Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-30

tss other nve days Of the week.
-
A NH has been introduced In the House provid-
ing for the appropriation In bulk Of the money Tor
District street improvements and the assessment
On the sbutting property OF one-tnird OF all the
sums thus expended No change should be made
IN the method OF appropriating which Will cast
upon the people OF the District collectively and
Individually, the payment OF more than one-half
Of the cost OF improving the streets the exclusive
property Of the United states II one-third OF the
cost Il paid by special assessment. and the other
two-thlrds are paid from the general revenues, to
which the people OF the District and the United
States contribute equally, the latter viii furnish
only one-third Of the total amount Instead OF one
half as al present, and the other two-thirds,
Instead OF One-hah as al present, VIII
come In the form Of general taxes and special
assessments from the people OF the District.
The dimculties which have been met In the effort
10 apporion satisfactorily the street Improvement
money among the different sections OF the city
furnish no reason for altering the financial rela-
lions between the capital and the nation, and for
increasing the burdens upon District property
owners The bill also provides that the commits
sioners shall make such improvements, first upon
The application OF property Owners and thereafter
IN the exercise OF their best discretion. II, then
The improvement Of more streets Is asked than the
appropriation will pay for. the same selection and
discrimination among the streets must be exer-
cised at present IL the streets petitIoDins for
Improvements and willing To pay One-third OF the
expense insufficient TO exhaust the appropri-
stiou the Com mssiorers are select arbitrarily
the streets TO be improved and 10 be assessed for
improvements. Neither the Commissioners nor
The people WILL II is thought, favor method 50
obviously Objectionable. In developing the streets
IL the capital a broad and systematic plan
should be pursued, not entirely dependent
upon the foresight public spirit OF those
who live on the natural avenues Of communication.
IN extension OF the permit system might give 10
those enterprising property-owEers who wish 10
anticipate the paving OF their streets in general
and gradual scheme OF Improvement, and are will
lug % pay for the privilege, an opportunity 10
secure immediate attention on payment OF one
third Of the cost. But the general schedule OF I'M
provements, looking 10 the development OF the
whole city the capital should be framed without
reference TO the enterprise or lack OF enterprise OF
individual property owners, and should be carried
oGt without an additional special assessment upon
ths taxpayers Of the District.
The report Of the committee OF ways and means,
to accompany the revised bill presented TO the
House OF Representatives. discusses at some length
the reduction OF the surplus in the Treasury, the
general theory OF taxation, and the tyrannical
rule OF trusts The advantage which the reve-
nue. refOrmers claim Will be derived by all classes
used In American manufactures. 81 illustrates By
the case OF free wool Here, IL says, the manu-
Iacturer getting his foreign woods cheaper will be
able TO make his goods cheaper, and compete with
foreign products In foreign markets as wei as In
our own: the mill operative owing 10 the free I'M
portation OF foreign woods, Will be employed To
make in this country those yery goods which now
are made entirely abroad and imported In their
manufactured state: the wool grower, who now
onIV .Tto haif he IN
supply the domestic market. will be benefited. be-
eause the manufacture. by getting his foreign
woods FREE Will De able 10 extend his business,
and the home crop viii therefore be i'll proper
IiOnaliy greater demand; finally the consumer
viii get hts needs supplied at far lower prices and
Is bound TO be happy in any event
One side Of a controversy IS always best tn the
other side Is heard, and the minority report may
la trusted 10 put forth the counter-arguments
In their most attractive guise. not less inter-
esting discussion might be, and perhaps viii be,
sef In motion by another passage In the commit
tees report, dealing with the difference between
SPECIFIC and ad valorem duties, and taking strong
ground against the former. Here the standard
Plea Is brought into play, that uniform duty,
tased upon bulk and not upon value, lays the
same tax on the poor mans cloth, costing As
cents yard, on the rich mans, which costs
81 81; whereas an al valorem duty OF 40 per cent
would tax the rich mans $l44 On every yard, and
the poor mans Is cents. But there are certain
opposing considerations which are left wholly out
Of yiew-namely, that the collection OF specific
duties Is infinitely cheaper and simpler than that
u al valorem duties, because a yard Of cloth is
always a yard Of cloth. and one hundred cigars
never shrink 10 ninety nine or swell into one hun
sired and one; differentiation frauds would cease
with wholly specific system: and, IN the case Of
Iuxuries Ike cigars wines silks and laces only the
REST foreign products would ind their way into
markets al all, as no one could AFFORD TO I'M
port indifferent qualities 70 compete with our do
nestle manufactures.
The subject Is one which cannot be dismissed
on-hand- The conflicting reports OF committees
are only the skirnishing which preeede the forma-
ZION Of the opposing lines OF battle but In that
they are doing valuable work. No inner opportu-
nifty for practical popular education has ever been
enjoyed by the country than VIII be given this
summer, when the whole people viii have debated
IN their hearing, within the halls OF Congress and
outside. the paramount question at issue between
the two old parties
The draft OF the new Chinese treaty, carefully
locked up In the Senate's strong box to be dis
russed with bated breath behind barred doors. has
been polcly placed on record, by the newspapers
for the whole world to read Its ruling idea seems
20 Be 20 draw the line more strictly than it has
ever been drawn before against the admission of
chinese laborers TO our ports Topersons engaged
IN other csll1ngs II grants the privileges usually
accorded 10 visitors from foreign lands excepting
only the right 20 become American citizens and
even permits iaborers 10 return II they have ties
of family or property In this country and have been
absent for q visit OF less than year. This dose of
prohipitory medicine Is sweetened for the palate
of the party OF the other part by the proposal of
the United states Government 20 pay the Chinese
minister AZ Washington a few hundred thousand
dollars Indemnity for the injuries suffered by
chimes immigrants At the hands Of American
MODS.
lit be true. however, as charged that the leg.
islatiOn OF ls2 for the exclusion OF Chinese immi
grants has been 80 skiifully evaded by abuse of
the privilege OF transit that twenty-five Cinnamon
have come In yearly since tss2 10 every one who
came IN before the restriction laws were passed
what possible security viii the proposed new
treaty anOrd that does not now exist. Under the
old rule. any Chinese labOrer who wished TO re-
visit his home could do So and, by taking out a
certificate 20 that effect before starting. assure
his readInission whes' he returned OF course
every ChinaInan who went home 10 star. took our
his certificate just II he intended TO return for
ne found a really market Tor Il among his frien,,s
AT nome, one OF whom would presently sail for The
linked states Tor the nrst time and sinugyie him.
EEL through the san Francisco custom-house with
saSe on his purchased credentials The clans,
in the new treaty combining the return
privilege 10 Cinnamon having lawful wtvs,,
children, parents or unsettled business inrere.ts
IN America does nothing more than 10 suo0,~, :.
change OF Tricks 10 those who are bound 10 ehs.,
Now viii be In order for the eellbate Chinaman