davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

words, the Committee decided to retain the
present plan of representation.
The dissatisfaction which resulted from THIS
action of the Committee is to find expression at
its meeting which is to be held at Washington
tomorrow. Senator Frye will present method
of representation in the National Convention
whose essential features have already been
given in THE TRIBUNE. It proceeds upon the
theory that representation in Republican con-
vention ought to turn not, as now on the popu-
lation Of the States but on their Republican
population. Common sense and experience in
dorse this method. A National Convention ia
not convention that assumes to represent all
the people of the Nation. 1t represents only
the Republicans of the Nation, and such non
enumerated voters as may be in sympathy with
the general policy of the Republican party. Mr.
Frye's plan Is to be commended on the ground
that it would necessarily render the National
Convention moro truly representative OF the
wishes of those for whom it stands.
The one great danger that menaces the
coming COnvention-a menace that has threat
ened to prove fatal to the highest usefulness of
some of its predecessOrs-is that combination
Of districts in which there ia no Republican
strength to speak of may be able to force the
nomination of a candidate for the Presidency
who is not the choice of the States who will be
depended on to elect him, or of the great body
of the party. The Frye plan would prove fatal
to this. No valid reason can be urged against
it. 1t DISTINGUISHES nobody, 1t is unjust to no.
body. 1t is good Republican doctrine that one
Republican is as good as another Republican,
but not as good as ton others. Under the sys-
TEN of representation which 1t Is proposed to
supersede, one man in one section Is made equal
to hundreds in another, and the States that will
not give the ticket an electoral vote may never
theless absolutely control its nomination.
1t is good time to reform this evil. If it is
allowed to continue it is certain to play the
party a bad trick some day.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
GENERAL NOTES.

In the course of recent lecture in Baltimore
the subject of food and the markets in their relations
te municipal hygiene DIR. John g. Billings affirmed that
ftythree dIphtheris epidemcs, seven scarlet fever
epidemcs and twelve typhoid epdemics IN England had
been directly traced TO the milk supply.
The road from San Jose to the summit of
Mount Hamilton which the Lick Observatory is ap-
preaching cOmpetion-a distance OF twentyseven miles
WAS constructed at OF $50 D00 and has already
become OF the famous drives OF the State The road
Is smooth we'll maintained and os such easy grades
that good OF horses attached 10 light wagon eau
easily make the ascent In four hours
Beef tea has become q popular bar-rooin
beverage In Omaha. The demand which began 10 DO
lively early In the autumn. has attained such pro-
portions that the prohibition folk perfectly dellghteo
Said philosophical barkeeper to q reporter the other
day; AT first we laughed at the idea OF going to tho
trouble Of making It, but now We laugh because we 10
make It, We sell 100 drinks per day. and ~ sa
smile who drinks it do Won sayf WHY everybody; tho
man about town has been out with the boys comes
In here In the morning and calls for beef tea the Du
meas man comes the afternoon and braces his system
with beef tea; tho temperance man who drops IN VIII Wiz
bibuous friend takes beef tea and In fact eYefyDoJ
is becoming slave 10 It,"
Several of the Boston papers have complained
of the alleged nefioiency of the dramatic company en-
gagged by Messrs Brooks Dickson and Florence McVick
er to act with Edwin Booth This company however
comprises several names that have long and genera,
accounted excellent We have not seen the orgSnf
zation at work but the face OF 1t. company ncu
ing Eben Pgmpton for leading Juveniles, d. o. Anaerso
for old men, Owen Fawcctt eccentric comedy Miss as
Vernon for "heayy" women, John A. Lane Qormesy
with Mccullough, and excellent In Odssi.s, ieiss ,s
torius, GOs and other parsl for Responsible ,c 5 od
cellaneous business and Mrs Eidrdge for cohic cohs v
women and Character would appear TO be sufheienty
GOOD Mr. Frederick Book Is also OF the troupe ana so
that they have their admirers T. has RadtS
been the fashion to decry and dspsrase M bls was
done even while he employed Edwin Adams j. w. va
lack, jr Mark smith Lawrence Barrett l. Fsrnc
Mary Wells Dan Waller and Mrs Waller, Augustus onas
Theodore Hamilton, and Mr.. and Mrs. Robert fatsMlh fatshlh
II Mr. Booth at present has not good company, 10 w
for some the pieces that he presonta, may prove ~
the case tho only u that good company Vr ~
| brief season was not TO ho engaged. Good soes's
shakespeare are not plentiful anywhere.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
TALKS ABOUT TOWN.
THE CAPTAINS AND THE JUSTICE.

