefit of the
poorest and most needy classes, and must be
maintained at any cost
The Police Commissioners have lately taken
pains to suppress several documents which are
part of the public business of their Depart
ment and to which the people are entitled.
Among others which Mr. Gardner yesterday
stated he had ordered Chief Clerk Hawley to
keep secret were the opinion of Corporation
Counsel Smith that the police had no au-
tbority to forbid armed parades, the order
which virtually protects gambling houses, and
the letter of Gov. Dix refusing to arm the
police with rifles. These are documents of in
terest and Importance to the public, and 1t
ought to be understood that the Police De-
partment is not q close corporation which has
any right to conceal its actions and dOcu-
ments i'm the manner supOested
The proposition to arm and drill the police
as a military force was one which we treated
as preposterOus when il was first mentioned.
Gov Dix has taken the same view of the
matter and in letter to the Mayor not only
discOurages the idea, but says there is no law
to warrant it. The only warrant the Police
Commissioners could find for their pet project
was an act of 1916, and this the Governor
very clearly shows did not justify it. Expert
menting with the police force at this time is
not wise. IL Reform was assured of long
lease of life, and had accomplished fully what it
was created to do, it might carry on new under
takings which promised good results. But as
far as the Reform Police Commissioners are
concerned they have their hands full in main
tanning and improving the present discipline
of the force.
THE TRIBUNE said yesterday, discussing the
agitation by the press of the Salary Grab,
Occasionally bird drops" We chronicle
one more-Mr. j. F. Bird of New-Jersey, who,
as is announced this morning, "has returned
"his back pay, together with the interest in
part amounting to S4,s7O. 1t is a very
wholesome agitation. Bird after Bird departs.
Mr.. Benjamin F. Butler in his Worcester
speech said he knew of zone poor man who