New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-27
speculation.

Many of our readers, We hope, have added to the
chiden's heap of Christmas treasure one or two OF
"Water Cranes Picture-Books,' published by
Routledge & Co. Of London, and always kept on
sale here by the New-York branch OF that house
To those who do not know these books, We would
cav that they are to all other picture-books,
of which we have any knowledge, what peaches are
to potatoes, and that their intrinsic power to
charm will long outast that of most Of the
TOYS with which, at this happy season, the
stockings of babylon overflow Mr.. Walter
Crane ID one Of the cleyerest of the younger
English artists and he has put his talent to
the best employmen in inyenting pictures for the
old stores" Cinderella" Beauty and the Beast"
"Goody Two-Shoes," "Ali-Baba and the Forty
Thieves and for many of the songs in " Mother
Goose as well. These pictures are printed in colors,
and as for the most part, only pure tints are used,
the effect is delightfully."- bright and cheerful Mr.
Crane has a good eye for harmony, and, altogether,
parent might seek long while before he would find
better educator for his child's sense Of form and
color than is supplied by these inexpensive books.
They are sure to be as much enjoyed by the grown
folks as by the little ones, and such great fayortes
are they in England that the pictures have been
used there as decorations for walls, being pasted III
a line lust above the wainscot the panels Of the
sign is to give pleasure to the children, but men
ton this other way of employing them to show that
in this case at least the little have been treated
with respect, and their young eyes and minds
thought worthy, as they surely are, of being minis
tered TO- not by thoughts and forms of express
sion inferior to those with which their elders are
fed nor different in kind, but only by elementary
instead of by complex, and by lew instead OF many.
Ii is given ont that Fitz John Porter cannot
be reappointed Commissioner of Public Works be-
cause the Aldermen would refuse to confirm him.
He is obnoxious to Democratic Aldermen because he
insisted on bringing down the pay of city aborers to
the market standard,-a just and wise act,
which, nevertheless John MOrrisScy and the
Custom-hOuse used to defeat Gen. Porters party at
the polls. He is obnoxious to Republican Aldermen,
because, while refusing to pay the laborers
more than the market rate for their work, he
consented that they should be selected by Tammany
committeeman. In word, be consulted the inter
ests Of The city too much to suit his party, and
the interests of his own party too much to
suit the other party But might not both sides con-
slider the matter little before deciding to drive
Gen. Porter out of office Is it quite clear
that the Democrats must now surrender
10 the Communist spirit which demands from the
city larger pay for less work Is it quite clear that
getting the Office for one of their own
party can afford to force the Democrats TO
put forward some man who has not made himself
obnoxious by saving money for the ethyl Are the
Aldermen of either party shoTt-sighted
as to Imagine that they only further the interests
of their respective organizations by throwing the
interests of the city to the dogs, and making
any effort to serve the city honestly, on business
principles, the inevitable prelude TO failure and
political disaster
II was " at social party" said the telegraph in
its Chesterfedan way, near Gallatin, Sumner
County, Tennessee. that Jack Suddette shot
dead by Joel Barnes. The difficulty originated in
dispute about the possession of chair" A very
provoking thing to happen at a holiday entertain
ment but there are regions in this broad land Of
social freedom where it takes good deal TO break
up party impair its sociability. While would
hardly like to venture the statement that the
I" social party" went on as before, We confess our
curiosity as to that dispute over the ownership of