Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-17

me hattie which the Congressional war horses
have been snu1ing from afar now RACES In the
national legislature. Tariff reformers and pro-
tectionlsts are as sylvanus Cobb would say,
locked In deadly encounter. The ranks OF the op-
posing forces are considerably diversified Under
the same banner ngnt the uncompromising free
trader the advocate OF tariff for revenue only,
the member whose sole aim 70 reduce the
revenue by removal OF tariff duties, and the
wesk-kneei protectionIst who believes that coo-
cessiOns must be made TO satisfy puSiic opinion,
or who feels that he Is fighting In cause ruinous
90 the Industries of the country and 10 his party,
but VINO Is whipped into line By the partisan lash
and oy threats Of the penalties Of desertion- On
the other side Is an army no s. yaregated In ap-
pearance and dlscOrdant In utteranceS There are
sen standing shoulder to shoulder the extreme
protectionsL the man whose principal desire Is to
reduce the revenue but who prefers TO accomplish
his purpose by checking all revenue from imports
by means OF 8 prohibitory tarif, the man who
rpslas a reduction OF import duties solely because
he l. interested In the removal OF internal taxa
Tim from. tobacco or fruit brandies, the free
trader IN theory but opponent OF the practical
fJrcement OF the theory In this country or az this
Time applied 10 some local manufacturing
Industry and the guard SIMILAR TO the corre-
spending branch OF the opposing army, who do
not bother with political economy, but are for
their party. II right, and whether right or wrong,
allies on both sides present as motley an appear
ance as Falstaf's soldiers did physically. This
circumstance gives some uncertainty to the con-
test, and ADDS 20 Its interest a mere spectacle
The direct struggle between protection and tariff
revision with an undisguIsed free-trade tendency
viii occur In the presidential campaign II Presi-
dent Cleveland Is renominated- The present con-
Iict Is merely preliminary and preparatory, and In
The particulars suggested the issues are confused
II Is q curious thing that, with all the measures
for protecting home products which have been
eagerly adopted by Congress during the last quar-
Ter OF a century, SO little attention should have
been paid TO the protection OF American foresta
Timber il q product which has always a staple
value. and one that Will hold It's own and even
Increase, with every year that the world grows
older. Yet the most reckless waste has been per
mitted all over the West and South, and great
stretches OF land have been stripped OF their
simply because there was no one to command a
halt IL will not be long, II affairs are allowed
20 go on as they are going at present.
before We shall be dependent on other countries
for our lumber supplies. Forestry associations
everywhere are raising their voices in protest. but
the only body which has power TO act is Congress,
and Congress hesitates because proper establish
Heht for the protection OF the government forest
doI1ain would involve the Withdrawal OF a large
acreage from public sale and its conversion into
permanent preserves, and cost some money for the
salaries OF expert foresters and oyerseers Two
Oils on this subject are now before Congress- the
one Intended as substitute for the other, but In
the view Of those best qualified by experience and
study 20 Judge, the substitute Is in
fer1Or 70 the bill whose place ir Is In
tended TO take. The latter provides dis
tinct means for selecting forest preserves guard
ing them from spOllation and disposng OF their
timber for the public benefit The other lacks
denniteness In detail confuSes the public land In.
terests with the interests OF forestry proper and
provides no adequate method OF enforcement for
its own provisions II Is TO be hoped that Con-
Sress Will see Its way clear 10 adopt the Definite
instead Of the Indefinite bill: bur the enactment OF
any kind OF law. however defective will be
better than,the enactment OF none at all, for IL
win be at least sign that the legislative mind is
waking up TO the necessity OF doing something.
The reported desire OF Minister Phelps that the
British mission should be raised 10 the dignity OF
an embassy Is likely TO suggest the question once
more, why we have In our diplomatic system no
such once as an ambassador. The Constitution
authorizes the appointment by the President OF
"amoassadorS other public ministers, and con-
suls;" bur, as an ambassador Is technically dis
tinguished from minister by being the personsi
representative OF his soyerei and not merely the
representative OF q state, there seems TO be no
place for such functionary In our service. The
title has, however. been recognized In American
legislation at least one occasion, In an act OF
Congress passed In 1856. In the present state OF
public feeling with regard to the foreign service,
as reflected in the annual debates In the House OF
Representatives, over the consular and diplomatic
appropriations, II Is doubtful whether any more
dignites could be procured for the foreign minis
tiers OF the United States especially II they In
volved the possibility Of increase OF salaries
also.
The death OF Jacob sharp now leaves the pros
eeutiug officers OF New York cIty no excuse for
not proceeding with the case against Richmond.