New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-17


The interview with General Adam Badeau which
was published in Yesterdays TRIBUNE Will be To-
ccgnzsd by all who have read this great historian
"a highly characteristic of the man. lie HIS been
in Cupa only a short time but he knows all about
it, and moreover can "describo it to you m q very
few wordsp Then 10 his well-known there-is-no-
use-dis putlng style he announces the 1nevitaoie
bankruptcy of the island. He follows this I'D with
an argument in his FAMILIAR neutrality-suspicious.
answer character IN which he shows, evidently to
his own satisfaction, that the natives are aoont 10
rush into revelation to relieve the strain OF hn@n-
cial distress. There is nothing IN the reported
organization of al expedition from TINS country
because General Badeau knows nothing about, ana
indeed with difficulty recalls the name or the
alleged leader. General Bonachea. And finally IN
quite too utterly positive style he oasts AL the
Cuban hopes of annexation TO this country by an
nouncing as If it were a hnalIty that the natives
feel we do not want them aud they do not want
u.s." We haven't had from Cuba anything quite so
definite and authoritative or refreshing as this
in long time.
The PHILADELPHIA Chronicle remarks in self-com-
forting way that the probabilities very strong
that if the Democratic leaders learn at last to be-
have themselves with discretion and selfrestraint
they will carry WORK, and in carrying New
York they cannot fail to carry the Presidency"
There may be grain of truth IN the statement, but
the size of that "ifn is simply immense. There
have been several occasions during the past thirty
years when the Democracy might have earned cleo
tons if they had only behaved themselves with
discretion and self-resiraint.' Their great
trouble is Just there. They can't do it. Ii they
could they would not be so Objectionable.
An old reader OF THE TRIBUNE who encourages
his fifteen yearod boy to read the paper every day
and refer to the dictionary whenever there Is an
unfamiliar word to be found In Its coinmns, sends
list Of three words which the combined talents OF
the family cannot define, even with the aid of the
largest unabridged" These words are mealies."
" welter," as applied to horse-racIng, and "mav-
erck," cattle term. Definitions are requested for
the benefit OF the Old reader and the young vest
gator tie three words having been used In recent
issues of THE TRIBUNE. "Mealies" is term ap-
piled IN South Africa TO maize OF indian corn. aud
is probably corruption of "meal" a "welter"
weight race IL one in which twenty -eight pounds
are added to the regular scale of weights so to
make it a hsa Vy weighted race. This particular
number is chosen because twenty-eght pounds
make two stone In England the stone being the
unit OF weight IN horse racing. Concerning "mav-
erick" we cannot speak positively. as IL is not q
word in current use. The best guess that we can
make is that it is name that was originally ap-
piled to cattle sheep raised in large district OF
Texas known Maverick County.
Another contribution to the literature of the
Brdsall controversy is the production from the files
of The Sun Of the issue Of October 49, 1850. of the
following extract:
But IL he Hancock must write tariff, let him ex.
plcty state that II II had been left to him he would
have put tar on the readmssion OF unre-
Tna ia sbont the only ter on the tariff We can con-
ceiv n W II
letter, let him return bis goose-quil to the
Original goose.
1t wOuld require q commission of experts to de-
eide whether or not this comes under the head of
"iniamous derison," but grrai many Democrats
are Of the opinion that the alluson TO the
"orignal goose" is not intended to be comp-
mentary TO General Hancock. As we do not hear
that our contemporary has paid over the $4,000
we presume II intends to leave the matter TO a COM
mittee OF experts 4 he controversy has awakened
such general public interest that the announcement
OF the names of the committee is anxiously looked
for.
While the acton of the Canadian authorities at
Niagara respecting reckless notoriety-hunters is
commendable. 1t may be d"uOted whether there
was any urgent necessity for II in the case of Cap
tain Rhodes. That ingenious alventurer has, IN
deed proclaimed his intention of swimming the
Whirlpool rapids with his patent lfe-preservIDg
machine, but there IS every reason 10 Ocie'o that
he is intent upon advertising his invention and has
no thought OF nsking his life in the seethIng
swirl of the Whirlpool. lie talks about
stretching a rope from shore to shore and
anohorIng to It hfe-boat containing two
men, whose duty it will be to baul him In with
Cropping hooks If he fails to either rope or
boat IL he misses them and is not hooked In from
the boat which will be fastened with pulleys and
drawn from side to side, he will slip IF his armor
and depend upon his strength and experience as
swimmer. lie Acknowledges. however, that his
chances of coming out alive woult be only one in
thousand This is not the way In which Captain
Webb talked. He scarcely willing TO admit
that there was chance Of failure. 50 confident
he that he could do what he had undertaken. IL rs
safe % assume that man who nlne- hundred
and nine chances against him. and only one
In his IA or has intention OF committing suicide.
Thus far this there Is painful dcarth of
news concerning the sea-serDent at the various
side resorts. Can il be possible that It has been
worked for all 1t was worth by the landlords Or
stopl Maybe 1t has struck for higher pay and is
standing out in The deep water until satisfactory
arrangement has been maize. If so. we ask, cannot
this thug be compromised The public is growing
impatient
PERSONAL.