The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27
CURRENT PRESS COMMENT.

THE recent atrocious crime has stirred up the public
to a state of healthy horror that may end in good
results. But let it be hoped that it will not end, as
those who deal in these matters for political uses say
of some Southern communities, so that only a man
with a black skin shall be hanged. This community
needs some wholesome social and civil equality in
hangings, as well as the redistribution of the once
honored, but of late forgotten. custom of hanging.
Cincinnati News journal.
Mr.. SNYDER has evidently mistaken his capacity for
the duties of the press. as well as the pulpit. He can
motive intelligently. That he has what Mr.. Conkling
describes as a very favorable opinion of himself, ~ is
apparent by his mean opinion of the class of useful
news men whose Office he undertook to perform, but so
blunderingly and inaccurstely that people will not be
likely to estimate him according to his own standard
of observation-disclosures Commercial Ga
zette.
THE prospects are that the present Congress viii
modify the banking law so far as to allow the banks
to take circu lation to the par value of any national
bonds deposited. If they also repeal the tax on circu-
lation, the banks ought to be able to tide over fairly
we'll until the next Congress. Ii then it is found that
the system cannot he maintained longer on the bond
basis, the suggestions of fnanciers for some other ba-
sis will have a chance of receiving attention, which
the Senate debate shows they do not now possess.
-Philadelphia Press.
ALL the great Ohio floods on record have occurred
in winter. showing that an Indispensable factor Of the
phenomena is the melted snowfall. The lands subject
to such overlows as those of 1882 and the last two
floods should therefore be reserved for such crops
only as do not require to be autumn sown. If this
precaution is observed hereafter the foundations will
be comparatively harmless to agricultural interests,
for the high water will always recede, as it has done
this year, in time for planting all spring and summer
crops.-New York Herald.
THE bill in question, copyrighting news for twenty
four hours, is aimed at the sneak-thieves, and only the
sneak-thieves can object to it. 1t eommends itself to
every honest man who believes that the products OF
skilled labor and merchandise, bought and paid for, are
entitled to enjoy protection, not against fair compete
ton. but against dishonest misrepresentation. The
bill is in the interest of the public, for it protects and
strengthens the agencies on which the public depends
for the collection and publication of intelligence re-
YNan4Tn +ha Nu,pl1Fc pinn All hOyacN ,rpno1,u
and all honest citizens must hope that this bill will
pass Congress without delay.-New York Sun.
The boss system, so far as it has been overthrown,
has been oyerthrown by Republicans, who acknowl-
edge that the party has a claim upon them-that it
can justly claim their unwearying efforts to preserve
it from the hands of bad men. There is no greater
mistake than to stand off, leaving the party in what
ever hands may take 1t, and insist that 1t shall present
for your pleasure a certain platform. The place of
every intelligent man is with those who make the
policy of a party. The measure of civiEservice re-
form which has heen attained is not to be credited to
the men who stood aloof from the party councils, but
to those who took active part and made their influence
felt.-Philadelphia Press.
EACH weeks survey of the industrial and CONNER
cial field, for some time past, has pointed to the same
conclusion. Congress is che chief obstacle to the pros
nerity of the country. Reckless measures threaten
great branches of industry. Unwise or Matchmaking
bills are contrived to assail important corporations.
Men who ought to be quick to defend The real inter-
ests of the people are afraid of political consequences
if they do their duty. The demagogues and the knaves
waste the peoples money in warning against the peo-
pie prosperity. and the country has to wait for
months to see what the outcome will be. But for this
one cause, industry and trade would be in far better
condition to-day.-New York Tribune.
IF the whisky tax cant be repealed because the
whisky monopoly refuses to have it repealed. then let
whisky pay its taxes as others pay their taxes. II it
over produces, it stands on just the same footing that
other industries do when they exceed the demand for
their products. Indeed, other industries may be
caught in over-production when exercising the sound
est discretion, as GIBBS and flows in business greatly
affect the relations of supply and demand by increased
OF decreased consumption; but the over-production of
whisky was made with tho full knowledge of the bust
ness error, and the power of the combination was re-
lied upon to obtain relief whenever demanded, be-
cause of the wealth and political resources of the mo-
nopoly.-Philadelphia Times.
THE prominent part taken by the Hon. Carl SEIZURE
in the conferences of last week calls to mind his share
in the famous Fifth-avenue conference of 1876. In
che address of that conference, which was drawn up
by Mi. Sehurs himself, Mr.. Rutherford q. Hayes, of
Ohio, was most skilfully described as just the sort of
& man that could not receive the support Of the indie
pendent Republicans of the country. When Mr..
Schurz was next heard from he was on the stump for
Hayes, who had suddenly become transformed into
his ideal of a presidential candidate. The next APP
pearance of MIR. Schurz was as a member of the Cab
met. Is this distinguished Independent leader maxi
ing his arrangements for another programme of the
same kinds 1t looks very much that way.-PhiladeF
phia Record.
The Muscovite is at Merry, and measures are al.
ready taken to form a strong military post and or
ganize a large depot of army stores in that oasis, from
which a short and easy march would bring a Russian
force to Herat. And now, when the mischief has been
done. when the most precious strategic advantages
have been thrown away, the British Ministers are fain
10 carry out the very plan which, when it was timely
and decisive, they dismissed with derision. Not con-
tent With q diplomatic protest against the shreWd
n,ovo Of Russia the India Council has decided 70 assert
a pro+ectorate over toaloochistan, to reoccupy Khanda-
har and to dispatch forth7Tith a military commission
to Herat. In other words, when the horse has been
stolen. Mr.. Gladstone hastens to shut the stable door
with an impressive bang of mock vigilance and ehicien-
cy.-New York Sun.