Captain Garland Broadpay Squad. II don't believe
Justice Murray will get any peace until he proves HIS
charge against the Police Captains backs squarey
down what he has said II grauitous calumny.
1t certainly doesn't apply to Captains and he doesn't
pretend 1t does II 1t is true OF any OF them
Justice Murrays duty to make specific charges
own little house, worth probably ten thousand
dollars but that is about all the property can show
after years of service at salary above the average OF
in this city, There is explanation for some OF
the force which Is not generally understood Police
officials very often get their merchandise such cloth
ing groceries and the like, at cost prices Merchants
insist on charging them they wish to be
good terms with the force, whom they depend for
protection OF their How is the policeman to avoid
such gratutesi Some undoubtedly get many presents
well. but their position induces many merchants to
favor them in purchasing all they without offending
them.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
WHAT rs 4 "GOOD1 COYTRAcTORi

One of the defences urged in behalf of Com
missioner Thompson is that swindling by I'M
balanced bids is impossible because a good
contractor can estimate his street rs well as the
rOfficial in the department" This is light
and airy defence for man like Mr.. Thomp-
son to toss oil.
When Mr.. John Brady bid quarter of cent
yard for rock excavation, and So a yard for
earth excavation, with the curious result that
on contract calling for n total payment OF
$l5,676 he has thus far earned over 100000
and is still at work. he must have felt that a
"goodn contractor could estimate his street a
deal better than the official in the department.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
PERSONAL.

Mrs. Louise Chandler Moulton will probably re
turn to this country next week.
The Roquette gold medal awarded to Lieutenant
Schwatka by the Geographical Society of Paris has
been forwarded to him at Vancouver. II is COM
panion to those awarded by the same society to
Kane, Hayes and Hall for their explorations.
Mr. Burnett who was Mr.. Teller's private secre-
tary when that gentleman was In the Senate relates
to CIereldnd Herald reporter what he declares to
have been the exact circumstances of his patrons
appointment to Cabinet office. Senator Teller had
been strongly urging the appointment of Senator
Chaffee asking 1t Of the President as o matter Of
political policy and as personal favor TO himself,
when one day the President sent for him and said
that he had decided that no could not invite Mr..
Chafee into his Cabinet, but" he added, as Mr..
Teller flushed and piqued, rose to depart, " have
also decided that unless Hefry NJ. Teller accepts
my appointment as Secretary Of the Interior that
office will remain vacant during my entire Presi-
dential term" In vain Mr.. Teller protested that he
will that Mr.. Chaffee and his friends under.
stand your position" said the President. But
said Mr.. Teller, g am heartily opposed to you on
the silver question: on the Indian question and on
insist on having you in my Cabinet"
Pay Director John s. Cunningham, Of the Navy.
has been detached as inspector of provisions and
clothing at the Navy Yard and ordered TO settle ac
counts having been relieved by Pay Inspector Am.
brose J. Clark. Pay Director Cunningham was
born in South Carolina. December 23. 1921. lie
was appointed purser In the Navy on March 13
1857, and was promoted to the several grades until
he received his commission rs pay director,-tht
highest rank in the corps excepting that Of pay,
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
THE REPUBLICAN, NATIONAL CONTENTION

The next Republican National Convention is
only few months distant. And yet to-day
finds the important question of the method of
calling that body together practically unde-
cided. True. at the meeting of the National
Committee held in January last, u conclusion
was reached on this point True also that it
was not a conclusion that seemed to reflect the
judgment of the rank and file of the party, save
as it provided for district representation. The
agreement reached by the Committee after long
and earnest debate was that the Convention of
1881 should consist of four delegates -at-large
from each State and two delegates from each
Congressional district and two from each Terri
tory and the District Of Columbia. In other
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

portunity for unbalanced bids in that work,
which is one reason why Mr.. Thompson gives
ont 40 much of ii in $999 orders, to avoid the
statutory limitation of $1,000, above which
there must be public letting. Laying aside
the paying contracts, his showing of actual
direct loss to the city is $45,657 on ITO con-
tracts. We have analyzed in The TRTB-
UNE twelve contracts, taken from the records
of the Finance Department, showing an excess
of cost over the bids amounting to $154, 100.
On one other contract there was an excess OF
S11O. 900 in cost over the bid. And there are
numerous Others of like character. Mr..
Thompson will have to revise his figures.
But the difference between the bid and the
actual cost of contract is only very
small part of the loss to the city treasury.
The great drain is in the reduction
of assessments, as we have already proved
Mr.. Thompsons whole answer Is simply
An ATTEMPT to evade the real issue, and feeble
one at that. Has his administration OF the
DEPARTMENT of Public Works resulted in gain
IN the CITY, or in losses of the most serious SORT
for which there can be neither apology nor
excused The answer is plain to every one who
has read the disclosures of the last two days In
THE TRIBUNE.
We postpone for a day the publication OF the
aopres and details concerning additional con-
tracts which disgrace Mr.. Thompson's admins
tration, in order to give space to the statements
of city officials, the opinions of taxpayers, and
the comments of the press on The TRIBUNE's
revelations. But we are by no means through
with the Department of Public Works. And
there are other departments remaining to be
taken I'D.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
TO THE GRdND Jury.

