smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

A Presidential election is always of i'm
portance, as it decides the political status of
the national government for four years. At
this time it is of more than ordinary interest,
inasmuch as the country is just now espe-
cially in need Of sound financial policy
and on honest and economical administra-
ton. But there are other matters involved
in the approaching election besides that of
the choice Of President in which the peo-
pie of New York are deeply concerned We
shall elect Mayor and other local officers in
November who will have control of our mu-
nicipal affairs for two or three years to come.
The HERALD has advocated separation of
the charter election from the general cleo
ton, in order that the important local
interests of the metropolis might not be lost
sight of in the heat and passion of political
contest. We have insisted that the people
ought to be allowed to vote singly and un-
derstandingly for local officers, so that they
might have the opportunity to secure an
honest city government without being held
fast in party shackles. The voters of
New York agreed with the HERALD on this
issue last year, but they were cheated by the
politicians after the election. The New
York city government expends thirty
six million dollars in year. This is
large amount to handle, and upon it the
politicians who hold power trade nnd in
crease their influence They fill up the
public departments with their political
hangers-on, and burden the taxpayers with
out improving the city or advancing the
value of property. It is of great Importance
to every citizen of New York that the city
government should be in honest and COM
petent hands. and the electors should take
care that they do not. under the cover of the
Presidential and State tickets, vote for dis
honest or incompetent men, or for mere
machine politicians, for the local Offices to be
filed in November. The city laborer has
been out of work because of the stupid do
nothing policy that has prevailed in the city
for the past four years. Property is de-
pressed and improvements are at q stand
still from the same cause. Rich and poor
are alike interested in securing progress
sive honest and capable city government,
and no intelligent clector should lose sight
of these important local interests even in the
excitement of Presidential battle.
Year: 1876

THE WEATHER Cooler and clearer wea-
thcr will prevail for some days, as On area OF
high pressure advances eastward over the
entire country from the Rocky Mountains.
In New York State the weather will be af-
lectsd by the depression now moving across
Canada, but only for short time. Partial
cloudiness, higher temperature and possibly
light rain will prevail in the northern part
of the State but in the southern portion
and at New York city cool and clearing wea-
ther will bs experienced to-day.
Year: 1876

Mr.. John Kelly, tho boss OF Tammany'
o shrewd political leader He nominateo
Tilden for Governor and Wickham, my
candidate" for Mayor. two years ago. and
elected them only to lose them. he noml-
mated Frederick Smyth for Recorder last year
and did not elect him and has not lost him
yet He opposed Tilden's nomination at ST.
Louis, on the ground that he was an impos-
tor and a dishonest man, and Tilden was
nominated by over two-thirds of the de-
mocracy of the Union over Kelly's head. Hs
opposed the nomination of Lucius Robinson
at Saratoga, and four-fifths of the democracy
of the State, with nearly half the New York
delegation, decided to make Lucius Robin.
son their candidate for Governor Now
Kelly believes that if he throws bone to
some self-constituted anti-Tammany leader
he may nominate whomsoever he may
please for Mayor, put his creatures
into the good, fat offices of Sheriff.
County Clerk, Surrogate, Marine Court
Judge. Coroners, Aldermen and Assembly,
men, and the people of New York will vote
for and elect his Tammany ticket.


Does Mr.. Kelly believe that the indepen
dent and honest democratic voters of New
York would have allowed him to take pos
session of the District Attorneys Office, the
Recorders office and other judicial positions
last year if he had thrown bone to some
rival ward politician? Does he believe now
that he can make bargain in his secret
chamber with some noisy sorehead, and by
this concession be permitted to seize the city
government for the next two years? If he
does he had better wait until his predecessor,
Boss Tweed, comes home with oil the honors
of war, and consult him on the subject.
Year: 1876

CROWDED HOTELS are not bad indication
Of the return of better times. That the
merchants from the interior speak hopefully
some of the transient visitors are economical
and beat down the price Of room rent and
hack hire is not a bad sign. 1t is something
new to our hotel and hack people, but we
think it is never too late to mend
Year: 1876

