Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-01

1t is apparent from the cross-examination of
Guiteau, as well as in the opening speech OF Col
Corkhill, that the prosecution intend to show, II
possible that the lssin in firing the fatll shot
was more moved by vinGfctivencsS and revenge
than by any 'InspratiOn" 1t has already been
established that the conception of the idea of muir
der occurred just about the time the President,
wearied OF GuiteauS annoying persistence. gave
him TO understand that he would not listen to him.
That the assassin is of q Malignant vndctive dis
position, has been shown upon several
sions- His abuse and, no doubt, sanderous ac-
cusation against his former wife, because she was
called to testify for the government, furnished an
Illustration OF the revengefui spirit within him.
He stOutly insisted thIt both Mason and Jones
should be punished to the fullest extent OF the law
for attempting the very deed he is now seeking to
justify in himself The prosecution Will probably
elicit many facts going to show that Guiteau was
"iDspired" To commit murder by his deviliSh "a
ture, and that he did Ii TO crafty his malice. 1t is
an accepted theory that unsOund mind cannot
dwell nationally and consecutively upon any sub
jet, but that 1t becomes Eighty and incoherent.
III this be true, then it Is point against the inSan-
tty OF the assassin. Since he has been the stand
he has gone over his entire life, relating incidents
or years ago, giving dates, circumstances and de-
tails with most remarkable accuracy. There has
been no wavering in his story. He never misses
an opportunity to assert and reasSert his insanity
and his '.inspration" as the motive of the deed.
POSTMASTER James says we might have two
cent letter postage were it not for the loss on
third and fourth rate mail matter, which includes
parcels and newspapers" is the statesmanlike re-
mark made by one OF our exchanges Well,
suppose might; would the country be any
better of for having tEo-cent letters, instead OF
cheap newspaper and parcel postage? A good
many people, perhaps majority, prefer the latter
TO the former, and there Is no good reason why
Their wishes nd nj ba tod
But aside from that, il two-cent letters such
precious boon, why not give them to us, without
regard TO the postage on other classes OF mail
Matter? This annual talk about making the
postal service self-su5tifning is stuff and nonsense
or the cheapest sort. 1t can easily be done by
rasing the rates on all classes OF mail matter high
enough: but would the people OF the country be
any bitter eff for that great financial achieve
ment? And why should the post Office be made
seI-susta lining or a source OF profit any more
than the other departments Of the government?
The expenses Of the army and navy for example
could be largely reduced if not entirely wiped off
by hiring out the officers and men as farm hands
and longShOremen While not actively engaged in
fighting the enemies OF the country, but we
haven't observed that any of the economic re-
formers have proposed any such money saving
scheme Suppose they give the self-Sustaining
pest Office idea rest for While, and turn their
attention 10 other and much more exaspcrating
leaks in the public treasury.
-
Mayor Grace, OF New York, has vetoed the mum
cipal bill for the running OF telegraph and tele-
phone wires under ground, not because OF any OBJ
lection to the system, but for the reason that he
thinks the city should charge corporations for prlvi
leges which enable them To reap ''unusual returns
far above the market rate OF interest" He holds that
as the telegraph and telephone companies derive
large profits from the extension Of their wires
through the city they should pay for the right so
extend them In his message Mayor Grace says: eff
the burden OF taxation is ever to be materially re-
duced the city must avail itself Of all possible
sources OF income" an intinatiOn that he favors
taxing all corporations for all privileges and fran
chises granted them. 1t was, in fact, the condi-
tons OF the measure to which the mayor objected
and not the merits OF the bill. The public senti-
ment OF New York city, as elsewhere, is still in
favor OF underground telegraph and telephone