Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-28


During the year 1879 the people of France
paid 10 the United States for products the sum
of sliS, 100000. This was the largest trade
France gave 10 any country In that year, her
purchases from England declining to sl2o,-
100000. While our country stood first On the
list as 10 selling 70 France we were fourth in
buying her products, aud this fact has inspired
the French With a purpose 20 make this trade
reciprocal or to cut OF our enormous profits.
In other words, the debates In the French AS
seInbly indicate that unless The United States
consents TO make trade treaty or to modify our
tariF, France will impose so high duty upon our
products as 70, at least partially prohibit their
importation into that country. Already very
heavy tax has been imposed upon petroleum
and France would no doubt DE glad to tax our
DreadstufTs IL the same way. only that the re
suit would be 10 make the staff of life dearer to
the French consumer. For the same reason the
project In England 10 make a retaliatory tariff
against American importatlOns failed because
the tax would be mainly levied On American
meats and oreadstuf5, and would thereby
make the cost OF living dearer to the British
public. The European nations would like very
much to blister US with retaliatory tariG TO
compel US TO abolish our tariff upon their goods
but they are bothered how to manage It since
we get from them the luxurie5 or life, mainly.
and they require from Us the necessaries In
flush times Ike the present we buy very freely
CT their goods. but purchase more sparingly in
hard times; while they are obliged to buy cur
tre4dStuffs most largely when crops are bad
With tht m, and they can least afford IL.
Some or the republican and democratic
organs, In discussing the organization of the
next House OF Representatives, are indulging
In threats as to what their respective parties
propose 10 do in the event that the other Side
attempts partisan measures For instance, &c
has been given out that the republican majOr:ty
viii unseat every member from the south
whose district contains a large proportion Of
ColOred voters. The democrats retOrt that
they Will resist the unseating of their members
By flibustering, and that they Will exhaust
the entire term Of Congress, If need De, In this
manner. These threats seem to have caused
some alarm, particularly In the
centers OF business. Men who have large
Interests at stake naturally dread heated and
perhaps violent political contest in Congress-
But really, When the status OF the next House
is consulted there appears to be very little, if
any cause, to appTehend wild partisan conten-
ton. The majority viii not be strong enough
10 enter upon any violent partisan measures, in
the first place. The minority though IL will be
stronger than that side or the House has been
for years, will not be powerful enough to adopt
any course that would e1danger the public
interests. In short the parties VIII be so nearly
equally divided In the next House a. to prove a
check one upon the other, and in that case Il
IS more reasonable to look for weil-G0lsideTed
legislation than for extreme partisan warfare.
Besides, the threats OF party organs ought not
to scare any body.