That Charge Of Extravagance

Tha board of aldermen are a lifctle teuder when it comes to placing them bef ore the people as extravagant. At a reoent meeting of the council Aid. Butterfield introdnced a resolution to ;he eft'ei t that whereas it had beeu generally reported in certain quarters ihat the present council has been ex;ravagant that a resolntion be adopted denying such general charges. The resolution was ad-jpted without a dissenting voice. But Aldefman Coou dropped a little powder on the aldermanic stove last Monday night and the explosión that followed jarred the steam pipes in the hall and made the clock in the tower to strike the hour prematurely. Alderman Coon had been delving aronnd into public records and aad come to council with a few figures under his arm. He innocently arose along in the shauk of the evening and moved about as follows: Whereas, this council has passed a resolution denying auy extravagauce during its life, resolved that suoh resolution be now rescinded in view of the fact that the council bas been extravagant. Now any such mosquito-like resolution as that would, of course, sting Alderman Butterfield, who liad been present at the boruin' of the previous resolntion, which he had fathered with a great deal of prille. He arose to his feet aud suid if Alderrnan Conu had any new light to shed in the counoil chamber that he was willing that it should be shed iu all its radiance, but he didn't believe in taking up time iu threshing over old straw. Alderman Coon followed by subinitting figures showing that the present council iu its first six montbs had spent $5,375 more than the oouncil preceding; $6,12122 more than the conncil of ] 893 for the same time,, and $8,229.39 more than that of 1892. One alderman said Alderman Coon marie dednotions but presented no abures, and Alderman Browu contended Chat the present couucil had paid $3,500 for stone roller anil orusher aud 000 in a daniage suit. Hedidn't thiufc wbeu these and someotheramountshad been dedncted that this oounoil bad been moro expensive thau others. President Hiscook said it was not fair to take. six inouths of the vear for figures, but tbat figures should not be couapared nntil tbe year was finished, for the last half of the year rnight make np a (lifïoreut average ontirely. Well, anyway, wheu Alderman Coon's resolution was pnt the alderman h i niself waa the only ono to support it and the great attempt at resusoitation bad died. Evon n obair in the back part of the couucil chamber lacked support in sympathy and feil to pieces. Hon. David B. Hill, of Elinira, N. Y , ex-goveruor of New 'York and present senator from the Emp;re state, will open the Stndeuts' Lecture assoeiatiou eonrse tonight at University hall, hia subject being "Old Landmarks. " This is Mr. Hill's flrst appearance in the city aud it is not tmlikely that it will take rnuch the form of au ovation. The Detroit News' correspondent gave it as the opinión of certain members of the college facnlty (he gave no ñames, of course) that the appearance of Mr. Hill tonight might have a "bad effect on the political moráis of the students. " The iüjlowing is an extract of the article in questiou : "When Cleveland made his famous speech on Washington's birthday, 1892, and, in fact, fired the flrst gnu in the battie that finally entrenched him in the White house, the University, from Presfdent Angelí down to the callo'W freshman.tnrued out topay him an oratiou, and frequently thereafter there were extracts made forra his address to enforce upon the students the duty of good citizensbip. "But novv Hill is to speak on the same platorm where Cleveland once spoke, not as the guest of the University, to be sure, but, nevertheless, as an attraction of the lecture association, he is sure to pack the hall fu!l. The wembers of the looture board have been privately critioizod by prominent members of the faculty, who liave declared tbat the appearance of Hill will have a bad effect upon the political moráis of the studeuts and pointod to his alles?ed conuivauce at ballot frauds in New York state, to his alliance with Tammany, to his bold avowal of the spoils theory, etc, to prove their point. "This feeling has been iutensified by a recent editorial in the New York Eevniug Post, severely scoring the Unic sity for cnlling 'au infamous man' into its portals.'' Just why the Evening Post should dub Mr. Hill an "infanKras man" does not appear. He is a person of the strictest moral ty, does not snioke, driuk or swear He no donbt holds the key to the democratie situatiou in New York, but that is no reason he is au "infamoua man" auy more thau any otlier man, republican or democrat, who has got to the top by hard work and perseverauce. Somo one person in bnth parties always has the big political pnll in every state, and Hill oornpares very favorably with "Boss" Platt and his gaug. Anyway, it is better to judge of the man after the applause bas ended at the olose of his leoture tonight than by the bearsay vi■ dence.gleaned chiefly froua the opposii toin press, whioh cuudeinus him.