One month ago a special Grand Jury was en-
panelled in the Court of Oyer and Terminer 10
investigate the condition of the public depart
ments and in charging them. at the beginning
of their labors Judge Noah Davis referred in
strong terms TO the serious nature of the accu-
sations and rumors which they had to examine.
He remarked with perfect truth that the subject
weighed heavily on the minds of all thinking
people in this community, and that the manage
ment of the financial affairs OF great city
which raises and disburses taxes to such large
amount as New-York properly occasions an ex-
treme anxiety. "Therc is no law, no rule OF
gmorals, Justice or common sense" he continued,
that should prevent on the part of every pub
guc officer. and most especially every Grand
.Juror. the exercise of that scrutiny which will
u see that the heavy burden imposed on the peo-
aple of this city by its enormous taxation IS not
aused for any purpose except those for which IL
= il allowed by the laws OF the land.n Then he
called attention to certain departments concern
ing which ugly stories were particularly irife.
ain respect to the Department OF Public
Works he said, "nO man can shut his eyes To
u the truth that all sorts of rumOrs pcryade the
"pubic press and are whispered in all circles,
sthat wrongs have been perpetrated in that
aofiice; that people employed there have been
q able to extort wrongfully and cOrruptly for
gtheir private use moneys that belong to the
@city.n
The Grand Jury to whom these vigorous in
structions were addressed is still i'll session. IL
is composed of the following gentlemen:
MERRITT TRIMBLE. foreman,
HARVEY b. LANE, CHARLES T. KEfEs,
FRANCIs A. WYNROoP, GEORGE H. PUTNAM,
MAX ovEY, JACOB ADLER
LOWELL, LINCOLN GEORGE II. ROBINSON,
THOMAS C. SLOAN JOHN ]. McGISNIs. JB,
ROBERT c. LIVINGSTON W. Y. BRIDGE
HENRY g. HERMAN. HENRY v. MEAD.
ALEXANDER BRANDoo, FRANCIs a. STOUT
DAytp r NASH MATTHEW MURRAY.
CHRISTOPHER wRAY. BOWIE DASH.
GEORGE NJ. LEAvENTRITT.
These respectable citizens have been sOlemnly
warned by Judge Davis that they are required
to investigate the reported frauds in the depart
ments, and the Judge adds: at is your duty
aunder your oaths, under the law of the land,
ito see to it that the investigation is so thor
aough, so complete and so searching that the
aglilty shall not escape, and that, above all, the
"innocent shall be completely vindicated." 1t
is understood that some of the Grand Jurors
have complained of difficulty in getting precise
intelligence about the affairs referred to them.
Well, THE TRIBUNE has now given them some
tolerably precise information about the plum
dering of the public treasury, and is prepared to
give them more and everybody will be curious
to see what they are going to do about it. If
they do not give MS thorough. complete and
searching" investigation, if they do not follow
the trace of guilt from the pillaging contractor
to the perjured official, the people will be apt to
hold somebody responsible.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
amusemenis Go-Nisbt.

Ic,nruY OF DEsIGS-Art Loan Exmbiton.
11~HRJcAs Art rGALLEgY-Exhbition. -,
C.sNo-e-" The Beggar Student"
CmcKERIsG HALLc-3-vOcal Recital
M vs. Tur .ThE-al5-"G Girls and Boys
cn.rp opynA HOUsE-S-" The Two Orphans"
HsyERIY's SAN FRANCISCO MIssTRELs-s-M -Minstrels >,
GInisos SQUARE RTHEATRE-S:30-"Delmers DauGhtors'
rfeTaopoIiTAN OPERA HOUSES" Faust"
TpxSGToS AVENUE OPERA HoUsE-8-Musical Enter
NEW PARK THEATRES" The Princess Chuck
NIpIO's GARDES-S-" Excelsior"
eTASpARD THEATRE-S-" Estrella."
fTiR THEATRE-s-" Rchelieu." 80
ITALIA TTIEArRR-S-"The Beggar Student 49,,
Tuy1T.E COMIoUE-2 and g." COrdeia's Aspirations"
Union SQUARE THEATRE-S-"S storm Beaten
wIIIACK's THE ATRE-s--" The Road to Ruin:
On ATTSnp TnRATRE-s-" Richard Mansfield"
sTu AVENUE THEATRE-8-" Monte Crlsto.
14TH STREET THEATRE-S-" Fedora"
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
TILE PORT .LERYLS EPIDEMIC.

