davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

the use of S4S, 100000 above all that woulu
otherwise be required, in order to perpetua'o
the colossal folly of boarding 3,45o tons Oh
silver dollars, TAP tons of fractional silver anu
14O tons of silver bullion, useless either to the
Government or the people, The ultimate reSul'
of this folly, if continued, will be 10 CUT uo"n
the wages of labor and the terms Oh ill oon
tracts to the extent of 10 or 20 per cent DuV
from such catastrophe the Democrats Ill Oon
gress propose to give the country no reiei' p"O
rather to make matters worse. 1t Is no "ohuei
that Speaker Carlisle feels concerned lest Ills
committee may alarm the country
II is evident from the action OF the Board Vi
Estimate Yesterday that there will be large
increase in the appropriations for 1854 as ooi,,,
pared with the present year. Already @oo'ooo
more has been appropriated for the FINANCE
Department and 1000 more for the employees
of the Board of Aldermen, while the Corpora
ton Counsel asks for a large increase III Ills
department When Senate committee III
vesigated the city government two years ago
the clerk of the Common Council etestiheo tiia'
no could reduce the number of his assistants by
fonr. But instead of doing so an increased ap-
preparation has been sought each year. mat Is
fair illustration of the extravagant tendency
of the city government. One OF the worst
features of the work of the Board OF stimate is
that of making large appropriations for con-
tingent expenses. 1t opens the door to pay
ments that ought not to be met from the city
treasury. Justice McGOwn and Mr.. 5. IL. Pro-
vost very properly directed the attention OF the
Board yesterday to the, mismanagement that
characterizes the Public Works Department.
If Justice McGown's influence with Commits
sioner Thompson was equal to that OF Justice
mike" Norton the rooms of the lAth District
Court would not compare so unfavorably with
those of the Ist District. The application by
the Corporation Counsel for an appropriation
of $74 900 to finish work on street improve
ments once paid for at excessive rates by the
city, is still another illustration OF the methods
of tho Public Works Department.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
40 ElR EOR MHSLC.

There was young man out in Arizona who ono
declined n pressing invitation to favor select COM
pauy with q song. oh, really. you must excuse
me said he, 81 tell you l can't sing. don't come
Of a singing family. Why there was my old father,
he used to try Old Hundred, but he had so little
ear for music that ho got more than Ninety out
of the tune"
The Board of Public Instruction of Albany posi-
bly resembles this Arizonian. 1t would certainly
seem not to have much Of an ear for music Music
IL popularity supposed to have charms to soothe
the savage breast to soften rocks or bend knotted
ookp Bnt the board will have none Of it-nOt for
the public schools which it supervises. Is 1t the
boards ear that is the matter Or does it look
mon music as O subtle device of the adversary or
as something in the nature of n luxury whose IN
ovitable tendency is to debilitate the mind upon
wisdom bentf However it may be, the fact is that
nj its last meeting the board decided that the
instructor of music In the public schools of the
citv must co. The ostensible reason for
dispensing with his services was desire to
promote economy; but since 1t appears that he
cost only 5000 year it Is difficult to believe that
the real reason was brought to the surface.
We believe the best educators will agree in hold
ing that the board made a serious mistake. True,
music does not fall under either one of the familiar
"three rs" reading 'riting and rithmetic, but all
the same its elements have long had place In any
well-digested scheme of fundamental education.
Nor Is the position tenable taken by some members
of the board and that the teachers In the pub
Lie schools who were not engaged to teach music
can give their pupils all the necessary elemental in
struction In the art. The result of the enforcement
of such policy will be apt to appear in boys and
girls who have acquired more or less musical mis-
information. A little learning is dangerous
thing, especially when it is acquired from an
amateur or from one Of even less pretensions.
Suppose some of the teachers only able to coax
Ninety out of Old Hundred. What is to be the fate
Of the pupils' 1t Is O good oonundrum for the
board to ponder on.
IL Is reported that the President received six gold
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
STALHART EAITH TAINTED.

We commend to our Democratic friends, who
have at last succeeded in organizing the House,
that duty on wool. They are under particular
obligation to reform 1t without delay. In their
time of sore anxiety and distress, when an
adverse decision in Ohio might have buried
them beyond plummet's sounding, and when
votes for Hoadly were worth several times their
weight In gold to Democratic managers, cOnfd-
ing wool growers of Ohio came to their relief.
Trusting to the solemn pledge of the party that
the woodbury. should be at once restored, they
turned the scale. With childlike confidence
in Democratic integrity, these Ohio farmers
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
SEtRcHIyG THE TRIBUNE FILES


