New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-05

or SySlClDS Oh IUpiu III poh 4'|" 80
and Brooklyn. With the present slow travel OF
the horse-cars, the. ferries seem appropriate
with rapid transit they will be an anachro-
nism.
The coal companies have taken further
measures to carry ont their scheme for making
coal more costly. The majority report OF their
committee favors reduction in the product
of the mines, and this part of the scheme IS
to be carefully perfected. IL this fails, per-
haps they may think favoraby of the method
which the Dutch adopted, once on time, 10
raise prices. They collected all the seasons
product of spices from the East and burned
it. To set fire to years output of coal would
be very little more expense than to stop
mining and would be far less cruel to the
miners.
A great deal of testimony was taken yester-
day by the Assembly Committee on insurance.
To the Committee it must have been chiefly
disappointment Mr.. Furber explained the
transactions between his company and the
Guardian Life and cleared up the matter OF
the $33O,OOO. Great things were expected
from Mr.. Stephen English, but he was III a
tender mood and cried about his misfOrtunes.
Very frequently the Committee got snub-
bling for making inquiries about private Affairs
that did not concern them. Altogether, there
was much sitting, but very little was left IN
the sieve.
II ia pOssible that the Insurance lnves1ga-
ton at Albany may develop important facts
and lead to great reforms; but its recent
course has been more strongly suggestive OF
mere sp,te-work. Mr.. Henry b. Hyde Is gen
tleman of unquestioned ability and experience;
and he is able to point to substantial results
in the remarkable growth of the Equitable
Company under his management All this con-
situtes no reason why he should not be ligidly
examined on all proper points. But ii surely
does establish claim to decent consideration.
Treating him like pickpOcket only proves
the Investigators blackguards.
One of the ministers at the New-Englahd
Conference OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
underworld yesterday to rival Wendell Phil
lips in bilngsgate against President Hayes ana
his South Carolina policy. The resolution
offered to the Conference declares that the
Administration has been bullied, and 1llngS
fierce epithets at Wade Hampton and M. Z.
Butler. Fortunately the Conference is pre-
sided over by Bishop Foster, formerly Presi-
dent of th-Westem University. Under
his conservative care the truculent resolution
will doubtless be consigned to committee
that can he trusted at least to tone 1t down to
propriety.
Renewed attention will be called to the way
in which Spain is carrying on the war IN CuOa,
by the barbarous proclamation of the Spanish
commander-in- chief that no quarter shall be
granted to insurgents. 1t is timely now to re-
cali the utterapces of Mr.. Evarts during the
excitement over the Nirginus affair. Judging
from this record of his views, there can be
little doubt that he will use the INFLUENCE OF
the State Department to enforce on Spain
decent regard for the claims of humanity and
the usages of civilized nations Spain occupies
wholly untenable position in the pretense
that she is not engaged in war. But II this
fallacy be admitted it makes the proclamation
of "no quarter" in time of peace yet more
atrociOus.
Since the first day or two of perplcxity after
Mr.. Oakley Halls disappearance, nobody has
had much doubt that he had gone abroad and
since the announcement OF the agent or the
Associated Press who recognized him In
Liverpool and traced him to his lodg-
ings in London, nobody has had any
doubt at all. Nevertheless the queer
game of cross-purpOses at which he is work.
ing piques the public curiosity. To one man
he denies his name and refuses to receive let
ters addressed by it; to another he acknowl-
edges his presence and promises to talk. 1t Is
all as droll and unreasonable as the monkey
shines of his old paper, The Leader, just before
the downfall of the Ring-and probably has just
about as much serious meaning OF any sort.
A curious story of discovered treasure is told
in our law reports. The researches OF a claim
agent revealed the fact that the widow OF
Gen. Wallace was the owner Of two 81 900
bonds on which she had not collected the in
terest. Mrs. Wallace was induced to examine
again her husbands effects, and unexpectedly
found the bonds in an old buckskin wallet.
So far the story is all pleasant and pretty.
But there is frightful background of forgery
and alleged bribery. The interest had been
collected Oh forged warrants by people to
whom it did not belong. A Treasury clerk is in
trouble on account of evidence that he shared
with the claim agent in the fee (amOunting to
half the interest on the bonds) which she
paid for recovering the interest Many good
novel has been constructed out of more slen-
der materials.