The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


1t is almost appalling to note the
number of applicants for places ON
the newly created tariff commission.
considering that only prominent and
experienced men are eligible. It
would hardly seem possible that there
were so many great men ready to
serve the country at $40 per day yet
it is fact that about two hundred
and fifty of them are urging their
claims upon the President through
friends or otherwise. Naturally
enough the majority of these are of
the class who know nothing about
the tariff and lack the ability to learn.
A number of them are seedy ex-mem-
bers of Congress, who have had no
yisibly means of support since they
were left out of Congress. but are
hanging around Washington waiting
to pick up crumbs. The President is
giving much consideration to the
composition of the commission, and
a number of names which have been
presented were discussed at the last
Cabinet session. The President has
expressed an earnest desire to appoint
able and competent persons as men,
bers of this commission. In all prob
ability ex-Secretary Kirkwood will
be its chairman If he will accept the
appointment.
The new Secretary of the Navy is
not an enthusiast on the subject of
Arctic expeditions. He throws cold
water on the sufficiently.icy project
of still another trip toward the North
Pole. Sensiby the new head of the
Navy suggests that before entering
upon any more Jeanette and Rod.
gers enterprises we had better await
the reports of the English polar voy-
ayers now cruising in the inhOspita-
BILE Northern seas. He also refers to
the fact that the English Government
is fitting out a party to go in search
of their lost c0untrymen. Mr.. Chand.
ler's polar conservatism is not likely
to prove popular with ambitious
young naval officers painting for fame
and preferment. All of them would
dare the rigors of the Arctic region
to haye their names become as IA
nous as are those of De Long and
Melville. These aspiring young gen.
tlemen should be made to wait for
other and less frigid opportunities
whereby to achieve greatness. The
nation has enough Of froz N glory to
last it until the close of the present
century. One would think that the
fate of the unfortunate Jeanette
party would be enough to cool the
ardor Of wOuld.be explorers without
the necessity of actual contact with
iceburgs. Referring to the fate of De
Long and his brave men it adds an
additional tinge of sadness to know
that they died after reaching land.
After their perilous voyage in boats,
through Arctic ice fields, they prob.
ably felt that the greatest danger was
over when they got safely on dry
land. Yet it would have been a
nierciful dispensatiOn that would
have buried them beneath those ice.
burgs. There is a growing sentiment
to the effect that Arctic explorations
have cost enough in the way of val
liable lives, great suffering to say
nothing ofthe money expended ;that
what may be gained, even should
that success which has been dreamed
of be attained, would not, either in a
commercial OF scientific sense, COM
pensate for the terrible sacrifices in
vOlyed.
The recent census gives some val
liable information concerning the ex.
tent and size of the farm lands of the
country and the great increase of such
property within the last two decades.
Illinois leads the list of States and
Territories in respect to the number
OF farms, and then come in order New
York, Missouri, and Pennsylvania.
The largest increase in the past dec
ade is shown in the case of Kansas,
and gratifying increase is also re.
corded in the cases of Iowa, Missouri,
and North Carolina. The majority
of the farms vary in size from 20 to
500 acres, the great portion in this
number ranging from 100 to 500 acres.
California contains some farms which
reach 1000 acres in extent. Farming
is conducted on similar large scale
In Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and
some other Northern States. Large
farms of l ,000acres and over are found
in many places In louisa, Missis-
sippi, and North Carolina. It is cited
as an illustration of the prosperity of
these vast farming interests that
about IS per cent. of all the farms in
most of the States and Territories are