The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-02

III.
tanning them he has got who will work and live
happily on what would not keep Crispin In to-
bacco, he at least Is not to blame"
We are not prepared to say that it may not
become necessary to place the importation of
coolies under proper restrictions. But all
such restrictions must be founded on Justice
and common sense, not upon mere prejudice
The problem is one which deserves, and
must receive attentive study. The working
men, to start with, had better consider
whether they cannot modify their conduct to-
ward their employers SO as to reduce the
temptation which now exists for the importa-
tion of Chinese laborers. Prices of labor
cannot be kept up by the clumsy expedient
of shutting competitors out of the market.
COMMISSIONER WELLS RETIREMENT.
From the ~ Y. World.
The Office of Special Commissioner of Re-
venue has ceased to exist. 1t died for want
of renewal
When this office was created, four years
ago, we were not enthusiastic aboutits util-
ity, supposing it to be but an additional appli-
ance for aiding class legislation. 1t is due to
the distinguished Commissioner who has
retired to state that ne so discharged his du-
ties as to cause his Office to be looked upon
by all men, without political distinction, who
are not absolutely interested in iron, copper,
woollens, and other monopolies, az the rally
ing point for truthful information; while his
annual reports have become valuable state
papers in our own country, and are looked
upon in England, France, and Germany as
among the most valuable contributions to
political economy in our time.
1t will be as interesting as it is instructive
to give a succinct sketch of the rise and fall
of this office
The late Secretary of the Treasury, Mr..
McCulloch advised with the late Mr.. Fessen-
den on the necessity of having some one in
the Treasury Department whose sole business
would be to point out to the Secretary, to
Congress, and to the people the best mode of
collecting taxes, the advisability of imposing
new and repeating old taxes, to give truthful
exhibits of the progress of commerce and in
dustry, to collect statistics, both here and
abroad, on these subjects and give the whole
result in annual reports. We were not wrong
in supposing at the time that the peoples
enemies and oppressors- monopolists
would seize upon this Office as a power to
work for their interest. Their design was
only frustrated by the accident of the appoint
ment of Mr.. Wells, who, they supposed,
would be thoroughly under their
control The first duty this all-pow-
erful class imposed on him in 1866. was
to make tariff to suit them This task was
as happy for the country as for Mr. Wells
future career. 1t opened his eyes to the sell
| fshness and the shameless robberies of the
monopolists. The tariff he drew up in 1867
was a tissue of oppression to the already
oppressed people. 1t had but Que redeeming
point-it changed good many articles in
drugs from an 0d 0dLOreDa to a specific duty.
| This tariff bill, as is well known, passed the
Senate, who added still more duties on the
overloaded bill; but it failed in the House.
From that time Mr.. Wells began to be not
! the Special Commissioner of Revenue for
Greeley, Carey, Morrel, Cameron, Kelley,
Mccarthy, and men of that ilk, but he be-
came the Special Commissioner of Revenue
for the people.
In 1868 Mr.. Wells in his report began to
tell the truth. He had been during the sum-
mer in Europe, where he gathered statistics
and facts which strangely Jared with the
blessings of monopoly. The all-powerful and
virtuous monopolists became alarmed They
felt in the position of Balak, who, having
hired Balaam to curse his enemies found that
he actually blessed them. In vain did Mr.
Wells explain to these enemies of progress
that he was only giving the statistics which
proved all he had said. The answer was ex-
actly the same that Balak made to Balaam:-
If you cannot crush the tendency to reve-
nue. tariff, then say nothing; if you cannot
abuse free trade, you can at least not praise
it. But MIR. Wells had the spirit of truth and
fairness upon him, and he felt it his duty to
enlighten Congress and the people. His re-
ports of 1869 and 1SG0-70 are fresh in
the peoples minds. They have been read as
few state papers of that class were ever read
before, particularly his last report 1t is to
Mr.. Wells credit that he should be abused
by the iron monopolists, Kelley, Morrell,
Dickey, ETC., and by the salt monoplist, Nc
Carthy. This only shows that he worked for
the people, and was not the hired man of
monopoly. But they were determined to
smother the formidable Wells, with his office.
Rumors were circulated during the winter
that MIR. Wells was to be got rid of by
not renewing the Office, which was to
expire on the 1st of July. About four weeks
ator Trumbull stated to Mr.. Wells that
they were prepared to move the continu-
alton of the Office in the House and
Senate. But they would like to be sure,
if the office were renewed, whether
Mr.. Wells would be reappointed Mr.. Wells
saw the President, and made this statement,
at the same time assuring him that, by close
canvass, the renewal. of the Office would be
voted two to one. President Grant frankly
stated to Mr.. Wells that Mr.. Boutwell, had
made up his mind that the Office should not
be continued, and, as he (the President) did
not wish to differ with the Secretary of the
Treasury on such subject, he advised Mr..
Wells not to press the matter, or, indeed
think of it This conversation determined
Mr.. Wells to advise his friends not to move
in the matter.
But why does Mr.. Boutwell, wish to snuff
out Mr.. Wells? The answer is not difficult
This Secretary of the Treasury, the would-be
converter of our bonds aud aspirant for the
Presidency, pales in ability before his capa
BILE subordinate, and is jealous of his grea
popularity.
ENGLISH NEGLECT OF EDUCATION.