An Irishman living in the city of Washin...

An Irishman living in the city of Washington feit constrained the other day to address a note to Gov. McKinley asking a very tough question. His mother in Ireland had knit and sent to him as a present a quantity of woolen socks. In his native land the socks would have cost the Irishman 20 cents apiece, but in getting thera through the custom house on this side, he was taxed an equivalent of 25 cents per pair. The transaction disturbedhis equanimity, because he had adopted the McKinley theory thattheforeign producer pays the tax. In his note to the distinguished high . tariff apostle, he simply demanded to know where in Europe he must send his bill to get back the taxes he had paid on his socks. We do not know how deep a sense of humor Mr. McKinley possesses, but hispridesurely ought to be touched by the consciousness that he has made with his absurd theory a good many fools who wear larger and better hats than does our unsophisticated Irishman.