New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-17

slow. |
"a line of steamers will in short time be plying
ON tine Grand Canal of Venice The Italian cores
pondeuts are seniing this to the London news
papers, and thcy in heir turn, are printing leading
articles upon tho subject. Everybody can guess
what London leading article upon such bit OF
news would bc-the variations, we may say OF
which such theme is capable. One OF the Journals
thinks that il, EFFECT on Mr.. Ruskm is a subject
too painful 10 contemplate" as if its
effect on Mr. Ruskin could possibly be predicted or
a,if il were ut all certain that he would not heap
sentence upon sentence in poetcal praise OF The IN.
noyation What else is 10 be sad, almost goes
without saying OF course there arc illusions to the
Bridge of Signs, the Thousand Islands, the Qneen OF
the Adriatic the GOndOla the Echoes OF lasso Shy
lock. Antonio Othcllo Dcsdcmona, Lord Byron,
Titan and Tintorctto But the main point seems
To be that the Venice of 1881 is not the Venice OF
the poets. and that line of steamers the canal is
likely to make money. The old Doges would
undoubtedly have star ell one. if there had been
good prospect of making money out Of II. 1t Is
hardly worth while 10 mourn over departing pic
tnrrsouencss when there is so much which we have
lost which is of much real value If we were
like the old Venctians, should build like them
paint like them, and TO generally the things which
tbev did But we are not in the least like them,
i. tbr fact one to waste tears upon. We what
we are. We are not naturally aesthetic We donot
naturally bctake ourselves even to that practically
which theoretically we admire. Let Us hope that
the next age will lind much to admire in the statues
of Winnie Rcam and III the dome of the New-Iork
Post Office. The statues answer their purpose, and
the Post Office suilices All efforts to go back senti
mentally to the Middle Ages will result in Punch
caricaturcs and operate arcrs at the theatres We
q, nfp the Npupf
the steamboats,. How can they afford to keep
show-place for the rest of the world
The sudden intoxicatIon Of a member of the
broadway Police Squad. as described in yesterdays
papers. is not IN unusual thing in the history OF
alcoholism, and, singulary enough, this phase OF
the disease has found previous illustration among
policemen. OF course when single lapse, as In
this case. will in a fow minutes transform sober
officer on duty into a dangerous and raying ruilian
the disease takes an exceptional FORM and the I'M
fortunate victim must be looked upon as IN some
sense n lnnatic and pitied rs such. But the police
force is about rs inappropriate place for lunatcs
os drunkars, and the safety of the general public
becomes more important a consideration for the
Commissioners who are to try the man
alluded 10 than the officers welfare. 1t might
be well also to enforce the regulation, If there be
one or to make rule, if one does not exist pro-
hibitng officers during the hour of noon when they
lunch. from taking splrituous liquors with their
meals. 1t is a common practice among them.
-----------------
No Democrat rises to nominate Boolwalter for the
Presidency IN 1851.
fthe Democrats are looking about for something
else 10 snatch, there is George {. Gorham. They
will be allowed to keep him
John KelIy's way of harmonizing is little pecu-
Jar lie throws his arms about his late antagonist,
and while whispering in his ear that he is liar and
n trickster digs his thumb into his back, saying all
the while: "Oh, won't hurt you this time, but
Just wait till | get good chance NJ you d"
David Davis is always u heavy sitter, but he sits
more heavily on the Democratic stomach than he
ever did anywhere else. The Democratic journals
are simply lndicrOus in their wrath. They make
laLored efforts to prove that the Judge Is thor-
ough going Democrat and at the same time abuse the
Republicans for putting him in office. III he Is a
good Democrat what is die row about
There are no more prizes in the lottery of assassi-
nation. The concern has been closed
The imitation of the Morey forgery business which
the Virginia BourbOns are working has become very
lively. man named Wilson first published some
letters which he SAID had been written to him by
Mr. Blair. the opposition candidate for Attorney
General Blair at once declared the letters 10 be
forgerles. A few days ago Wilson published q con-
fesson that the letters were forgeries, and that
George ID. Wise d Democratic candidate for Con-
gress, and Major Daniel, Democratic candidate for
Governor had induced him while drunk to publish
them genuine. This called out from Messrs. w Use
and Daniel declaration that the " confession had
been procured from Wilson while he was drunk by
the Rcadjusters who had basey reduced him TO that
condition. The interesting controversy stands at
this point with sundry vague threats of dues how
ering about 1t. Meantime, the forgery itself slips
from public attention and there seems to be no I'M
drunk again. This will be apt to disgust him with
politics.
President Arthur Is said to have determined to