Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-11-13
FIRST EDITION.
philadelphia.
OUR sATuR DAY LETTER

TIER INcBEAsK-MEETINa OF THE RPIscoPAL
CHURCH coNaREss-REPoRr OF THE LEaIsLA-
TIVE COMMITTEE ON THE READING COAL COM
PANY INvEsTIaATIoN-FBEE scHoLARsHIPs IN
THE rowsE soIENTIFIc scHooL-NIaHT SCHOOL
FOR AhTfsANs-cENTENNIAL NoTEs-THE REvI-
VAL MOVEMENT, &c.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.
Property holders are beginning to be exer-
cised afresh upon the subject Of the City Tax
Rate. The time approaches when it will become
| necessary to fix the rate for the coming year,
and the consciousness that the already burden
some figure must be increased occasions consid-
CRADLE uneasiness. The heavy figure OF SO 90
on tile 5100 90 has been mentioned as not too
much for the City's increasing obligations, and
such rate is fairly received with alarm Timd
people want to know where and,when this spread
ing increase Of taxation is to stopl Doubling
every ten years at this rate, the prospect, indef
nitely continued, is not all assuring one. We
all know that the legitimate effect of inordinate-
ly heavy taxes is to drive manufacturing out of
the city limits. This has unhappily been done
already in prominent instances, and Philadel-
phla ia 30 markedly manufacturing city, that
to break down her specially would be ali ire
trievable calamity.
Yet what is to be done with an income con-
inevitably follow ceaseless increase Of the rate
it would just as surely, and more speedily, come
under an inability to make both ends meet. An
exact parallel may be drawn between the money
affairs Of a municipality and OF an individual.
Too many OF us know what living beyond our
means is know the result Of discounting our
supplies, and then borrowing to fill the ever
gaping vacuum. The man in that plight only pre-
tends to live, for he never knows what the Joys
can ca existence do the really same are thing siss
keep pushing it's debt ahead of it at sacrifice,
an always-increasing load because the yearly
income is not sufficient to pay portion OF the
debt but even inadequate to current expenses
The present tax rate in Philadelphia, We arc as-
sured by the proper authorities places us as
city in just this forlon condition, and it is thus
evident that there must be an increase IL we are
to avoid sinking still deeper in the mire. But
there is undoubtedly strong feeling against the
80 rate. That figure would raise sufficient
money to clear off all indebtedness next year,
but many persons, while public spirited enough
to advise some earnest effort, still question the
policy of clearing off over due obligations with
such burdensome rate at one sweep. These
persons contend that in the present relaxed state
OF values, especially in real estate, 2.70 $2.-
rs would be as much as should in fairness be
imposed, and they claim that such late would
pay all OF next years expenses and consider
able part of previous DEFICIENCIES Yet there is
no escaping the fact that the adoption of such
rate would not be looking the trouble straight
in the face.
The Episcopal Church Congress has been in
session at Musical Fund Hall several days this
week and will conclude its labors this afternoon.
1t has been very successful reunion and has
attracted wide attention not alone among Epis-
copalians, but among church people generally.
The topics discussed have been mainly of char
acter interesting to all religious people. Such
were the debates on " Church Ministrations and
the Working Classes,"" " Church Music, "" Free
Preaching" Bible Revision" and not ably, on
Relations Of Religion and Science" The
topics peculiarly Episcopalian were I" The Ma
ture and Extent OF Episcopal authority" and
Ultramontanism and Liberalism 1t will be
seen that tho Broad Church had the largest
share of the attention of the Congress and this
fact has taken the convention out Of the ordi-
nary ruts of church meetings. Some of the most
eminent speakers and theoogians in the country
have been in attendance on the Congress. The
plan of procedure was to open each discussion
by the delivery of written essays on the topic of
the session, followed by addresses and criticisms
by other members. One of the best speeches OF
the week was made on Thursday by Mr.. Francis
Wells OF the Erening Bulletin on the subject of
" Free Preaching" This clever speaker is
equally at home in church meeting, in popu-
lar assembly, or in welcoming q room-full of cd
itors. He has the rare gift Of " readiness"
The Congress WAS the second of its kind, the first
having met about the same time last year. 1t is
entirely voluntary and unofficial and Its semi-so-
cial character contributed much to its success,
The whole impression left by it is 30 gratifying
that its yearly assembage is left without doubt.
1t appears after all the 30 called ''investga-
ton, by the Committee of the Legislature, Of
the business of the Reading Coal Company last
Summer that there ia to be whitewashng re-
port Nobody hurt, but don't do so any more.i is
the conclusion arrived at. not surprising one
seeing the tremendous odds against the retail
ers in this contest. President Gowen made an
ingenious argument and undoubtedly made
points against the dealers in the matters of
short weights, &c, but the central charge that the
company had practically secured a monopoly Of
the anthracite coal trade and was doing its best
to drive individual enterprise out of the busi-
ness WAS effectually proved before the commit
tee. Yet the report which has now been agreed
upon iH wholly in favor of the company. The
policy of granting the offensive charter is con-
demned-but az other corporations had been
given similar rights there was no reason for de-
barring the Reading Co.; the combination has
not been injurious the committee is not the
proper body to decide upon the constitutionality
Of the act OF assembly ;-these are the principal
points in the report, which will Of course be ac-
cepted by the Legislature. ! have read about
man who stole meeting house, but the man
who fights railroad has harder task
The value OF Mr.. Townes bequest to found
Scientific School in conjunction with the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, has just been given
eminent proof. With a liberality which shows
that the faculty of the University entirely ap-
preciates the designs OF the generous donor, the
Board of Education has been notified that ten
scholars will be received yearly from the Gram
| mar Schools Of the city, for thorough free
scientific education in the Towne School, The
course extends over four years, 30 that each Of
these students will receive, gratis, collie
| giate education which would cost
him otherwise nearly $1,000. There is
wholesome goodness In this that makes one
feel renewed pride in Philadelphia. Youth has
| the best Of chances in this city. The Towne
Scholarship will be competed for, and all public
school boys who have been two years at their
studies therein are eligible.
must note, too, the gratifying results OF the
opening of the night school for Artisans, which
event occurred on Monday evening at the High
School Building. There were So more applicants
than could be received, and the disappointed
ones had to register their names in case OF pos
sible vacancies. The average age of the appl-
cants was over 81 years, and a large number of
them were pupils last winter. This shows that
their desire for knowledge is real The studies
| pursued at the School are mathematics, 'mechan-
ical and free hand drawing, natural philosophy,
| chemistry, arithmetic and penmanship, and
anatomy and hygiene. Such course gives a
| substantial education Of high class, and entirely
| free, including use Of text books. The social
changes of late years are truly great Even the
previous generation had not title OF the advan-
| tages enjoyed by this. Society seems to haye