Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-17

Acorrespondent in to-day'S STAR makes an ear
nest appeal for the erection In Washington OF a
new oper.. house OF sufficient sizs to acco.nmo-
date larcer audiences AMI the many conventions
which now almost annually hold their sessions
here. 1t must be admitted that this city Is sadly
In need OF large public hail. in which receptions,
concerts, fairs, and conventions can be held on
extensive scale; but that large opera house Is
required Is question OF considerable doubt In
much larger cities, such as Baltimore, Boston, and
Philadelphia, the large thsater5 and opera houses
have been, financially, decided failures. That In
Baltimore never paid dividend. Even In New
York the italian opera is assured success at the
Academy OF Music (Which seats nearly four thou
sand people,, by subscription while the prices OF
admission TO the opera there during last week
we're just the same for the same company that
they were m Washington three weeks ago, so an
increased auditorium here woul1 not reduce the
prices. as our correspondent predicts. What
washington ought TO have is new, beautiful and
complete opera house, OF medium size. based on
the more modern experience OF New York and
London managers, and costing about one hundred
thousand dollars, exclusive OF the ground This
would command rental which could always be
met, and 1t would at the same time afford every
reasonable convenience and luxury TO the music
and drama-lovIng public.
TIE postal savings bank system In Canada has
expanded and increased with remarkable rapid
1ty. At the end o. last year there were 81 banks
with total OF deposits amounting to s1O,Si06i
exactly double what they were in March, 1881.
During 1882 the number of deposits 81 $50, an
increase OF &c per cent over $751; and the amount
OF deposits So 49, $685. an increase OF 81 per cent
The Withdrawals increased 26 per cent, and the
amount OF Withdrawals 81 per cent There has
been steady monthly increase in the business
Since the establishment OF the system, which, as
may be inferred from the figures above gives great
satisfaction to the people of the Dominion, and is
serving them most excellent purpose.
The farmers OF Delaware county, Pa, after hav-
Ing carefully studied the habits OF the English
sparrow, have declared war OF determination
against ii. The edict has gone forth, and the
siaughtererS OF the birds are to be rewarded for
their destruction. The farmers clubs have for.
mdlly declared that the sparrow Is not an insect
ivorouS but solely gramniyorouS Bird ant that 1t
not only inf1lct5 great injury upon the crops but
drives away the species of birds that would de-
stroy Insects The rapid increa Sc OF the sparrows
annually adds to the extent OF their depredatons,
ami though there Is statute prohibiting the kill
Ing OF them the farmers are deliberately and
openly violating 1t on the ground that their right
to protect their crops Is higher than the law
The plea OF emotional insanity Will not save
murderers from the scaflold In California here
after, II the courts do their duty The legislature
insanity Is set Up defense OF murder the pris-
oner shall first be examined as to his mental con-
clifton by competent tribunal II pronounced
sane, he Is tried for murder, AMI his false plea
ruled out; II pronounced Insane, he Is sent to an
asylum for life. The insanity Dodge has become
She refuge OF nurisrers all over the land AMI IT,
Is the most desperate cases-those In which no
sort OF justi1 cation can BE- rounl-wherein # IL
BA successfully employed It has so orJen
anortAt means Of escape TO the guilty that public
sentiment rej0iceS at such iron-clad statutes "a
that OF California.
The suggestion made in another column by
"Anti-Detectve" that a public meeting OF the
people Of Washington be held Tor the purpose Of
endorsing and furthering the good work begun
anu carried forward with such excellent results
Dy the citizens committee Is one worthy OF atten-
tlon. The efforts OF that volunteer body have
not been made in behalf Of its own members
only, but-for the benefit of the whole community.
and 1t Is eminently 1T that the whole community
should recognize and supplement- its action In all
appropriate Ways
murderer was hanged at Springfield Mas g.
the other day whose case illustrates the force of
circumstantlal evidence He killed his victim in
lonely wool, at night, with nobody else In srht
or nearing OF the deed, and escaped. There was
Aot living witness who could possibly appear
against him, and yet the proof or his crime was
mace SO plain that he finally confessed his guilt
IL was ascertalned. In the first place, that the ac-
cu5ed accompanied the murdered man when he
started Oh the drive from which he never returned
alive His body WAS found next morning In the
carriage, the horses being fastened TO tree In the
wood The wound demonstrated that 1t had not
been self-innlcted, and suspicion naturally fas-
tened upon the man last seen with him ne
cu!lar indenture on one OF the boot heels of the
suspected man left mark by which his footprints
the chain OF evidence which finally led IN IN HE
conviction.
ihoSe Journals which are complaining OF JUICE
wilson that be did not set aside the verdict q.
DUKES murder case, and which are also announc
ing that Senator Fair would be a good republican
candidate for President, ought to read that lille
document, the constitution OF the United States
with pront. They VIII find that Mr.. Fair be,ns, a
native OF ireland Is ineligible and that man can