The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-10
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1869.
-.. Reoor1 of Commissioner wells.

Tre Reoort of Commissioner Wells.
A sxonxrARr OF THE TREASURY once sent to the
clark who had charge Of the statistics OF the
A.c.y+mspt. and announced that, rs he was
sbout 10 prepare 8 report to Congress, he
should like to know the general DRIFT OF the
popderous array Of facts and figures which
bad beeu carefully collected and collated
during the previous year. The clerks coun
tsnsnce was olouded with blank amazement
for moment, but suddenly recollecting that
the gloss of newness has not yet been worn
from the Cabinet robes OF the Secretary, he
oondescendingly vouchsafed this explanation
-'Tt's quite contrary TO the rules of the Office
for any Of the subordinates to decide what the
figures prove, and, indeed, we do not know;
but If you will be good enough to inform me
what positions you desire to take in your re-
port, will hunt up evidence to sustain you
and marshal the figures in such array as willy
best suit your purpose. II you want to have
the duties increased, will supply you with
reasons for that course; but if, on the con-
trary, you desire q reduction of the tariff, l
will prove that protection is oppressive and
ruinous." The Secretary was heartily
amused at this proposition, but after the
disclosure Of the red-tape system of serving
mp statistics to order, he never placed i'm
plicit reliance in the reports arranged under
the direction OF his successors in Office.
Special Commissioner Wells has lately pre-
sented labored document to Congress which
is evidently made up on the good old plan.
He resolved to favor speedy resumption of
specie payments and abolition of protec
tive duties; and in the interest of hard money
currency and free trade, he marshals his
figures to prove that the labOring classes are
in deplorable condition; that the rich are
growing richer and the poor poorer; and that
any apparent sign of prosperity individuals
or communities may imagine they behold is
merely q deluson and a snare. He can
scarcely deny that the great body of the
people live in comfortable houses, wear good
clothes, eat good food, that the promise of
"two dollars day and roast beef is more
than verified in numberless instances; that
simultaneous with this good living more
money Is deposited in savings institutions,
and more policies OF life insurance are issued
than ever before; and that, while the farmers
have been unprecedentedly prosperous, towns
and oities have increased in population, AMI
the numbers of their dwellings, stores, auc
workshops, with unparalleled rapidly; but
he sees no special significance in facts lik
these, and he prizes only fgurative illustra
tions of his favorite free trade, low wages, sut
hard money theories.
The speech recently delivered in Congress by
Judge Kelley, whichwas published in The TELE
GRAPH yesterday, fully demonstrates the i'm
propriety of giving official endorsement aud
extensive circulation to the mass Of crudities
and unjustifable conclusions c0ncocted by
Commissioner Wells. He belongs to scheo
of political economists similar to that which
was squelched in France by the declaration O.
the great Napoleon, that "if the empire were
adamant they would grind it to powder"
anything can secure the continued prosperity
of the nation, despite the burden of existing
debts, it is the development Of varied forms o
diversified industry, so that all home wants
as far as possible, shall be supplied by home
labor. II anything can ruin the United States
it is the restriction of her citizens to limited
range Of pursuits, and the increase Of de
vastating foreign commerce, consisting of tn
expectation Of raw materials, cotton, tobacco
and food, combined with the extensive impor
tation Of every variety Of manufactures. Tn
North prospered under the frst-named policy
and the South was ruined, even before tn
war, by persistence in the latter. Southerl
productions always furnished much large
basis for foreign commerce than those of tn
North, and Commissioner Wells persists i
the fragrant folly of the old Southern poll
tioians, that the extent of this commerce wa
an indisputable proof OF inexhaustible wealth
and that American prosperity is to be gauge
by the extent of its intercourse with distar
nations.
1t Is a very easy task to bring down prices
II we all become farmers and planters, corr
cotton, wheat, and beef will sell at fabulousl
low rates, and we can speedily be enabled
undersel all competitors in the British ma
ket, thus remedying one Of the evils deplore
by the Commissioner. 1t is also probable thi
the nominal price OF many manufactures
America would be reduced by the extensiv
impor.s .oa, under a low tariff, OF goods mad
lyx pauper labor; and as for the rent of house
in towns and cities, it would become merel
nominal Suder the proposed retrograde NOV
ment for thou. snds Of habitstiOns would n
.oesssrily be absno,Hned by their presel
tenants. Here, then, VOID be free-tra'
k..