Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-12-27
Our Washington Letter.
WAsH1NaroN, %. De. 2. Is.

cuStOm-houSe, revenue ONCE ana post
office in the land, vitalizing the current
in all the arteries and unnumbered veins
of the public service, causing a thrill of
comfort to the legions Of Scared de-
tenders of the nations liberties by the
regular recurring pension-making a
lsndholder and lord Of soil of every
landless, homeless man who wants it
clothing, feeding and supplying trusty
guardians and teachers to the aboriginal
owners of the domain, thus fitting them
at no distant day to become part Of the
mosaic composed of every nation and
kindred and tribe that is to be the citizen
Of the coming time. But why attempt
to enumerate.the multiplied functions
of the government in finance, diplomacy,
commerce, military and naTal affairs,
whose ponderousa and complicated wheels
have been steadily and efficiently work.
ing during the recess of Congress, IN
heard and unthought of by our scattered
millions of people. This is the civil
~service-this the work it is hourly and
daily doing-these the great interests
that tax the brain and fill the hands Of
thousand workers unknown to the pub
lie. There is no end to the amount of
writing, or to the uncivil things that
have been said of this civil service,
generally by those who comprehend
little of its bearings or wants. Itdoubt-
less needs sifting-needs to hsye inefi-
cheney weeded out, and also merit better
rewarded, not by textbook and literary
examinations, but by the test of actual
capacity for theparticular work required.
But even this will do little good so long
as Members of Congress have q host of
g~raceIess, inefficient nephews and politi-
cal dependents to put in the places
vacated by the incompetents. President
Grant has sent a message on the subject
to Congress enclosing the report Of the
Civil Service Commission, and proposes
to begin the new year upon the plan
proposed by them. Let us hope for good
results,
As usual Congress will do little but
lay out work till after the holidays.
The Senate ~adjourns on the sd till the
sth of january. The committees, how
ever, which are the real working engines
at the capital are hard at work and will
be in readiness for early legislation.
There is a vast amount Of important
work to be done, some of it the measures
connected with taxation and tariffs will
affect every citizen and consumer of the
country. Congress is disposed to tighten
the burdens resting upon the people.
1t will be comparatively easy with q
revenue that is paying so to 100, 1000, 900
of the public debt annually to Tighten
taxation, but upon the question of tariff
and protection, there's the rub. 1t is a
delicate question, how to give protection
to our manufacturers, without makingi it
equivalent to a direct subsidy, enriching
them from the hard earnings of the
masses who pay it in the enhanced cost
Of everything they consume. Let any
one travel in England or on the CONT
nent and the contrast in prices Of every
thing is almost startling. Think of fine
~broadcloth at six shillings sterling per
yard, a splendid pocket knife with three
or four blades Is. Cd. sterling, a hand
some morocco gilt edged Bible at Cd.
sterling (of which 1 saw a day or two
since a lot Of 600 bought at that price,,
or a fair copy of Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress for penny. Now we should
have adequate Observation-Disclosures can
be made at a fair price ought to be made
here. But some ofthe manufacturing in
terests are rapacious their constant cryis,
giUe, giro, and so our hard working people
pay high prices for or go without COM
forts and luxuries. 1t may benefit home
markets, but the masses are buyers, not
sellers, and rich corporations are poor
guardians Of the masses, and not espe-
cially tender of their wants, whether it
be in the management of manufactures,
railroads or telegraphs-
In 1868, after a long fight in Congress
for a readjusted and higher tariff, the
struggle finally ended in a compromise
between the manufacturers and pro-
ducers, by only putting an increased tax
on wool and woollens. I have never
learned that the wool growers of the
great west ever reaped any great benefits
from the movement. The next year
wool sold lower from the first hands
than it had lone for several years pre-
ceding /; it was a drug through the sum-
mer, and was only brought up by proper
manipulation after it had been safely
landed at the East. But among the pro-
visions on the manufacturers side was
the tax imposed on carpets Of 20 per
cent. adYslorem, and 80 cents a square
yard, equal say to tax of45 to 60 cents
on every yard imported. Every poor
man who bought a good carpet for his
little front room paid that, while a GER
tain carpet manufacturer in New York
returned an income for 1869 Of $S50,OOO.
If Congress had voted him a bounty of
30 cents a yard on his production, it
would have done him better service.
So while strong lobbies besiege Congress
in behalf of powerful interests, such as
iron, wool, cotton and coal, our legisla-
tors should look carefully into the bear
ing of proposed measures upon the
masses.
But my half-finished letter is already
too long, and I will reserve the balance
till next week. EZRA.
4OG
This is the way a Democratic paper,
the Ohio Statesman, shows its love for
Grant: