Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-12-09
reduction of interest account, may be re
IL Il

reduction of interest account, may be re-
led upon to make this practicable
REVENUE REFORM.
IRevenuesfeforu1, if it means this, has
my ERNEST support. fit implies col
lection of all the revenue for the support
Of the government, for the payment Of
the principal and interest Of the public
debt, pensions, etc, by directly taxing
the people, then am against revenue re-
form, and confidently believe the people
are with me. If it means failure to pro-
vide the necessary means to defray all ex-
penses of the government, and thereby re-
pudiation Of the public debt and pensions,
l am still more opposed to such kind of
revenue reform. Revenue reform has
not been defined by any of it's advocates
to my knOwlede; but seems to be accept
ed as something which is to supply every
mans wants without any cost or effort
on his part. A true revenue reform can
not be accomplished in day; it must be
the work of national legislation and Of
time. AS soon as the revenues can be
dispensed with, all duties should be re-
moved from coffee, tea, and other articles
Of universal use not produced by our
selves. The necessities of the country
compel us to collect revenue from our I'M
ports. An army of assessors and cOllec-
tors is not pleasant sight to citizens;
but that or tariff for revenue is neces-
sary. Such tariff, SO far as it acts in
encouragement to home products, affords
employment to labor at living wages in
contrast to the pauper labor Of the old
world, and also aids in the development
of our home resources.
THE ARMY AND THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Under the act of Congress of July Is,
1870, the army has gradually been reduc-
ed, so that on the first of January 1871
the number of commissioned officers and
men will not exceed the number contem-
plated by the law.
The war department building is an old
structure, not fire proof and entirely in
adequate in dimensions to our present
wants. Many thousands of dollars are
now paid annually for rent of private
buildings to accommodate the various
bureaus of the department. recommend
an appropriation for a new war depart
ment building suited to the present grow
ing and wants of the nation
The report of the Secretary of War
the expenses of the army for the last
| fiscal year. For details you are referred
to his accompanying report.
THE NAVY.
The expenses Of the navy for the whole
| Ofthe last year, from December /, 1860 to
| the date of the last report, are less than
| nineteen million dolars-or about one
| million less than they were the previous
year. The expenses since the commence
mcnt Of this fiscal year-since July list
| show for the five months decrease of
over 50, 100000 from those of the CORES
ponding months of last year The esti-
mates for the current year were $2S ,205,
| $500 Those for next year are S20, 6S3,-
317.00, with $3.50, 10000 additional for
necessary permanent improvements.
| These estimates are made closely for the
maintenance of the naval establishment,
as it now is without much in the nature
| of permanent Improvement. The apple
cation made for the last and current
years were evidently intended by Con
gress, and are sufficient only, to keep the
navy on its present footing by the repair
ing and retitting of our Old ships. This
policy must of course gradually, but sure
| ly destroy the navy, and is in itself far
from economical, and each year that it is
pursued the necessity for repairs in ships
| and navy yards would become more i'm
and
expenses are annually increased for the
mere repair of ships, many of which must
soon become unsafe and useless. | hope
during the present session Of Congress to
be able to submit to it plan by Which
naval vessels can be built and repaired
with great saving upon the present cost.
1t can hardly be wise craftsmanship in a
government which represents Il country
with over five thousand miles of coast
line on both oceans, exclusive of Alaska,
and containing forty millions of progress
sive people, with relations of every nature
with almost every foreign country, to
rest with such inadequate, means of en-
forcing any foreign policy either by pro-
lection or redress. Separated by the
ocean from the nations of the Eastern
Continent, our navy is our only means of
protection to our citizens abroad, or for
the enforcement of any foreign policy.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report of the Post
master General shows Il most satisfactory
working of the department. With the
adoption of the recommendations con-
tanned therein, particularly those relating
to Il reform in the franking privilege, and
the adoption of correspondence cards, a
selfsustaining postal system may be
speedily leaked for, and at no distant day
a further reduction of the rate of postage
attained
| recommend the authorization by Con
gress to the Postmaster General and At
torney General to issue all commissions
to officials appointed through their re-
spcctive departments. At present those
commissions, where appointments are
presidential, are issued by the State De-
partment The law in all the departments
of the government, except those of the
post Office and of justice, authorizes each
to issue its own commissions, always
favoring practical reforms.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
respectfully call your attention to one
abuse Of long standing, which l would
like to see remcdied by this Congress.
1t is reform in the civil service of the
country. would have it go beyond the
mere fixing of the tenure of the office of
clerks and employees which does not re-
quire the advice and consent of fhe Sen
ate to make their appointments complete.
| would have it govern not the tenure,
but the manner of making all appoint
ments. There is no duty which SO much
embarrasScs the executive and heads of
departments as that of appointments;
nor is there any such arduous and thank
less labor imposed on Senators and Rep
rcscntatives as that of finding places for
constituents. The present system does
not secure the best men, and often even
not fit men. for public places. The ele-
walton and publication of the civil service
of the government will be hailed with APP
prevail by the whole people of the United
States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Reform in the management of Indian
affairs has received the special attention
of the administration from its Inaugural
ton to the present day. The experiment
of making it a missionary work was tried
with a few agencies given to the denomi
t;Ap nFEr;onJc ,pJ bnc boon fnupI to