Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03

CUSTOMS QUESTION THAT NAY CONE BrfoRR
coSeREss-rHE TROUBLES or BArEMAx a co.
WHAT II COSTS TO SWEEP THE STREETS.
corespondencs Of The Evening Star.
NEW York. January I.
foggy, dingy, porous New Year sure
enough, the city looking its worst and the air
full of pneumonia and those formidable bacill
which DIR. Koch now exercises An unpromis-
ing lookout, this; but we can take comfort in
.he old wives fable that the pretty babies make
homely men, and vice versa
The old year went out in q wagnerian tumult
OF horns. We are told that time shall end with
Gabriers trump, so it may not be inappropriate
10 celebrate the close Of times divisions with
mimic blasts Of the same sort Then there were
enlnes and all the other paraphernalia Of the
hour, including some very jovial gatherings
Wnere, with a sad lack Of reverence or even
gratitude. the old year was, 90 20 speak shown
the door and told to go out and bury himself
one such gathering met in the rooms Of the
Authors Club on Path street. / take IL that
am not violating club good manners bv allud-
ing TO this festival, which now has come 10 be
reckoned high among the noctes ambrosim of
the year. There is no display for the club is
run on the principle of plain living and high
tninking, II not exactly ION a little oatmeal"
to quote Sydney Smiths rather uncomfortable
literal translation of the Horatian verse. To
name those who were present, either members
or guests, would practically be TO give a cata-
iogue OF the working writer's of New York
AT midnight, accurately ascertained by tele-
graphic communication. the lights were lowered
and 1850 passed away in the swan song of AUD
Lang Syne-" Then followed the first matinee
performance of 1891 in a series of witty and
charming speeches by some Of the best known
ana most accomplished Of Americas authors
VI course. 1.-THE chiel amang them takin'
notes on this sacred occasion threw AWAY his
pencil and kept faith with his comrades But
1 must allude to one Characteristic fash. the
authorship OF which should be guessed even
though l refrain from writing il out in print
Club, where IL one told a story that was not
already known to all the members the offender
was subject to fine and discipline.
AUTHORS IN LUCK.
As one mingled in the throng at the club
rooms he could scarcely fail to be struck with
the prosperous effect of the scene NOWADAYS
Grub street pays well for fresh brains All
the writers whohaye shownany marked capacity
are crowded with lucrative work. Often they
are literally rushed to death" The great
danger in which every popular writer of today
stands Is that OF overwork for tempting paw
The demand is Unsuitable and it is even keener
for the second or third than strictly the first
grade. The wide ocean Of periodical
literature, including the literary features
".
literary wares that is inexhaustible. We NAV
moralize sadly upon this if we choose. and see
In the eager demand for quick work for
ephemeral use waste Of gifts which if better
economized would yield a classic product.
Where. it may be asked, would LongfeIlow or
Emerson have been had they as youngsters
spent their energies in clever routine work at
fancy figures on the big blanket sheets? The
question is one to be treated seriously. and vet
the ready and sufficient answer is that the
yrYr Tor
quires One epoch is dramatic, another
is poetical a third deals in philosophy, still an
other offers practical problems. The wits of
Queen Anne's time" wrote for the subjects of
Queen Anne; the victorian poets addressed
the age Of Victoria and the writer's under the
administration of len Harrison Div their pens
to suit the ideas AMI the conditions of the wear
1881. III this is the age of the newspaper of
wood pulp and the linotype and the perfecting
press, authors must accept their environment
or set up a lodge among the graves and de-
hberately accept failure and neglect
But it is absurd to theorize and generalizc on
literary conditions. Last evening, for exam
pie, put the question to the editor of one of
the leading magazi aes: 'IIave We any coming
American authors He said in the field of the
essay, where his observation chiefly Law, he
found very few if any young men and out of
this experience he went on to observe that the
essay was a branch of literature which called
for maturity of thought and expression. 50 that
we could not expect to find excellence here
among youth. Whereupon / suggested the
masterpieces of the college boy Macauley
Yes" he admitted, and he added that Emer-
son had done great work while still a
youth. But, he explained, these were ex-
traordinary men; they were exceptions" Pre-
cisely so; but that was just the point. Have we
any extraordinary men announcing themselves
Are there any exceptions to be named TO the
phalanxes of capable, industrious, prosperous
mediocrityi II so they are their own law They
rule simply by right of conquest, and the sub
jngat"d world has to accept whatever terms
the r.case to offer.
THE FORT IN A FERMENr.
To turn TO a theme more congenial to the
spirit Of New York than the meetings and aues-
tionings of literary fellows" we are much en-
gagged just now IL a custom house strife that
reminds one Of the celebrated Phelps Dodge A
Co. s suit many years ago. One of the leading
importing houses has had its seasons stock of
gloves seized and held by the government at a
loss already of several hundred thousand dol
lars on claim of differentiation. The case
Is one that has the qualifications of a can
Ger, involving not only the well earned
reputation Of great house, but the
honor of the public service and the
very axioms of liberty. Evidence of a most
iniquitous conspiracy to break down the repu-
tation and trade Of the house is 80 apparent
that the commercial world is profoundly
stirred. At present the case ia occupying the
close consideration of the board of general
appraisers whose decision is awaited with
breathless interest. So far as legal redress
goes the board will have the final say, but it is
altogether likely that the whole matter will be
carried before Congress on q petit, and q
congressional investigation ordereu tina. will
deal with the scandal thoroughly. II this hap
pens we are in for one of the liveliest sensa-
tons ever developed in a committee room.
THE BATEMAN FAILURE.
The collapse of the house of Bateman A Co.
was painful surprise and much sympathy is
expressed for both Mr.. Bateman and Mr.. Coon.
Like so many disasters recently it was "a solvent
failures" that is, due to inability to realize on
securities that ordinarily would be good. The
other graduates Of Washington in the stormy
waters Of financial New York seem to be stand
ing the racket very well. As to the racket itself
the worst seems TO be over. All the bankers
and merchants are counting on q prompt re-
turn OF confidence and prosperity as part Of
that "Happy New Year" which we are all wish
ing one another.
wANrED-HERcuLEs.
What New York wants, and for whom she
keeps want advertisement, is that classic
heavyweight champion with club one Her
cules. This gentleman, whose achievements, it
must be confessed, are somewhat mythical
once upon q time, just for calisthenics, cleaned
out the Augean stables. Street Cleaner Beattie
would like his help, or, il not his recipe. FAIL
ing to get that, however, he is going to see
what an extra appropriation of $3.50 LOCO will do
toward keeping the city's thoroughfares
decently clean during 1891. The city
GOO 200. with it distinctly understood
that this means no dirt or no Beattie.
The wise man win give odds on the dirt. But
Beattie has started bravely in by purchasing