Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22
NEW YORK NOTES.
The Business Pace Which Kills in the
Metropolis.

Metropolis.
DANGERS WHICH THREATEN THE AMBITIOUS NER-
oHANrs-THE rAMMANY DEvELoPMENrs-BAo-
aINa BIG aAhE-THE BASE BALL SEASON.
From The STARS Special Correspondent,
New YORK. March 81. 1890.
The failure Of the firm of John +. Plummer
Co.. startled the business community and the
city generally, and it has served as text for
many sermons economic. political and social
One ''iesson" Is the light the failure sheds on
cheap newspaper talk about .'millionaires"
Inc pen OF the ready writer would be quick to
quote the Plummers among the money kings
let now that the curtain il lifted we see that
tnat they have been struggling to make both
ends meet for years. Black Care has sat be-
hind the elegant Broadway front, as it does in
SO many other cases where the casual stranger
sees only splendor and opulence.
The rim of the house OF Plummer was accel-
Grated NO doubt. BY iudnlging fad for pol
itics. Like many men who have prospered in
business MIR. Plummer sought distinction in
PuDnc analrs. The AMBITION of course. is a
iegitmate one but it is beset with perils especi-
ally II, as in Mr.. Plummer's case. the aspiration
exceeds the adaptation and capacity. Try as he
might. and spend as much money as he might,
ne ".hH ',n'" secondary or rather absurd
figure in politics
-''ssut, - enough. the failure. coming as it
has pat with the report of another tariff bill,
mas LED to much discussion of the relation
OF legislation to business. In a city where the
protective system Is not over-popular. We might
expect to hear the catastrophe explained a
symptom Of an evil condition of the revenues.
1t Is fact that the dry goods trade. in its
widest aspect. is anxious at the situation. The
Mckinley bills are looked at askance and the
most common comment l have heard is that
we may look for more failures If either the
undervaluatiOns bill or the tariff bill proper
are enacted into law 1t seems to be more than
the usual annual scare; genuine apprehen-
sion
BUSINESS PACE THAT KILLS
But there may be other causes outside of
politics, or the everlasting tariff tinkering,
causes still deeper and that menace all business
III this restless age One is the fierce compe-
titlon which has developed out of the universal
race for wealth in cities. This rivalry is par
ticularly keen in the dry goods trade and al
most nrcessiietes the taking of big risks ii one
would succeed. Long credits, close margins.
dealings with unknown and doubtful custo-
mers; all these are elements of danger which
the ambitious merchant nowadays must accept
as the price of business Then there is the
danger Of hurry Why" said a lawyer from
the southwest to me yesterday, Il would never
accept work from New York legal firm with
out close and deliberate personal scrutiny
They are all in too big hurry. They haven't
TIME to attend to their business. It's slap-dash
from morning till night, short Office hours,
everything possible delegated to clerks. snap
Judgments, arguments ratified of to steno-
graphers and hurredly revised. II dozen i'm
portant cases filing the mind at once. No, in
deed, can't trust these brisk New York lawyers
the legal graveyards are too full of their mis-
takes. What the speaker said of the law is
equally true of the other professions and Of
business. The pace is hot in every line, and if
1t doesn't Kill the racer is lucky.
TAMMANY UNDER A CLOUD.
Another bankruptcy for it deserves that
name, which has startled the city during the
week is that of Tammany as reform"
machine. 1t was a novel and rather trying
role for Tammany to FILL and it reminded a
good many people of the awkwardness OF the
wolf playing the grandmother in Little Red
hiding Hood. The revelations of the past
week have tarnished sadly the spotless new white
robe that Tammany has worn. No one would
be surprised now if the grand jury were to
lndlct Mayor Grant himself for states prison
crimes Most of his associates in the sheriff.
office, which he was supposed to have run with
such honesty and ability, have already been
indicted, and If Grant is spared it may be as
much for political reasons as on strictly legal
grounds. OF course the animus OF the attack
Is obvious 1t Is the revenge OF the County
Democracy, pushed to the wall by its stronger
rival. But, as the democratic papers say, the
county democrats have not made the facts on
which the grand jury have acted, and unless
these are explained away it will 20 hard with
the accused and with the party machine they
represent.
There is an uneasy feeling that possibly out
side of the city hall big game" may be bagged
by the grand jury in the shape of the city rail-
road syndicate. 1t would be rather curious if
such magnates as Whitney and Lamont were in
volved in the trouble. Rumor connects their
names with coming disclosures relating to the
change OF motive power on Broadway. This
change was sanctioned by the city authorities
with an ease and smoothness that amazed the
average New Yorker. But let us hope We are
not to open another chapter of doodle"
THE NATIONAL GAME THAT BLOOMS IN THE
SPRING.
1t seems trife previous, with the snow on
the ground: to talk base ball, but the season is
supposed to be close upon us and the ''cranks''
are eager for the fray to open. The manage
ment OF the New York league club announce a
very strong nine, including Glasscock, Denny,
Hines, WEIGH. Herman, HornuLg and other
giants" Apparently the club has much the
strongest team in the league, though Boston
keeps its great battery. All the preparations
are made for famous season. The bitter an
tagonism between the two associations will be
likely to bring out large crowds, and SO per-
haps here, as elsewhere. competition will be
! the life of trade" The law suits are less heard
OF now that playing time approaches: probably
they will be dropped under some sort of set
Element. The disputes will now be transferred
to the newspapers, which are making elaborate
plans to ''bOom" the game to the utmost
THE cYCLUs ENDS IN A HUERAH.
By common consent the Wagner cyclus was a
perfect success. Yogi got well just III time to
fill the leading roles to universal satisfac ton
while he did not obliterate the memory of
Niemann'and Alvary. Lllli kaisch-Lehman,
Of course, carried her parts with a miraculous
command OF physical strength and lyric art.
Herr Seidl did his customary wonders in the
conductors chair and came in for liberal
share of the applause. And now the king is
dead; long live the king. In other words the
German troupe begins to SWING around the cir
Gle next week. beginning in Harlem, while the
Italian opera reigns in its stead at the Metro
politan, We have heard many paans and some
laments the death of the said Italian opera.
but such elegacs don't comfort somehow with
the statement that the advance receipts for
the sale of single-night tickets opened thou
sand anxious amateurs and spectators mobbeI
the office and defied the baby blizzard in their
determination to get the precious seats. Every
one OF the ~ orchestra chairs is bought they
| say, and the financial triumph of the season il
assured. Verify, there il only one Patti"
BIG FISH BREAKING THROUGH THE NET
It looks very much now as if Napoleau Ives
and sheriff Flack would both get free. The
former, after q truly Napoleonic compromise
/ OF five cents on II dollar. il out on bail anG
. NJ. L. H., -