Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-12-04

Ity of coin with which to pay the du
ties on imports, TO give IT my positive
recommendation, but your attention
is invited to the subject. During the
last few years the currency has been
contracted directly by the withdraw.
al of three per cent. certificates, com.
posed of interest, notes and 80 bonds
outstanding on the 4th of March, Is.
90, all of which took the place of legal
tenders in the bank reserves to the ex-
tent of 100000. During the same
period there has been much larger
comparative contraction of the currer
cy: the population of the country has
largely increased more than 1000
miles of railroad have been built, re-
curing the active use of capital to op
crate them; millions Of acres of land
have been opened to cultivation re-
curing capital to remove the product;
manufactures have multiplied beyond
all precedent in the same period of
requiring capital weekly for the pay
ment of wages and for the purchase
of material, and probably the largest
of all comparative contraction arising
from the organizing of free labor in
the South. Now every laborer there
receives his wages, and for the want
of savings banks, the greater part Of
such wages is carried in the pocket,
or boarded for future use. These
suggestions are thrown out for your
consideration without any recommen.
datlon that they shall be adopted lit
orally, but hoping that method may
be arrived at to secure such an elias.
ITCHY TO the currency as will keep EN-
ployed,all the industries of the country
and prevent such an initiation as will
put put off indefinitely the resumption
of specie payments, an object devout.
ly to be wished for by all, and none
more earnestly than the class of peo-
pie most directly interested, those
who earn their bread by the sweat OF
their brow. The decision of Congress
on this subject will have the hearty
support of the executive.
THE SHIP BULLYING INTEREST.
In previous messages / have called
attention to the decline in ship build
ing and recommended such legislation
as would secure to us our portion OF
the carrying trade. Stimulated by
high rates aid abundance of freight
the progress in ship building for the
last year has been satisfactory. There
has been an increase of about pei
cent in the amount transported ir
American vessels over the amount last
year. With the reduced cost of ma
terial it may reasonably be hoped tha
this change may be maintained. and
even increased However, as we pay
about $sO,OOO,OOO per annum TO for.
eign vessels for the transportation o
our surplus products TO a market thu,
increased, the balance OF trade il
against US to this amount.
WATER TRANSPORTATION
There is one work of national CHI ar
a:ter, in which greater portion of tn
east and west, the north and south
are equally interested. The state O
New York has canal connectin!
Lake Erie with the tide water on tn
Hudson river. Illinois has a simia
canal connecting Lake Michigan witt
the navigable water on the Illinoi
river, thus making water communica
ton inland between the East and tn
West. These great artificial waite
courses are the property of the state
through which they pass, and pay tol
to Those states. Would it not be al
act of wise craftsmanship TO pledg
these states that if they will open thes
canals for the passage of large vessel
the government will look after ant
keep in navigable condition the grea
public highways which they connect
TO wit: the overslough on the Hudson
the st. Claire Flats and the Illnoi
and Mississippi rivers? This woul,
be national work, and one of grea
value to the producers OF the Yves
and South, in giving them cheap tran
portation for their produce to the sc
boaFd and market to the consumer
of the East. The advantages of sucI
a work arc too obvious tor argument
submit the subject to YOU, therefore
without further comment. In attempt
ing TO regain our lost commerce an,
carrying trade, heretofore called at
tentlon TO the state south of us otferin,
a field where much might be done t,
further this object, | suggest that
small appropriation be made accom-
}panled with authority for the Secre
tary OF the Navy To fit out a naya
vessel to ascend the Amazon river t.
the mouth of the Madeira, thence t
explore that river and its tributarie
into Bolivia, and to report to Con
gross the accessibility of the countr,
by water, its resources, and the pop
ulation SO reached Such an explora
ton would cost but little. 1t ma,
result in establishinga trade of valu,
TO both nations. In further connection
with the Treasury department,
would recommend revision and cod
ihcation of the tariff laws. and tn,
opening of more minis for coming
money, with authority to coin for sucl
nations as may apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT..
The attention of Congress is invi
ted to the recommendation in the re
port of the Secretary OF War, here
with accompanying. The apparent
great cost OF supporting the Academy
is fully explained in the report, and il
will receive your attention. While
inviting your great attention to al
the recommendations made by the Sc
cretary of War, there are two which
| would especially invite you to con-
slider; first, The importance ofpreparing
for war in time Of peace, by providing
for proper armament tor our sea
coast defense. Proper armament is
of vastly more importance than forti
tcations. The latter can be supplied
very speedily for temporary purposes
when needed, the former cannot.
The second is the necessity of reopen
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