New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-08

library was exempAifcd by the scenes at the
confederation when scholars and worklngmen
were alike in tears.
Az both houses of Congress have passed
bv good maiorities the bill to enable women
TO practise in the Supreme Court OF the Unlted
States, the Presidents signature may De taken
for granted and feminine law students may
be REGARDED hereafter as the possible coun-
sellers of the future in our highest court. Inc
bill merely requires of women the same pre-
Iimiuarv experience az is demanded now in the
ease of LAWYERS male, and grants therefore
that equal chance which is all the coming
woman. with her sisters and her cousins ana
her aunts, seems to seek.
Rishop Whipplc's eloquent protest against
the transfer of the Indian Bureau, which we
nyint this morning. will be received everywhere
with respectful attention, because OF the lofty
excellence of his personal character and his
unselfsh devotion to the Indians whose inter
ests he believes himself to be advancing by
opposing the change. While the logic OF the
situation. however, rs well as the experience
of most practical men, seems to be against
him. both sides should have Il full chance to
he heard. There will undoubtedly be ample
time for thorough discussion of the project,
as it does not seem altogether likely that the
present Congress Will order the change to be
made.
That the plague spot IN European Russia Is
not yet Of stlrtliug magnitude Is shown oy
the map which appears on the first page or
this issue. While there have been sporadic
eases in Zaritzin and Astr,khan, the ravages
of the plague have been confined to the WI
lagos in the lower valley Of the NolSa, be-
tween those cities. The river tlaverscs Tor
this distance a pastoral region which IL very
thinly populated. The number OF inhabitants
to the square verst (two-thirds Of n milc)
ranges between 2l2 and 10. Zm1tnn IL
situated on the lower edge Of what Mackenzie
Wallace calls the Black Earth Zone, III the
northern half of which the three-Geld system
of agriculture is practi>ed. This is the richest
land in Russia, and the population becomes
dcnscr as Moscow is approached. The plague
has not broken out IN this great agricultural
belt, but is still restricted to the pastoral Sec
ton at the head of the Caspian. The railway
system, which is clearly traced on our map,
aggrayates the danger of this peat.lence.
The report of the State assessors repeats
the familiar story of strange inequality and
Injustice in our methods of taxation. Real
estate and banking capital are bearing the
burdens OF taxation while tie vast business
of the great corporations yields very little
revenue, comparatively, to the State In
this city of a million inhabitants, there are
only about 10000 names on the assessment
rolls and while one bank paid in 1877 tax
of %2G4.2OJ to the State and city alone, all
the express companies put together paid less
than $4,000 The same bank, with IA capital
of $1O,OOO,OOO, paid more in State and
city taxes than Oneida and OnOndaga
Counties combined, with a total as
sessed value of 1913, OOO, 900; and counting
in the taxes exacted Of this bank by the
National Government, it paid ont more
than tine total of the State taxes for Duchess
and Erie Counties on an oQualiZed valuation
Of S123 100000 While banks are grooming
under burdens like these, other financial insti-
tutions escape taxation almost entirely, and,
under existing laws, the methods of assess
mcnt resolve themselves into a species of
blind-man's buff" The person who happens
to be caught must take the consequences. SO
strongly do the assessors feel the injustice Of
the present system that they recommend the
abolition of taxes for State purposes, except
to complete the New Capitol, and suggest Il
tax upon certain classes Of corporations which
now, in large part, eyade their duty. Alto
gether there is food in this report for the
Ways and Means Committee of the Assembly,
which has just been ordered to investigate
the subject upon which the Assessors have
dWClt at greatest length