New-York tribune., 1882-03-01
Sanford is defeated the blame rests largely
with his party friends.


with his party friends.
There werc several singular features about
the sentencing of ex-Policeman b. F. Fitz-
patrick yesterday in the Court of General Ses-
sions. The witnesses who had been called by
the friends of the prisoner to testify to his good
reputation were not able to say on oath that he
was quiet, peaceable citizen. Even the family
physician falteringly declared that the accused
mans character was inclined to be bad. Inc
judge, however, came to the conclusion that
Fitzpatricks reputation was worse than he de-
served but the ex-policeman received the full
extent of the punishment which the law allows
-four years Imprisonment at hard labor.
The discussion that has recently disturbed
marketmep. housekeepers and the Board of AL
dermcn seems to be approaching an end with
the victory substantially on the side of the ad-
vocates of undrawnp poultry and game The
committee of the Board to which the resolution
of Mr.. Roosevelt was referred has decided
against any change in the present ordinances
on this point. The influence of many cooks
whose opinions ought to be of value was thrown
in favor OF undrawn" poultry. So much tes-
timOny was advanced OH both sides of the ques-
ton that, relying on that alone, it is hard to tell
whether or not the matter has been decided
wisely. But il remains practically i'll the hands
of the customers; if they want drawn poul-
try all they have to do is to demand it, and
the dealers must furnish it in that condition.
People who worry about such things took
comfort last week when the Board of Health
reported that cases of smallpox and scarlet
fever were decreasing in number in this city.
1t now appears that the death rate has been
increasing during January and February.
Perhaps it will fall off now that contagiOn
has died out in so great measure. The
number of deaths during the two months of
this year has exceeded the number of births
by 1854. A grain of encouragement may
possibly be found by some hopeful persons
in the fact that there were twenty-One more
marriages in February than in January. Here
are more statistics indirectly bearing on this
point: There were 6,99S more immigrants
landed here in February, 1892 than in that
month in 1881. So that if the death rate was
trifle in excess, the city's population is not
likely to be seriously diminished.
This is the first of March. The Legislature
has now been in session something over fifty
working days. The regulation length of an
ordinary session is 100 days. In view of these
facts and figures we trust our Senators and AS
semblymen will improve the last half of the
session upon which they have entered us effect
ually as they wasted the first half. AS yet the
important public measures which were expected
at the hands of the lawmakers have hardly
been considered at all, to say nothing about their
passage. No well-digested bill providing for
the revision of the laws relative to assessment
and taxation has been introduced. The pend
ing propositions providing for the amendment
of the Constitution in relation to the canals
have not been taken up. The bill to prevent
a further reduction of the National Guard has
not been reached. The two oleomargarine
measures which passed last year, but which were
vetoed as being in conflict with the Federal
Constitution, have not been improved upon.
The railroad transportation problem has not
been touched No steps have been taken to
render the condition of the county jails and
pcOrhOuses of the State less disgraceful. Gov
ernor COrnells earnest recommendation that
the law in relation to imprisonment for debt
be amended SO as to prevent the fragrant out
RACES against personal liberty" which are now
of common occurrence, remains unacted upon.
The General Drainage act, whose inefficiency
has been pointed out by the State Board of
Health, has not been amended. These matters
and the annual appropriation bills can be dis
posed of within the next fifty days-provided
each member attends strictly to business and
the previous question is promptly moved upon
any gentleman bent upon elOquence.