New-York tribune., 1883-03-18

Tp1puNE puts a few pointed questions about
the water. supply in West Forty -third-st.,
which are respectfully referred to Commits
sioner Thompson. If he cannot answer them
| nobody can. 1t is a singular fact that there are
certain blocks in the city which always seem 10
| be worse of than other parts Of the same neigh
| borhood This is the case in West Forty
| third-st. When the water flows on the tlnrd
floors elsewhere, it often does not get above the
second in West Forty -third-st. Now II VIII
hardly.run there at all except in the middle Oh
| the highland then it only drps' AS the
writer of the letter referred to inslnuates, the
point has nearly been reached when the Health
| Board will have to take the matter III manu.
We have stringent laws about plumbing; bat
| what good will the most perfect system vi pipes
| and traps do if there is no water to hush them
| They will soon breed diphtherla, scarlet leVer
| and other dread diseases. 1t would oe pam
| full thing if the Health Board should feel
obliged TO get the Department OF Public WoIks
| indicted this summer as nuisance; put we
seem to be drifting that way.
| The feast of St. Patrick was not observed
| Yesterday in this city with its Old-tlme ylgor.
| The street cars were able to run with some
thing like regularity, and travel and trade were
] not blocked for hours by the procession as
usual Not more than three thousand men are
| said to have been in line-or as nearly III line
| as they could be. Our local and visiting Irish
patriots did not make nearly so much OF their
| notoriety as they might. Egan and Sheridan
| even went out of town instead OF staying
| here to show themselves to the ad-
miring crowds. The probable explanation
| of this lack of animation is that Irish
patriotism in this country has been somewhat
chilled of late The shocking murders in Ire
land, particularly those in Phoenix Park, added
to the unpleasant report about dishonest or
even criminal management of the Land League
funds, have made many Irish Americans less
enthusiastic for could Ireland" than in years
gone by The crimes of members of
secret societies are so especially abhorrelt to
most good Catholics that they abstain from
doing anything which might be msconstrued.
Moreover, Irishmen who have lived in this
country long are apt to grow little tired oil
parades. They find them tame. The chances
of the whole show ending in fight are not
as good as they used TO be.
The tone of public sentiment In England as
indicated in our special cable dispatches is ad-
mirabl If the Fenian Iniscreants expected to
create a panic by the explosion in the Govern
ment offices and to shake the foundations OF
political order they were soIely disappointed.
England is self possessed and resOlute. aud has
set its face sternly against any concessions to
Ireland. At the same time the reality OF the
danger Is perceived The Fenian desperadoes
mad made thee unsuccessful attempts to blow
up public bndings-the Stafford Barracks, the
Liverpool Town Hall and the Mansion House
before they planned this explosion i'll the West
minister quarter. What has been done once
will probably he done again. Although pre-
cautions may he doubled, the conspiratnrs are
employing physical agencies against which no
Government can adequately protect itself. The
Vaccinations of these dynamite fiends are and
must remain constant and deadly source of
peril. At the same time every additional crime
must create something like recoil in Ireland.
| The Land League cause is already discreoited
! as supported mainly by crimes and outrages,
and the leaders are weaker at home for every
| new plot ty which the moral sense Of mankind
| is startled. II is a disheartening outlook, an
| agonizing struggle. but we believe that Mr.
| Gladstone is gradually strengthening himself
| in Ireland through the operations of the Land
| act and that the era of dastardly crime aud
cowardly pai,ic- makers is drawing to close.
1