New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-11

entcrprsing and intelligent.
Mayor Groy Is making progress with some OF
the schemes which he announced soon after ne
assumed Office. His Speedway bill has become
law and even I'm the flush of his success in that
matter he remains firm in the belief that the cost
will not exceed 81 100000. The Croton Water
shed bill has passed the Assembly, but its pain
in the Senate is likely to be less casy in view
of the emphatic action Of the Academy OF Medi-
cine on Thursday evening. These physicians are
nnalteraby opposed to the comforting OF unlimited
powers in the purchase OF land on the Tammany
Commissioner of Public Works, and. in fact, do
not believe in the extensive purchase OF lands IN
the Croton Valley in order TO keep the water
supply pure. This is sanitary question, OF
course and the best way Of handling it would
doubtless be through commission Of sanitary
experts.
John NJ Bowers, of Tammany Hall, has already
received Sl3ss2 for services as counsel to the
Rapid Transit Commissioners. 1t is high time
that this expensive luxury was cut of.
II is said that Secretary Gresham is in favor
of the annexation Of Hawaii, and desired to have
the Foster Treaty ratified in its original form
IL il pity that the Secretary's influence with
the President is so small. If MIR. Clevelands OBJ
lection to the treaty is not an objection to an
ncxation, and If the Secretary has favored the
treaty tie public is left to fear that he does not
possess that hold upon the Presidents confidence
and Judgment which was supposed to be the very
consideration that had brought about his APP
pointment.
The billion Congress about which our friends
the enemy did n good deal OF loud talking not
long ago makes an exceedingly respectable show
ING alongside OF the real billion Congress for
which the Democrats must accept full response
bilty.
A tarly act of Justice seems to have been done
by Congress in the passage Of n bill TO reimburse
William and Mary College, in Virginia, TO the
extent OF SG4,O0 for the destruction OF its
buildings and other property destroyed without
authority by soldiers of the United States during
the late war; The matter has been before Con-
gress for a good many years. and last week the
House passed the bill which had been favorably
acted on by tho Senate a year or more ago. Tho
massage of such bill was urged by the Hon.
George F. IIoar while lac was still member or
the House, ard he has been in the Senate since
1877. II is surprising that it took 80 long to
bring this matter 70 a successful issue
Canton, ST. Lawrence County is hardly enjoy
ing herself these days. Not long since a fire
DESTROYED her Courthouse. Now a movement is
ON foot which looks to deprvng her Of the honor
OF being the county seat. Thus misfcrtunes
come not sngly.' Potsdam has placed herself in
the hands Of her friends with a view to succeed
ing Canton, and so has Ogdcnsburg. st. Law
renee promises TO be unusually lively for some
time to come.
When General Tracy took charge OF the Navy
Dcpa rtment four years ago the Hamilton Club of
Brooklyn gave a dinner IN his honor. II took
place on March &c. 1889. Now that General
Tracy returns 70 Brooklyn private citizen. after
his distinguished services as Secretary OF the Navy.
tho Hamilton Club proposes to repeat the honor
Of four years ago. and on the l 9th a dinner will
be given to him in the handsome clubhouse in
Clnton-st Among tho guests will he General
Tracys successor Secretary Herbert. who will, OF
course. receive a cordial welcome in Brooklyn.
As this will DO his first appearance in public
since his acceptance Of the Navy portfolio. what
Mr. Herbert has to say on that occasion will at
tract no little interest Mr. Herbert is known TO
be in thorough sympathy with the policy Of his
predecessor, and he could hardly please the peo
pie of the country more than by announcing that
he intends as nearly as may be to follow in the
footsteps Of General Tracy.
The twilight OF the poets" is to give way to
the high noon, so far as the country bordering
upon Lake Champain Is concerned. That is to
say, "1he Plattsburg Sentinel" has offered three
prizes for the best three poems on Lake Cham
plain. First prize. ST. second prize. SO; third
prize. So ave would like" says "The Sentinel"
Il" the divine aflatus to descend upon our local
writer's, and II appears TO US that 10 natural OBJ
ect Is more likely TO inspire the soul than this
beautiful lake" Champlain is certainly beautiful
enough to inspire any appreciative poet to wake
his Tyre to ecstasy.
Although the new Cabinet In Portugal Is de-
scrbed as composed Of Conservatives. yet
IL has sirtalzed its accession TO Office by num-
ber Of measures far more liberal than any enacted
by the previous Liberal Administration. Among
other features OF the Ministerial programme Of
the new Premier. Rbeiro. is the grant Of an
amnesty for all political offences and for infrac-
tons OF the press laws which latter are TO DO
subjected TO q radical modification. The pro-
rramme further includes the revision OF the bank
ing laws with view Of rendering the Govern
mcnt control OF these financial institutions more
effective, and the concession OF greater freedom
! TO the municipal corporations With regard to
the debt which constitutes the most important of
all tho difficult problems with which the Portu.
guese Government is called upon to deal, the
Premier announces the intention Of the Admins
tration to pay much possible of the interest
as Is compatible with the resources of the Treus-