New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-27

represent, as 1t was said to do, the views of
any of his committee. This is well. Now let
Mr.. Southland report the legislation his COM
mittee are supposed to have been preparing,
and we shall see whether 1t will be necessary
to put him back on the same shelf with Buck
ner and Knott and Banning.
The Presidents purpose to veto the Silver
Bill, never doubtful, has now been definitely
announced in Cabinet meeting. The dis
cussion which followed reveals the exis-
tence of division Of opinion among
his advisers on this question greater than
has been suspected. Secretaries McCrary and
Thompson are understood to have urged him
to sign the bill, while Secretary Sherman, who
has been looked upon as chief in opposition to
the silver movement, Unexpectedly declined to
advise the President one way or the other.
On another page will be found full de-
scrip;ion of the hotel for workingwomen which
the late Mr.. Stewart founded, and which his
heirs have finished 1t is a whole city within
four walls, having more than five hundred
sleeping rooms, making its own gas, having
its own wells, being fitted up with every
known appliance Of comfort, and even iur-
mshcd with a good sized library. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY not to he an institution for paupers, or,
on the other hand for wcll-to-do women who
would like the comfort and security OF such
home. Ii is to be as comfortable, and appar-
emily as luxurious as first-cass h0tel, ana
the cost OF accommodation, while beyond the
means of very many of the poorer class OF
workngwomen. will be easily within the reach
of large class who are much III need OF such
shelter.
There seems no longer room for doubt that
certain wicked repeatcrs from New lork
crossed the border of Wcschcster County at
the last election, and voted with the inno-
cent and unsuspectlng citizens thereof. Mr. Pur-
DIV, Tammany Assemblyman, says so; Mr. Nor
ris, Anti -Tammany contestant of his seat,
SAYS So too. 1t is safe rule that
where Tammany man and an Anti-Tamnany
man unite III charging fraud upon the Demo
cratic party, their remarks have solid basis
of truth So it would seem III this case. But
whose repeaters were they Mr.. Purdy says
that Mr.. MOnis's indiScreet friends" hired
them Mr.. Morris says, by counsel, that Mr.
Purdy was the "indiscrcet friend" and hired
them to 90 to Albany and swear that Mr.. Morris
was their employer. And Mr.. Purdy com
plains to the committee of having had TO pay
the "board and rum bills" of eight Of these
gentry in Albany, beside the cost of getting
four of them out of jail. The rcpeaters were
certainly Mr.. Purdy 's-after the election, If
not before.
Yesterdays testimony before the Assembly
Committee that is investigating the coal com
bination, was of interest in showing how the
debts OF the IA lrOad companies add to the
cost of coal in this market. When the repre-
scntatiVes OF certain companies talk about " Il
81 fair price, for coal, they mean price that
shall enable those companies to pay interest
and dividends on their enormously expanded
ljabili;ies-thcr watcred stock aud pilod-up
mortgages. Thus burdcncd, these roads, it is
sad lost money by carrying coal at
its price before the combination. But
all this only goes to show that some other road
or roads could and did carry coal at profit
when it was at low prices. The combination
is a temporary device to check the operation
of a natural law-the survival of the tittest.
The notion that the public is to be benefited
in some way 10y keeping up high and Uniform
prices, SO that the coal companies that are
handicapped with debt may save themselves
from beng puSntu 10 tne Will ny competition,
is too absurd to he worth thought
The President has refused to reappCint Col
lector Summons, and Alanson w. Beard has
been nominated to the Senate i'll his place.
This action will be received with some sur
prise. Mr.. Simmons made a good Col
lector, and professed himself, besides, such
an earnest convert to the Civil Service theories
announced by President Hayes year
ago. that it was then decided to allow
the Collector to remain in his Office. Under
these very theories, the record OF a good bu,-
ness administration Of the Boston Custom
House was sufficient to enttle him to reappOint
ment, without regard to his opinions. But
he was not originally man whose
character or position made HIM deserv-
ing of such prominence, and his record
before his appointment was far from being
one to cause him TO be looked upon as q man
likely to promote the purity of the service.
He should never have been appointed but,
having been appointed, having made good
Collector and having cOnfOrmcd to the Civil
Service rules, he had right. under those
rules, to a reappoinment. The whole affair
illustrates the folly of attempting to reform
the Civil Service by machine.