We are clad to see that The NeiC- York Times
has at last discovered that there is something
wrong in the Department of Public Works.
For more than two weeks The TRIBUNE has
been publishing q series of startling facts
and figures, showing tho evils (which have
disgraced Commissioner ThompsOn's admins
tration. The Times has taken no notice OF these
disclosures But yesterday it devoted nearly
two columns and half of its news space and
almost a column of its editorial page to abuses
in the management Of the Croton Water Fund.
Now if these articles contained any new infor-
nation of value on this subject, The TRIBUNE
would gladly reprint them, as 1t reprinted day
after day The 7imcs'S figures showing the
robberies of the Tweed Ring. But it so happens
that this is not new matter. The Times has
merely gone back eleven months, and reprinted
what in substance TIE TRIBUNE published on
January % and January q.
We cannot exactly sec why it was thought
necessary to go back so far to get material
when TIE TRIBUNE of the last few days has
printed so much that is more striking and im-
portant But We trust that The Times will con-
time the search through The TRIBUNE files.
We welcome heartily its cooperation in the
great work of purifying the city government,
though We think that if it will reprint what
TIE TRIBUNE has published this month rather
than 20 back to the beginning of the year it
will do more good.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
THE SOUTH AND THE COMMITTEES

The World makes q curious attempt to rcfute
tho charge that the Ways and Means Committee
is a Free-Trade committee and that the com
mittees as a whole have been made up to give
the South the lions share of patronage and in
fluence. 1t declares that Mr.. Hewitt and Mr..
Blount are not FREQ Traders, and counts them
with the Republicans to make q majority
against Free Trade. Just so it meets the charge
as to the degree of Southern influence in the
committees by CHASING all the Democrats who
are not from the South with the Republicans,
and so putting the South in a sad minority.
This Is political Stiffness. 1t is not the habit
of the majority in committees to split into two
factions one of which unites with the opposite
party, and so controls the committee against
the wishes of majority of the majority. If
this were the rule, the minority party In a
legislative body could usually count upon run
ming it, Where Southern men form n majority
of the Democratic branch OF a committee, they
can, and probably will, control the committee
by controlling their Democratic colleagues. So
too with the Free Traders. Even if Mr. Hewitt
and Mr.. Blount were not ready for an energetic
revision Of the tariff, they would be much more
likely to act with their own party than with the
other. AS matter of fact, we all know that
Mr.. Hewitt Is in favor of tariff revision and as
to Mr. Blount, The Worlds Washington dis
patches confute the editorial statement made In
the same issue that he is "known to have very
conservative views on the tariff" The dis
patches say that he lis q very vigorous man.
and that a bill to be satisfactory to him would
need to be very sweeping" 1t Is the height of
absurdity TO talk about such men combining
with the Republicans against the Democratic
Free Traders. There is no more doubt that the
committee is for Free Trade than that the
Democratic party is. There is still question,
apparently, which only the action of the COM
mittee can settle, whether it will follow out its
convictions boldly, or whether it will try the
policy of "lying low" until after the Presi-
Dental election.
A glance over the list of the committees
shows easily the strength of Southern repre-
sentation. We have already shown that of
what may be called the first-class chairmanships
the South holds seven out of ten; and of the
secOnd-cla eleven out of fourteen. 1t is in
structive to note also the number Of committees
in which the South has majority of the Dem
ocratic membership. These are the committees
on Ways and Means, Coinage, Weights and
Measures Including chairman, Commerce lin
Guiding chairman, Rivers and Harbors dnclud-
ing chairman, Agriculture Including chair
mani, Post Offices and Post Roads Including
chairman, Railways and. Canals Lincluding
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
amusemenls Go-Ni9bt.

XcIDEmY OF MUsIc-s-" Messiah ,,.,.
sHcsDxNY OF DEsIGS-Art Loan ExhDilon.
1s.nu 0prRA HousE-S-"Orpheus and Eufydice.
CssWo-s-" The Beggar STUDENT ,,X.,
T.Sy,s THEATRE-S-"S Seven twenty Elgnt.
0a.s6 OPERA HOUSES" Hazel Kirke" ,.,
2aaXTRIY's SAN FRANCISCO MIssIRELs-s[M ins'res
IsnIsoy SQUARE TaEArRE-S:3O-" RaOah;
wv "a NIX TUEATRE-S-" Passions slave =.
N,pI o,s a ARDES-S-" The Pavements OF PaIls' r,,o
SIT Tur Merchant of Venice" aud framing
the Shrew." -,,.,y. O . Dia Africa
REESE" c,.,,,. .,r..,onsp
UNION SQUARE THEATRE-s-"storln beaten. aAn
WIIILCK's THEATRB-1-Beneht Entertanmeht-o- Al
American Wife" -,
sp .yESug THEATRES" Saml OF Posen
SIN AVENUE THEATRE-S-"Ihe GLASS Oh hasnion'
I4TH STREET THEATRE-S-" Pop"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

and the earnings have been 80 increased that Md
Baker reports surplus for the past year nearly
large enough to pay the Governors salary. Tho
Legislature must, and doubtless will, feel free u
consider the whole question on its merits and with
out being committed by tho November vote to any
hasty action.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

