New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-22
and keys we're invented for these as we'll as for the
more hardened sort.

Anv scheme which offers prospect of loss and a
possibility of great gam to be as attractive TO
the American public as petrifed man of the latest
manufacture or q new humorous" lecturer. Endless
are the devices by which the man who has not cour-
age enough for hghwayman or forger ana TOO
much ambition for tramp seeks to keep his hands
in the pockets of his fellOw-citzens. Sometimes no
Is a secret, to be communicated for few postage
stamps; sometimes an anonymous employer seeking
thousands of agents; but he is generally Socie-
ty.D or an Association" If all swindlers were
prosecuted as soon discovered, the class might be
kept down little. Unfortunately, the victims are
mostly ashamed to make their credulity public ana
bear the outrage in silence-ntIt they have another
chance to make fools Of themselves. An old sub
scriber to The TRIBUNE sends us the circular OF
what purports to be a National Art Co." with
out names, date or address,, when seems
to have its headquarters in Cincinnati. At
least, the Awarding Committee" whose task it is
to distribute $50 paintings. by "sOme OF our most
skilful artists" among 62 .731 subscribers is COM
posed of lawyer and newspaper correspondent be-
longing to Cincinnati, and grocer and manager Oh
works hailing from the little town OF Marion. Inc
$50 lucky individuals are asked to forward $l w
each, to "the expense incurred in the dstrDu
ton" including 80 cents apiece for boxing and
packing each of the splendid oil paintings! In
asmuch as the National Art Company" has no adj
dress and no individual names attached; as Its
promises are simply absurd and its gifts too mag
unanimous to be accepted by any person who has the
least sense Of delicacy-we will only suggest that
the anonymous individual who assumes that title
is modest millionaire passonately devoted to art.
who takes this surreptitous method of scattering
the finest works of our native painters broadcast
wit
fame which would follow if he were kuown
Before Congress orders the printing of 100000
copies of Dr. r. b. HOugh's report on Forestry"
some bodied paternast ought to be condemned
TO read that document through and then be
subjected to rigid examination with
view to determine the exact amount OF
useful information which he had derived
from his punishment. DIR. HOughs invasions
of the realms of literature. science and statistics
have not invariably proved triumphant successes
heretofore, and perhaps the revenue which the
Government derives from stumpage would not be
sufficiently increased by the influence of this trea-
tse to justify the expense of ITS publication. For
estry is a vital ISSUE without doubt and so is
huckeberry culture and the rearing of booded
clans But the General Government will be COM
PEELED to stop somewhere and after furnishing
worthy citizens with a per caput allowance OF
Jones's fiat money and liberal education at tho
great National University, it might DO judi
cious to pause before establishing White
Oak Bureau or Clam Department. 1t is
true that forestry petitions are pouring IN from
the remote West and they will continue to pour SO
long as they are demanded by telegraph from Cen
era lie Dues headquarters 1t Is safe to predict,
however that just as soon as DIR. Hough or some
body else is appointed Commissioner to visit Europe
to study arboricuture and have a good time in
Paris this Summer. there will be sudden and total
collapse of interest in the National forestry ques-
ton.
By this time the respectable Democrats of New
Jersey have discovered why General McClellan's
military career was failure. He is, no doubt,
viruous scholarly. and accomplished gentleman,
who yearns to do his part toward ushering in the
millennium. He would prove a reputable
member of a Society for the Ameliorahon
of Humankind, if the Chairman of the
Executive Committee was willing to shoulder
all the responsibilities of the concern. He might
make an excellent Sunday-schOol superintendent II
there were no unruy boys or girls in the institution
But he lacks decision and determination. There is
not a particle of aggressive vigor in his makeup.
He never was and he never will be moral force.
He knows that the legislature which is now
densely ignorant and utterly shameless He knew
that the act to gerrymander his own county was in
decent and he was advised by tho highest legal |
authority of the State that it was unconstitutional
And yet he hadn't the pluck and manhood to meet
it with square veto. and his weakness has again
brought himself and his party into disgrace. He
has once more demonstrated that he is incompetent
to lead and lie again be passed off at par
as suppressed hero. Heroes are not nodded out of
such metal.
New-Orleans shows her interest in tn new move
ment to develop commerce with South America
by an earnest effort to establish steam connection
with various points that coast, and in this way
to insure for herself the advantages which
her position the natural seaport of the
Mississippi Valley suggests. Philadelphia has
not only been lobbying for subsidy
for steamship line between that port and Brazil,
but an association of her merchants have already
dispatched an agent to the West coast to negotiate
with merchants and producers there. 1t doesn't
seem like n 'od time for NewYork TO neglect this
new field while other cities are making such de-
termined efforts for the control of foreign trade in
every direction.
POLITICAL NOTES.
Tho muzzlcs Of the iniationists seem to be secure