OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Evening Star, Volume 8505, Issue 8505, 2 May 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Keokuk, lowa (U.S.A.), April, 1891. THE LATE CONGRESS.

The fifty-first Congress of the United States came to an end by limitation at noon on March 4 with every measure of importance in the legislative programme of the Republican majority, except the Election Bill, put upon the Statute Book. Time will be required to prove the value of many of these measures. Some of them will be admitted as meritorious and necessary for the public welfare, while others will receive a qualified approval and others be condemned as impolitic; while some will produce only evil. The Postal Subsidy Bill should be the means of giving to the nation a merchant marine of vessels of high class and a naval reserve at the same time, The measure is bearing fruit already. A new line of fast steamers for service on the Atlantic Ocean, and a line to ply between New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, and South American ports, are being contracted for, and they are to be built with all speed at the American Navy Yards. The Pacific Mail will be reinforced with four new fast steamers. The Occidental Steamship Company have given orders for three new steamers to be built on the Pacific Coast. That will meet the requirements of the Subsidy Bill, and enable the company to bid for the American and Australian mail service.

An Act amendatory to the immigration law will prevent this country from becoming a dumping ground for the refuse populations of Europe and Asia. The now famous M'Kinley Act, while reducing the duties on many artioles, has had a general tendency to increase duties, in some instances largely. Popular opinion undoubtedly favors a moderate tariff that will protect our industries from ruinous competition and the consumer from extortion. But public sentiment •does not favor a tariff that favora trusts and monopolies at the expense of the people. How far, if at all, the new tariff may gain the people's favor remains to be seen ; but one thing is clear : that a tariff policy should be a stable one, and not be liable to be shifted about to disturb trade and unsettle values by revision at every session of Congress. An Act of questionable import was that increasing the Government compulsory purchase of silver for coinage. It is liable to disturb the monetary standard. The Copyright Bill was passed, and foreign authors who choose to comply with the terms of the law can have the protection of law for the production of his brain. Senator Blair's Educational Bill was finally defeated, not because Congress was unwilling that the negroes and illiterate whites of the Southern States should be educated at the national expense, but because there was a popular fear of the dangerous precedent of departing from the principle that each State should support its own schools. Upwards of 20,000 Bills were introduced in thia Congress, and about 2,000 became law. The appropriations made by this Congress amounted to L 201,800,000, against L 162,600,000 by the preceding Congress. CONGRESS AND THE JEWS. Just before the final adjournment Mr Cummings, of New York, introduced and advocated a resolution protesting against the persecution of the Jewa by Russia. While expressing the kindest feeling for Russia, which has always been friendly to our Government, Mr Cummings proposed enlightening Russia as to the outraged sentiment of our people by its cruel treatment of this ancient people. The time was too short for any definite action to be taken, and it would have been useless to have attempted it, even if time had permitted. Russia is already in possession of the information proposed to be communicated by it. So long as it remains a sentiment, it is powerless for good. Such protests have been made before, and the protestors properly snubbed. The Guildhall resolutions were returned contemptuously, without any reply. What was more to the point was a memorial presented to President Harrison the other day by W. E. Blackstone, chairman of the Conference of Christians and Jews recently held in Chicago, of which mention was made ia this correspondence last mail. The following is the text of the memorial:— Whit shall be done for the Russian Jews ? It ia both unwise and useless to undertake to dictate to Russia concerning her internal affairs, The Jews have liv d as foreigners in her dominions for centuries, and she fully believes that they are a burden upon her resources and prejudicial to the welfare of her peasant population, and will not allow them toremiln. She is determined that they must go. Hence, like the Sephaidim of Spain, these Ashkenazim mu3t emigrate. But where shall 2,000,000 of such poor peot-le go ? JSurope 13 crowded, and has no room for moro peasant population, Shall they come to America? This will be a trctnecdoui exoense, and require years. Why not give rale'tine bick to them again? According to God's distribution of nat ons it i« their home—an inalienable possession from which they were expelled by foroe. Under their cultivation it was a remarkably fruitful land, sustaining millions of Israelites, who industriously tilled its hillsides and valleys. They were agriculturists and producers, as well as a nation of great commercial importance the centre of civilisation and religion. Why shall not the Powers which, under the Treaty of Berlin, in 1878 gave Bulgaria to the Bulgarians and Servla to the Servians now give Palestine bick to the Jews ? These provinces, as well as Roumania, Montenegro, and Greece, were wrested from the Turk* and given to their natural owners. Does not Palestine as rightfully belong to the Jews? It ia said that rains are increasing, and there are many evidences that the land is recovering its ancient fertility. If they could h»ve autonomy in government the Jews of the world would rally to transport and establish their suffering brethren in their time-honored habitation. #or over seventeen centuries they have patiently waited f * such a privileged opportunity. They have not become agriculturists elsewhere because they believed they were mero sojourners in the various nations, and were yctto return to Palestine and till their own land. Whatever vestt d rights, by possession, may have accrued to Turkey oan be easily compensated, possibly by the Jews assuming an equitable portion of the national debt.