NEW YORK has had enough of the Beecher
scandal, Heaven knows. We do not want
any more of it. For our part we should be
quite willing to have the Moulton malicious
prosecution case tried in Saturn or Neptune
The affidavit and counter affidavit laid be-
fore Judge Westbrook yesterday in this case
md the flavor of sulphurous personality
that pervaded the remarks of counsel recall
the days of the long trial in Brooklyn just rs
a rose recalls the summer-only the recol-
lection is not q savory one.
Year: 1876

Boss TWEED did not feel the shock Of the
rending rock on Sunday, but when he sees
the Franklin steaming in to vigo it may be
surmised that his shirt bosom will experience
a slight vibration. He would be poor sub
ject just at that moment to join in the chorus
of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Year: 1876

An EARTHQUAKE IN INDIANA.-Indiana
was more shaken up on Sunday night than
New York, and n fine field of inquiry is
opened for the philosophers who may deter
mine whether the great explosion, expend-
ing its main force downward, so disturbed
the equilibrium beneath the crust Of the
earth as to give a contrc-co,p under the prai-
ries
Year: 1876

their own opinions. equally without any
desire to hurt great enterprise or any re-


gard for the small spirit that would cover
up an evil lest it should keep away the peo-
pie rather than acknowledge it and find q
Year: 1876

We cannot plead indifference to the
complimentary may, highly culogistic-
welcomes with which the press in every
portion Of Louisiana have received the
revival Of the DEMOCRAT. We had
thought to print the notices OF all OF
our contemporaries, but many Of them
are 30 iiattering that TO do 80 would ap-
pear extremely egotistical. Our friends
Of the country press will therefore nc
cept, we hope, this notice as q feeling
acknowledgment Of their very good
words.


The letters we have received from
many friends and from every section Of
tho State, informing us that the suspen-
sion OF the DEMOCRAT was regarded by
the people as an omen OF political evil,
and its revival enthusiastically hailed,
can only he recognized generally IN
this brief paragraph. To the forty odd
letters we have received from Southern
ladies' in Louisiana and Texas, congrat-
slating us upon the revival Of the
DaxocRAT, we shall reply specifically.
Year: 1876

A Radical club. occupying rooms In
the building of the Home Insurance
Company, on Camp street, for some
days past have had q ring, streaked
and striped tarpaulin blazoned with
the names OF Hayes and Wheeler dis
played from the building. AS the flag
is a political one. the Home" not
being a political corporation, the secre-
tary very politely requested the chief Of
the club to take the flag down. Where
upon the Republican squanders itself In
half q dozen verses of dirty doggerel.
The Home" OF course, has perpe-
trated an outrage upon a loyal club; II
is Kuklux organization in the disguise
of an insurance company. Phil Sheri-
dan ought to send brigade to reinforce
the troops here and order the Canoni-
cuss and half q dozen other monitors to
train their guns. on the building Of the
Home Insurance Company. We fear
the people Of this city will never be-
come loyal enough to please such OF oul
masters as the N. O. Republican and the
head OF the A. U. G.
Year: 1876

The financial plank in the Repub-
lican platform means literally nothing
1t is simply an evasion of the question.
Taken IN connection with the blatant
utterances of the party chief. during the
last two years, II shows the Republican
party to be fraud The Democratic
party has never yet assumed any dis
tinctive position on this question. The
better Judgment Of its ablest leaders
has been that there are broader
and deeper questions at issue
than that Of the currency, and that, as
there are grave differences Of opinion in
the party on 1t, wisdom demanded that It
be ignored as party question and Its
discussion and settlement left to the
unbiased wisdom Of Congress. The
st. Louis Convention therefore stands
In position to follow the course OF the
Cincinnati Convention on this subject
and to thus entirely eliminate the ques-
ton Of the currency from the canvass
and restrict the issues to questions ofre-
trenchment and reform. Should the
Convention adopt this line OF action



1t will be difficult to challenge it's wis
dom. The action at Cincinnati has
equally placed it In the power OF st.
Louis to pronounce definitely upon
this question, combine In the support OF
the Democratic ticket all the hard
money elements of the country, besides
the reform men not welded to the folly
Of imitation, and at the same time fixed
the character Of fraud upon the Repub-
lican party and drive 1t within the arms
Of the intlationists.


