New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-29

unjust attacks on the design of the work ana
the methods OF construction which are Ill use.
Tomorrow the first through train over the
| Southern Pacific Railroad will leave San fran
cisco, bound for New-Oreans, and IL Is prob
able that train going west will start from
| Newt Orleans at the same time. The compile
ton of this road connecting the Pacific with
| the Gulf of Mexico is an event Of National in
| terest It's first effect on the currents of com
merce will no doubt be to cause large portion
of the grain which now goes from California 10
| Europe by way of the long sea passage around
| Cape Horn to take the much shorter route by
New Orleans The road will be of great ana
immediate benefit to the metropolis of the
| Gulf, which declined in business ana popula-
ton during the decade following the war, ana
has only begun to recuperatc since the com
pletion OF the Mississippi jettles. 1T will also
facilitate the rapid settlement of Northern
| Texas, develop the mining resources Of New
Mexico and Arizona, and give fresh and
needed stimulus to the grOwthof California.
IF the reports now current in political circles
as to Mr. McKeon's selections for Assistant Dis
trict- Attorneys are well founded. there Will be
| feeling of disappointment and regret among
good citizens generally Mr.. McKeOn was not
under such obligations to any party or faction
that he should consider himself bound to fill his
| Office with political hacks or men OF little
weight. There was reason 10 expect that he
would choose lawyers of ability and force, and
above all of spotless integrity, for his assist
ants. Perhaps it is not too late yet to give up
all hope. 1t is understood that the names will
not be formally announced until Saturday.
Possibly the politicians may be in error who are
Low saying so confidently that John Il. Fellows,
John 0'Byrne, John Vincent and \. j. Rcqulcr
are to fill the Jour Assistant DiStrict-AttOrney-
ships. If they are right, Mr.. McKeon has made
a misstep at the outset of his term. None of the
four will be greeted with mt 1 enthusiasm.
One of them is flagrantly unfit.
Congressman Whitthorne advances a novel
argument against the Isthmus Canal project.
Having discovered by reading history that the
spots on the eaIth's surface for the possession
of which the feTcest struggles have been
fought and the most blood shed are the Straits
of Gibraltar and the Dardanelles, he asks:
"Why should the United States encourage
other conflicts of the same sort by digging
can interOceanic canal to draw the fleets and
"navies of Europe to our shores Y This
question can best be answered, Yankee fash
ion by putting another. Would Mr.. Whit
tnOne think it a good thing if the Straits OF
Gibraltar and the DardancllcS were filled up I
There is some force in what the Tennessee
Congressman says in his tall, with our Wash
ingtOn correspondent about the commercial
nations of Europe rushing in to secure the
trade passing through the canal when it is
opened. They WILL of course, mOnOpolize it if
they can, but it IS not to be supposed that the
United States is always going to submit to be
crowded out of the business of ocean naviga-
ton. Before long there will come a sharp
turn in our National policy in that respect.
Guiteau was put in the dock yesterday,
where he ought to have been placed at the
commencement of the trial as soon Is he be-
gan to abuse the privilege of sitting by his
counsel. The change does not seem to have
any restraining effect upon his vile tongue,
however. He showed little timidty about
gong into the dock at first and even promised
to keep quiet if allowed to remain within the
bar, but he had scarcely got seated i'll his
new quarters when he recommended his in
sulting remarks about Colonel COrkhill and
Judge Porter. His removal to the place pro
vided for criminals is n tardy vindication of
the outraged propriety of grave judicial pro-
ceedings and seems likely to prove ineflect-
ual to secure decent behavior from the assas-
sin during the remainder of the trial. He can
abuse the counsel and witnesses with as much
freedom in the dock as at the lawyers tables.
| IF the change acts as a punishment it will be
because he fears to be placed in a conspicuous
| position in the courtroom, but he probably
has sense enough to realize that no one will
| be crazy enough to try to shoot him now that
the prospect of his being hanged is SO good.