New-York tribune., 1881-12-27

Ireland in the month Of November are at
tributed to desire to crafty those who scId
money from America. What contributor 10
the Land League funds desires that his money
should be used 10 buy guns TO shoot hlS
own countrymen for no other offence than pay
ing the rent which they agreed to pay ana
wished to pay! What kind of cause is II
which can possibly be advanced by shooting
honest men2
An interesting talk with Alexander II.
Stephens will be found in our Washington
dispatches The venerable Georgia states
man looks back over nearly half a century OF
eventful history. He first entered CONGRESS
thrty-eicht years ago. Sitting III room long
occupied by Henry Clay his memory recalls
the men who came upon the stage oil N1tlonal
affairs cont -InpOIaneOusy with him ana iaaue
prominent figure in the ante-bellum days. ana
finds they have nearly all passed on 10 the
Silent Land. only little group of Survivors
remain to keep him company. His tax Is not
all Retrospective, however lie takes an
active interest in the legislative questions OF
the day. His views on finance are too much
coored by the Southern antagonsm to the.
internal revenue system and the protective
tariff to be entirely sound, but what he says
about the Importance of the United States
controlling the is,hnus Canal we can heartily
indorse as sagacious and patriotic.
There is no pcasanter reading in this morn
ine's paper than the account OF the bountliuI
Christmas dinners served yesterday 70
the poor children in the homes, missions,
lodging houses and asyldms OF the city. This Is
form of charity open to 10 criticism and
liable to no abuse. In some institutions the
donors who provided the good cheer
for the little ones were numerous; IN
Others single generous givcr had
the delight of seeing how happy
roomful of children coull he made by bonn
tiful repast. 4 few examples Of the latter class
deserve special mention. The dinner and
Christmas tree at the Girls Indus
trial School in St. Marks place
was the gift of Mrs. J. j. Astor; the 100
boys in the Boys Lodging House in Thirty
fith-st were provided for by Mrs. William f.
Dodge, ir.; and the 225 little fellows in the
East side LODGING House had Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie to thank for their good cheer.
Society is not likely to be reconstructed in
hurry by the socialistic Labor party whose Ma
tional Convention is now accommodated III
small hotel in the Bowery, with plenty OF
room to spare. In Germany Socialism Is
natural and perhaps necessary and heailhtul
reaction against arbitrary governmental inter
ference with private rights. Here IN the
United States, where individual liberty Is only
restricted in the interest Of good order and the
general welfare, it is an exotic plant which re-
fuses to take root It's advocates are chiefly
newly arrived foreigners, unfamiliar with our
Institutions and but half aware of the Oppor-
tunities for freedom of thought and action
open to them here; or if natives, they are born
agltators, who are never happy save when ad-
vocating some radical change in human af-
fairs There is kernel of good however,
even among the chaff of American Socialism.
When it fayors intelligent cooperation of work
men to get the best results from their labor
and to obtain homes for themselves by the aid
of building associations, it Is worthy of earnest
communications