New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-20

| swallowed ND by the sun for several centuries
According to the calculations OF PROFESSOR
| Frisby. of the Naval Observatory, Washington
its orbit is an ellipse of such great length
that the comet will spend nearly eigh'
hundred years in traversing 1t. This Will DO
cheering news to the timid souls who were
afraid the world might be burnt up Oh
the temperance of the comet but 1t ID not
complimentary to Mr.. Proctor and his calcula-
| TONS
The city is not to pay bills for damages against
the New-York Elevated Railway without pro-
test. 1t ia the opinion Of the Corporation Coun
sol that the authorities should not interplead In
the suits against the company brought ny
obutting owners for damages done to their
property. The company, however VIII pro'-
ably not accept this opinion, and therefore 'no
prospect of expensive litigation seems aiiiioS'
endless. II would certainly be highly sa'iS-
factory TO most taxpayers (not lawyers IL s",ho
arrangement could be reached by when the eie-
waited roads would be n source OF proht 10 'io
| city instead of the heavy burden they are ho"'
PanuhNcans who are anxious to see the party
,c This citv reoreanized will find little to en-
courage them in the account OF the meeting Va
the Central Committee last night. Reports
we're received from six district associations say
ing that they favored mn amendment 10 inc
constitution which would make the pledge OF
membership more liberal, so as to allow the IN
dependent voters some chance to join. There
was a good deal of talk, not very much to the
point, and finally the matter was laid ON the
ha las t ct old
tee The one recently elected meets next
month, but it's complexion is not much i'm
proved, and it is not likely to bring forth any
fruits meet for repentance.
The Lowell bankruptcy bill now before Con-
gress has not been improved in committee.
The proposal making dealing In futures an act
of bankruptcy is clearly an error. Acts OF
bankruptcy are those incidents Of conduct
which the law regards as indicating ipsol-
| yency as where debtor absconds or "keeps
his house" to avoid process. But specula-
ton in stocks or grain, though it often ends IN
| ruin, is not in itself an evidence of financial
distress. If Congress really desires to check
stock gambling it might follow the French law
and impose penalty of imprisonment on any
| bankrupt whose failure is caused by specula-
ton.
The last report of the Commissioner of Pub
lie Works in regard to the supply of Croton
is rather more doleful than usual. With
plenty of water in the CrOton River valley
and the acqueduct running to Its full capacity
| the Commissioner admits that the supply In
| the city is inadequate and likely to become
| more so. He urges economy i'll the use OF the
water and remarks that he is tired OF the
daily complaints of short supply. The pub
| lie is likely to go on as it has been doing re-
CARELESS of the Commissioners feelings; but if
| the Assemblymen who are about to meet In AL
bany will give the matter consideration Mr..
Thompson may be sOothed. The trouble Is
that when we are told the aqueduct will not
carry water enough, nobody knows whether to
believe it or not. Mr.. Thompson may think
this hard; but character and associations will
be felt in the public judgment.
Observers who are always going behind the
deed to scrutinize the motive have made
good many unpleasant remarks about
the unusual activity which the Congress
men have been showing at the present
session. The Representatives could well afford
to bear this if they would go steadily ON with
their work. They would finally be
judged by what they do, not by what
their critics say. But when they in
dulge in serio-comic debate over the mo-
| ton for holiday recess, they simply lay them
selves open to the attacks of the enemy Con-
| stituerts were not inclined to find much fault
because the Congressman seemed inclined
| to give themselves the usual vacation. But
Mhen the members ridicule their own indus
try, they cannot expect that other people will
have a high opinion of their sincerity. The
| CON stitnents are In earnest; the Renrcsenta-