Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-15

managed and TO answer reasonably the purpose
for which 1t was established 1t Is, no doubt, true
that Treasury notes representing an equal amour,
economical circulation for the government, but Il
should be considered that the banking institutions
OF the country are agencies by which business y
established and fostered. Upon the whole, the sys
tenn Of banking should be extended oEiy for the
purpose of meeting the demands Of business; but
when the demands are urgent, concession should
pc made upon the ground that the prosperity o.
business u more important than the mere saving o.
interest arising from the circulation Of Treasur,
notes.
Excluding redeposits the amount Of gold and
silver deposited the Mint snd its several branch
ss during the last fiscal year was s30, 4Oe 7so 10
value OF gold and silver bars stamped was 3. 748
$50 81. respectfully ask the attention of Con-
greas to the bill prepared IN this department. and
submitted at the last session, and TO the accompa
nying reports relative to the rnints and coinage
system Of the country. The bill was prepared with
care and has since been submitted to the criticism
OF q large number OF practical and scientific mer
whose views have been published by authority OF
Congress. During the year several Branch Mints
and Assay onsces have been visited BY Mr.: Knex
and DR.. LBdcrInan. The Assay Office at Boise
City. Idaho, Ia nearly completed, and will require
q small appropriation for the commencement oil
business. Provisions should he made for the re-
demption Of the bronze and other tokens issued by
the government
TIE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF MINING STA.
TIsTICH,
for the year 1852 has been printed since the close
OF the session IN July last and that Tor the year
1870 will be made during thewinter. The continu-
ance Of the work appears TO be . matter OF ma
tional Importance.
The proportion OF American vessels engaged IN
foreign trade has not increased relatively during
the past year, although there has been an actual
increase In entries Of American vessels at the ports
Of the United States, amounting In the aggregate
to 10000 tons. The total tonnage engaged in
foreign trade, entered at all the ports OF the United
O. I'M
1851 600 tons in 1870; but the proportion OF Amer
can tonnage remains ~ In 1859, at 30 per cent.
Without undertaking to specify the means by
which II IL to be accomplished. cannot Overstate
the Importance of such legislation as will secure
the revival Of American commerce.
LIGHTHOUSES.
The report Of the Lighthouse Board sets forth IN
detail the difficulties which have arisen In that
branch Of the public service from the operation OF
the fifth section Of the act of July H. 1870 making
appropriations for the Legislative and executive
June 3d. 1871. The legislation asked for by the
board seemed to me to be necessary.
COAST SURVEY
The report OF the superintendent Of the Coast
statement OF the progress made during the last
surveying year.
TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS IN BOND
On the first day Of October last regulations were
issued concerning the transportation Of merchan-
disc from ports OF importation to certain other
ports In the United States, without appraisement
or liquidation of duties at the port OF arrival,
agreeable to the provisions Of the act to reduce
internal tax, and for other purposes, approved
July "a, 1870. A copy OF the regulations will be
transmitted to Congress. In the nature OF the
railway companies shall have given the bonds re-
CURED, and importing merchants Of interior cities
shall have made arrangements for the importation
Of goods upon the basis of the act am satisfied
that no serious difficulties will arise either with
the railways, merchants, or the government.
Without doubt the act increases the opportunity for
f.vn I'm vntp
In violation OF the revenue law; but the examine
ton which l have given the subject in
the preparation OF the regulations, leads me
to think that the business can be safely conducted.
CUSTOM HOUSE EXPENSES.
The appropriation for the expense Of collecting
the customs revenue, under the act approved
March 81, 1866, IL at the rate of 81, 600 annu.
ally In addition to such sums as may be received
from fines, penalties, forfeitures, and from
storage, carriage, drayage, and labor Expert
ence has shown that this amount is insufficient,
and deficiency appropriation will be needed lat at
appropriation IL increased. / have instituted a
careful supervision in the Treasury Department
over this branch Of expenditures, and agents are
employed investigating the expenses OF the
custom houses of the country for the purpose OF
ascertaining as to whether reduction of the
number of employees and salaries is practicable.
BY this means some saving will be effected,
but 1t will in any event be impossible to reduce
expenses within the appropriation. From 1858
rate 70 %
Cepts before enumerated as applicable to this
branch OF the service. From 1856 to 1860 incfu-
sive, the total receipts from customs were about
s272 DOC, 600, and the expenses of collection were
$15,S79O 900, or at the rate of more than ga per
cent. The receipts for the year ending June ~,
1870, were S194, $50 A. and the expenses,
1883, or not exceeding Sh per cent. From 1856
to 1860 the revenue collected did not exceed an
average OF 600 per year, and the temptation
for smuggling and fraud was much less under
low system of duties than II Is at the present time.
At the principal importing cities Of the country, 1t
Is necessary to employ large force for the protec
ton OF wharyes and water-nes within or near
such cities. 1t Is also necessary to guard against
smuggling by the presence often of several officers
upon and around steamers and other vessels i'm
porting large quantities Of goods, while engaged
in discharging their cargoes. 1t is also apparent
that the extensive line Of coast on the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, and Gulf of Mexico, every
where furnishing opportunities for the introduce
ton OF goods in violation of the revenue laws re-
quires the presence Of large number Of skillful
and trustworthy persons. The acquisition of
Alaska and the establishment ofinteror ports OF en-
try FOR the accommodation of business by railways
and steamers on the Northern frontier, add mate
rally to the expenses OF collecting and guarding
the revenue. therefore, respectfully recommend
an increase OF the permanent appropriation for
collecting the revenue for customs TO the sum of
g. 900 for each half year from and after the Both
day of June, 1870. At several Of the important
ports there are two appraisers, whose powers are
equal. recommend such an alteration Of the law
as will provide for one principal appraiser at each
port, who shall be responsible for the business OF
the office.
WORKS.
The Treasury Department has the care OF no
public buildings that are completed, and seventeen
that are IN course OF erection, all OF which had
cost on the Both OF June last s35, 300 1888. As
the appropriations for the repair and preservation
of these buildings Tor the current year is S10O, 600
the sum is manfestly Inadequate, being less than
one-third Of one per cent Unless larger annual
appropriations are made, the buildings will rapidly
deteriorate in value, and finally will need much
larger repairs the erection OF new ones in their
stead. With the increase OF population In the
country, appropriations must be annually made
for the erection OF Post Offices, Custom Houses,
and other public buildings. The present mode Of
inaugurating these works seems to me unwise.
Appropriations are often made without sufficient
information upon the subject. 1t is true that
when proposition IL introduced into Congress
for tho erection OF public building, the subject
is referred to the Treasury Department, and by
the Secretary to the Supervising Architect
Of the Treasury; but 1t II also true that the SUI
pervisng Architect has only general Information
upon the subject, and In answer to the
sudden CALL and without time for the preparation
Of plans and e0fimates, cannot give a sound opin-
lon az to the necessity or cost Of the work.
respectfully recommend that hereafter, when APP
propriations are made for the construction
Of public buildings, the first step, on
the part of Congress- will be to instruct the Treas
ury Department to make careful inquiry as to the
necessity of the work, and salso to prepare esti-
mates to be laid before Congress. This being done,
and the work authorized, 1t would be wise TO make
an appropriation sufficient to meet the entire cost
and then hold the department and Supervising