Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-12-16

7
cAsE-THs CONGRESSIONAL CENTENNIAL HxcuR.
sIoN-ANueRHsNTs, 10 ...T
Special Cbvrsspewdsass Of tAs commscsal.
.Pz1LADxLPH1A, Dec. 10, 1876.
There IL universal feeling Of distxuse over
the action finally taken in the matter Of the Tax
Rate for the coming year. have dwslt sufi-
dsntly In my lettsrs on the double fact of the
unplsasantnsss Of high tax and Of the nscss-
aty for rate sufficient to enable che city
to honorably meet its obligations, and
nothing more nssd be said on those points II
this time, but the singular action Of Councils
must be referred to. Apparently appealing TO
the most thoushtless and superficial public sem
timent-ths cry for so-called economy which b
In reality the most reckless extravaganos-Codn
oils have determined on rate insufficient for
our expenses, and which must inevitably result
in increasing the city debt very materially dur
ing the year 1876. The rate fixed on 10 2S0-
which however includes the rs cents on the el00
levied for the especial use Of tho Public Build
ings Commission. Therefore e2O5 is all that
remains for general purposes and 1t
has been demonstrated that sueh . rate
is entirely insufficient. The Indignation
over this action Of Councils il excessive, and it
is rendered more bitter from the fact that Com
mon Council 1prced the concurrence Of the Be-
leot Branch by delaying action to the limit Of
time allowed by law, thus compelling Select
Councils to coincide with the 92.05 rate, or fall
back. in default, the legislation for this year.
making 81 90 tho rate, which would have placed
tho city IN an even worse predicAment The
open secret Of this actionsof Councils 10 that it II
. bid Of certain members for re-election on the
plea Of retrenchment; but more forlorn ap-
peal to intelligent voters was surely never made.
A mans frat duty 10 to pay his debts. but the
City Father, like tho gay fellow In Richeldeu, ex-
claims, ,-"with all my heart, where shall bor-
row the money!" Our way out Of the woods
The " Rapid Transit " fever has spread from
New York to this section, and An ordinance 10
now before Councils asking that permission be
given company to make tunnel under Broad
street for the purpose OF permitting swiftef rail-
way travel through the city. Tho chief parties
interested are ex-Sheri1s Leeds and Howell but
what they propose to do exactly 10 not under
stood at this stage Of the game. Anyway It
comes TO this, that after owning all the streets
' rs so Ss1e
can be no pretsnae that the city
needs any such extraordinary help
in transportation - this. In New York the
case is widely different, the peculiar shape Of
relieving the pressure Of street travel. The ap-
parent needleseness Of such street helps here,
however, impsls the conviction that there is
some most unwholesome speculation In this
EUQQ&l pfOJSCt. Inc pAILl6b Uu1G W tUu
to the city OF one can't for every passenger car
| ried over their road, but that 10 small eonsd-
Grafton for 70 questionable and unprecedented .
| privilege.
II has been determined that census Of the
city shall be taken shortly, poasibly some time
during the present month. This important and
proper action Is In connection with Centennial
affairs, 1t being thought the right thing to have
an exact inventory of the population of Philadel-
phia made prior to the opening Of the exhibition.
| - Vntkk nf ia hayn
gone into the subject with energy, and 1t IL ably
seconded by Mayor Btokely who offers to use the
police force in furtherancs Of the project. The
value Of an organized force like the police in
man knows his beat more thoroughly than il
10 known by any other person, and ~ whole
the force can make the returns required with
all necessary promptness. 1t is pro
posed to make the whole enumeration
. blank to BE- properly flied At each house in
the morning and 10 to call for the same in the
evening. The principal difficulty in this plan Il
in the cases Of. people who cannot read ant
write, but it 10 believed that by ample .dvertis
ing Of the scheme, with particulars OF the time
aud what 10 required Of citizens, will enable thu
better informed to help their ignorant neighbour
through the problem. II it is known in any sec
tion, however humble, that these paperp are t
to be used. 1t is thought reasonably certain that
by one hand or another, the blanks will all b.
allied by the time the policeman makes his SEQ
ond visit. 30, now, gueases on the populatio!
of Oentennialville are in order. You might Of
fer . premium to the reader who comes neares
to II.
