New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-04-16

Chigf-Jugtice Durfee, Of the Supreme Court of
Rhode Island, mas given decision which strikes
a blow at expensive municipal festivities In that
State. In 1873, the ship-ot-war Bclerophon, Win
two other British friaates, visited Newport Harbor
The City Council. much impressed by the presence
of Vice-AdmiraI, X. NJ, and mindful OF che duties
of hospitality. gave to the distinguished mariners
a ball and exc banquet at an expense OF S2,9oo
The persons who furnished the feast and the music
and the etceteras generally, have never received
their money and probably never will, at least from
the CITY of Newport. The taxpayers, some OF
whom were invited to the dinner and ball. and
some of whom were not have obtained from the
Supreme Court an injunction restraining the City
Treasurer from paying the expenses of the reception
Judge Durfee holds that there was no authority for
mourning the expense which the taxpayers are
asked to pay-tho cost of fddlng which they did
not hear of wine which they did not drink
"The city," says the Chief-Justice, neither
danced at the ball nor Toasted at the
banquet. 1t got nothing substantial ont Of them.
The city neither bargained for nor enjoyed them"
The hardship TO which those who furnished tue
entertainment are subjected is admitted, but 1t Is
held that they should have exercised greater eau
ton Judge Durfee regrets the predIcament IN
which they find themselves, and intimates that
those who shared in the pleasures should come
forward and help to foot the bills, which
we are pretty sure that they will not do
To ask anybody to pay for a dinner long ago eaten
and duly ii gested and to settle with piper who
pped to them last August is to betray lament
able ignorance of human nature. 1t is possible
that other Chief-Justices in other States may be
moved to follow the example of His Honor OF
Rhode Island if other taxpayers are moved TO
pray in like cases for like injunctions. This may
be a heavy blow 20 junketings, but it will be
great relief to city treasures.
A very pretty fight as it stands is that going on
in Pennsylvania Just now as to who shall pay the
piper for the Plttsburg riots in 1877. The bill of
damages. it appears, runs up 10 $1,000, 900, and
Allegheny County naturally is trying to shift the
load from her shoulders on to the State. The debt
is due principally to the Pennsylvania Railroad
whose depot and rOllingsOck in Pittsburg, as 1t viii
be remembered were burned by the mob. The his
tory of the affair between the lines is that deadly
feud has ragged for years between the people OF
Pittsburg and this road which accounts for the fact
that no effort whatever was made by that city to
check the rioters Respectable citizens indeed stood
smiling by while " the boys" smashed and burned
ot their own sweet will. The whole sympathy of
the city, from the Mayor down, was not with the
worlmen, but against the road and the
troops sent to quell the MOB Two OF three
Phladclphians among these troops were shot Nov
that the day of settlement has come, the
rest Of tho State, especially Philadcl
mia. contends that the Pittsburgers should
pay for their smiling and sympathy; and
the difference of opinion is calling out some fine
specimens of blood and thunder eloquence just now
in Harrisburg. If Pittsburg succeeds in lodging
the debt, the burden of it will fail on Philadelphia
and the Pennsylvania Railroad, which suffered the
loss. The logic of these legislators at Harrisburg
is deserving of study. The strikes are politely
dubbed an uprising of dOwntrodden humanity"
Railroads are creatures" and vampires"
and warning is given that if Pittsburg
is left in the lurch to pay her debt she will
"tbrow herself upon the United States Government
for protection" Precisely how this is to be done,
we do not know. The United States Government
has managed to live through a good deal-it
carried the Confederacy and the civil war; but if
that fractions town of Pittsburg is to be laid on
ifs back. the.poor old camel will probably break
down at last.
A year ago to-day the rattle of the lawn-cuttcr
was heard in the land, and respectable burden of
grass could have been clipped from any suburban
Mat of rich ground. Hyacinths were fading out of
bloom, the naples were almost in full foliage and
apple trees were ready to burst into blossom. To-
day the turf is scarcely green. Only the most adj
yenturous Of hyacnths have begun to open
a single bell, and the trees, although their
buds are slowly swelling have yet bare and win
try look This year is unusually backward, and
last year was quite unusually forward, and t is
worth remarhing that in each case the lunar con-
dtions would have warned weather-wise
cestors Just what sort of April to look for before
il came. March is in the skies till the March
moon dies" and March snow flies till
the March moon dies" slightly varied
Foundations of the same great truth which our
grandfathers learned as part of their neteOro