New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-28
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, TUESDAY DECEMBER %. 1876.

] road offers. The prospect OF its better man
| sgement would be hailed with delight but
| the average experience Of roads in the hands
| of n receiver does not foster such hope.
Two things are equally neGdful IN respect to
| the work on the ctys waterfront; that IL
! should be done well and cbeaply, and that IL
| should be pushed TO completion without delay.
| The reasons why President Wales OF the Dock
Department regards the purchase OF I1cr
| Al. North River as economical at $25O,O0o,
are stated in our local columns. This is
question that should not be hard TO determine
! if the personal feelings that have been aroused
in the matter can be kept out of sight. II the
| work is DELAYED the commerce of the port
must suffer.
a list of the residents of this State VINO are
more than hundred years old Is interesting
at this Centennial period. The fact that the
number of these is greater than at the previ-
Gus census will be accepted as proof that In
good health at least our people are not
degenerating. The large proportion of persons
of Irish birth in the list is remarkable there
| is, however, some evidence of its general ac-
men, which accords with the usual rule IN
tables of longevity that have been prepared
| by students of life insurance.
The contract system for city work grows in
| favor. BY a close vote the Board OF Alder
men has given it the preference over day Ia
| Dor in laying new mains for the CrOtOn. An
otherwitnesshas testified before the Senate Com
mittee to the often repeated truth that the day
| laborcrs are mostly oilers. President Wales
states that tho Dock Department intends to
employ the contract system as far as practical
| ble because the other method is poor econ
| omy. If contractors could be fully held to
honest bargains by the departments under
which they work, there would be no room for
any difference of opinion on this subject.
Mrs. Moulton's new proposition and its ac-
ceptance by Plymouth Church have simplied
| the position. The preliminary correspondence
has given both sides opportunity to have
| their say, and each has declared Its belief
very distinctly. The new questions TO be laid
before the Mutual Council have the merit of
| being free from assuming the facts Ill the
case. They are sufficiently broad to draw out
! the facts-as far as testimony can give them
| il the Council wish to go into q complete ex-
| position of the scandal but people who have
| heard enough on that subject will not regard
| this feature of the questions as at all admiral
ble while those who have not had enough OF
| it are not likely to be sahated with the
new installment no matter what may be its
quantity. One thing at least, has been effected:
| by accepting Mrs. Moultons proposal i'll the
form in which she has put it, Plymouth Church
has ended the discussion as to its fair dealing
in the matter of calling the Council
The letter on the organization of the House
which we publish this morning comes from
friend of the Speaker, and undoubtedly ex
presses the principles which Mr.. Kerr kept in
| view in the appointment of the Committees.
We have found some of the selections unac-
countable. and the neglect of some of the
! ablest and most valuable members apparently
without excuse. On these points the letter be-
| fore us offers nothing new. But it explains
the general rule by which the Speaker has
been guided; and no one can deny that 1t
agrees strictly with the principles OF tho Demo
| cratic party. How far it may be desirable or
practicable to apply this rule to the or
ganization of committees depends upon the
personnel of tho House. Mr.. Kerr is
understood TO hold that his first duty
is not to find the right man and put him in
the right place. but to consult tie wishes of
tho numerical majority, and d" if the people
who elect the numerical majority in the
House have not selected worthy representa-
" tiyes. that is not the fault of the Speaker"
| Evidently this doctrine may lead to unlor-
tunate consequences. Too scrupulous a care to
apportion the chairmanships of committees on
| the basis of numbers may easily result in ham
pering the action OF the House, or even throw
| ing the control of public business into the
hands Of the minority. Mr.. Kerr's action, how
ever will not be rashly judged. We shall
wait for events to vindicate tho wisdom of his
! choice.
| MR. MORTON'S PLAN.