New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-19


Park policemen charged with robbing a man
named Schwarzler are trying hard to prove that
Schwarzler was intoxicated. Granting that
point (which is not proved) are we to infer that
it is less criminal to rob man when he is
drunk than when he is sOberl
The county officers of Chicago, like their
official brethren i'll this city, are making des
perate effort to prevent easy access to the pub
lie real estate records. 1t is to be hoped that
everywhere such efforts will fail. Sound pub
lie policy in O republic demands that the OBJ
stacles in the way of the easy transfer of real
property should be reduced 10 a minimum, so
that small landed proprietOrs may increase as
much as possible. The expense OF title-search
ing at present is tremendous and should be re-
duced. To this end the multiplication of pri
yate title-abstract companies serves, and should
be encouraged.
Emigration statistics for this port for 1885
show falling off in arrivals compared with
1854. In that year 354, 7O2 aliens landed here
and in 1885, 291,O66. If the proportion of
decrease has been the same at other ports, the
total for the present twevemonth Will be COD
siderably below that of last year. which was
618,592. Not since 1879 has the immigration
but doubtless the hard times in the United
States had much to do with it. Be that as it
may, the falling off will not cause great public
concern, for the prevailing opinion nowadays
is that Uncle Sam is not rich enough to give
them all farm"
The discipline which the surface street rail-
ways are now undergoing was extended yester-
day to the Eight and the Ninth Avenue lines.
In making up the new schedule of time and
wages the companies tried to be very shrewd
and by increasing the number of trippers
extra men who are paid by the trip TO keep
their expenses down to old limits. The result
was that many of these trippers were only able
to make half dollar or so day. The new
agreement declares that atrippersn shall be
paid ST. so no matter how few trips they make
This decision is directly in the interests of the
pablo. More cars will be run for its convent
ence now that the companies have to pay the
men whether the cars are sent out or not.
Senator Hoar has not told us what reasons
animated those citizens who have pettiOned
him to get the Presidency abolished, but we
suppose the main cause must be disgust with
the present Administration. The telephone
scandals their sharp contrast with the lofty
sentiment of Mr.. Cleveland's ASSERT on that
"public Office is public trust" Mr.. Vilas's
attack on American steamship lines the Dol
phrn business, and other things too numerous
to mention, are indeed painful to all honest citi
Gems. Stall, they do not justify the abolition of
the Office of the Chief Executive. Let us grin
and bear them 1t will all be made right In
1888 when a Republican Is elected to the
Presidency.
Governor Abbett's scheme to pay the run
ming expenses of the State of New-Jersey out
of taxes gathered from the railroads and canals
has been declared unconstitutional. The Su-
preme Court of that State holds that the act
directly violates the clause In the Constitution
which declares that property must be taxed
under general law and a uniform rule. Of
course property may be divided into classes
and such tax as this might have been i'm
posed upon all corporate property; but railroad
and canal companies cannot be separated from
other corporations and then taxed. That would
be special egislation-always abhOrrent to con-
stitutlonal governments. New-Jersey will,
therefore, have the pleasure of paying back to
these companies almost million dollars taken
from the railroads within two years, and the
finances Of the Commonwealth are thus thrown