New-York tribune., 1884-03-26
always will be but the steady improvement Ih
woman's position will serve to protect her,


The special elections for members OF the Leglsla-
re in California recently went against the Demo-
crafts showing that the people resent the calling OF
an extra session by the Governor. The indications
now are that this move which was made for the
purpose of strengthening the party in the Presden-
tial campaign, will have the opposite effect ana
that the State will go Republican IN November.
The Democrats themselves with the exception OF
small faction, appear to have been opposed to the
extra session, which opened on Monday
nephew of Sir Edward Archibald has cut the
last thread upon which the authenticity Of the So
called BENJAMIN letter hung. He writes 10 me
London Teeraph that the late British Consul never
for moment attributed the letter to MI Ben
jamn. The letter he says, was actually To-
ceived and Sir Edward Archibald cent in return an
indignant refusal to entertain any tnrther cOmmuh-
icatons upon the subject. The original letter was
sent to the Foreign Office, but Sir Edward AIchi-
bald kept COPY and gave another to the late Thur
low Weed who was collecting documents relating
TO the Civil War. When THE TRIBUNE received the
advance sheets of the biography Of Mr. Weed, and
inonired concerning the warrant for assigning this
extraordinary letter to Mr. BENJAMIN, the blog-
rapher declared that his evidence was ample. This
evidence IT is now known. was chiefly note mot
produced) from Mr. Archibald tafterward Sir fo-
ward Transmitting to Mr.. Weed the promised copy.
The denial, therefore, from Sir Edwards nephew
seems TO leave the biographer IN sorry plight.
The Republicans of the XXXIIId Congressional
District seem destined to achieve q bad emInence.
They are the only family of Republicans In TINS
State that have been unable to come to an under
standing among themselves in regard to basis OF
representation in district convention This Is one
of those quarrels in which stranger intermeddleth
not in case the stranger does not desire to emerge
from the exercises with his head carefully broken
in several places. We may, however, casually re-
mark that bear and (orbear " Is an admirable rule
of action, and that stiff neck is not pleasing
object to contemplate.
Bishop Tuttle the Missionary Bishop of the Epis-
copal Church for Utah and Idaho has been giving
testimony in an address at ST. Paul in favor OF the
much-abused Edmunds Law. 1t has been the
fashion, especially among the inpatient political
element, to declare that the law had only ntensi-
fed the evils it was meant to cure, by rOusing the
Mormon people and fusing them together The
Bishop is one Of those who believe that in time the
effect of this law will be to divide the MormOns
themselves by stimulating the political ambition
of the younger and non-polygamous Mormons who
have been accustomed to see the elders hold the
Offices but now take them for themselves. Under
the new law young Mormon has been chosen
MayOr of Salt Lake and number are in the Legs
lature They are still under the influence of the
old men, the Bishop says but are beginning to
realize their own importance. 1t has been repeat
cdly suggested that the exclusion OF poygamlsts
from the right to vote and hold Office must greatly
weaken the institution, and here is testimony that
this has been the affect already. Bishop Tuttle
saws postiyeythe law is not failure, but isdOihg
much good. The Mormons obey this law. Polyg-
amists do not offer TO vote, neither do they hold
Office And they feel the sting keenly too. The af-
fixing Of such stigma upon them acts IN very
wholesome manner"
Until somebody is tried for murder and hanged
for homicide with supposed-to-be -unloaded pis-
toll it is probable that fools will continue to play
with deadly weapons with the usual recklessness.
Nothing short of sharp penal remedies can touch
this criminal careessness evidently, and the sooner
this is recognized the better it will be for the COM
munity.
There was an outbreak of feeling in the Senate the
other day regarding the delay in acting on pension
claims The length oftime consumed does carry hard
ship with il undoubtedly because In many cases the
beneficiaries are old or feeble, and their time is
short. The Government certainly has not been un-
generous in the matter of providing clerical force
to handle the food of claims that poured IN after
the arrearages act passed. The force now num-
bers 500 experienced clerks. The Commissioner
III MS l3SL annual report locPOh'ipAhi'y
for delay from his Office to the claimants who are
IN default Of evidence except in the IA 800 cases in
the hands of special examiners. There seems to be
no question of the efficiency of the present force,
and ii is so well up in its work that the COmmis'
sioner recommended a reduction at the end OF the
present fiscal year. But the system, as several
Senators suggested, is plainly at fault in some re-
spects. Applicants for pensions do not seem to be
informed with the promptness OF the cearness that
should be shown wherein their papers are defective,
and in this way many wearying delays occur.
Senator Gibbs has introduced bill into the Leg
slaturo to provide for the issue of S2,OOOOOO in
bonds in tho next three years, for the erection OF
new schoOl-hCuses. The bill ought to pass 1t
would be money well invested. There arc still
thousands of children refused admission to the pub
lie schools for lack of room. Under the rapid in
crease of population in the upper wards, this dis
graceful condition of things will continue, unless
there is much more money expended for new sites
aud buildings than is likely to be the case if it has
to be raised from taxation. 1t great deal better
that bonds should be issued and the children now
turned away from the public schools afforded that
primary instruction which is their due.
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