The State Board of Health, adopting The
TRIBUSE's suggestion, has ordered Il scientific
investigation of the outbreak of typhoid fever
in Port Jcryis. The report of tho expert has
not been made public, but the abstract of it fur
nished in yesterdays issue fully corro borates
the views expressed in these, columns. The dis
ease has been found mainly In houses supplied
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
NEwyoRK DAILY TRIBUNE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER H. 1888

| with milk from single dairy-farm. and while
certain districts Of the town are In an unsani.
tary condition the cases are notcon6ned to those
quarters, but are distributed 80 generally as to
indicate O general cause Independent Of local
drainage or water supply. The expert appar-
emily is convinced that the disease is attribut-
able to fever germs contained In the milk fur
nished from one dairy-farm. 1t will be inter-
esting to learn whether he found anything
amiss in the sanitary condition of the dairy
farm itself.
This outbreak Of typhoid fever bears re-
markable resemblance, as we have already
pointed out to the prevalence OF the same dis
ease in st. Pancras London. In that instance
the local water-supply and drainage were not
at fault, and there was conclusive evidence that
the fever poison was carried from house to
house in the milk-can. AT the dairy-farm
well was found to be short distance from
cess-pool, tree standing between them and
affording by it's roots special facilities for infil-
tration. The Orange County physician who has
recently given our readers the benefit OF his
personal observations regarding barn-yard
wells has lent color to the suspicion that some
glaring defect of this sort may be disclosed In
the suspected dairy farm near Port Jervis.
The sanitary science of the day does not present
any question that Is more interesting and i'm
pOrtant than that of farm drainage as the direct
cause of disease communicated by milk.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
JUDGE BARRETT's PLAY.

Er-Judge Dhenhoefer.-I have read Judge Barretts
play which Mr. walack Is to produce next week II does
not treat of the divorce question except incidentally
The story is pretty though not particularly new one
tAs Mr. Wallack pale and weak, crossed the lobby
Yes; Mr.. walack has had serious time Of It, He has
been a very sick man.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
THE GROWN PRINCE OF TEXAS Z,

Colonel Thomas Oc&ithee they didn't call me tho
Crown Prince OF Texas the other SIDE but they treated
though am not responsible for the great
influx OF English nobleman and capitalists in my State,
but would like to influence more OF them there
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

Those pers ons who, merely from reading the
testimony for the plaintiff in the Feuardent- ID
Cesnola trial, have reached the conclusion that
the Director of the Museum of Art and
the Trustees -are swindlers and perjurers,
will now have chance to revise and
suspend their judgments. The defence
defence in this case was opened yesterday by an
address from Mr.. Albert Stickney, large
part of which is printed elsewhere in this i'm
preston. Mr.. Stickney pointed out that the
plaintiff has not followed up the gross charges
which he made in the first place, but has kept
discreety clear of them; and has taken up a
month with testimony which does not bear on
the main issues set forth IN the pleadings. He
then gave the explanation which the defence
has to offer against the charges that the statue
of the Priest has been changed and that the
album of photographs was mutilated to conceal
fraud. These and all the other points the de-
fence expect to sustain with unimpeachable evi-
dence. 1t will be just as WELL therefore, for
the public to wait little before adopting the
bel eff finally that General di Cesnola and the
Museum Trustees are capable of the fraud and
stupidity imputed to them by Mr.. Feuardent
and his supporters.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

