New-York tribune., 1878-03-02

with reserve. Were the peace terms better.
the Cubans might do well to accept them and
wait for another opportunity, but they are
now assured little more than the barren priv
ilege of representation in the COrtes as the
price of their submission.
The investigation of the Barclay-st. lire
ends with blind verdict. The Fire Marshal
cannot come to any conclusion with respect to
the cause of the explosion, if there was one; ;
the proprietOrs are as much in the dark las
ever and Professor Doremus, being examined
as an expert, declares that no chemical expla-
nation of the explosion is afforded by the evil
dence taken. This closes the inquiry, and
leaves the mystery unsolved.
In Russia and England the paper war con-
tinues, and derives Importance mainly from
the Government supervision exercised over
the st. Petersburg press. But as the Russo
Turkish treaty is at length about to be signed,
anterior declarations on either side will be-
come Of less account. When Austria ana
Great Britain find solemn treaty, surrounded
with ample guarantees, in their way, they Will
have to make new departure in their diplo-
matte tactics.
General Butler will be delighted to hear
the report that the German Government has
sold fifteen million dollars worth of United
States bonds. When this sort of thing has
been going on long enough to send our bonds
back at 80 cents on the dollar, his patriotic
soul will be rejOiced to see the shiploads COM
ing home; and if his bank should then break,
10, .,1f,t
on the dollar, General Butler would regard it
as the "brightcst and happiest financial fact"
in his existence.
Tammany wants to bo allowed to re-
duce the City Government salaries it.
self, or, in other words, to have the Board of
Apportionment do it, Anti-Tammany wants to
see it done by the Legislature. Tammany's
proposal Is most nearly in accordance with our
long-sought ideal of home rule. hut Anti-Tam-
many would be likely to give us the
most rigid reduction, and it can be
rigid without dong harm. Both sides
agree that the times demand a concession to
the taxpayers, and that Is a healthy sign. The
proportion of reduction demanded by the DAILY
resolution will probably be found none too
large, when the details of the work come to
touched all salaries below 81 ,00O and by
simply requiring a reduction Of Onc-tourth
in the aggregate of salaries over that amount,
leaves it entirely in the discretion of the Com
mittee on Cities to say what share of the total
decrease each salary shall bear. great
many salaries will be found which ought To be
reduced more than ne-fourth some will be
found which should not he reduced much,
or possibly should not be reduced at all. MIR.
Kelly makes the plea on another page that the
pay of the Police Commissioners and Tax
Commissioners, for instance, ought not to he
reduced one-fourth, forgetting, apparently, that
under the Daily resolution every salary which is
actually earned could doubtless be left undis-
tmbcd. Mr.. Kelly has not shown himself i'll
the past such foe to snecurcs and cXtrava-
CANT salaries as to make people at all anxious
to see this work go to the Board of Apportion-
mtnt. But whatever result may be reached,
it is evident that change mas come. The
Tammany Asscmblymen yesterday abandoned
all opposition to the Coroners Bill, and 1t
passed with but one dissenting vote. When
Tammany Assemblyman yields even a little to
the pressure of public opinion, look out for
better weather.