New-York tribune., 1884-02-29
Witness than the worst evidence of any othei


kind.
rA0 ,vov tbe people of Brooklyn persist III
- ao+oyp,;,ation 70 enforce the principle OF
home-rule in their city Is worthy Vi c,.p.s; pc
Their last step is the formation Oh Oi'i'o W
League. which is intended to take up anu o'ii'
ON the work that citizens committees nav
already accomplished. The Brooklyn eAperi-
ment is success so far, and the new departure
will be watched with interest Ihere Is alWa9S
danger that formal association or TINS XIII"
may beworked in the interest OF some man or S''
of men; but the character of the citizens WHO
compose this League reduces that danger "
the lowest point.
The bill to deprive the Aldermen Oh 'no,i
mower to confirm the Mayors noniiil'''on9
encountering stubborn opposition aV eNoi' ~
of its progress. In committee yes'ei'"'
attempt was made to kill 1t by amenu' =,
one of which provided for the elec'ioi "
Controler and the other for the suonliSsiU" -
| tho question at issue to the voters Vi we"
VII Fortunately majority of the commlt'ee
l,o,,o heed to the wishes of the reputable voters
| of This CITY as presented by the commlttee
= ,noirted ot the Cooper Union meeting, ana Doln
amopdments were defeated. The measure VIII
now he reported to the Senate Ill excelleh'
| shane Doubtless majority of the Senators
u;u rosnect the wishes of their constituents anu
| pass 1t promptly.
Itis q d1scouraging reflection that probably
| no amount of precauton VIII ever haho q" 10.
CITY nroof against such accidents as that Wiiich
caused the death of five persons yesterday l" q
| Stanton ste tenement house. FIRES VIII oio''h
! in N
ont even in dwellings constructed In the lno''
| annroyed manner, and a small nre MAY oi"'e
sn,o,,e enosch TO suffocate several persons-lus'
q u did Yesterday. But if this happened In
oi+,, whose building laws and official supervision
,vera nerfect. frequently no one WOuld oe u
tlome New-York, however, has not ye'
reocbed that happy point OF PERFECTION Inc
S+onton ST fire occurred III an old three-stor9
Franc structure which ought to have been Uorl
low, lone AGO and until our laws direct 1t t.
no dome a heavy responsibility rests ON our law
makers.
,r1,o r,os+ ;mnortant of all the subjects nov
discussed by persons 1nteresteu III Pii'o"
form measures is convict labor. llis was ~ ~
theme under consideration yesteru"y "U oH
meeting of the National Prison AssOcatlon' "ii'
q great variety of views was developer ~ III
addresses as made. The speakers ar9ueu Una
convicts should be kept at work; OuU aIue W
that point they had to agree to disagree In
contract system and the piece price system
each had its ardent opponents and advocates
Sunorintendent Baker defended vigorously Tn
contract system, as in force in this State an
he was able to support his statements by s'rlh
ing references to our self-supporting prisons
If is interesting to note that many OF thes
prison experts hold that there is practically n D
connection between convict labor and outsld
labor. and that the cry of the so-called iaDo
> reformers is mainly due to the fact that I'd
nrisons form territory in the laborof the stat
.l,;ol, +bo,- co,tnot work for all it is worth.