Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-10

letter from Mr.. John W. Garrett to Mr.. ". W
Corcoran. In another column. presents some H.
telligent views upon the important matter OF the
reclamation of the Potomac flats The need for
this work has been so universally admitted. O.
late and the press o. the country this past season
have so generally urged prompt action to remedy
the evil. that it would seem impossible u
doubt that the passage of bill for
The abatement OF the nuisance would be one o!
Che earliest acts of the session. What Is every
body'5 business Is nObOdy'S business however, and
there is grave danger that If some OF energetic
citizens do not TAKE the matter in hand, the meas
ure for the improvement Of the river front of
Washington will be again elbOwed out of the line
OF legislation, for another session. In this emer
gency the Citizens Committee of One Hundred that
performed such important public service In
securing legislation by which the government as
sumed half the burdens Of taxation In the District
haze with proper public spirit responded to re-
quests from all quarters that they should take the
nald in behalf OF this most important District
measure, the reclamation OF the Potomac marshes.
This one OF the measures the committee had
IN hand originally. but It was displaced for the
time by the more imperatiyely needed work of Sc
curing legislation equalzing the burdens of taxa
ton. The committee can now very properly take
up this deferred work, and it is TO be hoped they
will have the same success as in their efforts in be-
half of The crippled taxpayers.
The cloud of the coming OF words in Con-
gress Is already visible, and though scarcely
bigger than mans hand at present it shows
ominOu> signs of increasing In proportions. When
the cloud bursts it will deluge the country with
tariff arguments pro and con The prOtectiOnists
intend % support bill for the creation of tariff
commission. because they believe this policy will
postpone thrift agitation and secure a continuance
OF protection rs it now exists for some time at
least The free-tradcrs and tariff for revenue
members are determined TO antagonize the CON-
mission bill They insist that il is simply de-
vice Of the prOtectiOnistS to prOlong their hold
upon the country, and that even if the measure
becomes law, IL will not accomplish anything,
because the commission would be made up mainly
OF prutectiOniStS- This coming tariff discussion
threatens To overcome party lines and divisions in
Congress. for tine time being to considerable ex-
Tent, though II Is clear that majority of the re-
publlcanS are prOtectiOniStS and will vote for the
commission bill. The democrats will be consider
ably divided on the subject. Some OF the western
republicans Will doubtless be mpelled to oppose
the protectiOGists, hut decided majority of the
party Will stand by the leaders. Protection is
Steadily gaining strength in the republican party,
While the democrats, with few, very few, nota-
Die exceptions, are gradually but surely, approach
ing free-trade or rather the position described In
The clause tariff for revenue only" The indca-
lions now are that the presidential campaign of
1874 Will be fought largely over the tariff The
east and those portions of the west and south
which have manufactures, or raise products which
nave TO compete with foreign productions of the
same Kind such sugar, salt, etc, will stand for
protection. while the agricultural sections will
contend for revenue tariff.