We confess that this programme Is
most attractive to us, and we believe 1t
would overwhelm the Republicans. 1t
would raise storm throughout the eWest !;
but its wisdom, at this time, is In the
fact that it would be bold and brilliant
departure, calculated to absorb the old
and bitter questions OF the war.
Either way the st. Louis Convention
is able to command the situation. It
can eliminate from the canvass the
currency question, through which
the Republicans have distracted the
country for years, or. it can take up that
question and use It to knock the Repub-
lioan party squarely on the head.
Year: 1876

Dibble has sued out an injunction In
the Superior District Court to prevent
H. r. Steel from acting as Assistant
attorney General, upon the ground
that he is not qualified to hold the
Office; that he is not citizen Of the
State, or OF the United States, and that
he has never been legally admitted to
practice law in the courts Of this State.
Year: 1876

THE CONSTITUTIONAL 4NENDNENIS.


The appeal to voters in behalf of the Prison
amendment to the State Constitution, made by
Mr.. Sinclair Tousey and DR.. Elisha Harris
of the Prison Association, which we print in
another column, tells its own story. 1t derives
still greater force from the fact that Mr.. Tousey
is mt the head of the Commission which is in
yestigatng the affairs of the State Prisons,
and which has already strongly recommended
the adoption of this amendment. The necessity
for its adoption cannot be doubted, even by those
who favor some other scheme of reform. Under
the present system the political majority OF the
Board of State Prison Inspectors makes sub
stantially all the appointments, and makes
them for partisan reasons. There are more
kinds than one of rotation in Office. Each In
spector remains in charge of a prison but
third of the year, when there is new deal, and
the Inspectors are changed about, and thus, TO
secure an imaginary supervision of each others
official acts, the whole system of relations be-
tween chief and subordinate is broken up
three times year. The result is that dlSel-
plnc grows so lax and convict labor becomes
so nearly worthless that, to take one instance,
a contractor is paying the State OF New orK
for convict labor at Sing Sing precisely one
half what he IS paying the State OF Ohio Tor
convict labor at Columbus. Oar State Prison
system has become simply free university OF
crime, made up of three great training
schools, where vice and Idleness are taught at
an annual cost to the taxpayers of half
million dollars. Under the Prison amendment,
we shall have single official at the head Of
the system, with a term longer than that OF
the President of the United States, with power
to appoint his subordinates down to the lowest
grade. and secure from removal himself except
for cause.


Fully rs much is to be said in favor of the
Canal amendment. The Prison amendment Is
Only pushed forward into greater prominence
bv the fact that there are great abuses existing
in the prisons which it will instantly correct.
Both amendments deserve the vote of every
taxpayer and every good citizen. Tomorrow
we shall print ballot in favor of both, which
We hope every reader of The TRIBUNE will
take care TO cut out and vote
Year: 1876

Conyicts are released from prison every day
without the honor of paragraph and With
ont being in the least made lions of. Stokes,
who WAS enlarged on Saturday, has been in
some sort a lion from the beginning to the
end of his characterization much he was
talked of before his sccusiOn, and what a
space he has monopoizcd in the newspapers
for the last few years, it is unnecessary to say.
There is nothing in HIM to excite any whole
some interest and all his fame rests upon his
shooting man who was discredlt-
ably notorious. He seems to have done
this out of sheer cowardice, and under an
IMPRESSION that if he did not kill Fisk,
Fisk would kill him-an act of yalor of which
that person was hardly capable. After such
an experience, most men would prefer her
mtage and would not care to he any more
pacarded and advertised. The taste OF Mr..
Stokes is different He assumes the role OF a
prrfectly innocent person, vastly more slnned
against than SHINING; a martyr who has been
roughly used in spite of his possession of sew
eral of the more important personal virtues.
He would probably be forgotten very soon, II
if were not that the public is just now specially


interested in the management of our State
Prisons, anu Ht pi"i'H''o =" w - ~
possession of n good deal Of knowledge upon
the subject. He has stories of corruption and
cruelty. of bribery and favOritiSm. of dishonest
turnkeys and venal medical officers, with which
he proposes to rcgale the public. lie does not
deny that he has been mainly comfortable In
Sing Sing and Auburn-hls grievance Is that
his little comforts have cost him a great deal
of money. How far the evidence of such
man. who declares that he has brlbed and
bought up everybody put i'll authority over
him, is trustworthy our readers VIII determine
for themselves.


