The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-02-24
Gotham Gossip.

New York, February II, 1888
Even Republicans are disgusted with
! the manner with which their repre-
sentatives in Congress are systcmat-
ieally evading their duty with refer
ence to Tariff Reform. They do not
at all act like men who have a keen
| appreciation Of their situation, or
any desire to comply with the wishes
Of their constituents. Feeling that
every other means was failing under
Democratic pressure, they are now
resorting to method of absenting
themselves from the House. The
fate Of those Legislators who buried
themselves beneath the River and
Harbor Bill, ought to be warning
to members not to fly in the face of
the eountry's wishes.
The Silver Question is not likely
to receive much attention during the
present session, but in the next it is
certain to assume very large dimen-
sions. First OF all determined effort
! will be made to have the trade dollar
entirely withdrawn from circulation.
There is quiet but none tue less
effective and steady agitation going
on against it in the Mercantile Elk
| changes and other centres Of com
mercial life. 1t is at best nuisance.
1t was intended for the Chinese,
japanese and South American trade,
but somehow it would never 90
there but remained at home where
it was not dollar but a great deal
less.
The present enormous amount of
coinage Of standard silver dollars
twenty seven millions a years. prac-
tically nothing but q swindle on the
country, organized and maintained
for the benefit Of certain owners of
silver mines And, further than
that, it is bound to ruin the credit of
the United States, since they will lay
themselves open TO the charge Of
regulating their obligations by pay
ing their debts with dollars that are
worth only SO cents. These dollars
are accommodating at such rate that
the vaults are no longer large enough
to store them, and for this reason it
is proposed to build new receiving
vaults somewhere along the Missis-
sippi, so as to force the dollars into
extended circulation in the South.
Experience in finance has shown that
into circulation, and thus there is no
doubt that a sensible measure will be
introduced at the next regular SEES
sion of Congress.
The best answer to the repeated
taunts of inactivity, and Sinking Of
reform promises on the part of the
Democratic Legislature at Albany,
is the introduction and probable pas
sage Of q bill providing for the pay
mcnt Of a fair salary to the County
Clerk of New York City, and requir-
ing him to turn over the fees received
into the city treasury. The fees re
ceived amount at present to about
100000 Il year to the incumbent of
the office. The fact that a party
means to reduce the value of an
office which has always been held
by one of its own members is the best
proof Of its honesty and desire to re-
form.
Death has been active last week
among the ranks of distinguished
persons. Last Wednesday the late
William E. Dodge was buried. The
funeral was simple and yet so i'm
pressive. There was a gathering of
all that was distinguished in the
metropolis. Merchant princes brush
ed against clergymen, and famous
scientists and artists sat side by side
with statesmen and lawyers. Such
collection Of fine old faces, chas-
tened and refined by the polish
ing steel Of time can seldom be found
together, and painter with mem
DRY for facial traits here found ma
terial in abundance. A touching
fact connected with the funeral was
was the absence of the wife of the
youngest son Of Mr.. Dodge, who is a
daughter of late Elk Governor Mar
shall Jewell. Mr.. Dodge died on
Friday. In the midst of the grief
into which the family was plunged by
the sudden death of the venerable
merchant, telegram summoned her
to Hartford, where her father was
dying. She arrived barely in time
to close his eyes.
The venerable Peter Cooper yester-
day celebrated his ninety. third birth
day. Owing to his weakness his
family requested that he be not made
the recipient of public honors or adj
dresses which would involve the
necessity Of his making replies. He
celebrated the day quietly among his
family and in the evening had few
old friends to dinner The talk about
raising a monument to him, created
by number Of over oflicious admirers
| has died out owing to his own disap-
proval. He has one monument. the
Cooper Institute, which has furnish
ed thousands of eager and industri-
Gus young men with the opportunities
of learning the sciences and rudi-