If The Courargus Cannot Have Both

free trade and protection, whiqh will it take? The journey of the President throughout the south and west has been a great succes?. ]Ur. llarrison has made tome very good speeches. They were not stolen from the encyclopedia, either. A iroBD to Grover Cleveland: You talk too miich. There ia too mach verbiage for the paucity of ideas expressed. You had better adopt the motto of Governor-Senator Hill: "I'm a Democrat." The masses of your party will be fully satisfied with that. Thb building season in Ann Arbor opens very auspiciouslv. It is probable tht tnore dweiling houses willbeerected during 1891 than during any previous vear in the history of the city. One fact, however, is to be lamented and that is, the growing tendency to crowd houses together. The chief attraction of north Ingalls-st and Washtenaw ave is found in the spacious lots and well ■ kept lawns. There is no reason why other streets should not be rendered equally as pretty. With street raihvay lines running, as they soon will be, through all parts of the, city, there is no advantage in living near the business center. By all means let Ann Arbor spread out. J. ri. Ci.ARKSON.the newlyelected president of the National Republican League, say8, "the failure of young raen to particípate ík politics b a weakness of the Republican party in ISTew England.1' The same is more or less true with reference to all parts of the country. Beyond any question the Republican party in the north has the cream of the middle-aged and elderly men - men whose patriotism is the staunchest, whose character is irreproachable, whose Americanism is unquestioned. It should not Jieglect to proselyte among the young aaen- many of whoin, alas, are too easily carriedaway by the fascinating but impracticable tbeories of free trade, free BÜver, free whiskey and the likr. li y t be least, somewhat amusing to read an editorial io the Times on Monday eveninp, declaring that said paper liad the arrest city circulation of any paper here or in Ypsilanti, and then have the editor of said paper appear before the common council the same evening and offer to do the city printing considerauly below cost, for the reason, as the editor said, that it would give his paper a standing to be the offical organ of the city. One would naturally supposethat the largest circulation (?) would bt evidence of a good standing already attained. J'eople 6eem to be of the opinión that it would have been better had the editor left unsaid either one or theother- or botli of these remarles. As a rule, newspaper publishers, whose papers have any standing, always base their rate upon their circulation, when bidding for matter for their coluros. Knowing this to be a fact, is it not decidedly suggestive that the Courier-Argus combination bid for the city printing should be almost exaclly the same as that of The Register? Had either of the combination bidders foreseen what a confession tliere was in such rate, they probably would have fried some different plan. As it is, they have virtually acknowledged that the combined circulation of both their papers is only fireper cent larger than that of Tm: Registek. We have always stood ready to prove that our circulation loes not fall even.flve per cent below their combined listenere in the city, but wedid not for an instant suppose that they would so readily confess it. ■Viien Foraker, at the recent convention of Republican clubs, gave Blaine the credit for the success of the preaent administration, he may or may not have meant to snub President Harrison. Whether he did or not is immateria!. The fact remains that, as he intimated, Blaine, and not Harrison, should be the nominee of the Kepublican party in 12. The foriner has rendered distingaLafaed services; his ability is recognized throughout the whole world; he has kept him6elf in close touch with the people. The latter has iven us a good administration and has shown decided marks of ability- but he is not popular with the masBes and lacks that brilliancy which has made Blaine the idol of all young Republicans. The matchlessdiplomacy which gave us reciprocity with South America, combed down the British lion and is now causing Italy to Step down from her high pedestal is exciting the admiration of all- even Mugwumps and Democrats. By all means, let Blaine be nominale). Mayor Dotv now has a chance to prove the assertions made by his friends on and bef'ore election day that his administration, if ho was elected,vould be one that would be a credit to both the city and himsplf. Ilis appointments for the pólice forcé especially are being awaited with no liltle anxiety by all law abiding citizens. These will show very conclusively wliether our honorable mayor will be governed by the better or worseelement in hia party. The danger lies in the possibility of the saloon element demandinga recognition in return for its su.tport on election day. The Courier has made a shrewd move to defeat the printers' union by arranging loget tho reporta of the proceedinifs of the common couneil,already "set up," from the Argus office. By running "píate" neivs now, our enterprisingcontemporary would be entirely beyond the reach or influence of srikes or walkouts. Or, may be, there is another explanation of the late combine. Pos8ibly the Courier has lost faith in the party to which it at present owes allegiance and has made this corabination with its Democratie contemporary asaBortofpreliminary move looking towards an eventual return to its rirst love. Snch a move would almost surprise some or our people, but surprising things do happen even in politics. If it was the real wish of thecoinmon council to let out the city printing in such a way that the reports would be read by tlie krgest number of our people, as was very plainly hinted in the meeting last Monday night, it should have made an effort to have given fhe printing of the proceedings to one Germán and one English paper. This would have made it possible for a very much larger number of our citizens to have seen the reporta than is possible under the present arrangement. By having given the work to Tuk Register and Washtenaw Post, for example.raore than twice the number of our taxpayers would have been able to read the official reporta than is now possible, unless an additional paper is subscribed for by many of our citizens, a thing which they are not likely to do. The saloon keepers of the state are isking that the legislature nbolish the distinction between malt and spirituous liquors and make the license uniformly $300. The iirst of these requests is reasonable and just. There ehould be no distineüon. But the granting of their second request would be more to their advantage than to that of the people. Why should the license be fixed at such a low figure? As The Register has before said, $1,000 is not too high. With such a tax, it is doubtful if more than ten saloon keepers in this city coultl afford to continue in business. From the Btandpoint of the IirohibiUojiist, nothing could be gaiued by this chaoge, but so long as the total nbolition of the liquor traflic c.iiinot at this time be effected, why not be Batitfled with the next best thing? Why not mitígate the evil by eaacting gemunt; high license?