New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-18

The P0ohcgtfr Union remarks that " in the present
depressed condition of interest money is of little
value except to pay taxes with" Wonder if The
Uni1nS words are not to be construed rs hint to
weil-knOwn Gramnrcy Park statesman that now
would be a good time to pay his income taX'
The bill which has been introduced in Congress
by Mr. Van VOorhis to provide for the expense of
landing immigrants seems to be a wise one. 1t as
sesses upon the steamship companies tax of one
dollar on each immigrant landed the money to be
paid into the United States Treasury and credited
to an immigrant fund. The steamship companies
have complained that a dollar is too high a tax and
that the expense is not more than a quarter that
sum. If that he so, years experiment will demon
strate the fact. When immigrants are arriving at
the rate of 100000 a year with prospect of in
creasng the total TO Million it is entirely proper
that tho tax should be paid into the Treasury for
then the whole of it will be certain to be devoted
to the purpose for which it is assessed.
jaclal coucIant, or II hyona digging at a
freshly filled grave, would not be an inappropriate
device for thai medal.
DR.. Hardness has been exhibiting bottle of red
snow as great curiosity, to the scientists of san
Francisco. 1t may not be generally known, but
quantity of red snow was discovered in Albany this
winter. From the fact that it was found at the
height of the deadlock and near the new Capitol the
conclusion was irresistible that the owed its
color to the copious outpouring Of blood consc-
quent upon the fcrocious war between Tammany
and Ant-Tammany.
Mr. Alexander II. Stephens has announced his
intention OF retiring from public life, and of devot
Ing the remainder of his days to literary pursuits
III ere are those still living who will remember him
rs an eminent Wing for it was a Wing that he
was elected to the House of Representatives in
1913 Perhaps rojody did moro than he did to
give something like conference to the action of that
usually incOherent organization; and yet like most
Southern Wings, his allegiance to the party was
al ways somewhat loose. lie drifted naturally to
the Democrats when the slight bond which held
the Wings together was broken: and in 1859 he
for the first time formally retired from public life.
1t will be remembered how strongly he deprecated
secession how he both spoke and acted against the
secession ordinance ut Milledgeville in 1861; and
how ut last he yielded to pressure. anu acknowl-
edged the Confederacy. He did much any
man to persuade Virginia t. join the ranks Of the
rebels. Still, ho never was a statesman upon whom
the ConIederacy could rely. albeit he was its Vice
President He showed himself willing to come
back again to the Union. if only way of coming
back lecently could be discovered After the
peace. although lie was arrested and held As a
public prisoner his heart was evidently with the
old Union, and whatever the restoration policy of
President johnson might be worth Mr. Stephens
supported it, He might have been in the Senate il
his State had been little prompter IN accepting
reconstruction; subsequently he got into the
House OF Representatives and there he has been of
occasional value. But the condition of his health,
and the natural lack OF confidence in his political
stability have diminished his usefulness and he
does not too quit the stage public affairs The
American public has always been disposed to Judge
him eniently and for much that is erroneous in his
career he has long been forgiven. We presume that
the literary pursuits in which he may engage Will
be Of a historical character; but il is doubtful
whether it Is possible for him to write OF modern
American history with perfect and judicial fair
ness He has already given an elaborate work
on the late war; and whatever he may yet produce
Will be read with interest
Ii is announced that General Butler is opposed to
the renppointment OF tho Collector at Gloucester
In case the Collector ut Gloucester desires TO DO
appointed his prospects of continuing in office
ought To be all no could desire.
Two scientific farmers" near Bridgeport are
about to be prosecuted for not giving their stock
sufficient food. The neighboring farmers charge
that eight head OF cattle have died from starv
on tho scientific farm since last fall The scientific
farmers say tho charges have grown out Of prou-
dice which the neighboring farmers have against |
farming on the advanced scientific method We