Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-21

Brief and SpaEm0dtc Career of 8
Foreign Mob eman(O
NEW YORK, April 1S-The announcement
that the house of a. T. Stewart & Co. was tc
come to an end has created endless talk in
mercantile circles. Yet it was not altogether
unexpected. For some time it has been OBJ
served that marked decline in the volume OF
business was taking place, and as a matter OF
fact one department after another has been
curtailed or closed. For several years back
to my knowledge. the better class of statesmen
have resigned their positions and sought EN-
ployment in Arnold, Constable & Co. IS, Lord &
Taylor's, w. & j. Sloan's, and other rival
houses. At one time the women of fashion did
not think of going to any place but Stewards
to buy q dress. But OF late a comparatively
small house two or three blocks away has
had the greater part of this custom.
l asked an employe six months ago how he ac-
counted for this. He made the laconic reply:
Stewart is dead.'' The great name remained,
but the spirit and life that made all move like
clock work was not there Stewart knew all
that was going on in all his warehouses and
factories. He could walk through his store
and tell you the cost OF such small articles as
tooth brushes and soap. Cut off such a head
and there can be only one result. and the only
wonder is that it did not come sooner judge
Hilton stuck himself on the decapitated trunk
as head. but the body was too much for the
head. The down town store was first aban-
doned. The reason given at the time, and
given now, is that it was too far down This
was not the real reason, which was that
the wholesale and retail branches
of business had contracted so much that
they could both be carried on under one roof.
Ind oriNy 90 h hia oil
the house that the multtudinous cares of the
business pressed heavily upon him. He was
too tired TO think of going on. 1t is asserted
that the discrimination against the Jews did
no injury, but the opinion among business
men is that this piece Of indiscretion on Judge
Hilton's part gave great impetus to the decline
of the house. There are many wealthy Jews
in this city. and they possess the fondness for
dress for which the race is proverbial When
the outcry was made ageinst them they
focked to other houses. 1t is claimed that the
business hes been conducted without loss. and
that the method of the great merchant prince
hes not been departed from Both of these as
sertions may be true The house has gone to
pieces nevertheless. The clerk who remarked
that it was because A. T. Stewart is dead gave
the true reason.
The subject of reforming the tariff is becom-
ing the most vital question of the hour. There
is without doubt a tendency on the part of the
or a radical modification of them. If the
Democrats make this the leading issue of the
campaign-and this they have already set
about TO do-they will score a strong point and
prepare the way for a strong fight in 1884.
was talking with city official to-day about the
free trade movement that has recently Bet in
with such force He has taken part in every
free trade movement that has been set on foot
for the last sortY years. OF the present up
rising he said it gave more promise of substan-
tial results than any similar effort that
has been made. AS fact. some of the best
men Of this city are identified with the demand
f1aE
ton consequent on the present revenue system.
A keen interest is manifested. not only by
scholars who have made a study of political
economy. but by many in the middle classes.
The growing opposition to mopop0lies has a
good deal of influence. and will hetp the mat
ter along Those manufacturers who have to
pay excessive revenues on raw materials will
support any measure that will afford them re-
lief. They will make strong army in them
selves. 1t il generally agreed that at
no time for the last twenty years
has the proposed reduction of the reve-
nue. tariff met with so much favor, irrespec-
tive of party. At meeting in Chickering Hall
the other evening, held for the purpose of dis
cussing this subject, the enthusiasm was in
tense. 1t recalled the excitement of the last
political campaign.
The view was taken that such reform can be
made without waiting for the report of a COM
mission. The county Democracy (Tilden
Democrats) here is strongly in favor of re-
forming the duties on imports, and approve
tn6 abJiGuQ6 OF AOfam >. Hewitt one OF bl6
most encouraging features of the movement is
that the Democrats through it will make de-
cided break in the Republican ranks. All that
is now wanted is good generalship.
