The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-17

national legislation to throw its mgis over the
noble forests of our great Northwestern and
Pacific Territories, now rapidly opening up,
and to encourage the planting of trees on an
extensive scale. It is neither from sentiment
nor from the mere leadings Of scientific theory
that we make this appeal for these venerable
and true aborigines Of the soil,
Whose boughs are mOssed with age.
And high tops bald with dry antiquity.
But we press it upon the people as a measure
of prevention, to avert the menacing evils of
climatal and physical degeneracy agricultural
prostitution and eventual national decadence
Are we willing actually to bequeath to pos
terity realization of that Pigment of the poets
imagination, terra damnata /?
The German Government Checking
Emigration.
It will be seen by our special cable telegram
published in another column that the govern
ment at Berlin has issued a decree, signed by
the Minister Of Commerce, commanding the
railway companies Of Germany to discontinue
the practice of transporting emigrant passen-
gers at reduced rate of fare. 1t seems that
the practice had been to carry the emigrants
from the interior provinces to the seaboard
at very low rates, and their baggage free,
which had tendency, of course to encourage
emigration This arbitrary decree requiring
the railway companies to charge full rates of
fare for persons and baggage is evil
IDENTIFY intended as an obstruction to
emigration, for it increases the cost
and difficulties of reaching the seaboard.
Emperor William does not like to lose the
bone and sinew Of Germany. He needs great
deal of it for his enormous army and to
enable him to consolidate his new Empire
against possible enemies abroad and the grow
ing republican spirit at home. He needs those
stalwart Germans to keep the French intimi-
dated, to uphold dynastic rule and privileges,
to strengthen Imperialism and to promote the
material interests of the Fatherland. From
these considerations he would naturally oppose
emigration from Germany to any country
on the globe; but he, like all his crowned
brethren, cannot look with favor upon the
constant and steady accession which
European emigration brings to the American
Republic, and consequently to the progress
of republican ideas generally. He and his
brother monarchs, and the aristocracies
seed of republicanism thus sown by con-
tinual stream of emigration to the United
States reacts powerfully upon the different
countries Of Europe. England, as we have
seen, endeavors through her emigration COM
missioners and other agencies, and often by
misrepresentation Of the United States, to
divert her emigrating population to the colo
MES or other countries Though more liberal
than the German government as regards the
freedom of action Of the people, she is not less
jealous of the growing power and influence of
republican America. The action of the En-
peror OF Germany, as stated in the despatch
referred to, may check the emigration of the
poorer class for time, but will prove futile
upon those who have more means We doubt
if it will have much effect in lessening the
number of emigrants. The Germans desire
to escape from military service and despot-
ism-from the wrath to come of dy-
nastic and ambitious wars which are
constantly impending in Europe-and to
better their condition in this land of freedom,
equality and cheap lands. While we admire
the brave old German Emperor for many
noble qualities and for his resolve to enlarge
the municipal liberties Of his people against
the opposition of the Prussian aristocracy, we
think he has made serious mistake in this
autocratic decree to stop emigration. 1t is
warning against the inevitable as we'll as
against the most sacred right of the people to
choose their own domicile and to improve
their condition.
The FRENCH GOVERNMENT is honorably and
efficiently active in the discharge Of its neutral
obligations towards the Spanish Crown and