The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-04

was incumbent upon the gallant genera
TO assure himself of the fact ,hat She
triplcts or bankruptcies were not iinasi-
nary. and that the multiple oir'hS were
authentic .,,-
Readers of The Times will hardly think
all this gossip worthy place In columns
as serious as the editorial columns OF
The Times Nor should we have given II
n place but that IT Is Introductory 10 mat
ter Of the most serious character hA-
Diplomat" continues thus:
Another mistake made by the Queen
during the annual leave OF absence vi
Sir Henry Ponsonby was OF soineN MAJ
more amusing character than that oil
which she was guilty In connection w''n
Miss Valerie Wiedmann and Lord oriord
A succession OF wet seasons. accompanied
by formidable outbreak OF disease, han
caused great havoc among the HOOKS OF
Great Britain and the papers were fuli OF
gloomy forebodings OF a serious falling OIL
I'm the number OF sheep In the Kingdom
news and subjects of popular interest Dc
ing scarce during the early autumn ana
editors only too glad to exploit 70 the Ut
most any feature. The queen, however,
took these utterances OF the press IN All
possible disappearance Of one OF Eng
lands principal sources OF national
wealth. and, acting ON the impulse or the
moment issued q mandate dated from
Baimoral strictly prohibiting the eating
of lamb In any of the royal. establish
ments. with the avowed object OF as
couraging the practice generally. until the
focks Of the United Kingdom should nave
recovered their former size. The panic
that ensued among the agricultural class
os and butchers. on this decision OF the
Queen becoming known, defies description.
Newspapers Of every shade OF political
opinion were crowded with complaints of
farmers. showing that the sale Of lambs
was the most profitable part OF their
business and that If they could not find
a market they would have TO slaughter
the animals anyway in consequence OF the
lack OF adequate pasture. In short IL
was made clear that the eating OF lamb
had nothing to do with the diminution OF
the hocks. ana that what the Queen had
meant for kindness was in reality the
most serious injury that could be inflicted
upon agricultural interests. Sir Henry
was summoned post-haste 10 Balmoral.
and, in Difference to his advice, the royal
edict WAS rescinded.
There. now. is a most valuable lesson in
protection. The principle involved in this
case has application TO every case in
which our Congress seeks TO improve the
conditions of the people by legislating to
help this one and make that one pay more
for what he has TO buy than ne would
have to pay if the law-maker kept his
hands off Nothing but mischief results
from any enterprises Of the sort. except
that the favored individuals get rich at
the expense of their fellow-citizens. Just
as the Queen made a sad mess Of it when
she undertook to help a business, our
Congress disarranges all the natural chan
ncls Of business when it thinks itself
wiser than the God of nature and more
capable of making laws for business than
all the experience Of all men.
The people who are injured may not
make the outcry of the English graziers.
but they are none the less hurt by the
ofIicious intermeddling with the natural
course of business.