New-York tribune., 1875-08-17

American Scientific Association at Detroit ls
printed in THE TRIBUNE to-day. In this Prof
II. A. Newton of Yale College makes a forci-
bic plea in behalf of a more general study OK
mathematics, not so much that it may be given
a higher place in education, but that 1t may
receive more attention from men OF scientific
pursuits with view to their becoming better
qualified for such pursuits.
We have new assurances that the President
heartily supports Secretary Bristow in his
attack on the Whisky Ring; but such
assurance were hardly necessary, inasmuch as
it is well known that the President and
Mr.. Brstow have been all along in
thorough accord on this subject. Every
thing looks fair for the successful prosecution
of the pending suits, and the public will agree
with the Revenue officer who is reported to
have said that with the evidence on hand a
failure to convict will be almost a sufficient
reason for the abolition of the Department OF
Justice.
| Assistant Secretary COwen's reply to MIR.
| William Welsh's open letter to the President
does not change the aspect of the case OF MIR.
| Welsh against the Indian Ring. The most I'M
pOrtant part of this reply refers to Mr. Welsh
refusal to testify before the Commission ap-
| pointed to investigate Commissioner Smith 8
alleged connection with the Minnesota Pine
| Land Ring; and what Mr.. COwen has to say
on this subject seems to have been anticipated
by Mr.. Welsh in his letter to Prof Marsh,
which TIE TRIBUNE published yesterday. 1t
is to be regretted that Mr. COwen has seen fit
to pay more attention to the author OF the
charges against his Department Of the Govern
| ment than to the rcfutatOn of those charges.
The affairs of Duncan, Sherman & Go. have
heretofore had such full exposition and ex-
| PLANTATION that the detailed statement pub
| lished this morning will have interest chiefly in
| that it reveals the amounts due to and by in
| dividuals. 1t seems almost a cruelty to the
thousands of creditors and debtors of this once
prosperous and reputable firm that this publi-
cation must needs be made but there is a
general interest greater than the accumulated
interest of all the unfOrtunates concerned i'll
the failure. The total deficiency of the firm
as shown by this detailed statement is larger
by nearly three-quarters of a million than that
which they put forward as preliminary
showing of their condition. And it remains to
| be seen whether or not tne eStulatc tnty haNc
placed upon their assets is justified by the
| present condition of the markets.
1t is thought that the accident to Mr. Edwin
Booth may result fatally. Mr. Booth how
ever, is man of very strOngy-knit and wiry
physique, and capable of great endurance and
! from this fact, and from the fact that he Is
of a firm, patient, resOlute nature, a
happier result may be anticipated The loss
of Edwin Booth would he great and
irremediable calamity to the American stage.
| He is now in the meridian of his powers and
his fame-ripened by larger experience OF
| both renown and adversely than falls to the
| lot of most men; and, since misfortune
| and success have but strengthened in
| him a noble devotion to what Is
noblest in his art, while developing and
augmenting his capacities to serve its
cause, it is not too much to say that
around him are clustered the highest hopes
of the future of our theater. In few
instances are private virtues so closely
welded to public eminence as in the
case of Edwin Booth; and the community
would feel in losing him, that it had lost an
exemplar, an ornament, friend, blameless
| and heroic gentleman.