New-York tribune., 1881-09-08

advice given by one or two Democratic news
papers that the Committee should not dispute
the right of the committeemen-at-large, who
were added last year to represent the boilers
of 1879, to continue with the Committee, was
accepted, ana the names of Mr.. Kelly and his
colleagues were duly heard in the roll-call.
Beyond this they seem to have taken no part
in the proceedings. Their time for taking
part in the proceedings will come later.
The President has evidently not begun yet to
show the good effects of the change to Long
Branch. He is still resting, and has not yet're-
covered from his fatigue. Considering the heat of
the day on which he took his lightning trip, and
the heat of yesterday, with the fact that a
man in sound health would have found the
journey and the weather of both days ex-
hausting, it is not surprising that
the President should have gained ground in
twenty-fOur hours, as Secretary Blaine's dis
patch to Mr.. Lowell announces. Yesterday
was the hottest day in this city for ten years
back, and in Long Branch was called the hot
test day ever known there, and the President
has not with him at ElberOn the air-cOol-
ing machine, which did so much to
mitigate the heat of Washington. 1t
might almost be said to be surpris-
ing, under these circumstances that he should
have held his own, and the fact that he did
not do more is not a cause for discOura cement.
A favorable change in the weather, which
cannot be long postponed at this season of
the year, will, let us hope, find the President
thoroughly rested from the fatigue and excite
ment of the ride or life, and then good re-
suits ought soon to follow. The public
ought not to forget either that the most
conservative of the physicians stated before
the removal was made that the beneficial effects
hoped for would not begin to appear for several
days.
Travellers across the jersey Meadows yes
terday who were chOked by the smoke
from burning grass and brush, can per-
haps use the spectacle as a slight foun-
dation for a mental picture of the
terrible fires in the West, especially in Mchi-
gan. The extent of the destruction cannot be
known, because the mails are inter-
rupted and the telegraph poles have
burned down. But it is known that
number of villages in Michigan have
suffered greatly, some being totally destroyed.
Great stretches of farming country have been
desolated, farm houses, barns, crops, fences,
being all swept away. Not only have cattle
been destroyed in many cases, but there are
reports, which it is to be hoped are exagger-
ated of considerable loss of human life
The mail carriers have seen dead bodies
on their paths. The names of number
of persons are given who are known
to have been lost Twenty deaths are
reported from various parts of the State, but
the figures are not accepted. Indeed, if true
picture could be drawn of the effects of the
long drouth upon the country at large, it
would he ptiful showing. The face of
Nature is parched and cracked with the long
and cruel heat, and the destruction of the late
crops in some regions seems almost complete.
The water supply of some of the cities begins
to be affected. In Washington there are COM
plants of a failing in the water and in other
places, like Orange, n. j., having no rivers
to draw upon, water has become an ar
ticle of daily merchandise. 1t would seem
that relief could not be long postponed. If
withheld even until the time of the usual Sep
temper rains, commonly called the equinoctial
storm, it would seem almost certain to come