We believe this is an appropriate time for all nations, and especially the Christian nations of Europe, to show kindness to Israel. A million of exiles, by their terrible sufferings, are piteously appealing to. our sympathy, justice, and humanity. Let us now return to them the laud of which they were so cruelly despoiled by our Roman ancestors.

To thia end we respectfully petition his Excellency, Benjamin Harrison, .President of the United Status, and the Gon. James G. Blaine, Secretary of State, to use their Rood offices and influence with the Governments tf their Imperial Majesties Alexander 111, Czar of Russia : Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India; William 11., Emperor of Germany; Francis Joseph, Emperor of AuatrcHungary; Abdul Hamid 11., Saltan of Turkey; His Royal Majesty Humbert, King of Italy ; Her Royal Majesty Made Christiana, Queen Regent of Spain ; and with the Government of the Republic of France, and with the Governments of Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Roumanla, i'ervl;*, Bu'garia, and Greece, to secure the holding, at an early date, of an international conference to consider the condition of the Israelites and their claims to Palestine as their ancient home, and to promote, in ail other just and proper ways, the alleviation of their Buffering condition. This memorial was “endorsed” with a long list of signatures of representative men of all classes of laymen and clergymen. This is unusual, and the endorsement such as will command the serious attention of President Harrison and of Secretary Blaine. It urges upon the Government to use their good offiors to induce the European Powers to bring snob pressure to bear on Turkey that she will consent to the return of the Jews to Palestine. The scheme is a feasible one. America, England, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy could easily persuade the “ unspeakable Turk,” under whose despotic sway a’l countries stagnate and wither, to surrender Palestine to Hebrew colonisation on terms that can be met easily without moving a single man, a gun, or a ship against the Sultan. A mere diplomatio--demand would be sufficient, Turkey would not dare to ignore the 1 request or 1 decline it.’ Such a solution of the problem would relieve Russian and other Jews in Europe from

