New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-30

crease over the allowances of last year, while
the Board of Education, the Fire Department
and the Department OF Public Charities ana
Correction are cut down. 1t is not certain
that these reductions were wholly judiclous.
1t IS certain that some of tie other Depart
ments got much more than they deserved.
The most striking feature of the Guiteau
trial Yesterday was the production OF an
astounding letter written by the aF 'asSm TO
Senator Don Cameron on the 10Th OF the
present month. In this letter Guit2au asks
for $500 al am a Stalwart Of the StaiWRrts,'
and so are you,n he says. As a further argyll
mcnt for loan ne urges the mutual admra-
ton felt by hr'self and the Senator for Cen
crai Arthur, and the fact that he made Arthur
President. az get cut OF this | Will return
the money" the letter concludes; "it not,
charge it to the Stawaris.' Mr.. Scoville put
The letter in evidence as proof OF insanity!
The world is 10 wiser for the deliberations
of the National Socialist Convention in this clty,
which winds up with masS-neetng to-hght
Instead of discussing plans for the elevation
of the working classes, to which nearly all the
members OF the Convention belong, and doing
something sensible TO forward the brother
hood OF man," OK which they pTate 50 much,
the delegates foundared about in the mire o.
communistic fanaticsm, and ended by rcsoly-
ing in favor OF destroying and reconstructlng
pretty much everything except the solar syS-
tenn. AT the close, the discussions in the
party and its extreme poverty were depored.
Let the members talk less and go to work 10
in
fertile country, and the two evils of which
they complain will speedily disappear But
when these evils vanish, the Socialist party
viii vanish too.
A Washington dispatch describes the trials
of Western Congressman who spend nearly all
their time in attending to the private business
of their constituents, ncglectlng Their !cGisd-
tive duties, and running from Department to
Department with their hands and pockets full
of papers, urging that pension aud other claims
be made especial and put through out OF
their order 1t is said that these members have
no time to attend committee meetings and
take little part in the proceedings of the
House. except to vote on party questions. Yet
they are popular at home. and are reelected
because they are so obliging and attend TO
business so diligently. Such members are in
reality claim agents who get their pay from
the public Treasury for services 90 claimants
They are elected and paid to attend TO the
affairs of the Nation; but they devote their eff
forts to getting money from the Government
for few people who live in their districts.
If this abuse continues to grow, it may be
necessary to amend the Constitution so az TO
authorize each district to elect two representa-
tives, one to collect claims and the other to
sit in the House and serve on committees.
Guiteau's vicious tongue waSs rs freely
from the dock as from the bar. He was, if
anything, rather more abusive than ever yes
terday. Only one feeling acts as a restraint
upon him-his cowardy fear 0f violence from
the crowd. Colonel Corkhill succeeded in keep
ing him quiet for time by threatening to
have the dock moved TO another part Of the
courtroom. This had an immediate effect,
but after a while Guitcau's cgotism and impu-
dence got the better of his apprehensons, and
he resumed his old habit of interfupting the
lawyers and witnesses with offensive remarks.
The evidence is all against him, and strongly
against him, now. No vCstigc of the insanity
theory is left by the doctors. The scientific
testimony thar he is sane, and was sane when
he murdercd The President, is overwhelming. No
one who has followed the proceedings doubts
that the jury Will return a verdict of guilty.
Mr.. Scoville evidently expects such verdict,
and is said to be preparing to argue an objcc-
ton to the jurisdiction of the Cont before a
full bench of Judges. Nothing viii be gained
by raising This objection except delay. If the
Washington Court has not jurisdiction then
the case goes to New-Jcrsey We may be sur.
of one tling-if Jersey justice lays its hands
upon Guitcau tie scandals of the Washington
trial will not be repeated, and the criminals
chances Of escaping the gallows will not be
improved,