Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-17
Free Trade i'm France.

Free lTlue Ill rance.
Well, we are getting along, it seems.
A fire in the sole remaining fragment
of the old Tuileries is our latest sensa-
ton, and it has been q veritable one.
Not that the damage done was so very
extensive in itself, fer, thanks to the
strength and solidity of French mason
ry, the fire, as is usual IN such cases,
did not spread beyond the floor IN which
it originated. But to have confagra-
ton in such close proximity to the vast
art collection of the Louvre was rather
terrifying. Just now, too, the Palace
du Carreusal is choked up with tempo
rary structures of wood wherein are in.
stalled the various sections of the postal
department, pending the completion of
the new grand postotlice. Had the
flames communicated to those lines of
low wooden buildings, they would have
burned like finder, and could hardly
have failed to set fire to other parts of
the palace. Fortunately, soon after
the alarm was given it began to rain
heavily, and the danger was thus avert,
ed. 1 went on Sunday last to look at
the scene OF the catastrophe. The
Pavilion de Flore is the end pavilion
On the side of the palace toward the
quay, and is so called from the fine
statue of Flora, by Carpeaux, which
decorates the main facade. American
visitors to Paris will remember the two
fine sphinxes in stone that keep watch
in front of that pavilion. 1t is the
only portion of the Tuileries that es-
capped when the main building was
burned. The corresponding pavilion
on the Rue de Rivoli is q restoration.
having been rebuilt since my arrival IN
Paris, some seven years ago. 1t rea lily
seems as though every part of the old
palace of Catherine de Medicis was
destined to become the prey of the
flames. The fire RACED fiercely in those
few rooms wherein it had full sway,
the suite of apartments wherein it pri e.
mated being gntted. The windows
have vanished like so many cobwebs,
the stone carvings on the facade are
upper floor of the building presents a
pitiable appearance. 1t is said that the
beautiful statue Of Flora is irretrieva-
bly, damaged. Not only is it much
blackened by the smoke, but the flames
played over it. in many places calcip-
ing the stone. The fire originated in
! the rooms of Madame Herold, the
mother of the Project. She had made
her escape in such haste. as to forget to
take with her her jewels, which were of
great value, and which were deposited
in casket that stood on her dressing
table. This casket was taken possession
of by one of the firemen, and was by
him returned intact to its rightful
owner.
l was rather amused by reading, the
other day, the account of free trade
meeting at which NJ. Leon Chotteau
made a lengthy speech, and which sep
arated after passing resolution recon-
mending the Government to maintain
the duty of twelve cents on American
wheat, and to impose q duty of thirty
cents on American flour. And these
were the sentiments of an assemblage
avowedly called together in the inter-
ests of free trade, aud particularly for
the regulating of new tariff with the
! United States! l should like 10 know
what the ideas of protective gathering
would have been. I wish to signalizs
the foregoing incident, especially COM
mending it to the notice of the advo-
Gates of the Franco-American treaty in
all its branches. What short sighted
mortals these French ariff.makers be!
They do not seem to understand that
the cheaper food becomes the better it
will be for the toiling millions of the
working classes. And let the friends at
home of the Franco-A American Treaty
remember, that quantities of our pro-
auctions are absolutely prohibited from
entering France-yes, prohibited lit
orally and truly-not by the imposition
of heavy duties, but by their being for
hidden entrance altogether. Drugs,
machinery, cotton goods, plated ware,
carriages, locks, are among few OF
the articles thus prohibited, and they
are kept out of France as strictly as
though the smallpox or the yellow fe-
yer lay hidden in every one of them.
The Franco American treaty ought in
reality to be called the Jug Handle
treaty, being all on one side, as the San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce stated
with unpalatable truthfulness. When
ever l hear any one of my French
friends begin to argue in its favor, l
always think of Alphonse Karr's re-
spouse to an advocate OF the abolition
Of capital punishment, Spy all means
only let the assassins set the exam
ple." And so would say to the French
free traders, "Set us the example,
gentlemen, pray set us the example,
| Lucu Ii. HoODer's PdriS Letter.