Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-08-10
Thursday, Aug. 10, 1905.
Wasy,inrtOn Letter.


rocity congress have succeeded in plac,
ing the administration in a very equiv
ocal position regarding its attitude to-
ward that meeting. 1t is openly stated
in Washington that the administrations
attitude of indifference to the meeting
has become one of positive opposition
However that may be, the cabinet as a
whole and seyerally declined without
ony unnecessary politeness to haye any
thing to do with the movement. The
Presidents views on the subject are
zoo we'll known to need apology, but 1t
Is equally certain that he will not see
his way clear to attend the congress,
and any declination, however courteous
" worded, will be taken as sign that
he is not in sympathy with the pro-
gram. This will not be true, but his
standing aloof would be wise step and
in the matter of actual Legislation he
will have done his real duty when he
puts the matter of tariff revision up TO
congress this session. Action of some
sort will be necessary. 1t has been
proven already that economic wars are
as costly in the end if not so bloody
and appalling as actual wars Inc
whole of Europe is arming against
this country and while it is true that
with our vast home malkete and eX-
ports of raw material that are necessary
to the rest of The world, we would be
in far position to wage such II war;
it is a wholly unnecessary conflict ana
if we are preclpitated into 1t, 1t Will be
the fault of congress aud not OF the
President. The records Of the Bureau
of Statistics show that such a war has
already cost us the whole of our Ing
trade with European Russia. Amer
lean exporte to that region are pracu-
cally dead as the result OF the sugar
bounty decision of the Supreme court,
and if the country wants another dead
lock with the rest Of Europe, it can get
it by waiting few months and failing
to act on the question of tariff revision,
1t is quite probable that certain highly
protected interests will operate th7o'
their senators at the coming session OF
congress to prevent any "caritt tinker
ing but if they do the blame will rest
with them when we are drawn lhto a
tariff war with the rest OF the world,
bar England Of course, which is point
ed to by pro-protectionlstsa as our great
est market, 1t does not seem 20 be
taken into account however, that Eng
land, though exceedingly slow to moye,
is rot necessarily a free trade country
for all time, and the spectacle of sue.
cessfull or at best damaging tariff war
against the United States would be the
strongest argument for the Chamber
lainites in closing the markets of Eng
land against us.
The work Of investigating in the Ag-
ricultural and other departments has
passed for time and the grand jury
had taken a recess pending the return
of ex- statistician Hyde from England.
The Secretary OF Agriculture has an
nounced his intention Of taking no hol-
iday this summer and remaining at his
desk to put through any investigation
into the various bureaus Of his depart
ment that may need it. The condition
of the Bureau Of Animal Industry pro.
badly will call for the next attention OF
the investigating committee. 1t has
been claimed by several Of the smaller
competitors of the Beef trust who have
appealed to the Department, that while
the trust has had difficulty in procur-
ing all the meat inspectors it needed,
that the competitors were unable to Sc
cure such government supervision and
as a result their meat had to 90 with
out the label Of the Agricultural De
partment which is necessity in the
export trade and is required in some
cities in the United States before meat
can be put OIL the market. At the
same time DR.. Salmon, The chief Of The
Bureau, excuses himself by eaying that
the expenses Of the bureau are already
running about $1,000 month ahead
OF the appropriation and unless some
measure Of relief is afforded by Con
gress next year that he will have to cur.
tail or discontinue the meat inspection
business altogether. Now, such step
except as to our export trade might mol
be hailed as an unmixed evil just
about half the slaughter houses in the
country get along without the scientific
meat inspection, and it has not ye
been proven that the people VINO ca
the uninspectod meat are any worse of
in health han those who have thei
vised by the government. Of course