Those who have these prison scandals In
hand may or may not think proper to sum-
mon Mr.. Stokes, and the public will also de-
termine the value of his testimony. Most
evidence against prison officers Is OF some
what dubious sort; the witnesses II prisoners,
are by that fact impeached If not utterly dis
qualified; and yet it is extremely important
that abuses, if they exist, should be cor
rected. Mr.. Stokes has not much cruelty, we
believe. to complain of. He has lived during
his detention as cOzily as was possible under
the circumstances but some of his late COM
panions may not have been so fortunate and
the testimony of Mr. Stokes, if well cor
roborated, may be of assistance to those
having the prison investigation III charge.
We ought to mention that there is singu-
lar inconsistency in Mr.. Stokes's statements OF
his treatment. To some writers he represents
that he has had hard, to others an easy
time to one he details his cruel suilerings in
Auburn, to another ne declares that he has
never done a days work there-not five min
utes' work, he says--and never eaten mouth
full of prison food He intimates that the Off
GERS were afraid of him, and then describes
treatment which indicates anything upon their
part but fear
Year: 1876

the rest of their lives. How the Centennial
has been talked about, we need not say; nor
how it will be talked about in many
home by the Winter fires. The best
thing about it is its positive addition to the
intellectual forces of the country. The people
actually know more than they did last year
of mechanics, of art, of agriculture, of manu-
factures and of what this great, broad, busy
world is doing. 1t is quite possible to be in
sular without living upon an island. Many a
lad has taken, in Philadelphia, the best les
sons in geography, in statistics, in political
economy, which he ever received in his
life. The visitor must be stupid and stolid in
deed who does not return from Philadelphia
with his faculties freshened, and possibly with
the discovery that he has capacities before un-
suspected by him.


We trust that these last days will be Inn
proved, as. according to appearances, they VIII
be, with an energy which the kcener air of
the season will increase and vitalze. No such
opportunity will come again to this generation
of seeing with its own eyes the capabilities OF
the human race. Meanwhile, one cannot look
upon these pilgrims without respecting their
curiosity, their desire for information, ana the
rational character of the amusement which
they are seeking. 1t will all be over soon, III
one sense; but in another and higher one,
when will it all be Over7
Year: 1876

1t was impossible for the astute Democratic
leaders to regard with indifference the effect of
the recent announcement that the Southern
claims filed in the House of Representatives
approached or exceeded in amount the present
National debt. Their prompt action showed
that they saw how their hope of success woIsd
depend upon satisfying the capitalists, bank
ers, and merchants of the North that the
transfer of the Government to solid South
combined with the Northern Democracy,
would have no prejudical effect on the debt,
the taxes, the credit, and the repose of the
country.


To this point their ablest speakers and
writer's have skillfully devoted themselves
with variety of argument; and it is curious
to observe how each new effort in this direc-
ton bas seemed to increase and deepen the
Year: 1876

among the most active Republicans in the local
organization, and without thought of abusing
their power, will not blindly permit II To DC
used by the enemy.


We shall make public in few days the de-
tails of the measures taken to prevent repe-
ttion of the Tweed and Tiiden frauds OF loGS'
These statements will encourage our friends
throughout the country to believe, as We do
that the conspiracy to steal the vote of New
York has been already defeated.
Year: 1876

