New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-10


Mr.. Sherman spoke at length in favor of his
Three Per Cent Refunding bill in the Senate
yesterday. When he had finished, Mr.McPher-
son, recalling the Ohio Senator's opposition
when Secretary OF the Treasury to similar
measure, INDUCED in n little good natured sar-
casm about a change Of heart in comparison
with which the conversion of st. Paul was slow
and tedious. Mr.. Sherman might well have
said in reply that the times and not he had
changed, and that it did not follow that because
a three per cent bill was un"ise a year ago 1t
would always be so. He said enough III his
speccb. however. to show that there were tea-
lures in the Democratic bill OF the last Congress
winch made il Objectionable apart from the IN
tcreSt rate. 1t is OF no great consequence,
however. whether Senator Sherman has changed
his views or not. The one strong argument
against his measure must be drawn from the
evident unwillingness of the country to see the
Treasury make haste 20 embark III new re-
funding enterprise. Business and financial III
tercsts want season of IepOsc from public
debt operations.
Congressman Page, of California, has intro
duced bill to make the anniversary of the dis
cOvery Of America legal holiday. How Is the
date of the anniversary to be ascertalned
The Mortimer were nearly five hundred years
ahead of Columbus, but no one knows the day
of the year when those adventurous sea-rOvers
first sighted the New England coast Even if
that date could be ascertaned, a plea of priority
might be set mp i'll favor of the ancestors OF the
MAYA race, who, according to recent researches
among the ancient buried cities of Yucatan,
were akin to the people who developed the
early civilizations of Asia, and at some remote
period probably came across Behring's Straits.
As the Maya monuments are estimated to be
over 1000 years old, Columbus and the North
men must be dismissed az heroes of very
modern date, who only discovered for Europe
continent Asia had found aud cOlOnized ages
before. But leaving the question of discovery
aside, why should there be another National
holiday Already by law or custom we have
Decoration Day, Independence Day, Thanks
giving Day. Christmas and New Years, to say
nothing Of fifty two Sundays, which are more
and more being converted from holy days 10
holidays year by year. We are busy people
and cannot afford to shut up shop to celebrate
all the great events iii history.
The Emperor William, according to report
current in Berlin, has decided to hand over the
reins of Government to his son on the occasion
of his eighty fifth birthday, which occurs in
March. If the report proves true lively
hopes will be awakened in the minds OF the
German Liberals. The old monarch grew up
in the atmosphere of camps, and the natural
bent of his mind toward absOlutism was
strengthened by the revolution OF lS4s, in the
suppression of which he took leading part.
Afterward he fell under the powerful influence
of Bismarck, who has in recent years, ana
especially since the union of the German States
under the Prussian Crown, displayed an lncreas-
ing intolerance of Parliamentary institutions
and popular rights. The Prince Regent can
hardly fail to adopt more liberal policy than
his father has followed. He has seen much or
the world and is man of strong character and
good Judgment EYen if he has a taste for
dcSpotc power he is able to appreciate its
dangers, both to himself and his country
He cannot be so blind to what is going on in
Europe as to imagine that he can long hold i'll
check in Germany the great movement which
has given France, Italy and Austria representa-
tive government, and is agitating Russia to its
centre. Perhaps he will emancipate himself
from Bismarck, who is now the evil genius of
Germany, and rest his throne on the affections
of Il free people instead of on the bayonets OF
the most powerful army in the world.
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