Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-25

The inequalities and inconsistencies OF the tariff
which both the great parties have at various
times pledged themselves to reduce crop out here
and there In petty matters which make the whole
subject rather ridiculous. For example, quite a
warfare has just been waged between a firm OF
importers and the collector OF customs at Indian
apolis, which the Treasury department has been
called In So0erly TO decide, as to whether the
whole OF child's NOah's Ark should be taxed
under the toy schedule, or only Mr. and
Mrs. Noah, Shem, Ham and Japhet and
their wives, and the animals that marched
In -two by two" The argument Of the importers
was that the ark itself was only the cover for
these Images, designed 10 protect them from
breaking, while the authorities commended that It
constituted part OF the toy. This is only one of
class or questions that present themselves. A
hvorite source OF amusement for children-and
for grown people, too-tnis year, is little figure
of papier mache. clad as a ballet-dancer and
perched on one leg, which, II held In the hand and
twisted around, sets In motion a music box inside
OF the ngure and produces a very pleasing melody.
Is this object TO De classed as a toy at thirty-ive
per cent, or under manufactures, articles and
wares OF papier mache,r at thirty per cent, or as
a musical Instrument, at twenty-five per cent |?
Who could answer this question on its merits
without consulting the file OF Treasury decisions?
Philadelphia Is congratulating itself over the
promise OF the electric companies to nut their
wires Underground such promises have been
made before and broken; but there seems to be
hope this time that they mean something more.
That Is because the agitation for buried wires has
assumed really formidable shape. The Chicago
experiment, which succeeded as soon as the alarm
OF common council and the nerve OF a mayor
forced the corporations into making It, has carried
encouragement wherever the hight has been going
on and the popular feeling In Phila-
delphia has evidently reached a point where
the electric companies concluded that policy OF
Cancellation would be cheapest In the end. That
Is what must come, eventually, in Washington
The prohibition placed upon the stringing OF more
overhead wires will compel a resort to conduIts
for all future additions 10 our electric system and
as the present plant wears out 1t will be found
expedient TO replace II entirely with buried wires
But why wait till then? Infinite damage may be
done By the poles and wires we already have
which are the more dangerous the older they
grow and the worse they are worn. As the Phi,a-
de- pnia Times well puts IL: s'The only way 10 get
the wires under ground Is to put them there
'The time for this reform Is not In the indefinite
future; IL Is now"
The treatment OF Marshal Bazaine's memory by
the French people shows with what bitterness
they still recall the events OF eighteen years aoo
IL Is worthy OF note, moreover, that the German
press maintains TO this day, what they nave con-
tended ever since the fall OF Metz that Bazaine
never received justice from the French. Ii Is In
teresting In this connection to observe that the
extracts from the Emperor Frederick's diary as
crown prince show that even Napoleon iii was
deceived as 70 the dispostiono Of The German forces
supposng that he had the entire army OF inv asion
confronting him Al Sedan. while seven corps Under
Prince Frederick Charles, were investing Metz
Night IL not, therefore, have been possible for
Bazaine TO be deceived as to the strength OF the
enemy he had 10 oppose. The charge against the
marshal that he was so thorough an fnperalist
As 10 De unwilling TO fight fof tue republic, since
IL involved purely domestic quarrel among
Frenchmen, the Germans would have no object in
refuting except desire to be just. Whatever
concerns the memory OF Bazaine has some interest
for Americans through the fact that it was he
who was sent TO this country TO command the
French army in Mexico during our civil war. when
IL was feared that a new Federal army would have
10 be sent into the southwest to drive the
foreign invaders into the Gulf OF Mexico.