The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08
THE LECTURE SEASON.
Nh. q. W. aERARD's DISCOURSE on TAXATION
AND LEGISLATION.

Mr.. q. w. oERARD's DISCOURSE on TAXATION
AND LEGISLATION.
Elk State Senator G. W. Gerard delivered last night
in Continental Hail. Eighth avenue, an interesting
discourse upon tho legislative requirements Of this
city and State. His audience was mainly composed
OF property holders in the Seventh and adjacent Sem
atoral districts, who listened with much attention to
the long array OF solid facts that laid before them
Tho speaker said that the public moneys raised
nually for educational purposes In the State Is
49, 000 in addition to which the people In various
localities themselves about So 0o0 900 for public
schools Ths whole amount of money drawn from the
Comptroller OF this city last year for public instruc-
ton was 699 OF which about 81 900 was for
salaries. The sanitary and ovcrcrowded condi-
tions OF schools require watching, there
fore MEDICAL inspectors should BIO appointed. For
the purposes OF economy and harmony OF
action the supreme Superior courts OF this city
should be consolidated The speaker believed that
estate situated in the State. The Parade Ground
ought be repealed as its operation involves USE
less o. IN no auv noass ow
creek, which brigade could not reach IN hall day.
The lateral canals, such Ss Chenango. Cnomung
proved to be very unproductive OF returns aud
maintained At ruinous expense 10 the State-are 70
be abandoned disposed OF. Legislation Is required
TO compel proper precautions against accidents
theatres by adopting better models In the construc
ton of buildings occupied for public exhibitions The
Hunters Point nuisances should be promptly abated
by legislative enactment. No railroad company ought
to be allowed to make a lease OF its own road,
lease that OF another company without hrst obtaining
the sanction OF It's shareholders.
new apportionmont OF representation is necessary.
The State has Senator TO every lS6,eS2 representa-
tive persons, but this city, with population OF
900 O00 has only five Senator'S being one Tor every
1914 persons, thus practically leaving over 226 $50
unreprcsented in that house. Banking interests in
this State taxed higher than any other personal
Should lie valued for taxation in the same manner
as other personal properly. The many millions OF
untaxed surplus belonging to insurance companies
ought 10 pay their quota to tho State revenues. MI
Gerard believed the Pool bill preposterous enact
ment, ana rejoiced because at Saratoga The senate
last summer favored with complimentary invita-
tons ito the law which they had just made daily
violated" The Comm lsson on the New Code Of
Remedial Justice must be abolished, as IL is unwise
and unsafe to alter at once mass OF legal wisdom
which has taken century to consolidate.
MR.. CHARLES H. LITcHMAN ON THE RED MEN,
The large hall OF Cooper Institute fairly filed
last evening by the friends OF the Improved Order OF
Red Men who had come TO hear lecture by Mr..
Charles H. Ltchman, Grand Junior Saga more OF the
Order in the United States the object being explana
tory OF the origin and history of the organization.
Mr. Litchman explained that the earliest authentic
information as to the origin OF the Order
went back 1913, aud that this showed the organiza
ton TO he the ofishoot OF the War ot 1872 during
which uissensions among the soldiers led by
patriotic society that aiterward took permanent form
in the Order OF Red Men, In 1885 the old society
Order oil Red Men. All It's rites were based on the
manners and customs OF the abOrgincs OF tins
Eoun .yaa DO work which was s undoas
by the churches, and It's aim was charity ana BROTH
erhood. The passwords were merely proectory Ar
rangements perfected, Mr.. Ltchman said
by which not only the sick members OF the Order
would be cared Tor. but which would give, in of
tue death oil u member, 1000 10 mis- widow aud or
phans or surviving relatives. 1t hoped in time
that Order would take tuil charge OF all its orphan
children.
HENRY WARD BEECHER ON WASTES AND BUR-
DENs OF SOCIETY"
Tho Rev. Henry Ward Beechcr repeated his lecture
on s'The Wastes and Burdens OF Society" at Stenway
Hall, last night, under tho auspices OF the Harlem
Congregational Church OF this city. The pastor OF
this church, the Rev Samuel Il. Virgin introduced
tho lecturer. Mr.. Beechcr commenced his remarks
by saying that nowadays, every ono felt
competent to judge Of the laws which
should govern society, aud to prophecy
as to the form It will assume In the near future
But society is governed by five sets Of laws
the physical the social those of political economy
those of the State and those OF and religion
and complicated that III iact no one Is able to
prophecy the result or The comDned operation of its
laws, but must DO content with the moro humble
sphere OF criticism.
The wastes and burdens OF society are, in Mr.
Boecher's opinion, 90 numerous that their mere
repetition would consume tho night he merely
proposed to touch few OF those most Immediately
important the present day, and ho dealt first
with tho waste from sickness and weakness Ho
sblo productive power OF society was utilized
In the direction VI progress, but lost
through sickness, weakness and early death. He
gardcd ignorance the second great cause OF waste
by society. He considered II solely from the stand
point Of political economy. Ignorance
stagnation In society. IL prevents from
producing the utmost IN their power; 1t
the viii of the ignorant many and not OF tho enght.
cncd few that makes the law, aud u Ia an element OF
danger the State Ignorant people Will always
slider that they III treated, because they below
the OF their fellows; bat they must DO below
long as they are ignorant.
soME PLAIN TRUTHS.
Some people wish check the of strong liquors
by moral suasion; others by icgslaton Others want
abolish whiskey by allowing wines and lager beer,
and they waste more energy contending with each
otner than they direct against mo liquor ITSELF Tho
Is OF tho different Christian socts that they
cxpend more force upon their disagree monts than
they do upon tho eradication pride and Galsehood
Lying Is also serious cause of waste, because 1T
TENDS TO dsoreanize society by creating want OF
Nance between its parts, aud yet all our system OF
to professional men witness table, calcu.
lated TO foster perjury, for no one
keep the oath he takes. clergyman
swears to teach certain doctrine, but
shall he d0Y IL he teach ~ he teaches what he does
not believe; II he teaches his own opinion he breaks
his oath. witness swears TO tell the whole truth
aud Tho lawyers will only lev HIM tell UGH Of IL
they want. The lecturer also touched on the wastes
caused by war, dishonesty ana intomperapce.
DIR. CORNWALL ON THE MORAL INFLUENCE OF
MUSIC
The Rev. DR.. Cornwall delivered tho third in his
noon. taking his subject "rhe Moral Influence Of