New-York tribune., 1879-02-03

there ia no evidence in ii of personal feeling.
Mr.. Talmage himself, in opening his sermon
referred to another phase of the same sub
jcct.
Mr.. Mcmahon Il too much Of Thurman
man to he I'll a Democrat should be. lie takes
pains to have it widely understood that he re-
tires from the subcommittee which, just now'
is doing it's best not TO visit this city, because
if facts damaging to Mr.. lildeu were re-
vealod il might be thought that Mr.. Mcmahon,
as partisan of Thurman, had promoted
the disclosure, In other words, Mr.. NC
Mahon publicly kicks over the elabo-
rate Democratic theory that Mr.. Tilden
knew nothing whatever about the cipher dis
patches. Somebody should set that theory
upon It's feeble legs again. and whisper III tins
ndiscreet PERSONS ear a reminder that the Pot
ter Committee was organized to convict out
one person, and that, as Colonel Pelton is not
running for the Presidency, the whole Commit
tee may cone on to Ncw-YOrk without fear.
The Mayor does not propose to send in
nominations to fiji the vacancy IN the Ponce
Board at the next meeting OF the Aldermen.
Possibly he is led to this course OF dangerous
delay by the belief that the entire board may
need changing after an investigation, and that
with four appointments under his control he
may the better command the aCquicsence OF
the Board of Aldermen in his selections.
Whatever the motive. the delay Is un-
fortunate. It would have been better
If the Mayor had acted month ago
in filing the places of Mcssrs. Erhard'
and Wheeler with as good, or, II pos
sible, better men. There is no question that
the force is at present considerably demoral-
lied, not so much by the bad example which
MIR. Erhardt thinks his fellow Commissioners
set the rank and file. as by the fact that two
at least of the Commissioners have no assur-
ance of a continuance in power, aud are, iii
consequence. less REGARDED aud respected than
the heads of such force should be. DSc'-
pinc cannot be kept al the highest standard
in an army whose commanders are uncertain
of their positions.
Superintendent Lambs attempt 10 remove
by force of law an unfalthful savings bank
trustee who has refused to resign, raises sew
eral important questions under the Savings
Bank Act The Acknowledgement has yet to
decide whether the case, as made ont by the
records of the bank. meets the requirements OF
the act; but the publication Of the facts will
have served an excellent purpose in any event.
This was indeed an exceptional instance OF
crime of this sort, numerous as such instances
have been in recent years Robinson, the
stubborn trustee, had evidently used the Troy
Savings Bank for n long time as mllch COW
to nourish discount bank, a railroad and
manufacturing corporation, in all of winch he
seems TO have been the leading spirit. The
usual investment of savings bank funds IN
sound securities was prevented i'll great part
by his influence and that of his contedcratcs,
and dangerously large proportion OF
the cash assets was placed on deposit III
the discount bank. which was drawing nearer
every day to the crash which finally over
took it, From the discount bank the
money was taken out by loans to the railroad
and to the manufacturing company, the latter
being known to be hOpelessly insolyent and
having no credit at any other bank in the city.
Nearly half million dollars was actually lent
to this corporation, and the transaction covered
up by false report. Again, although the in
solvent condition of the discount bank was
perrectly well known to those who were in
tercSted IN II, contract WAS haue ny Ihe
clique which this Trustee controlled. by
which it was to receive on deposit one
fourth of the funds OF the savings bank
for three years, and this was done but a few
months before the discount bank actually
went down, carrying with it a large sum of
the savings bank money. Only Mr.. Lambs
action in having compelled this deposit to be
reduced had prevented greater loss. Shocking
as many savings bank revelations have been.
there has been nothing worse than this.
1t is a remarkable spectace-that of man
vino has so misuscd an office of trust insisting
that he shall be allowed to retain it.