Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-07

Correspondence of The EVENING STAR
New YORK, June 6.
New fork's polyglot population is presenting
a somewhat difficult problem to the dauntless
census enumeration. In almost any one of the
big tenement houses down town, which swarm
with tumultuous life, may be found a varied
assortment of dialects and nationalities. which
suggest TO one the biblical list Of 'Parthians.
Medes, Elamites, dwellers i'll Mesopotamia,
Cretes and ArabIans, Jews and proselytes."
But, unfortunately, no pentecostal miracle is
wrought by which the enumerator's plain
American is made ineligible to all these hea-
then, and many of them look upon him and
his explanatory efforts with marked suspicion
and distrust. 1t is no passport to their good
graces to be a government emissary. for the
majority Of them know of a government only,
like the just-landed Irishman. to be ''agin it,"
Few of them have the sustaining consciousness of
aspotless record, and the answering of questions
of any kind appears to them Il risky proceeding.
SO they take refuge in the safe middle course
OF not understanding, and Il good many Off
Gals have had more than one weary Climb up
endless flights of tenemen stairs for nothing.
There has SO far been only one resort to the
argument of violence, and the unprepared emu
merator was ANONYMOUSLY routed by the fy-
ing beer mugs, all empty, of the Smith family,
cNCH dlllOiSH ne Udu the InOTdlS support OF The
presence OF one of our uudaunted policemen,
who remained on the battlefield after the car
mage was over to take a friendly glass with the
conquerors. But a number Of the less san
guine workers have succumbed to the difficult
ties of their thorny paths and resigned. and one
appointee even went so far as to commit sui
eide before beginning.
TALK OF MUNICIPAL CONSOLIDATION.
The talk continues and begins to take shape
in action Of lavinu Nau NnrL avap r-o.ar
than the present swarming, overgrown metrop-
oils. The commission appointed by Gov. Hill
to consider the expediency OF consolidating the
various municipalities upon the islands inclos-
ing this harbor met on Tuesday at the Office of
MIR. Andrew III. Green, the chief mover in the
project. The government of the population
included In these municipalities is divided
among two states. four cities and six counties.
and it seems to many that various ~complica-
tons might be avoided by consolidating the
whole into one system of municipal govern
ment, and the board of apportiohment of this
city has been authorized to appropriate not
more than %. 900 to carry out the provisions of
the act. The members of the commission are
to receive no compensation for their services,
though they will involve both time and labor.
AFosrER MorHER-Ar-LARGE.
A well-known name disappears from the
records of this city's lifs by the resignation of
the matron at the police headquarters,
Mrs. Webb. Comparatively few people
were familiar with her comfortable.
gray-headed personality, but every one
knew her name, for she had charge
of the waits and strays, the foundlings and
runaways of tie city for the last eighteen
years. Last year alone she looked after nearly
5000 lost children, many of them tiny be-
glnners in hfe's journey, who would not have
travelled very far without her timely aid. The
nursery bell at police headquarters has been
ringing night and day during these eighteen
years and the cares of such a large and vary
ing family have given the matron little time to
sleep. She Says she wants to be sure of one
whole nights sleep before she dies and she has
resigned to get 1t. 1t Is 4 curious fact that the
number Of lost children WAS much greater
years ago when the city was not nearly so
crowded. and 1t is said by the police that the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chill
dren has had much to do with the diminution.
MORT PRESBYTERIAN REVISION.
There is another lively Presbyterian discus
sion here this week. The Reformed Presby-
terrain Church in 39th street Is the scene Of
meetings of q synod at which are present rep
resentatiyes from all the Reformed congrega-
lions of this country. The most interesting
topic of discussion is the question of union
with the United Presbyterians Tn two bodies
are often COMPOUNDED under the name of Scotch
Presbyterians and many of them are descend
ants of the Scotch Covenanters. Their doctrine
and form of worship is the same and the one
rock On which they split is the Reformed
Church rule for its members not to vote or hold
office under this government because the
Divine authority is not recognized in the con-
stitution. The United Presbyterians, on the
contrary. have no scruples about voting or TAX
ing any Office they can come by honestly. 1t
is even alleged that the Reformed Presby-
terians decline to countenance this unrighteous
government by holding property on which
taxes must be paid, but transfer all such be-
-, 90 %ha,- ,r.x-.a an h. NJ tn1 Cpn
pose. Of the Jealous convert in the early days OF
Methodism who would not imperil her own
soul by wearing jewelry. but presented it to
her sister; but this it is difficult TO believe OF
such strict logicians as Presbyterians.
TIE HUMAN HOG.
The SIN has begun a crusade. in which it will