Many friends complain that they were unable
to secure copies of SUNDAYS and Mondays
TRIBUNE at their regular news stands. If the
complaints should continue to-day we shall be
greatly obliged for the particulars in every case
The newsdealers, we know, intend to supply
the demand, but the sudden rush for the ex-
pOsures of the unbalanced bid frauds i'll the City
Government exhausted their liberal supplies.
Life insurance companies wisely dislike try
ing to avoid the payment of policy on the
death of the policy holder. Ithurts their busi
ness for men do not want to leave q lawsuit to
their families when they die. But when fraud
Is as apparent as it seems to be in the Fall River
cases just reported, the companies owe it to
their honest patrons to sift the matter to the
bottom and secure the punishment of the ras-
GALS 1t Is not likely that the swindlers in Fall
River went so far as to poison anybody to get
his insurance, OF even so far as to arrange
bogus funeral; but unless all signs fail they
have insured number of broken-down crea-
turss whose speedy death was left for the rum.
sellers to bring about. This must mean per-
Jury it ought to mean State Prison also.
N. Ferry, the agile Prime Minister Of France,
emerged yesterday in the Chamber of Deputies
ina brand new wattitudeinrelation to the Tonquin
affair. The Republic. he said, went'to Tonqnin
merely to obtain security for French Cochin
China, This is, indeed, new idea. He asserted.
blso. that the colonial policy Of the Republic
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11
NO DEFENCE FOR oDoNSELL.

District Attorney Cathn.-They have made short shrift
Of oDonnel in England, haven't theyi Inever saw q
defence so weak aud puerile. And what there of 1t
evidently fabricated. But IL they invented any tes-
mony at ALL wonder they did not go the whole hogs"
What little evidence contradictory Of young Carey they
did get In only created tho impression that the witness
for ODonnel lying. and that hurt the prisoner as
much anything else 1t evidently deprived him of any
sympathy which might have previously existed. But
really there defence Of the murder except that
the victim was an informer.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

PROFESSIONAL CRITICISMS OF "sT0RM BEATEN"
Steele Mackdye dramatist ITO stage Manager +. L.
Titon).-why do you allow Miss Ellser 10 remain so
quiet away up the stage when Rankin her lover returns
from the dead And the last act Is played too slow.
Most OF the people IN the cast move about as If they
thought they were In church with creaking boots on.
The play is effective one. but there Is too much talk
about praying and too The average Is two
to an act believe.
Auglstin r Ca-aurdn, addpter.- never had such
clumsy piece to work with BEFORE In Its original form
IL something horribly heavy. Why, Mr. Buchanan
had his hero and villain shake hands and make the
Iceberg. and lie down and die together Some OF tho
situations are ridiculous enough II is but you should
have the original 1t is absurd to find this villain.
who betrays girl, abandons her. tries tOiburn up ship
and stab brother In the back coming back and
pentng in the last In the most busnesske way but
the original these about the ghtest OF his crimes
cOuldnt cut them all out Nor could wholly eliminate
many religious expressions which sound basphemous
many AS for the two prayers which uttered they
are In Buchanans own language.
literary Lady to Male Escort (Reading from pro-
grammel -" The curtain will remain down only three
minutes between the two OF the third act sup
pose that be three minutes for refreshments
No. 1t must be for prayers.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

isconseryatiye is and not rapacious. This statement
is not strictly in harmony with M. Ferrys re
cent significant declaration to these same Depu'
ties that it is necessary to think for the future
position of the sons of honest Frenchmen.
Then he begged the whole question by remark
ing that the Republican Government OF France
was not responsible for the movement anyway
because Admiral Montaignac pointed out the
necessity of it in 1876. 1t is little difficult to
keep track of NJ Ferry in all his ways, they
are so devious and crooked that merely 70
enumcrate them makes the enumerator seem
captious.
Mr.. Peckhams resignation of the Office OF
District Attorney, to which he was so recently
appointed, is cause for deep regret. But
there seems to be no help for 1t, since MT
Peckham's delicate health could not bear the
strain. He says truly that it is not mere rou-
tine work which is demanded of the District
Attorney at present, but work of the severest
kind. The condition of the City Government
inst now is such that there is great need OF a
District Attorney whose very name is terror
to evidoers. Mr.. Peckham was that kind OF a
man, and we are sorry to have him 90. In
selecting Mr.. Peter B. Olney as his successor,
the Governor has made an excellent choice,
although Mr.. Olney has not had the experience
nor made the record of Wheeler H. Peckham.
He has the best possible chance, however, to
win distinction by an energetic performance OF
bis duties as prosecuting officer. We trust he
will fulfil the high expectations which were
aroused when Mr.. Peckham was selected.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-11

Think Of Mr.. Hubert o. Thompson accepting bids
for earth and rock excavation on the new aque-
duct 1t would be a great day for the County
Democracy when the clans of Slattery, Gallagher,
Brady, McKim. Finn. Kane Reilly and 0'Grady got
their contracts for blasting rock that big job at
cent cubic yard and shovelling dirt at dollar
shovel. But Mr.. ThompsOn's chance is gone.