The hustle is coming into fashion again. The
arrival and adoption of the new styles from
Paris for this spring prove it even to the most
careless observers. When q lady gets into a
stage or street car now she does not as for
merly, sink gracefully down in her seat, hut
throws herself sidewise with the familiar
twist of crInoline days, and drops suddenly
Then her dress invariably bulgas uv On one
side and she tuckS it under with her hand
When she rises she is occasionally lop-sded.
but hits the after portion of the dress a well
directed blow and knocks it straight. At least
that is crude outline of her maneuvres in
q car In the street while walking a
peculiarly spriugy motion is OBJ ervable about
the new styles that are evidently not Herald
supplements, as were those of few years ago
in many cases Tho hoop skirt s a dreaded
possibility of the near future. The fashions
really do move in cycles after all, and have
been thinking all day of the possibilities of
sort Of wandering Jewess who could wear
slight variations on the same costume for sew
eral hundred years by judiciously absenting
herself at certain periods and coming In with
the fashion that suited her
An ingenious youth who is called by the
name of Henry Werner-or any other of sew
enteen dLidses-haS at last been caught and i'm
prisoned here for obtaining monev under false
pretenSes. His plan was beautiful, simple and
effective. He filed his pockets full of tracts
and religious papers some six years ago and
went over to the Young Mems Christian 1850
citation on Sunday, and 'got religion" He
wept and prayed and said he was formerly
gambler, but wanted to reform. Upon this the
Young Christians gave him money. food and
raiment, and he lived on their charity until il
began to grow suspicious, when he suddenly
got converted in DIR. Talmage's prayer meet
ing. He worked" that establishment, and
below. This plan he kept up for six years, and
has grown fat complacent and happy. Un-
for him, the Newark Society of
Associated Charities prosecuted him when they
his little game. and thus spoiled an
easy and luxurious living.
AS the play of ''The White Slave" is repeat
ed at Haverly's Fourteenth street Theatre, tho
more it becomes apparent that it is a libel on
Southern life and manners BARLEY Campbell,
the author, probably old not consider it of
enough Importance to go South for the pur-
pose Of fitting himself to be true to nature.
That would have been in the line of true art,
and presume he would say altogether unnec-
eSsary He created the sensational story of
which l have already given you an out
line, as a man would write an In
dian tale in a garrett without ever hav-
ing seen savage or been in the woods
All he aimed at was to knock together few
stirring scenea, create a few situations that
would allow Of exhibitions Of brutality in
Short piece up something blood-curdling
enough to meet the demand for melodrama.
Truth to nature was not taken into considera-
tion for one moment, have no doubt. 1t was
gratifying to me to observe the othe~ night
that the play has not the slightest effect in
stirring the passions of the spectators on the
subject of slavery. Yet, If a company should
go South with the play it would e recep-
ton Il need not indicate the kind in more
specific way that would not be pleasant. But
this is not likely to happen. The piece will not
even thrive here.
The brief and spasTnodic career of the Earl
of Percy" in New York serves as a valuable
lesson to men who are fond OF liquor The
first that was heard of the alleged Earl was
when he was arrested and appeared before
Police Justice in the Jefferson Police Court for
being violently and hopelessly drunk on Broad
way on Thursday afternoon. The Earl" it
would seem, trying to stop traffic on
Broadway by the simple and ingenious method
of catching horses by their brides and foreibly
backing them up. When the policeman at
tempted to arrest the so-called noble
man he threw himself into the
most approved method of fighting under
the Marquis Of Queensbury rules and gave the
minion of the law such particularly neat
drubbing that that functionary was compelled
TO call upon a brother offieer for assistance
When the noble "Harl' came before the mag
lstrate he seemed to be very much ashamed,
apologized, paid his fine and hurried of He
undoubtedly lied when he told the keeper he
was the Earl of Percy, but he seems TO have
been man of good breeding when sober, was
elegantly dressed and wore the coat-of-arms
Of the Percys on huge antique signet ring,
He has never been seen since. and the cues
ton as to his identity still remains unanswered.
HALL-HAYNE.