Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-12-13
home productions, or reducing the wages of

at nome productions, or reducing the wages
a American labor T 13t - ri
have not entered into figures because
ne 90 so would be to repeat all that is laid befo1
az you III the report of the Secretary of th
d treasury. The present laws for collec tin
S, revenues pay collectors too small salaries, br
ae provide for shares in all seizures, which, a
principal ports Of entry particularly raise til
compensation OF these officials to large sun
70 1t has always seemed to me as if this syste1
I'd must at tunes work perniciously,
IF 1t holds out an indncement to dishonest n,er
At should such get possession of these offices, t
J.. be lax in their scrutiny of goods entered. t
A. enable them finally to make large seizures
IS Your attention is respectfully invited to thi
If SUBJECT. -,, 81
y TEac National Debt.
The national debt has been reduced to tb
l. extent OF 1856, ,057, 126. 80 during the wear AM
o by the negotiation of national bonds at a lowe
q rate OF interest, the interest of the publ.
= debt has been SO far diminished that now Tia,
II sum to be raised for interest account is nearly
: ST ,00O, 900 less than on the 1st of March
s 1869.
It 1t was highly desirable that this rapid dinlnu
}, ton should take place, both to strengthen the
credit OF the country and convince it's citizens
a of their entire ability to meet every dollar
OF liability without bankruptcy; but
I IN view of the accomplishment
: OF these desirable ends, of the rapid develop
! ment of the resources of the country, and It's
increasing ability to meet the large demands
and the amount already paid, it IS not desira-
Die that the present resources of the country
should continue to be taxed in order to con-
tlnue this rapid payment. / therefore recon-
mend the modification Of both tariff and inter-
, nal tax laws.
Gold and the Currency. A
y Continued fuctuation in the value of gold
compared with the national currency. has q
most damaging effect upon the increase and
Development OF the country, in keeping up
prices OF all the articles necessary i'm every
day life; it fosters spirit of gambling preiu-
dlclal alike to national morals and to national
| finances. Ii the question can be met as to
how to get fixed value to orr currency, that
value constantly and unif ormy approaching
par with specie, very desirable object viii
be gained.
The Army.
For the operations of the army in the past
year, the expense of maintaining, estimates for
the ensuing year, and for continuing sea
coast and other improvements conducted up
| der supervision of the War Department refer
you to the accompanying report of the Secre
tary of War
call your attention to the provisions of the
act of Congress, approved March I'd, 1862
4 which discontinues promotions in staff CORPS
of the army until provided for by law. I
I recommend that the number of officers in each
/ grade of staff corps be fixed, and that when
ever the number IN any one grade falls below
4 the number so fixed, that the vacancy may be
filled by promotion from the grade below.
also recommend that when the office of
chief Of corps becomes vacant the place NAV
/ be tiled by selection from the corps in which
the vacancy exists. The report of the Secre-
! tary of the Navy shows improvement IN the
! navy, and efficiency of the naval force, without
material increase III expense of supporting it.
/ This is due to the policy which has been
adopted and is being extended as fast
/ as material viii admit of using smaller
/ vessels as cruisers on the several stations. By
these means we have been enabled
t to occupy at once larger ex-
/ tent of cruising ground, to visit more
! frequently the posts where the presence OF
our flag is desirable and generally to discharge
more efficiently the appropriate duties of the
navy in time of peace without exceeding the
number of men or the expenditures authorized
] by law.
During the past year, the navy has, in ad-
dition to it's regular service, supplied the men
and officers and the vessels of the coast sur
vey, and has completed the surveys authoriz-
| ed by Congress of the Isthmus of Darien and
Tehanutepec and under like authority has
sent out expedition completely furnished
and equipped to explore the unknown ocean
| of the North.
! The suggestions Of the report as to the ne
/ eessity for increasing and improving the ma
! terial of the navy, and the plan recommended
for reducing the personnel of the service to
!
! tain grades of officers and reduction of others,
/ and the employment Of some in the service of
] the commercial marine, are well considered,
and deserve the attention of Congress.
/ also recommend that all promotions in the
navy above the rank of captain be by selection
instead of by seniority. This course viii Sc
cure In the higher grades greater efficiency
and hold out an incentive to your officers to
improve themselves ID the knowledge of their
profession.
The present cost of maintaining the navy,
and it's cost compared with that of preceding
years, and estimates for the ensuing year, are
contained in the accompanying report of the
/ Secretary of the Navv
The Post Office.
The enlarged receipts Of the z Post Office De-
j partment, as shown by the accompanying re-
Z port of the Postmaster General, exhibits
gratifying increase in that branch of the pub
lie service. It is the index of the growth of
education and of the prosperity of the peo-
pie, two elements highly conducive to the
yi8or and stability of republics, with vast
territory like ours much of it sparsely popu-
lated but all requiring the services OF the mail.
1t is not at present to be expected that this
department can be made self-sustaining but q
gradual approach to this end from year toyear
is confidently relied OIL, and the day is net far
distant when the Post Office Department of
the Government viii prove a much greater
blessing to the whole people than it is now.
The suggestions of the Postmaster General
4 for improvements in the department presided
over by hlm are earnestly recommended to
your especial attention, especially the docu-
ments favorable to the consideration of plan
for uniting the telegraph system of the United
States with the postal system.
1t ls believed that by such course the cost
of telegraphing could be much reduced, and
the service as well, if not better, rendered.
1t would secure the further advantage by ex-
tending the telegraph through portions of the
1t1yyy ponpa mt
struct it.
J Commerce, trade, and above all the efforts to
bring a people, widely separated, into com
munity of interests, are always benefited by
a rapid communication; and education, the
grand groundwork of Republican institutions,
Is encouraged by increasing these facilities, to-
gether with speedy news from all parts of the
country.
The desire to reap the benefit of such i'm
proyements will stimulate education. [ refer
you to the report of the Postmaster General
for full details of the operations of last year,
: and for comparative statements OF results with
former years.
, Tho Public Lands. ..
[ renew my recommendations that the pub
lie lands be regarded as a heritage to our
children, to be disposed of only as required
for occupation and to actual settlers. Those
, already granted have been, in great part, dis
posed of IN such a way as to secure access to
the balance by the hardy settler who may
wish to avail himself of them; but caution
! should be exercised even in attaining so de
sirable an object Educational interests may
, , well be served by the grant of the proceeds OF
! the sale of public lands to settlers.
EaucatIonaI.
I do not wish to be understood as recon
: mendlng IN the least degree curtailment OF
what is being done by. the general government
for the encouragement of education. The re-
port of the Secretary of the INTERIOR submit
ted with this, will give you information, col
lected and prepared for publication in regard
to the census taken during the yeal 1870, the
= operations OF the Bureau of Education for the
. year, the Patent Office, the Pension Office tn
Land Office and Indian Bureau
@ Agriculture.
The report of the Commissioner of AgricuI
j ture gives the operations of his department
= for the year. AS agriculture is the GROUND
n work of our prosperity, too much Importance
: cannot be attached towards labor; and his de-
partment is IN the hands of an able hesd Will
: able assistants, all jealously devoted t.
IntrOeju1nQr