Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-22
NEW HAVEN CONN FRIDAY MORNING. MAY D. 1885

what they want. They have formed an association the fundamental idea of which is that It's members alone are to be employed oy local contractors and builders. This psint satisfactorily settled, the association has agreed to force every immigrant carpen- ter trying for work in St. Louis to join the membership, and when thus allied he is to be compelled further to pay into the asso-
 citation treasury one-half of all the wages he earns in St. Louis in excess of the wages he would have earned had he remained in Gin cinnati, Chicago, or whatever may have been
 his previous home. It is extremely doubt
 ful that this scheme will work just as Is
 promoters expect it to.
 The people of Philadelphia are rejoicing
 because after prolonged contest the reform
 charter of that city, called the Bullett biIl
 has passed both branches of the legislature
 The measure resembles the new charter pro-
 posed for Boston, and centralizes the re-
 responsibilities of local government in way name, the executive head of the city. As
 presented at this session the measure was drawn so as to give the extended authority
 to Mayor Smith; but vigorous protest arose to this feature of an otherwise accept able bill, expressed through great meeting in Philadelphia, which insisted that the people should be allowed to elect chief magistrate to be intrusted with the new powers, that the charter was amended so that the popular will was respected.
 A gentleman who is interested in the com mercial treaties and who has been in Wash ington for the purpose of ascertaining the probable policy of the administration upon the question of reciprocity tells the core spondent of the Boston Journal that, while he is not able to speak authoritatively, he in- clines to the opinion that the administration will not next winter oppose a plan which contemplates @ large reduction in the duties upon sugar, accompanied by compensating bounty to the Louisiana sugar growers. He thinks the drift of the administration now is in this direction but he does not claim that his opinion has cny better basis than an in ference. He also believes that the admins tration will not attempt to secure the ratif- cation of the proposed treaty with Spain, but that efforts will be made to ratify the pending Mexican treaty enabling act.
 The Methodist Missionary committee has received news of Bishop Taylor's expedition into Africa, in the form of letter written by him at Loanda, which point the party of men, women and children had reached on March 15. It was of this party that the United States consul at Liberia lately re- ported to the State department that he was prepared to hear sad news in year. The adventure is personal one by Dr. Taylor, the Methodist bishops having formally voted to give it no official countenance or money support. He now writes that he and his companions are as yet free of the diseases which they were expected to encounter, that the Governor of Angola has promised all the protection possible against the savage natives to be encountered, and that his followers would soon be divided into small parties for separate settlement in the extensive wilds of the Congo region. By this time they are far beyond the reach of regular communication, and their fate will probably be conjectural for many months.