New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-21

The Charter Commission keeps on making
obaryes in the document II has prepared for sub
mission 10 the Legislature. but gives no sign or
askinp for an extension Of time so that IT may do
its work thoroughly and with the care demanded
hv tho importance and vastness Of the subject.
No reader Of this paper needs to be tod that
Tho Tribune heartily favors quick transit be-
tween Nev-York and Brooklyn by means or East
River bridges and tunnels. We were unable 10
commend. however. the project which some Ter
file mind conceived few years ago or ming up
the channe! through which this arm OF the sea,
wrongly called a river. extends and we are com
pelled 10 take the same view or the Dill intro
duced at Albany FOR the construction OF TWO
drawbridges across II. The introdncer OF the Dill
seems TO look on II seriously. but most people VIII
regard it as joke. Even II 1t had merit the sec
ond member Of the Greater New-fork Is IN 40
position to engage in any new schemes OF priuse-
Luudin,- at q time when there the gravest
doubts as to It's ability to furnish it's share OF the
cost OF building the so-caled New East RIVER
Bridge on the foundations OF which the prelim-
mary work has been begun.
That so universal a necessity as coal should be
h,yh nr,ced in New-York simply because Of lack
OF dock facilities is a powerful argument for the
,r,nrovement and extension OF the waterfront
sipce a bill has been introduced into Congress
providing for the purchase OF Cuba from spain
for 5000 600 900, II may ne we'll to recall that
about half a century ago this Government
offered 10 purchase the island for FAIR price.
and that the offer was considered by the span
.lsh Ministry National indign'ty ana that
tie sentiment OF the Ministry was responded TO
.by the Cortes. After all that has happened,
wrote the American Secretary OF state on that
OCCASION SHOULD Spain desire to part with the
island. the proposition for its cession to us
should come from her.
II Is TO be borne in mind that work on the
Panama Canal IL proceeding under patronage
that will make that great hghway-if completed
as foreign 10 this country as Is the Suez Canal.
The Chinese sect Of the Vegearians IS Sc
cret society OF great power defying all efforts
70 extrpate IT, though In stress OF rough political
weather It sometimes changes It's name. In the
eighteenth century It was known as the Associa-
ton Of the White Lotos. and led the plots against
the existing Manchu Dynasty. They were not
successful and IL was driven 10 the wall and
took on the appellaton II the Do Nothing party.
a change which left It's purposes unaltered and
did not arrest it's activities. Its members are
sworn t. eat no meat and wear no colored
clothes showing thus an ascetic and puritanical
tendency always associated with staying power.
They give their property into the common stock
and share in common It's revenues. although
they do not always live in community They
hate the regnng house. and are opposed 10 some
OF the most cherished Chinese traditions. In
1876 they spread terror in Marking and Shanghai
10y cutting off the pigtas OF their fellow -ctl-
zens. going about quietly with scissors up their
sleeves and using them whenever they had an
opportunity. Az the Chlnaman thinks that he Is
pulled up into heaven by his pigtail. its loss
amounts to the destruction Of his hopes Of future
bliss and these outrages naturally excited great
commotion 1t Is not surprising that a rumor of
the institution OF a chapter OF the society among
the California Celestals should awaken great
interest there The See Yup and the Sam Yup
societies not yet delivered from the agitation
Of the Highbinders war. though they hope to be
when the new Minister. himself a See Yup. ar
rives In March. are hard enough to keep In order
and how 1t will he when the Vegetarians also
take the field remains to he seen.
While considering National Guard reorgani-
zation." why not have I'm mind TO make II really
National? II all the militia OF all the States
were organized and drilled the same plan
and equipped with the arms. it's effec-
tiveness In case Of need would he far greater
than under the present patchwork system.
II the declaration OF Secretary Herbert be
true. that the profit To ths manufactursrs os the