New-York tribune., 1877-03-13

fifteenth, and these hfteen are to elect Presdent
Donovan opposed the plan of course; said he a.
served the office; and, detailing the persecution. !,
which his lofty sOul bad been subjected was stun.
into the declaration that he asked mo- odds OF ma
man in the country, barring nobody Il wa.
adopted nevertheless. But there is trouble abs.d
for this Commission Donovan will get in there. and
vote for himself again, and that ustrious bodv
will be hung" as the Board was before it, Ie,
Donovan be watched.
The Legislature Of New-Jersey, which adjournsd
sine die last week. did less harm than the AVERAGE a,
its hundred predecessors and quite as much good
Many of the strongest members of the preyou,
Assembly were reelected-notably Grggs Scoyel
Howell and Vail of the Republicans, and Rabe and
Bergen Of the Democrats while Of the new mem.
bers Brigham of Hudson and Cooper Of Morris n,ada
excellent regulations In the Senate, Magic Of
Union held over, and he with Hobart Of Passaic and
Ludlow Of Mddlesex formed a trio who could b.
relied upon to prevent any iObbery from being rail-
roaded into legislation. The scheme to epalize m.
jersey City Courthouse bonds and the release ~
the freehoders from the consequences of alleged
malfeasance and other innocent appearing frauds
were very neatly stopped. Few enactments wers
passed which effect radical changes in the present
order of ihings-the District Court BILL which take,
away from city justices their jurisdiction in civil
cases. being the most considerable innovation Thi,
Legislature also points with pride TO the fact that il
diluted the Senate of the United States with tina
Hon. John r. Mcpherson.
The Railray Age makes careful estimate Of tho
liabilities of 200 railroad companies in the United
States that have failed TO pay interest on their
bonds. The conclusion is that 81 500 900 OOO or
3S per cent of the money nOminally invested in our
railways, is wholly nproductve to its owners. and
is in great part lost. Reasons are given for raising
this estimate to 30 per cent of the face value of all
our railway investments. The moral which Tho
Railcdy Age draws is follows Let this fact and
the evidences, like the foregoing, of the terrible
losses which railway owners have suffered within
the last few years help to make our Granger legs-
lators and State railroad commissioners just if not
mercifu in the exercise of their authority over
what Is left Of the railway interest" There is
another and much more obvious moral, which our
readers will probably draw for themselves
There are about forty millions of people who are
longing for regeneratei civil service, for estab
lished order in the South and for an honest cur
rency, and so long as these ends are aimed at they
care very little who hold the Offices. There are
about forty thousand citizens whose bones are
aching to their country, but they refuse to
worry themselves about the currency so long as
they draw q salary in legal tender. They don't OBJ
ject to little disOrder-just enough to keep things
livey-and they are willing that the civil service
should reform itself from the inside. President
Hayes seems to have made up his mind that he will
not administer the Government exclusively in the
interest of the latter class.