One Of the principal concerns of Hicksite
friends in this section Is 6warthmore College
on the West Chester Railroad, few miles be
yond the city limits Swarthmore WAS founde.
by Friends, and they are justly proud Of an in
stitution which has taken high rank among ou
minor colleges and which ID especially noticeA
BILE for its practical dealing with the question o
coordinate education Of the sexes. The eleva
ted character Of this college has brought 1t pu
pills from distant sections and 1t is altogether ai
honor to this community and to the religious bo
dy which established it. The 18th annual meet
ing Of the stockholden was held this week \
the Race Street mseting-hou and the repor
offered WAS highly encouraging. The purohas'
money (e2o, ,O00) for. the West Dale estate ha
. been paid. and fter largely increasing the Ii
brary Of the College and the Museum Of NaturA
Bistory, there remains in the Treasurer's hand
balance OF over e10 900 Friends pay ~ the,
20. There are 298 students In college at this
time.
The Orthodox branch OF Friends has beer
moved. ~ citizens generally have been, by tn
news Of the death Of Alfred Cope, highly. es
known Phisdelphia families. The shipping hrr
J of Cope l. Bros, is identified with the best bus
ness interests Of the city, its famous line Of Lv
: erpool packets having been for many years tn
| EQO9t pfOUlu0ut IfUuopUft8tlUQ company OetW66
, England aud the United States. Alfred Cop
} was . son Of Thomas P. Cope, one of tn
} ''Brothers" who did 80 much for Philadelphi
: commerce. aud the gentleman Just decease
. ably administered the business founded BY hi
father aud uncle. Tho donation OF e25. 600 b
/ Alfred Cope to the Geological Garden, unde
certain wise conditions relative to the exclusio
7 Of liquor. de-, from the garden will ba remen
; bered. He also gave 40 600 to the .Bainbridg
. | street colored school, and his charities Of a
! kinda OuUnhar1aaa ha anho oil
Q was made 60 quietly that the fact has only tram
pired since his death. 1t il good to know {
such men.
After all the indiaputsble evidence In tt
n Brown murder case the Jury rendered verdi
!, of second degree" 30 that while tho insAni
plea saved the murderer from the gsilows
+ could not deter verdict that the crime WAS th
i. Of murder The decision IL thus inexplioabl
q II the man was insane 1t was not murder 1t oil
g II he was not insane clearer instance Of pr
h meditated murder-or CRIME In the frat degree
Il was never brought before . jury. Yet Jude
!. Mitchell said the verdict WA . satisfactory on
often read murder trials, but Who have follow,
l. this case with interest, would very much like
N know.
q Great preparations are making for the visit
y Congressman TO tho Centennial Grounds on Il
- 17th inst. The invitation of the Oommi
n sioners has been largely accepted by member
m and the Judges Of the Supreme Court. HeA
,n Of Departments 1t Washington, and other not
40 bilties, will Join the Excursion. The distt
at guished party will spend day ~ the Park n
re many of the members and others will be ente
IN tanned by citizens. Those who prefer, howevs
"a will be quartered at the leading hotels. The Q
N pense Of the excursion will not be paid ont
scripdons. 1t is thought this NOV
msnt cannot fail of the effect d.
iRned-to convince Congress Of the hugene
n, | and very real character of the Centennial pl
I'd pArations, and that 1t IL the duty Of memben
lie this point in tho progress Of the Intsrnatiol
to Exposition, founded ~ 1t 10 on Government sal
I'd tion, to zee that it shall have liberal mon
rs- support from Warrington. dsappontme
sk at this stage from Congress- would be Bit
Of thing and we do not allow ourselves to admit
possibility.
nut Mr.. Booth has revived shakespeare's Richd
It'll II, and it has boon done at the Walnut St II
m, atre for the frat time in most play. gosr's rec
w lection. Bat 1t was hardly worth while 70 do
cd spears's plays 10 shslvsd there must be substa
ow tiAl reason therefor. Richard II II not . &C
,sr acting piece and not all Mr. Booth picturesq
ness can make il very attractive TO . miscel
peous audience. married In Haste" 10 . v
neat comedy BY H. J. Byron produced at
"Chestnut" and which deserves better busin
lict than 1t II doing Mr.. q. H. 0rifiths gives 20
ore Of the bsat comic acting in this piece that
'aa- been seen here during the present season.
act INpE,
md
st,- PIyneash OhaFch IncFeasing.
Eli Clerk sherman read his annual report to
the Plymouth Church meeting on Friday show
nth the present membsEnhip 70 be 2A90, IN more
ond Of 100 dnoe last year. OF the ,.msmbsrs el6
- males and 1875 fsmalss. The contributions
7 taA s.