New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-01


Cabinet. This would be melancholy state
ment with which to begin the New Year ii
we did not know that the mere mention OF
the fact will develop unsupported capacities
of self-sacrifce on the part of a regiment OF
statesmen.
We shall never know whether 1t was -Four
Bears who retreated or Rafting Bib whose
spinal column collapsed. But after day OF
dark and secret conference in Washington
hotel, the modest demand of those chiefs for
100000 for the right of way Though
Dakota reservation less than two hundred
miles wide, has been withdrawn. Perhaps
the consultation was held to decide whether
they should make it a round billion. and fight
it out on that line if It took all winter. But
wiser counsels prevailed. The price they had
asked would be about $500 a mile; the
railroad offered $110 mile, and $5 an acre
for all land needed for yards, etc. Like wise
chaferers, who know when to strike hands on
a bargain they took the offer. There is
disputed theory that the North American
Indians are lineal descendants of the Lost
Ten Tribes. The attention of ethnologsts is
respectfully invited to this little incident.
The old year that was full of surprises in
local politics, closed with one of the strangest
of them all. Three prominent oficeholders,
two of them just appointed to their places,
have resigned. Mr.. Rowland withdraws
from the Tax Department, and Messrs. Green
and ConOver from the Park Department.
Mr. Howland's withdrawal seems to he be-
cause. of a real preference for private busi-
ness. Resignation of an Office is test of sin
cerity. and he has given it. The retirement
of Messrs. Green and COnOver probably grows
out of the difficulties in the Park Commission.
Mr. ConOver is transferred to the Board of
Assessors, vacancy being made for him by
the removal of Mr.. Mooney. Mr.. Green is I'M
provided for, or if the provision has been
made it is not at this moment visible to the
naked eye. Mr. Howland's place is filed by Mr..
Asten, President of the Board of Assessors, who
under the provision of the Charter allowing
the Mayor to fill vacancies without confirm
alton, is sure of six years term. The new
Park Commissioners are w. NJ. Olliffc, and
that political comet, Mr., Charles F. MacLean.
Whatever else may be said Of Mayor Cooper's
administration he certainly has not neglected
to use the appointing power.
The story of the devices by which the Pa
mama Canal scheme has been hOated upon the
Paris market is almost as good reading as the
testimony before the Emma Mine Committee
in Washington concerning certain famous
enterprise in London. Every effort has been
made to utilize even the French love of the
picturesque in winning friends and subscrib-
ers for the scheme. The very handbills have
been cOlored with design, and the wrapping
paper Of the great fancy shops has been
pressed into service to advertise NJ. de Les
seps's great project, which though it can have
no income for twelve years at least is to pay
five per cent interest from the beginning, to
say nothing of a silver medal, worth five
francs, to be presented to every owner OF five
shares. BY such means as these, which
Paris correspondent describes elsewhere, the
French people were beguiled into taking the
whole amount of stock offered or at least into
pledging the first payment upon it. This is
the very quackery of enterprise, and it seems
strange that it should have had such complete
success. There is likely to be shadow on
the bright picture winch the skilled hand of
De Lesseps has presented to his stockholders
pc rhaps before they have completed their
payments.
Surrogate Calvns report is an amiable at
tempt to reassure persons who have property
to leave behind them, concerning the tesla
mentary capacities of wills. 1t seeks to show
that the percentage of loss in this method of
distributing property is every much less"
than it would have been if the owner had de-
termined to be his own executor, and had sold
it or given it away during his lifetime.
Nearly 5000 wills have been offered in
probate since April, 1875, distributing
S4OO, OOO,O 900. Nearly 800 wills were con-
tested, covering more than 5000, 100000,
but only twenty-five wills were rejected, COW
| ering In all 100000 in property, or three
tenths of 1 per cent of the amount involved
in the contests. The total expenses OF the
court make One-thirtieth of 1 per cent of the
amount coming under its jurisdiction. 1t
would certainly have been difficult for an
equal amount of property to change hands in
almost any other way without greater per-
centage of expense. Indeed the condition, if
it may be called so, of the will-maker, has
very much improved In recent years. The
plea of opportune insanity, " for this occasion
only" has gone almost out of fashion in will
cases and murder cases alike, while the abuse
of getting up fraudulent will contests for the
sake of tie allowances, has been killed by
statute. At the same time the SurrOgate's
method deprives the philarthroplst. who has
the courage to part with his money before it
parts with him, of the pure pleasure OF seeing
with his own eyes the good it works.
4 MEMORABLE YEAR.
The year 1880 has been one of enormous
business, of great advancement in industry