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The Record and guide: v. 38, no. 962: August 21, 1886

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August 21, 1886 The Record and Guide. 1049 THE RECORD AND GUIDE, Published every Saturday. 191 BroadiTT-a-sr, IST. IT. Oar Telepboue Call U.....JOHN 370. TERMS: OIVE ¥EAR, in advance, SIX DOLLARS. Communications shoxild be addi-essed to C. W. SWEET, 191 Broadway. J. T. LINDSEY, Business Manager. YOL. XXXVIII. AUGUST 31, 1886. No. 963. A volume which shoidd be in the hands of every builder, con¬ tractor, architect, and owner and dealer in real estate, is now ready and can be procured at the offlce of The Record and Guide. It is a new edition of the law relating to buildings in the City of New YorJc, with added matter, marginal notes and colored engravings to illustrate the subject. It contains the laio limiting the height of dioelling-houses, also the existing Mechanics' Lien Law. This work is edited hy 'William J. Fryer, Jr., ivhose original and well-thought-out comments give it a special value. Tlie volume ivill also contain a complete directory of architects in New Yorh, BrooMyn, Jersey City, NewarTc and Yonkers. The hook is handsomely bound in cloth, and is sold at the low price of seventy-five cents, by mail eighty-five cents. The trade returns from all parts of the country are excellent. We are now assured of fair corn and good wheat and small grain crops. Taking the country through the hay crop, the most import¬ ant of all, is above the average. The Middle and Eastern States have never had such abundant grasses as this year. Our animal products are very large. The cotton crop looks as if it would reach 7,000,000 bales. It is now almost certain that our small grain and corn crops will bring us a larger return than did those of last year. All our manufactories are doing well, arid while production is large it does not outrun consumption. It is true that money has been tight in Wall street, but that is not an unwhole¬ some symptom at this period of the year. So far as the general business of the country is concerned all looks well. Foreign affairs have a warlike look. It is evident that the Eastern question will shortly be reopened. European observers of the situation have long believed that the great international con¬ flict would have begun ere novs^ were Kaiser Wilhelm dead; but the aged monarch does not wish to pass away with the clash of arms resounding in his ears, and he is making every sacrifice to keep the peace while alive. It is, however, an open secret that the Russian attitude is warlike both in Southeastern Europe and Southern Asia. France is ready and eager for the fray, and will probably be the only ally of Russia in Western Europe. Russia's aim, of course, is Constantinople in Europe and Herat in Affghan- istan—the one to give an outlet to a vast commerce and the other to get possession of the key to Hindoostan. France wishes to be revenged on Germany and recover the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. Disquieting rumors are current in the capitals of Europe, and it is a noticeable fact that our exports of wheat and provisions just now are the largest ever known. The recent enormous addi¬ tions to the metallic money reiserves of France is especially signifi¬ cant in this connection. The nomination of a Knight of Labor to head the Democratic State ticket in Ohio is a fact of great significance just at this time. Then the Democratic State platforms, both in Ohio and Pennsylvania, contain a number of planks intended to propitiate the labor vote. We have frequently dealt on the probability of the temperance and labor issues being important factors in the political situation for several years to come. The employing class will naturally be much disquieted at the influence of the labor organizations in being recognized by the politicians. The fact should never be forgotten that while the employers are wholly unorganized the workingmen have their unions and Knights of Labor and can threaten to move on the polls in organized masses. bow than the one on prohibition. The Republican party have reason to be very apprehensive of the temperance vote this fall. The people are to vote this fall for or against the calling of a new State constitution. The press generally favors a convention to revise our organic law; but, so far. The Record and Guide is the only journal in this country which has called attention repeat¬ edly to the necessity for radical changes in the Constitution of the United States. The greater part of the machinery of that venera¬ ble instrument is worn out. We are in peril of civil war at every Presidential election, but while we keep on reforming and chang¬ ing local city charters and our State constitutions, nothing is done to improve the working of our federal political machinery. A convention to revise the Constitution of the United States ought to sit on the centennial anniversary of its adoption. What an educa¬ tion it would be for the American people if they were forced to discuss and examine the fundamental principles which lay at the foundation o f our government! Who seconds the motion for a grand national convention to make our organic law conform to the exigencies of our modern political life ? The Prohibitionists are putting new planks in their platforms to attract popular attention. They favor civil service reform laws, taking away of land grants from defaulting railroad com¬ panies, encouragment to labor organizations and aa amendment to the federal constitufcion giving Congress power to pass a national law regulating marriage and divorce. These temperance people show their cleverness iu trying to have more strings to their The Mayor-Attorney canvass may be said to have commenced. Three persons have already been named. Park Commissioner Beekman is favored by Mayor Grace and expects to receive the support of the County Democracy. Ex-Congressman Dugro is backed by the Sun and World, and is apparently the favorite Tammany nominee. A suggestion has also been made that Cor¬ nelius Vanderbilt be put in the field to represent the solid citizens of New York, who care nothing for the local machines and think only of the good government of the city. Mr. Beekman is a law¬ yer, a man of means, character, and represents what may be called one of the historic families of the metropolis. The objection urged against him will be his commitment to Mayor Grace's policy, espe¬ cially with reference to the parks in the annexed district. Mr. Dugro is an amiable gentleman of fair repute, but he would simply repre¬ sent Tammany, and probably the contractor interest in the aque¬ duct job. It is a pity that there could not be a union of the leading men of all parties in favor of some such a candidate as Cornelius Vanderbilt. He is a modest, high-toned, public-spirited citizen, trained to business of a kind which would fit him admirably to be the chief executive of a city like New York. But there is a preju¬ dice among voters against rich men, and, it must be confessed, not without reason, for as a rule they are grasping and put their own interests before those of the public. But Mr. Vanderbilt would make an ideal Mayor if he could only be elected. We venture to propose Theodore Roosevelt. Although a Repub¬ lican he would poll tens of thousands of Democratic votes. He also comes from one of our historic families, and, being a young man, he would call out the enthusiasm of the same class of active young business men who elected Seth Low in Brooklyn. Mr. Roosevelt is a practical legislator—one who is thoroughly aware ot all the wants of New York. The city owes him a debt of gratitude for aU the reform measures identified with his name. But it is idle to hope that a really first-class candidate wiU be chosen. The next Mayor of New York will work in the interest of the corrupt gang who have control of our public works, more particularly the aqueduct job. It should be steadily borne in mind that in all the large cities the contractor is supreme in local politics. It is he who owns the wire-pullers of all the machines. It has been the fate of every municipality in the country to be finally ruled by the men who are interested in local improvements for the profits they can make out of them. Secretary Bayard was indisputably "too previous" in demanding of the Mexican government the instant release of Editor Cutting. He put himself in a mortifying position by making an unjustifiable demand, and one which has not been acceded to. The report that he contemplates resigning is a very probable one. Mr. Bayard is a high-toned Southern gentleman, but he is out of place in any executive position. He was just fitted to be a Senator from a small State like Delaware. His appointments show that he is no judge of men. In his opinion he is a doctrinaire of an old Demo¬ cratic-Bourbon type, and it would have been a sad misfortune for the Democratic party as well as the country had he been elected President of the United States. While we are wholly neglecting the fortifying of our coast and are creating a navy in a very dead-and-alive manner, the building of war ships by other nations is being pushed with energy and without any regard to the expenditure of money. Italy is con¬ structing some remarkable ships of war, and Spain, which has already a very fair iron-clad fleet, has borrowed £9,000,000 to add