anti-Semitic outbursts o! persecution and brutalities, and would be welcomed by all Christendom, who are anxious that the ancient inheritance should be restored to the Hebrew people. They could buy out the Turkish landowners, and supply the necessaries for the irrigation and cultivation of the soil, so that it would soon again be " a land flowing with milk and honey." Greeoe has been restored to the Greeks, Servia to the Serbs, Bulgaria to the Bulgarians, Roumania to the Roumanians, and why not Palestine to the Hebrews ? If the country be too small, the people are rich enough to buy the surrounding provinces from the decaying Turks. The proposition is a practical one, and much more likely to be successful than mere sentimental protests, which are always wasted upon Russia. That the United States should take the responsibility of moving first in the matter seems to bo preeminently proper, because she has no interest in European or Asiatic affairs save the philanthropic interest. THE CANADIAN ELECTIONS. The general election in Canada has resulted in a victory for the Conservative party, but with a majority reduced from 51 to 23. The contest has been one of the most stubborn as well as the moat important in the history of the Dominion; and the heavy vote polled by the Liberal party goes far to show that if the country had been given more time to compare rival schemes the judgment would have been reversed. Really there was no public necessity for the dissolution. The issues were precisely what they have been for the past three years, no new issues were developed to cause a change of party relations, and the Government had a compact and reliable majority. For the last three years the Liberal party have been advocating unrestricted reciprocity with the United States, and for the last year it was the chief plank of their platform. Despite prejudice and misrepresentation of all sorts, this movement has been gaining steadily in public favor. It was this fact which led to the dissolution in the hope that the Ministry would obtain a new lease of power. The issues presented were of tremendous importance. Unrestricted reciprocity versus a high protective tariff involved not only the trade policy of the Dominion, but its political destiny as well. The Conservative party ohampioned a high tariff and the maintenance of the closest trade relations and political associations with Great Britain, while the Liberal party declared for absolute free trade with the United States, obviously involving uniform tariff regulations against Europe, and a political intimacy with the United States exceeding that now existing with England. Instead of discussing the issue upon its merits, the Conservative canvass, under the leadership of Sir John M'Donald, was conducted upon Bide issues, bitter personalities, appeals to patriotism and prejudice, the introduction of social and religious questions—anything that would divert the attention of voters, and enable a snap judgment to be taken. Had the Liberal party succeeded there is no doubt that their policy would be fully carried out. The United States was ready to meet Canada in a friendly epirit half way. The Liberals made a gallant fight, but were handioapped by over-zealous sympathisers on the American side. The foolish utterances of annexation by American newspapers made excellent campjigu documents for the Government. It is probably well for the Liberal party that they did net win this election, The issue is new and untried. The cry of annexation and treason had been sounded so well that the public thought it was not clear as to how tho country could have unlimited trade reciprocity with the United States, yet preserve its political autonomy and loyalty to Mother England. Sir John M'Donald ia a crafty politician. If Ido not lose my guess he will steal Liberal thunder, now that he discovers that the Canadian people really want reciprocity, by swinging his party into line with the Liberal policy. By so doing he will increase his strength by withdrawing support from the Liberal ranks. If he does not do this the moral victory of the Liberals is complete, and no Government in the country will hereafter find it profitable to favor a policy of commercial hostility to the United States. Canada's loyalty-. No Yankee traveller in Canada would doubt for a moment that the people of Canada were not intensely loyal to the Home Government and the Royal family. The moment he enters any city of the Dominion the British coat-of-arms may be seen everywhere. It is daubed on the vehicle that conveys him to the hotel. It is stamped on the stained glass over the entrance; the lion and unicorn adorn the top of the register on which he writes his name. In the office hangs a portrait of Her Majesty. When he enters his room the bedclothing and toilet articles are stamped with it. The top of the coal receptacle has a stencil crown plastered over it. When he comes to the table the pets of the royal menagerie are engraved on the knives and forks and on the goblet from which he slakes his thirst. Over the entrance to the dining room in bold relief rear the animals that guard the motto of the Empire, " Dieu et mon droit." There is not a building of any importance that is not ornamented with the same coat-of-arms. The nomenclature of the streets is taken from tho royal records of the Mother Country. The sbyle of the architecture is most decidedly English. The walk, dress, manners, and drawl of the people are all in keeping with the dear old Mother Country. Ottawa, the seat of the Government, is a gay city. Forty years ago it was but a sawmill station named Bytown. The Princess Louise changed its name to Ottawa. The Parliament buildings, the vice-regal residence (Rideau), a canal, many saw-mills, and two railways are now some of its picturesque attachments. In the summer the citizens, officials, and departmental have a penchant for games such as are played in the Old Country. In the winter every vehicle is placed on runners. Canadians as a rule are easy-going, never in a hurry except when on a tobogganing slide. The traveller, if he remains over the Sabbath, will have to walk to church, and on entering will find a contribution plate on the inside near the entrance, with a solemn-vis&ged deacon sitting near by. In the pew he will find a Bible and a Psalm book, each bearing an imprint of the national coat-of-arms. There are no Sunday newspapers, no Sunday street cars, no saloons or barbers' shops open on the Sabbath day; but the emblems of royalty are never lost sight of from the moment he enters the Dominion until he leaves it. All talk of Canadian disloyalty or of annexation to the United States, either peaceful or coercive, is sheer nonsense and campaign bunkum. The new Parliament is called to meet on April 23 for the despatch of business. THE NEW OBLEANS LYNCHINGS, Long before this reaches you you will have been supplied with full details of the lynching at New Orleans of a number of Sicilians, oharged with the murder of Chief-detective Hennesy. The defence which the leading citizens make for this outrage upon law and good order is that justice failed in the courts, and the community had the right to protect itself against the operations of a secret society called Mafia. There was a widespread belief in the city that large sums of money were raised by this sooiety, not only to defend the prisoners but to "fix" the jury. The following clipping from the New Orleans ' Picayune' will throw some light on the matter: — The indictment and arrest of parties charged with attempting to bribe and otherwise corrupt talesmen summoned for jury duty in the Hennessy murder case show another phase of tho assemblage and aggregation of crimes which oonsplre to make this one of the most celebrated criminal causes of modern times, The murder of the chief of police of this city was aooomplished by hired assassins acting at the bidding of a conspiracy which seems to exert unlimited Influence over its creatures, and to be abie to command a large fund for carrying out its de-, s'gns, One part of its p'an for securing the immunity from punishment of its agents appears to | have been the fixing of the juries that might be j entrusted with the administration of Janice upon ] persons in whom the chief conspirators may have I an interest. However this may be, there has ken from the moment the selection of jurymen for Service in the Hennessy case was commenced an increasing succession of persistent rumors to Jhe effect that the jury was to be fixed in the interest of the accused, After the jary was chosen, there was no cessation of these reports, which went so far as to affect talesmen who were accepted; and now persons who were mm-

