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The First Number Of The Michigan

The First Number Of The Michigan image
Parent Issue
Day
31
Month
July
Year
1885
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

State Democrat, a weekly published in Detroit by our friend, M. T. Woodrufí, tonnerly of Ypsilanti, has reaohed vm. We like it well . The pobtical and liteary artioles are well chosen and the editorial matter shows the peculiar style and vim of one of the best politioal writers in the state. The general tone of the paper has the clear democratie ring, and we wish it success. Thb custom of crematiou or burning the bodies of the dead, is becoming more and more popular in this country, and notably in France. Arrangements for oremating bodies in Paris at a cost of $2.50 each are soon to be perfected - a coat lees than the expense of digging a grave, to say nothing of the expense of a lot and the other necessary expenses of a burial. Besides being cheaper, the new custom is cleaner, hoalthier, and avoids the awful risk of burying persons alive, which no doubt of ten happens. The enstom of burying the body has no foundation in reason or religión, and has been kept alive by the doctrines of the grosser materialists, that the body somehow, sometime, is to be literally résurrected - a doctrine fading froni the beliefs of all civilized people. Several bodies have been oremated in this country the past year and the time is probably not far distant when every large city in the country will have crèmatories for burning the bodies of its dead. The Northern Pacific railroad is massing all ito cara at Tucoma, Washington Territory, the teminus of that road, on Püget Sound, to bring east to Chicago, New York and Boston, a oargo of two thousand tons of tea soon tö arrive at Tuooma in a bark from Japan. It will take ten trains of twenty cars eách to transport this single ship load of tea. The frieght is $1.75 per one hundred from Yokohoma to New York- much iess than any suoh f reight has ever been brought before and in a mueb shorter time, too. These facte are very significant. It meáns that our trade with Japan and China is likely to leave the route by way of San Francisco and the Central and TXnion Pacific roads, and follow the cheaper and shorter northern route. San Francisoo has probably seen its best days. Tüe construction of the Pacific railway injurèd lts oommerce and the diversion of the China and Japan trade to Puget Sound and the Northern Pacific, will be a serious blow to its prospenty. , It was predicted by the republioan leaders, before the last presídehtáaí eleiction, that if the demócrata succeeded the party would at nee take steps, to pension the rebel soldiere. 'In' view of this terrible prediction it is a-Mttle curióos and interesting that the repnblican state convention of Virginia, Jteld a few days ago, put a resolution in its platform in favor öf pensioning the rebel soldiers of that state. The resolution was adopted with the old-time "rebel yelL" The band played Dixie, and this convention of Tepablans elected a noted unreeonstrueted rebel for ohairman- one w-ho ppealy boasted that he had been "cut in two"in ' fighting for the rebel cause! A republican state convention the first to propose pensioning rebel Boldiers! Make a note of this To this pitful pass hae.: the "grand old party" come. The leaders of the party in the east declare that if they oan't carry Virginia on this platform they wiJl go aboard the Dolphin and put to sea - probably never to return. The oelebrated Hoar of MasaftchoBfitta, to het as sailing master. What is the reason our polioe do not make an efifort to protect the eourt house lawn? Ifkept olean and green it would soon be a source of pleasure and dèlight toóur citizens. As it is it has become a lounging place for tramps and loafers, and as dirty and unsightly as b pig-sty. More than a year ago the council, in obedience to public sentiment, adopted an ordinance imposing a fine upon any one tréspassing upon the lawn, with a proviso making it the the especial duty of the pólice to see that it was enfpreed. Bnt this ordinanqe, the direction of the council. and the wishes of the tax-paying public, are all treated with con tempt and the only pnblie ground in the city, which might be a thing of beauty for all toenjoy, is turned over to loafers as if it was their property. What are our pólice for if not to enforce the ordinances of the city? They sometimos make éxcureions to the subnrbs and arrest pebple sitting on the sidewalks, but ín the public place in the city, where the ordinances are violated before the eyes of every? body, at all hours of the day and niht, not the slightest attempt ismadètoenfore them. If something is. not done soon we shall begin to hear the public cry, which is already beginning to be wispered - thé poliee must go! Since the above was put in typo Chief Fall has been instructed tö aee ihat the ordinance is enforced. The public now expect it. A wbitbb in the Evening News seems . to think the republicans can easily eleet á congressman in this district next year, and that the democracy has been injured . by the appointment of a postmaater or other federal appointmente here or there. Just as if the existence of the democratie party depended in any degree upon whether A, B or C holds the petty offices! The democratie party has aurvived a quarter of a century and won two presidential elections without any offices, and if any one man thinks that the party is " busted " or " gone up " becanse he does not get a particular office, be will probably find himself mÍ8akeüi Republicans might as well not count too much upon democratie dissatisfaction about the división of offices. Democrats, are demócrata from principie, desire honest and eceonomical government and it makes but little diñierence to the great moas of the party whether A or B gete the office. No appointment can suit everybody. If the anel Gabriel had been made postnutster of Ann Arbor, for instanoc, his appointment would have been disgusting, of course, to all republicans and to at least ten per eent at tbe democrats. Let Mr. Cleveland go straight forward and give na clean, honorable and capable men for the offices, as he has done so far, and the democratie votere and the people will take care of the rest wben the time comen, including this oougressional district. The repub lican party is going and before four yoars we shall hear the final word - gone! Ml rite bas been decided that General Grant ahalJ be buriéd at Central Park, New York. This is a decisión worthy Of Qrant & Ward and of the shoddy crowd wbo for years have been speculating upon the name and fume of Oen.. Qrant. Central Park is a pleasure ground belonging to the city of New York. There is nothing national about ït. It is the resort of women and children for fresh air, and of onnous sight-seers. Itemall, at one end of whicu it is propssed to bury General Grant, is crowded pleasant afternoons and evenmgs with the spleiidid equipages of fast horesemen and of the demi monde. N high-minded and patriotic citizen goes to such a place to do reverenoe to a great name orseek inBpiration. How contemptible süch a burial place must seem toall right minded oitizensj compared to the Soldiere' Home at Washington or, beter still,thèHeigh4s of Arlington.overlooking the valley of the Potomac, the national capítol, the battle flelds of Virginia, and. wUere the ; great general conld sleep with 100,000 of. his brave cotnrades bivouacked around him.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat