National Republican., 1883-03-06
ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men ana Measures.


The new tariff law will add enormously to
tho work of the secretary Of the treasury.
The revised classification of articles and the
Encouragement of duties will mako IL noces-
sary for the secretary to 60 through tho law
with the greatest care and subject every
paragraph to the most painstaking and thor
ough analysis. He will be called upon to de-
fine the law and give rulings ON thousand
and one points involving vast private and
public interests Business men everywhere
will want the law interpreted their way, and
no pains will DO spared to make black
appear white and white black. Secretary
Folger dreaded TO sec any bill which con-
templated a revision of the tariff become a
law" said friend yesterday. "Ho is in very
poor health and is already weighted down
with the heavy responsibility of the office. l
should not bo surprised to see his health give
way entirely under the additional strain. 1t
is only by the greatest effort of will that he is
enabled now to go through the daily routine
of business which is made as light as possible
by his staff; and do not know how he will
manage to carry further load"
81 have already heard of one point the sec
rotary will be called upon for a ruling which
will involve $3,0O0,0OD in clear cash." said
another party, "and l have no doubt but
others will be developed of equal if not
greater importance when importers and
manufacturers have time to study the law
critically" Said u third "Tho rebate clause
win cost the government $3,000,000 or 81 ,000,-
600 on tobacco and cigars alone The rebate is
on whole packages. Now, what is to prevent
dishonest or thrifty dealers from taking
advantage of their opportunities? A torn
stamp on a package is not proof that the pack
age has been broken, and there is nothing to
prevent dealer from filling broken packages
with new goods and get rebate on property
that has never been taxed except his own
sense of honesty, Unfortunately a great
many people do not think it wrong to cheat
the government. If they can get the best of
the government they call it business al
though as between man and man it might be
barelaced swindling."
go
Statesmen are taking fight from Washing
ton in great numbers. Many of them are
gentlemen of great weight but as President
Lincoln once remarked to a delegation of
heavy men from Delaware who called on him,
away Some of them will be back in the
fall, but more will conclude that their private
interests will demand their undivided atten-
tion in their native townships, and they will
stay there.
80
Any one given to sentiment could have
found food for melting thoughts in the con-
! temptation of Senator Ferrys vacant chair
Sunday morning. Two months ago he was re-
garded as q very fortunate man. He was sup
| posed to be fixture in the senate, his re-
election being looked upon as a certainty, and
| his wealth was estimated at over n million.
Two or three weeks later it became evident
he would have trouble in securing
reelection, and few days afterward
came tho announcement that his riches had
taken wings. Accumulated misfortunes
prostrated him, and on Sunday, while the
last act of the forty-seventh congress was
being played he was lying on bed of pain n
few blocks distant, a physical as we'll as q
financial wreck. His absence from the
senate, of which he had been an honored
member for twelve years, was scarcely
noticed. He was not missed from his seat by
u half dozen of his old associates. He had
not been in the chamber for weeks and was
wellnigh forgotten.
The senator left for the north Sunday night
accompanied by his devoted sister, his brother
in-law, Rev. Henry Jones, Judge Tate OF
Michigan, who unselfishly sacrificed all his
private interests to his friendship for the sen.
ator. The party will go via Niagara Falls
and Toronto, where the senator has family
friends.
20
A loving friend of the bonded spirits bill
sums up the cause of its defeat in tho follow
ing language: ben Butterworth didn't man
age il right in the first place. He took hold
of it vigorously, but his Quaker constituents
made it very warm for him, and he didn't
break his back helping the measure
along in the later stages, though
he kept up an appearance of great activity
10 the last. Then the whisky interest wa:
taxed to help defeat the republican party in
the northwest and west last fall and you
couldn't look for help from republicans o.
that section. The steps that were taken t
remove the political prejudice were balket
by the over anxiety Of injudiciou'
friends. Then again several notorious pait
lobbyists were persstentlY pushing theil
pestilental presence into the foreground, pro
ducing the impression that there was job il
the bill, angering the honest members thereby
and inviting the opposition of the jobbers WHIT
fancied they were being left out of the deal
Altogether the managers made mess of it,
a@@
The announcement of the resignation o
Mr.. James Gilfllan, treasurer of the United
States, will be surprise to everybody. III
: rendered his resignation to the Presiden
yesterday afternoon, through the secretary o
! the treasury to take effect April l. IL
will retire from public service on that dat
to become treasurer and manager of tho NIu
tual Trust company of New York City at
largely increased salary The place was OF
fered him four months ago, and he declined i
with thanks. 1t was rendered him again las
week when he was in New York, and thi
time he concluded he would accept, which h
did. The Mutual Trust is about to be re
organized and greatly strengthened.
go
Representative Morse of Boston is grieye
because several correspondents built stor
on his tariff speech. This is tho way the
heard it 81 will vote for this pill ON strictl
peesness principles. 1t will gif me a halluf
dollar more on efiory west l SELL" Mr.. Mors
never said that and it was cruel for the col
, rogrnudonte IA Iihal him nr tvyit him bacous