New-York tribune., 1874-12-22

NEW.YORl
sure to yield in the end. This Congress will
not dare to pass any subsidy to any steamship
company, railroad, or other public beggar.
The times arc too hard, and we have too
recent illustrations of how subsidies are passed
and the use that is made Of them.
A sketch Of the present flourishing con-
clifton of the American Geographical Society
will be found on our fourth page. The inter
cst attaching to travels and voyages insurcs
tho popularity of the Society, and enables it
to bring into public notice the work done by
| explorers. 1t is also focus tor the collection
of geographical news and literature. In ad-
dtion to these obvious means of usefulness,
tho Society is doing good work in encouras-
ing many labOrcrs in the cause OF science
whose field of research is in regions remote
| from civilization.
1t has often been stated that men who have
not money enough to pay their grocer's bills
or support their families, can buy and sell
large blocks of stock in BrOad-st. A remark
able illustration of this fact is found in the
case of broker who had run behindhand
some S1,2C0, and suddenly concluded to make
cor break" by stock purchases exceeding half
o million dollars. That he could execute such
q hare Drained scheme and involve many other
brokers in loss by the consequent change of
values. is itself sufficient commentary on tho
mode of doing business on the Street.
Prof. Dawson, in the fifth lecture of his
course, discusses the question of the an
| tiquity and origin of mankind. The cave
skeletons, the fossil man of Mcntonc, and the
associated animals Of the Cave-dwelliDg age,
are brought under review. Tho Professor
does not regard the evidences of high an-
tnuity as convincing but argues that if the
cave-dwelling man be proved to have existed
in o remote era, the agreement Of his skele-
ton with that of the man of the present day
is fatal to the development theory. Leaving
science on the horns of this dilemma. he
| finds more satisfactory account of tho crca-
ton of man in tho Biblical narrative.
! Mr.. Twins testimony, given at great length
iu our dispatches, is devoted rather to his
own exculpation than that of tho Pacific
Mail Steamship Company. lie explains
various circumstances to show that be
has acted in good faith to the Committee.
Then cnsucs a long history of his connection
with the affairs of the Company; he having
the management at Washington of the sub
| sidy business, and cxpending therein S15OOOO.
He appears in this evidence rs objccting
to the subsidy system; prcicrrlng to
buy English vessels regarding the present con-
troll of the Company as "specnlativc," COM
pared with Its previous management. which
was conservative" anxious to resign, and at
last resisning. Proof of tho confidence of the
Company in him, and of his own honesty, is
brought forward, MIR. Irwin rctcrating his
assurances that the whole S15O,0Oo was cx-
pended in procuring subsidy.
| Whoever supposes that Mr.. Irwns refusal
to answer the proper questions of the Com
mittee will prevent the ultimate exposure of
the Congressman whom his money bought,
must have great faith in tho capacity of
great many people to keep common secret.
and in the lack of nerve in this Committee,
in this Congress, and the next one. 1t is in
order now for the Committee to summon and
vigorously examine gentlemen of the lobby
and of the House whose names have been
more OF less COJlutCtcu Will plls AiWiu siduo-
actions. Let them be asked as direct qucs-
tions as Irwin was, and, if they refuse to
answer, let them be served as Irwin is. There
are enough of them to make Jail full, but
before it gets full somebody will tell.
This is not o question concerning the
Pacific Mail Company. 1t is of no account.
Its subsidy is already as good as repealed,
and it will need to be thoroughly reorganized
before it can ever again command public con-
fidence. 1t affects large number of men
now claiming q public consideration to which
they are not entitled, and exercising most
harmful influence in politics, because their true
character has not been exposed. The lobby
lists and stockholders who try to degrade the
work of this Committee to mere Wall Street
sensation underestimate the importance tho
American people attach to having Congress
men with clean hands.