Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-02-11
EDWARD G. DANA.
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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

SPECIAL CoRREsPoNpENCF.
If the famous poisoning case that is
now keeping the detectives in this
city busy is instrumental in doing
away with the private letter box en-.
terprises that flourish here some good
will result from the murder, horrible
as it was. In more ways than one
these private mail boxes have worked
harm by making it possible for all
classes ofevil doers to hold communica-
tion with each other with no fear OF
detection. True, if they are driven
from this manner of carrying on cor
respondence they will find others; it
isn't going to reform those who have
used the boxes, but the adjustment
of them will tend to make the path of
transgression little less easy, and
that is the way reforms must begin.
1t is almost incredible that political
influence should be brought to
bear Oh this case to shield the
perpetrators of the shocking crime,
and yet there seems to be some.
thing more than suspicion that
that sort of influence is what is re-
sponsib!e for the extraordinary con.
duet OF the police in pursuing the
matter. 1t is said that the namen
and whereabouts of those who are
responsible for this crime or series
of crimes are known, and that
they would have been arrested
before now but for the political inhu-
ences at work to prevent such action.
1t is not likely that this sort of inter-
ference will long be tolerated, however.
Not even the political power that is
so often brought to bear to protect H.
vored interests in New York can DO
used to cover up IL dastardly murder.
1t will out.
The World here is flying warning
signals, and with justification, over
heavy increase of taxation of real es.
tate in this metropolis. There has
been an increase of $l2l, 512, 600 in
the real estate assessments and rise
in the tax rate from $2.0l to $3.50,
and this combination results in M in.
crease of from 80 to 100 per cent. in
the t'xes actually to be paid by
holders of real estate. OF course
such an addition to the taxpayers
burdens must cause an entire readiust.
ment of business arrangements be.
tween landlord and tenant. 1t throws
the present machinery of business out
OF gear, at least along real estate
lines, and that affects indirectly all
10 ha IL, 49, la CT
that personal property shall be taxed,
and the assessed valuation of person
atty has not increased during the
past forty years. The World
gives list OF six multimillion.
aires whose personal property is as.
sessed at the total figure OF 81, 100, 600,
yet it says that these six men could
produce at an hours notice personal
property more than equal in amount
to the 1907, ,O0O,O 900 which the tax
commissioners have added to the real
estate assessments in the borough of
Manhattan. Probably personally has
increased in recent years in ratio at
least equal to the increase of realty,
and while it enjoys more exemptions
under the law, it increases these ex-
emptions by hiding from the scrutiny
of the public officials.
There was al ungracious remark
made at the Depew dinner, that New
York is now to have senator who
will say something. 1t was obviously
intended rs a slur upon Senator Muir
ply, but it applies about rs we'll to
Senator Platt, to whom Mr.. Depew
owes his election. New York had a
senator who had the capacity to say
a good deal and to say it very
effectively in David B. Hill, and
she displaced him for Senator Platt.
Her Republicans have sent few
great debaters to the Senate. They
had one in Roscoe Conkling, but Conk-
ling in his later term of service was
more occupied in ironical and artificial
sneering than in discussing public
questions in the temper of statesman.
William NJ. Evarts had ample power
of speech, but bad mental habits and
tedious mannerisms had lost him the
power of using it effectively. It is
full time that the New York Republi-
cans had senator who will take lead
ing position at Washington, and it is
to be hoped they will find him in Mr..
Depew.
The new minister of Plymouth
church is not yet forty years old, but
he seems to be very self-reliant sort
of man. His Chicago congregation
raised $3.50, 900 fund to build a new
church for him if he would remain
with them, but he refused to consider
it, and the reason he gave was
that his Chicago church had no
Sunday school, while Plymouth
church has a flourishing one. "Ply-
mouth church," lie said, "can offer
no such financial rewards as this con-
Time is too short for
making money, for literary ambitions.
for lecturing; but is long enough to
be servant of Christ's poor, to help
weary men and women through mis-
sions and Sunday schools" Rather
neat, that!
Notwithstanding electricity's dis
placement of horses on the street rail-
ways here the consumption of hay for
the last six months of 1898 was con-
siderably greater than for the corre-
spending period for many years. For
long time the average daily con.
sumption of hay in the city of New
York has been placed at one thousand
|ons. In the last half year it was at
The rate of twelve hundred tons, and
|or several weeks it was above that
hgure. This is explained by im-
proved trade conditions, the increase
n trucking and the larger shipments
of live stock. KN1cxEaRocxrR.
nQeSu9t * Knn,v Il aSailanE