New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-15

Mr.. Matthew Arnold is said to entertain some
misgiyings as to the effect which his criticisms of
American civilization may have upon hts reception
in America. lie need not be uneasy If we like his
lectures we shall not trouble ourselves about his
opinions on cXtraucous tOpiCsI and If any of our
sensitive fellow citizens disposed to take offence
at V hat he said about American culture two years
ago they may quiet Their disturbed minds by read
ing SOME of the savage things which be has been
saving about English culture since his pen has
been active. To deny critic who has been such
an unsparing censor Of his own people the priyi-
lego Of pointing an occasional censure at a ncigh>
Dor would be-if we may borrow a fine phrase Of
Mr.. John Kclly's-" the height Of supererogatIon."
Tho activity of the Steamboat Inspectors at
Albany Is in pleasing contrast with the sowness of
similar officials here. Gu September % the boiler
Of the tug John L. Robinson burst at Albany, and
several persons were killed. The Local Inspectors
then promptly took M the matter. and have now
reached a decision. They lay the whole blame of
the explosion at the doors of the engineer and tho
iremcn of the vessel. Now the Riverdae blew up
on the North Rvcrin August but we can't tell yet
what our Local Inspectors think about it. The
truth is there are inspectors and inspectors.
1t may perhaps surprise people who remember
the Popc's condemnation Of the action Of the Irish
priests in promoting the Parnell Fund, and his
strict orders to the bishops to prevent their clergy
from mcddllng in that political testimonial, to read
that " the Rev. Thomas j. Conaty, of Worcester,
Mass, treasurer of the Parnell Fund in America"
has given notice that the subscription books will
close next month The Rev. Mr.. Conaty Is pastor
of Catholic church in Worcester, and to the secu-
lar mind it seems strange that an Irish priest in
America may take public and official part in q
movement which the Pope has 50 pOiDtcdly CEN
surcd when it is engineered by Irish priests in Ire
land. Perhaps Mr.. COnaty has not heard OF the
Popcs letter or is 1t possible that he is one of those
clergymen. rather numerous IN these days, who
love their politics first, and their profession after
wardH
Incidental" protection is likely to be the Demo-
cratic last ditch the tariff question. And, natur-
ally enough. The Democratic party has been taking
an incidental" position on leading issues for the
last quarter of a century. In 1850 1t favored
slavery, with incidental devotion to the rights OF
laborng men. In 1864 it favored calling the fight
failure" with incidental sohcitude for the well
fare Of the mperilled Union. In 1869 1t favored
obstruction, with incidental help toward the sou-
ton of the reconstruction problem. In 1868 1t
favored practical reputation. with incidental main
lcnance of the Nations faith with It's creditors. In
1917 IL ldNOItu ldJ ulOUty anu bOSu''' AA''''iN"
hercses, with incidental respect for IN honest cur
reucy To-day it favors free trade, tariff for rev.
enue only, with incidental protection. Democracy
has been rather a comical party.
The letters addressed to in reference 20 our ex-
posure of the abuses of divorce plng up proofs
of what we said long ago, that the root of the evil
and the most formidable obstacle to reform Is the
widespread Generalization of public opinion. The
most significant indication of the loss OF any popu-
lar standard of right and wrong the matter is
the behavior Of the clergy Nearly all the churches
have declared themselves or less strongly, In
support of the sanctty of marriage and yet there
is never divorce sOscandalous that the guilty
party cannot find n clergyman to remarry him or
her as soon rs the trial is Some Of the worst
of these rcmarrIages have been performed lately by
clerrymen of the two churches-the Roman Cath
Ole aud the Protestant Episcopal whose laws with
respect to divorce the most strict. The excuse
offered by the offending ministers in these Instances
is ignorance of the faot-whioh is only another
way of saying that they took no pains to inquire.
Perhaps the New England association which Is
making such q good fight against the monstrous
evil may as we'll begin by attacking the laxity of
the clergy. You can hardly expect society to treat
auaion as bigamous when it has been blessed by