EoREIGN-El Mahdi is advancing on Khartoum.
- A railroad official was killed in Russia dur
ing n riot. - There is much opposition to the
Ibert bill in the East Indies. - The hull OF the
steamer st. Augustin has been towed into Corunna,
spain. - The Governor of Alsace-LOTaine has
ordered the expulsion Of General Grouvel from
Germany.
DoMEsrIC.-A d. Smith e. Co., of Providence,
have failed for 81 100000 - Tales OF terrible
suffering by frozen sailors come from New-Haven
md Boston. - A Socialist labor congress met in
Baltimore. - At the unwilling of statue of
Harriet Martineau, in Boston, Mrs. Livermore and
Wendell Phillips spoke. - The Ohio colored
men had convention to consider the promotion of
their rights. - strike by the miners in the
Pennsylvania bituminous coal region is imminent
- The Ohio River is rising so as to cause I'M
easiness in Cincinnati. - distant cousin OF
General Grant was arrested in Texas for burglary
Cry AND SUBURBAN.-District-A Attorney Olney
will probably remove Assistants OByrne and Re-
uuier to-day and Deputy Brady; Edward L. Paris
lanes Fitzgerald and T. c.. Z. Ecclesine are men,
toned as likely to be appointed. - The Board
of Apportionment began the final consideration OF
estimates yesterday. - Ex-Judge Arnoux spoke
before the Aqueduct Commission in opposition to
the Quaker Bridge Dam scheme. - benjamin
Brsman continued his testimony in the feuardeht
libel case. 80 fire in Brooklyn caused damage
10 the amount of S75 600. - Efforts were made
nv Commissioner Coleman and the STRENGTHENING
Contractors to clear away the snow. - Fivo zee
Insn narrowly escaped death at fire in Fronr-st
AN engineer was killed on a Pennsylvania
Railroad freight train. - Gold value of the legal
tender silver dollar (41219 gains), S5.51 cents
- Stocks opened dull and lower, but afterward
were more active at advancing figures and closed
STEADY.
TIE Manufacturers local observations in
dieate warmer clear or fair weather, followed late
in the day by rain. Temperature yesterday:
Highest, 36e; lowest. 27s; average, 1852.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

The discussion in India over the Ilbert BILL
which is designed to give the same authority
and jurisdiction to native judges as Is
exercised by English judges, reveals a
curious condition of affairs in that
country. Such an eminently proper meas
ure is opposed on the ground that it will en-
gender race antagonism. If the absence OF
such measure does not now engender such
antagonism, then the human race must be differ
emily constituted in India from what it is on
this continent.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

Now that the winter is One-third over, the
Bridge Trustees are making preparations to
heat the cars. If the Legislature does its duty,
this kind of management will cease soon after
January /.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

fany such price as 800 an acre is asked
from the State for Adirondack forest lands, it
is certain that the Senate Committee is wise in
it's determination to report against their pur-
chase in bulk. According to the forthcoming
report of the committee the State is now rapid
ly acquiring possession of the woodlands by the
failure of the owneas to pay their taxes. For
est lands that the owners allow to be sold for
taxes cannot be worth much. But law ought
to be passed to prohibit the sale of any forest
land now belonging to the State or which may
hereafter come into its possession. 1t is to be
hoped that the committee will present some we'll
digested measure to accomplish that end.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

II is reported that the President received six gold
headed canes and six OF silyer-handed
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

The exposures in regard to the mismanage-
ment ofthe Public Works Department have leda
number of leading citizens to make timely re-
quest of the Mayor. They ask that he endeavor
toput an immediate stop to the 5000 system of
evading the statute in relation to contracts.
The most fragrant instances of this evasion or
defiance of law are in connection with special
orders given to Maurice B. Flynn and Richard
A. Cunningham. OF these orders special men
ton is made in the letter sent to the Mayor by
President Williams of the Chemical Bank, Mr..
Wheeler II. Peckham, Mr.. Austin COrbin and
other citizens of equal prominence. 1t is re-
quest that the Mayor cannot afford to ignore.
The subject is one of great Importance to the
people of this city, and we feel sure that he
will permit no trivial personal or political con-
siderations TO influence his Judgment.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

BY the formation Of his committees upon
Banking and Currency, and Coinage, Weights
and Measures Speaker Carlisle has dispelled
the hope of any relief from the forced contribu-
ton now levied upon the people for the benefit
Of the owners of silver bullion. The most that
can be hoped from the committee that will have
the silver question in charge is that it viii not
report bill to make the situation any worse
than it is under existing laws. The Government
is now compelled to use at least 49,, 200, 900 of
revenue annually with an option which allows
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
THE NEWS THIS MORNING.

