New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-08
nected with a very unAmtrieso Administration
devoted TO foreign Interests.

A correspondent writes to THE TRIBUNE thai
6 10 Mr. Cleveland had ever read the history Of
the United States he would probably not have
written such q message that which he laio
before Congress last fall" The correspondent
must admit that Mr.. Clevelands transit from thu
.bricvalty Of Buffalo to the Presidency OF Tho
rnitdd States was so rapid that he had LITTLE
time in which to cram up on the history Oh hi
own country. After March A. 1880, Mr. Cleveland
NAV have moro time in which to pursue hi
historical studies. incidentally informing hmsen
N tho dclusions and falsity Of free trade.
Revoutions may not 60 backward: but Ian
Electric reform certainly does Out Of 2ll cases
On the docket OF the Court Of Claims on Monday
Att~rrey-Cs ne, al Garlands Department was ready
to proceed with Just twclve-less than per ceno
The Mayor and heads OF Departments rghtly
approved The bill giving the Police Commissioner
discretion as to the retirement OF police Officers VI
the age of sixty. Some men may properly DC
retired at that age; others are as
we'll equipped then as ever 10 uo
good service, and the pension fund ought noo "
be depleted by placing them on the retired list
Mayor Chapn has not yet seen fit to act on
our suggest on that he should send to the BROOK
Iyn Aldermen q supplementary message on the
necessity of taking immediate steps to extend tho
water works Perhaps the figures just published
showing q startling increase In tho consumption
OF water will spur him to do plain duty for
ten DAYS succeeding January 25 the average daily
consumption exceeded the average daily supply oy
over 10000 gallons. There has been no reason
for the Aldermen's non-action the plans for the
extension which have been before them for two
years, except a dispute with the City Works Com
missioner. This unseemly and dangerous condition
Of things ought to be terminated at once.
who will deny that the system which has prevailed
under Republican administrations In this country ana
for wears past has made moro strikes, driven more
men from employ ment. filed the country with moro
tramps aggravated more distress, created wider ais
content and produced starvation and death IMAM
any other system tho country ever saw Ia not to
for a changof-tsenator Kenna.
II It were time for o change, American work.
ingmen would be the first to find 1t OUT III
there were so much distress, discomfort starva-
ton and death" among them as the Senator says
there is they would be emigrating from the
United States precisely as the working classes
are emigrating from Europe. Does the Senator
expect any one to believe him when he asserts
that Protection has caused labor strikes, deprived
men of employment and plunged the country
into miseryp He can easily subject his argyll
ment to practical test. Among what class OF
American laborers have strikes been most ire
ouent. wages the lowest in comparison with
European schedules, and suffering and want most
common? Among the anthracite coal miners OF
Pennsylvania. We suppose the Senator Is aware
that there is duty on anthracite COAL ana also
that some of the most powerful OF tne COAL
barons arc free traders.