Life — August 19, 1886 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“QMhite there's Life teee’s Hope.” VOL. VIII. AUGUST 19, 1886. 1155 Broapway, NEw York. Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents. Back numbers can be had by applying to this office. Vol. I., $1.50 per number ; Vol. II., 25 cents per number; Vols, III., 1V., V. and VI. at regular rates. Rejected contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. I Ff we must thrash any sister nation in behalf of the boasted liberties of our citizens, without doubt Mexico is as convenient for that purpose as any that could be named. It is manifestly inexpedient to snub Great Britain. Even if we had the ships to do it, it would interrupt the pleasures of many of our own citizens ; would recall Minister Phelps from his round of country visits; would make ex-Minister Lowell a homeless wanderer, and drive Envoy Holmes across the channel, at least. It would be cruel to spoil so much sport. But a little fracas with Mexico would have no such untoward results ; and, besides, it might redound to our military glory and give new lustre to arms that have grown dim and blunt in pursuit of Geronimo. * * * 6c O war at a time,” Mr. Lincoln used to say when he was urged to fight England during the civil war. Might it not be wise to catch Geronimo before we take a new contract in gore spilling ? * * * HE true quarrel in the Cutting affair seems to be be- tween Texas and Chihuahua. The government at Washington and that at the City of Mexico are believed to regard each other with affectionate concern. They do not want to fight. Texas, on the contrary, is burning to twist her fingers in Chihuahua’s hair, and Chihuahua is believed to have similar wishes as to Texa If the borderers could only be suffered to fight out their quarrel among themselves, no doubt both countries would be as peaceful after it as Kil- kenny was after the cats fought. * * * T is not often that the arena of the courts is graced by a contest of two such commercial giants as John Wana- maker, of Philadelphia, and Mark Twain. These two estim- able gentlemen have differed as to the price to be paid by consumers for the war memoirs that General Grant wrote and Mr. Clemens published. The court declines to limit Mr. Wanamaker in his privilege of circulating General Grant's book, and, so far, Mr. Clemens has had his labor for his pains. We like to see Mr. Twain and every other com- mercia! gentleman get his rights; but the courage becomes dare-devil recklessness when it meddles with Philadelphia's Mascot. * * * Y no means the least of Mr. Tilden’s many good works is the provision in his will which gives his executors the power to invest a large part of the fortune he left in a free library for New York. New York's need of a great free library. is so conspicuous that it can hardly be doubted that the trustees will apply the money according to the sugges- tions furnished them. A great monument such a library would be to any man’s memory. * * * S to its management a single, simple rule will be useful to the trustees and can scarcely fail of good results. It is this: Find out how the Lenox Library is conducted, and manage the Tilden library the other way. * * * W* regret to hear that hard times have come to a liter- ary namesake of our’s in Chicago. The intelligence that Miss Rose Cleveland had undertaken the management of Literary Life is quickly followed by the seizure of that journal by the sheriff. If Miss Cleveland is new to the edi- torial profession such a preliminary may disconcert her. But Colonel Eugene Field, or any other veteran can -tell her that a literary paper whose compositors are not deputy sheriffs would be an anomaly in Chicago journalism. Miss Cleveland has the best of reasons to know that a sheriff is only a man after all, and a man can be managed. * * * HE good work of trying the Chicago Anarchists goes on, and LIFE is not alone in hoping that no guilty man may escape. If it can be ascertained who are directly responsible for the murder of the policemen, not even the exigencies of type-setting must deter the Sheriff and his Deputies from spending a Friday or two in labors more strictly professional. * * "T"HE indictment of Squire and Flynn is a step in the right direction, but Mr. Martine should not content himself with a single step. = There seems to be a well developed yearn on the part of the people of this benighted city that the rest of our City Government should be indicted for something, and, being on the side of the people, LIFE recommends such a course. It will be a glorious day for New York when the jobbers of our City Hall have removed their offices to the more com- modious quarters of Ludlow Street Jail, with a branch establishment at Sing Sing. comicbooks.com