FoRErGN-El Mahdi is advancing on Khartoum.
- A railroad official was killed in Russia dur
ing riot 80 There is much opposition to the
in the East Indies - The hull of tine
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

Rumors of probable strike Of miners in the
bituminous coal districts of Pennsylvania, said to
be instigated by Knights Of Labor and other
agitators are somewhat vague to the causes. The
producers, it is stated, were medltating general
reduction of wages, and this does not seem improb
able in view of the sharp competition to which
mines in West Virginia and Elsewhere have recently
subjected the producers of coke and coal in Penn
sylvania. If $4,000 or 10000 men are going TO
strike against reduction of wages for such reason
they are likely to regret it. To transfer control
of the entire market to the producers of other
States for six months will not help the Pennsylva-
mia miners, whether it hurts the mine operators or
not Unhappily, however, most of the miners are
enrolled in trades-unions, which implies that they
are not able to comprehend the fact that disaster to
capital always means disaster to labor.
II is of interest to know that the report OF Mr..
Baker, the Superintendent of Prisons, will be ready
for the use Of the Legislature In printed form earlier
than usual this winter. The popular vote upon the
proposition to abolish contract labor will make 1t
necessary that the Legislature should consider the
subject, and all the light that be had upon the
condition Of the prisons will be needed The pres
emit system Of convict labor and Of prison manage
ment has done good deal to win the favor of tax
payers. The actual cost of maintenance has been
reduced than 80 per cent from the cost of the
last year under the oldsystem Of Inspectors-lS77-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27
xrwyoRK DAILY TRIBUNE, THURSDAY DECEMBER q, 1889

umbrellas among his Christmas presents. This
sounds like bribery not to say corruption. Here Is
o chance for the Democratic House. Let special
committee be appointed to examine the Presidents
Christmas stocking.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-27

steamer ST. Augustn has been tOwed into Corunna,
snain. - The Governor of Alsace-Lorraine has
orIersd the expulsion of General Grouvel from
New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-05-30
The Sarcastic Young Woman.

Insufferable though the giggling,
gushing girl may be, she is angelic
when compared with her sarcastic sis
ter. The sarcastic girl is, in some in
stances, the product of hasty or ill-ad>
viscd compliment paid her by somo
thoughtless admirer on her making
some spiteful criticism or some rude re-
mark concerning an acquaintance or
companion.
She has not the ability to distinguish
between impudence and satire, and it is
an easy task to convince her that ILL
bred rudeness of speech is the perfec-
ton of irony, and that to say spiteful
and unpleasant things to everybody she
meets is sure to win her the reputation
of being sarcastic. She eagerly culti-
Yates her fancied talent, not allowing
an opportunity to exercise it pass uninl-
proved, and she generally succeeds in
making herself heartily disliked by
numbered among her acquaintance.
Young men who are generally sem
sitive to ridicule avoid her systematical-
ly. She attributes this to the whole.
some fear in which she is held.
The family think her brilliant when
every one else pronounces her insulting.
Her sarcasm generally degenerates into
insolence, and she is regarded as pest.
Without friends, she becomes lonely
and dissatisfied, but is still far from
guessing the true reason of her forlorn
state, for her petty vice has become a
second nature, and she cannot estimate
its disaQreeable effect upon others.
New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-05-30
Intelligence in Animals.

Mr.. Romanes remarks in his book
that there are few recorded instances of
intelligence in bears; the following facts
may therefore be worth recording: In
the Clifton geological gardens there are
two female polar bears, between 81 and
8 years old, which came here quite
young. One of these shows remarkable
intelligence in cracking cocoanuts. A
nut was thrown to-day in the tank; it
sank long way, and the bear waited
quietly till after some time it rose lit
tie out of her reach. She then made q
current in the water with her paw, and
thus brought it within reach This
habit has already been several times
noticed in polar bears. She then took
it on shore and tried to break it by lean.
ing her weight on it with one paw.
Failing in this, she took the nut between
her fore paws, raised herself on her hind
legs to herfull height, and threw the nut
forward against the bars of the den,
three or four feet off. She then again
leaned her weight on it, hoping she had
cracked it, but failed again. She then
repeated the process, this time success
fully. The keeper told me she employ
ed the same method to break the leg
bone of horse. That this is the re-
suit Of individual experience, and not
of instinct, is clear from the fact that
her companion has not learned the trick
of opening them thus, nor could this
one do it when she first came. The
method Of throwing it is precisely SINH
lar to that adopted BY the Cebus monkey
described by Mr.. Romanes. Nature.