moned Mid examined, but were subsequently not chosen for jury duty in this ease, are testifying that efforts were made to corrupt them while the matter of selecting them was pending, In the presence of so many statements all tending in the same direction, we find it difficult to believe that extensive and far-reaching influences were not brought to work, not only upon possible jurors, but upon witnesses who were to appear m the case.

The people of New Orleans were greatly excited by the foul character of the aasassii nation of its chief of police. This grew into , indignation when it was alleged to have j been the work of the Mafia. The charge of ! oorrupting the jury, and securing confirma- | tion by the verdict, added fuel to the fire, and back of all was a race hatred and class prejudice even more bitter than that which the people feel for the negroes. Under such circumstances, and considering the impulsive ; character of the Southern people and the general spirit of lawlessness that prevails in their Bection of the country, it is not very j remarkable that this horrible tragedy was [ perpetrated. j The end is not yet. New Orleans will i never hear the last of this outrage. If it ' should appear that any of these eleven men j assassinated were unnaturalised, the Italian j Government will demand ample damages : for the deaths of her subjects murdered by ; a mob, and the United States will be com- ■ polled to express humble regret for the un- \ fortunate occurrence. The money will have j to be paid, just as was the case of the j Chinese killed in Wyoming. This occurl rence will have a decided effect upon Italian j immigration, The Italian Government are . not anxious to lose any of their subjects who are fit for military duty, and will make j the most of these murders to warn their j people against leaving their native land to be Bhot down like dogs, even after a jury had pronounced them innocent. LABOE MATTEKS are ominously quiet at present. There are no serious disagreements, and hence there are no strikes on. Business is good with prices advancing. The anticipated lifting of Germany's embargo on our pork and freßh meats has stiffened the markets. Large stocks of imported merchandise are beiag held in bond at all the business centres of the country awaiting putting the M'Kinley Tariff Bill into effect. The outlook for successful spring business is favorable. Ulysses.