New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-07

ticket would seem strong. The clear-sighted
correspondent who explains in another column
the schemes of the Keystone Democrats and
their resolute hostility to Tilden, finds also
that BristOw has been gaining upon Blame Ill
the native State of the latter. But he believes
the gain too late, and too little among the
practical politicians, to amount to much. lie
thinks there is no sort of doubt that III
the National Convention the vote of Pennsyl-
vana will be given to Blaine.
Mr.. BerCh's objections to the ordinance con-
corning dogs that bark and cats tnat howl are
plausible enough, and it may be that the right
of entry given to the police for killing the
noisy animals is unconstitutional. But whether
plentiful fines would as he thinks an
swer the same purpose, is at least open 10
question. Perhaps, however, the Committee on
Arts and Sciences, to which his request was
referred may have some rare knowledge on
the subject, and can propose artistic or seen
tifc methods of extinguishing the noise Ii not
the animals.
Massachusetts legislators, it appears from our
Boston letter, will DO chiefly occupied with
measures of economy. There IS much need for
retrenchment, as the debt of the State has IN
creased by about four and half millions.
Among the chief items of increase is a great
addition to the outlay for prisons, reformato-
ries, and insane asylums. Gov. Rice thinks that
there has been a sudden flow INTO the State of
a great mass of insanity and crime, and asks
to have the facts investigated. Hard times
and diminished demand for labor 10 doubt
constitute the chief cause but as the savings
bank deposits have been steadily increasing, the
working classes cannot be largely out OF en-
ployment.
There is another side to the question of
Greek letter societies in colleges, which is ably
presented in the arguments of the Alumni
Committee before the Princeton Board of
Trustees, for which these gentlemen ask
hearing in THE TRIBUNE. They enter the dis
cussion with many advantages; with the prac-
tice of otner colleges their side, the experience
of graduates the ill-success of efforts at actual
prohibition, and the argument that if the ex-
action of a pledge against secret societies is
the way to break them up, the cxactlon OF
pledge against wine drinking should be equally
effectual to abolish intemperance. Their
speeches will give much more satisfaction to
college students generally than any of the ar
guments on the other side.
Mr.. Blaine's Amnesty bill is likely to COM
mand the general approval. If it were more
Just, it would probably be less popular. 1t is
hard to see the justice of pardoning every
body else and continuing to single out Mr..
Jefferson Davis for solitary vengeance. Mr..
IL &C
not either the ablest or the most popular OF
the secession leaders, and certainly would not
have been singled ont by the Confederate au-
thorities themselves as the one whose wisdom
and tact enabled them to prolong for so many
years the unequal struggle. But Mr.. Blaine
knows the popular temper. The people are
ready to forgive everybody else, but still think
of Jefferson Davis as most alarming per-
sonage with horns, hoofs, tail, and pervading
odOr of birthstone.
The ball has been opened for the discussion
of the financial question in the Senate by the
speech of Senator Morrill, Of Vermont Its
importance was recognized in the long but
good humored debate that followed He urges
that the time fixed for resumption is none too
early, and shows reason for the hope that we
shall be fairly prepared for it while approach
ing it, Most of the opposing schemes are re-
viewed with plain but unsparing logic, and
the absurdities of inconvertibe 3.65s, of pay
ing duties in paper, of nOn-expOrtable money,
and of waiting for the country to grow up
to the currency, are admirably shown. Inc
delusion that the debtor class must bear the
burden of resumption is brushed away by the
proof that it is the poor and not the rich who
suffer by imitation. A strong argument in
favor of the National banking system Is one
of the chief features of the speech. MIR. Nor
rill is probably right in his remark to Mr..
Bogy that the finance question will be upper
most during this Winter. 1t ought to be.
Mr.. Washburne vows that he is not a candi-
date. Perhaps that is the readest way to
make himself one. Perhaps, too, he was thor
oughly aware of that fact when he wrote the
letter which now finds its way into print in
our Washington correspondence. 1T has
been an old speculation that Presi-
dent Grant when convinced that he him
self had no chances for another reelection,
would seek to have his old friend Washburne
put forward. But on the other hand, there
have been recent stories of a gradual cooling
in Gen. Grants ardor for his friend as well
az of q lower temperature simultaneously pre-
vailing at the American legation in Paris. On
the whole it does not seem yet clear either
. that the President is for Washburne, or that he
7 is for anybody else. The only thing settled is,
that on the 9Th of November last Mr.. Washburne
thought it expedent to write to friend, who