CENTENNIAL UISITORS ~ NEU-lORR


Ever since the opening of the Exhibition,
Sunday has been a day marked by the arrival
here in Ncw-York of those coming from or
going to Philadelphia. In COrtlandt-st. ana
in Dcsbrosscs-st and in lower Broadway the
Centennial pilgrims have been seen IN families
-patcrfamlias, materfamilias, the sons ana the
daughters-cach with the inevitable satchel or
valise. These wayiarcrs are easily recognized
the haclmcn, the bo0tbacks, the toutcrs FOR
the hotels, the little boy who Will carry
bag any distance for only ten ccntS-thesc know
at once the great Exhibition parties. The old
New Yorker can easily pick them out among
the hurrying thousands-for there Is something
marked in their step, in their dress, in their
faces full of interest and wonder in the very
dust upon their garments. Indeed, with a
little care, one can distinguish between the
parties who are going to the show and those
who are coming back from it. There is a
general air of fatigue, a suggestion OF safety,
a lmpncss of shirt collar, IA just slightly be-
draggled condition of the skirts, which SUI
fciently distinguishes those who have had
their look at the elephant from those advancing
to their first sight of the animal.


But, whether coming OF goilg,' 'helc IN solnc


thing pleasing in this procession of excursion
makers. In the first place, we have hint In
il Of the thriftincss and general prosperity OF
the country for though, commercially speak
ing. the times are a little hard, somehow the
money has been found this Summer for an
amount of plcasuring with profit in it, such
AS the country has never before witnessed.
Even the most economical have felt that the
money spent in the trip was well invested
and so. we are sure, it has been. All these
countless tourists carry back to their homes
increased knowledge and new secrets, which
J will take something Of commonplace out OF
Year: 1876

II is a matter for general congratulation that
the Republicans have determined to nominate
a straight ticket for local officers. The chances
are all in their favor with three tickets IN the
field and the absence Of all complications
with the Independent Democrats will ald the
National and State tickets.
Year: 1876

The blowing up Of baggage car for the sake OF
plunder is novelty of rascality; and it is frghtu


to think what inventions Of wickednoss this age is
capable Of The dynamite explosion on the Penn
Year: 1876

The old battle for supremacy in the American
piano manufacture between Steinway and Chicken
ing was renewed this year at the Centennial. and is
now raging in our columns. The Chickering's pre-
sent their side of the campaign this morning
Year: 1876

sylvania Railroad on Friday shows that all the tar
rors of travelling are not yet known to us. harm.
less Saratoga trunk which promised to do nothing
more than test the strength and try the patience Of
the porters is found to have contained quantity Of
dynamite with All elaborate piece of clock ma-
chinery for exploding it. Robbery facilitated BY
the confusion is thought to have been the purpose
of this diabolical contrivance Fortunately, ths
amount of damage done was sight the worst of this
matter is the apprehension that the possibility OF snch
things must naturally excite. The scampish inge-
nuity which blows up baggage car for the sake Of
plumber may next be tried upon a passenger car
riage. However, there is the reinsurance that the
amount of damage which may be done in this way
to life and property seems TO be limited. Internal
machines have been known for great many years
they are not difficult of constructions they are easily
applied; and yet we find that they are seldom re.
sorted to. AT the best, they are somewhat clumsy
and uncertain, and the game is hardly worth tho
candle. They require unusual painstaking and Sill
which can be more prohtaby applied.
Year: 1876

One of the lighting McCoOks" of Ohio has
been nominated for Congress in the With
District, and ought to be elected, for the Dis
trict is strongly Republican and Anson Nc
Cook is personally popular Gen. Ward ran
away with the district two years ago when
the tidal wave upset good many others in
various parts of the country. He had the ad-
vantage, tOo of running against weak Re-
publican; this time he will confront more
active opponent.
Year: 1876

The Porte still deliberates. Although nearly
q fortnight has elapsed since Russia informed
Europe that she would insist" upon short
armistice, the Porte is still loath TO yield. 1t
has good reason to hesitate, for if it accords
Russia this concession it will open the way for
many Others This is understood in England


where the official organ apparently regards the
armistice as granted and concerns itself only
with the basis of the proposed conference.
On that subject Russia will also be virtually
Year: 1876

Piano FOR SALE-We offer for sale the
celebrated Waters Piano. This is said to be
an excellent instrument and any persons
desirous o. purchasing one would find it To
their interest to call OH US before ordering, rs
this instrument is fully warranted to give
satisfaction. II