Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-03

SuSScStoh whether lnlS increased Capacity 10
| color was not coupled with the well know
negro appreciation for harmony in sound. Al
ter adding many other Interesting example
and statistics bearing upon different anthropo
stating that many Of the ideas advanced coul
| be brought 10 the test only by vastly increases
data, and earnestly solicited the co-operatlo
OF American men OF science In order tnaI "
! might in this subject, as in others, oveTJaEe'
possibly Keep pace with European reseafcn'
LETTERS F8OM THE People,
Places That should BE Open on sun
| day.
Editor star:-The new departure inaugurate'
/ nv practical temperance mon to Improve som
| ri the habits and customs or moderate drlnker
deserves encouragement and success. Eve
radical temperance men ought to encourag
this movement, as it may prove successful
training school for recruits to total abstinence
And low, in the same line OF moral advhnce
ment another good work may be accomplished
by opening up avenues of social and intellectual
Involvement for large class who, unfOrtu
nately, have little or no inclination to atten(
church On Sunday. 1t Is useless to scold ant
thunder the terrOrs OF the law at these delin
them to go to church with us, and it troubles u
that so many will resort to beer gardens or g
down to Alexandra or buggy driving and worse
things for aught we know.
II we carnot get these careless people to g
our way, IL would be good thing to get them
as near church and as far from dissipation a.
possible. We ought to provide some place OF
quiet resort and rest for the thousands in oul
city who have no real home. There Is d remedy
worth the trying. Let the proper authorities
open up the Smithsonian Museum, the Congress
slonal Library, the Capitol ROtunda and Stat.
uary He'll, to begin with, say from 10 a. m to 4
d. M ea,h Sunday. Proper restrictions and
rigid rules as to conduct would secure these
places from i@proper persons These places
ment to thousands. There are many young
men and not few old men in our city who would
better their morals and save their money II
they could enter these places on Sunday.
1t is our duty-1t is the duty of those In au-
thOrity TO open up every proper avenue of ra-
t1onal enjoyment for those whose tastes and in
c]inatiOn lead them to prefer intelligent rather
than reckless use Of their time on Sunday. II
men win not accept tetotalism it is good thing
10 get them as near that line OF temperance as
possible. so, too, IL we cannot draw men to
church and religious life, 1t is good thing to
draw them away from temptation and immoral
associations. It is step towards better things
There are those who will say that in opening
up these public buildings On Sunday we are
taking step towards breaking down the bar
day No, we would rather see the lar more
rg1dly enfOrced-laws made for the protection
Of Sunday quiet. But, who will say that the
peace and quiet OF our Sunday will be more
disturbed by the quiet enjoyment of thousands
inside Of our public buildings, than an equal mum
Der on our streets and In our parks, with Side
door saloons within reach on all our prominen,
streets.
Let us see If we cannot tempt these careless
thousands who know no church on Sunday, to
improve their morals and save their money.
Now, who will make a move towards helping
Rotunds, and Statuary Hall? viii some mem.
Der Of Congress do himself the honor?
Let us have 1t as an experiment, and ii the re-
e not the
tten let them go to church or stay at home In
j eace and quiet. NJ.
Complaint Of a Taxpayer.
Editor Star:-I am the owner OF corner lot
twenty by ninety five feet, improved by q two
story house, In the northern part of the city.
Five years ago the streets upon which my house
for SILT and the other for $56S,-being one sixth
the c0St-fOr the front and side, respectively.
On the SIDE street had put down, about one
year before the Improvement, pavement sew
enteen feet wide. also blue stone curb, at an
expenditure OF $244, which was the total COST
The contractor for the work of Improvement
TOOK up my pavement and relaid 1t ten feet
wide. carting OF the remainder OF the bricks, he
put my curb In the adjoining square and gave
me one no better In any respect. For this "Im-
provement" received q bill, as above stated OF
1868. with draw back for old material Of $92 l
would have hated to be swindied SO
even ii / had been able to stand 1C. Time after
time did seek redress from the Commissioners,
submitting, among other evidence, the affidavit
little property was improved" but all to no
purpose. ''because Congress has not yet author
Zed us to revise those outrageous bills
Finally Congress did authorize the revision. and
about two months ago 1 received notice that
my bill had been revised, and that it was cut
down TO $3.50. OF course II this means any thing
Il means that my first bill was excessive. But
am Informed that must pay interest at ten
per cent. on the last blu for five years. Am
any better OF to day with my revised bill! and
nve Years interest than would have been had
a oTff0
In equity am bound only to pay interest from
the date OF my corrected ~ bill.
am not lawyer capable OF spinning theo-
Of law If ] am compelled to pay Interest be.
yond the date OF revision. 1t Is no argument to
say others have paid, &C. Why should be
punished because another man has seen fit to
word about the measure, 'that interest on
delinquent taxes shall be reduced to six per
cent: except In cases where the lien Is held by
souls, Messrs Congressmen, Just as soon as an
assessment becomes due 1t Is gobbled by spec.
ulators, and consequently nearly all the tax
liens are In the hands Of third parties, who
cents. q. w. M
Complaint OF a LabOFing Man.
Editor Star:-The present condition of the
working classes are without q parallel In the
history OF this country, as regards poverty and
SUFFERING. and yet, the rulers OF our country,
never more prosperous than they are now
Twenty-Five years ago man was considered
rich who possessed few thousands OF dollars,
but now a man Is not called rich except he
owns hundreds OF thousands. The President of
the United States gets fifty thousand dollars
per annum, and the pay OF the cabinet and
heads OF departments and army officers and the
legislative branch OF the government have an
increase OF pay almost double the amount that
1t was. and II contractors made thousand or
two dollars per.annum they were satisfied. but
now they must have ten or fifteen thousand,
Twenty i've years ago labOrers got from 81 to
10 $l.25 per day. and could find constant en-
pioS nent; PAYERS got 81 per day, and carpen-
terS aLd masOnS aid plaSterS from 81 Is to Sc So
win constant employment. But now we ind
men working for forty cents per day, this is the
pay that men get for breaking stone on North
Capitol street,) and 81 per day Is all that CON
tractors are giving; PAYERS get 81 so, and vet
house rent and the expenses OF living are more
than before the war, or quarter OF century
ago. But this Is not the greatest difficulty with
the l2borer. IL they could get work even at the
wages given they could live; but they haven't
the WORK. and the people are starving
But who is responsible for this state of affairs;
are not the rulers Of the country responsible?
For instead OF enacting laws and apprOpriaJing
money to carry On work, and helping to elevate
The working classes, they neglect them and let
them sink INTO wretchednesS. and republicans
ard democrats are guilty alike. But there are
some exceptions that should be honOred The
Hon. II. b. Wright had bill before Congress-
which would have been great berefiJ to the
labOItng classes and would have helped to
thin the cities Of the idle population. who