New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-17
ton of property is likely to be very consider

Even railroad wars are not always unprofit-
able. A gratifying incident of the present
hosiilities between the Baltimore and ONO
and PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Companies Is the
general reduction of rates for freight from
this city by the three trunk lines to the west
This reduction was officially announced yes
terday, but some Of the companies have peen
undertaking each other privately for some
time.
Policemen, in making arrests, seldom nave
time to make an accurate examination vi 'no
condition of those they take in charge bu''
with surgeons attached to every precinct IL
seems strange that men suffering from inc
effects of disease should DO kept confined as
common drunkards until an opportunity Is
offered to drag them before Ponce 'uS''0o''
who, if recent reports are uue' 'o
often too ignorant or careless 10 cA"i"i'',
properly the circumstances OF the arrests "nu
the condition of tho accused. Inc 0.o'A'i'
;norost has elected some important testimony
hearing mon this point. The case disclosed
,os,ordav that of n Mr. McSweeny, who was
can't 70 tho Tombs as insane, while really suf-
fcrno from apoplexy, seems to call for ex-
PLANTATION.
A Democratic member of the XLTIId Con-
gress gave notice during the last session that
one of the first tasks of the incoming
Democratic House of Representatives would
be thorough investigation of the Department
of Justice. There is reason to believe that
such an overhauling will result in the dscov-
cry of even more mismanagement, extrava-
gance and partisan use of Government ma
chincry than the Democrats in search OF po-
litical capital suspect. A deferred report OF
the Committee on the expenditures of the De-
partment Of Justice takes step In this dlrec-
ton. From this report it appears that there
have been gross abuses of authority by Fed
eral judicial officers in North Carolina and the
Western District of Arkansas. What Will be
said then when an Investigation on this sub
iect touches Louisiana, South Carolina and
Alabama
The fate of the COstigan bill in the Senate
Committee on Cities, whose action foreshadoWs
that of the Senate itself, could hardly have
been unexpected by the Democrats who have
had the measure in charge. The only possible
chance for the passage of the bill by the Sen
ate has been q policy of iDaction on the part
of the Republicans, throwing the response
biity for its passage upon the Democrats,
and depending upon the Governor to prevent
its becoming a law and to widen the breach
between himself and Home Rulers of diff
ferent kind by veto. The conviction that
the scheme is purely partisan or would be car
ried out in furtherance of partisan purposes is
so general that it does not receive the sup
port of many who look with favor on Its
avowed principle, which is the right of the
peoplc of this city to the management OF their
own municipal affairs. We print to-day an
interesting abstract of the argument OF Mr..
Dorman B. Eaton before the Senate Commit
tee 1t is q strong presentation OF the grounds
taken by the opponents of the bill.
The action of the Senate in the Pinchback
case was as unexpected as it was sudden /;
moreover it leaves the merits OF the case I'M
touched. The secret of the postponement OF
the question to the second Monday in De-
cember is doubtless to be found in the convic-
ton of the claimant and his friends that defeat
must be the inevitable issue of a vote on Mr..
Morton's resolution awarding Pinchback a
| seat in the Senate. In view OF this danger
and the possibility that the Wheeler arbitra-
ton may result in the election of rival APP
plicant who may be more obnoxious than
Pinchback to the Republicans the motion for
| postponement was made. Senators who were
arrayed against Pinchback, but who disliked to
oppose the Kellogg Government, were induced
to support it; others perhaps voted for
il as the shortest way of getting out Of q
pressing dilemma, trusting that final solu-
ton of the problem will be more easily found
when the Senate meets again. But what will
Administration Senators do if the contestants
at that time are Pinchback and-Caseyf