New-York tribune., 1882-02-20

mittee of Ways and Means of the House Of Repre-
sentatives for the purpose of explaining the exces
sive and cumulative character of the stamp tax
which had been imposed upon such articles. The
chairman, Thaddcus Stevens-that old and persist
ent champion of human rghts-rcplied: Gentle
men. you must respond; the country is in peril We
must have money. When the exigency Is
passed your showing will be cOnsid-
cred" These people justly claim that the
heavy tribute (which is about 10 per cent of the
actual cash receipts Of the manufacturersl exacted
during that period of danger is unjust aud oppres
sivo now. In a memorial to Congress they nrge the
repeal of the stamp tax law and set forth many per-
tinent facts in support of their proposition. They
say truly that the consumers of proprietary medi-
cincs are usually not the rich the wcll-Cio
these afford to send for physician when i'll
but the mechanics clerks labOrers etc, who practise
tho economies of life. and upon whom no unneces-
sary burden should be laid. AS nearly every article
used in the manufacture pays a tribute 20 the
Government originally it would seem only fair to
release these preparations from double tax. Con-
trnry TO popular belief here is scarcely any industry
Gf the memorial before states the truth com
mandng the same amount of capital, energy, busi.
ness tact aud management which exhibits such poor
returns. At tho last session of Congress the
both General Raum and the House Com
mittee on Ways and Means, bu:, owing to The
limited time of the session. the bill which pre-
pared failed to reach IA vote. 1t wouldn't be bad
idea if the Democratic legislator who is striving
vigorously to give his constituents cheap wliskey
should, ut tho time give them cheap medicine
20 counteTact the effect of ii.
THE TRIBUNE is constantly receiving letters of in
a.. ;IoI C4oEo
and in Europe. For example, one correspondent
asks 20 be reminded of the substance of the Re-
funding bill which President Hayes vetoed year
ago; another wishes To know how much Secretary
WINDOWS refunding operations cost the country;
another requests d" brief summary" Of Mr. Glad
stones Land Act with the points at issue between
the two Houses succnctly stated; another seeks TO
be enlightened respecting the French scrutins; and
this record of inquisitveness might be indefinitely
prolonged by an exhaustive examination of our
mail-bOX. Now it Is proper to remind our readers
that they might answer many of their questions
themselves if they would avail themselves of the
facilities which The TRIBUNE places within their
reach. Every of our subscribers who strives to
understand the history of the times it is recorded
i'll the files of II newspaper, ought to have on his
desk THE TRIBUNE ALMANAC and TIE TRIBUNE IN
DEx. The former will give him running comment
airy of political and general statistics whereby to
interpret the text of the news of the day. The
latter will provide him with complete summary
of events in the United States and Europe, to which
he can constantly refer without appealing to the
editor by letter for information and if any details
are suppressed in so comprehensive a review, the
body of TIE INDEX will enable him to investigate
the matter at his leisure at any public library where
the files of any journal of the first rank can be con-
suited.
A significant comment on the recent efforts made
by the Marquis of Lorne to promote emigration to
Canada is given IN the official returns from the port
of Liverpool for the year 1881. In the month of
December the number of emigrants quitting Eng
land definitely at that port was G,f40; OF these
S5S were going to the United States, 274 to British
North America and to Australia only II. The
Princess Louise has inst given her consent to become
president of Woman's Emigration Society, in
tended to assist unmarried women across the
water for whom, the Marquis declares husbands
galore are waiting in Canada. But it all will not
do In spite of persuasion or patriotic feeling for
English government, English women well as
men will 20 where food and work and wages are
most plenty. Besides her disadvantages of climate
and the lethargc temperament of her people,
Canada lies on one side of the great highway lead
ing from east to west around the world, into which
emigration. trade, labor and prosperity invariably
tend. Such of the United States as lie above the
thirty-ffh degree of latitude are in the bounds of
this lucky belt and their history shows the result
Success has literally been thrust upon them by
climate soil and position. Nature has given them
an advantage over both Canada and the South
which no efforts of GovcrnorS-G General Royal emil
grafton societies can cOuntcract. The road of trade
from ocean to ocean will always this continent
within their limits and emigrants will follow that
road however cool welcome they may receive.
There is hardly any projected reform, since re-
forms came into fashion, which has fallen into such
misfortune as that which proposed the abolition of
capital punishment substantially, it seems to
have been almost entirely abandoned. Wisconsin
gave up the death penalty several years ago. This
it is now affirmed has resulted in decided increase
of crimes of the homicidal order But something
really worse than this has happened. There has
been also an increase of that rude justice which is
called lynching-a crime not common in Wisconsin
before the abolition of hanging. The people have
taken the matter into their own hands if the law
would not hang they have seen fit to hang without
the law This shows how unsafe it is to take it for
granted that whatever may get through the Legis-
laturc is approved by the people. In Wisconsin, it
is said the gaows will resume its work without
much opposition
Mr.. Conkling saw the design for the brass medal
weeks ago and pronounced IT good. General Grant
also gave it his approval. This is not the first time
these two eminent statesmen have been joint owners
in iirst-class buudeT.
MUSICAL IND DRAMATIC NOTES.
George W. Morgan has determined to continue
this season the organ and harp matinees in Chick
erng Hall which he began two years ago. As be-