River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-12-09

Is against us TO this amount. The subject il
one worthy ct your serious considcrau Il
WAFER TRANSPORTATION.
Cheap transp rtatiop is subject Chat has at
tracted the att, ution ct both producers auo
consumers FOR the past few years and ha,
col tributed to, u IL has not been the direct
cause, OF the recent panic and utrln
gency' As Congress, at its last session,
appointed special committee TO investigate
tins whole subject during the vacation and
report at tins session. | have nothing 90 re-
mmend until Their report II ready. There
Is one work, however, OF national character,
IN which the greater portion of the east aud
west, the north aud the south, are equally IN
ttrested, 10 which wlllInvlte your attention.
The state ot New York has a canal conncctlns
Lake Ere with tide water on the Hudson Rlg-
err The state of Illinois has a similar ca.
nal connecting Lake Michigan with
the nayigable water on the
Illinois river, thus making water commu.
ncatlon inland between the East aud the
west These great artificial water courses
are the prapprt OF the states through which
they pass, and pay toll TO those states Would
H. not ne wise craftsmanship 10 pledge these
states that II They will open these canals for
the passage Ot large vessels the
government viii look after and keep
10 naWgable condition TIA, great public
highways with which they connect t0-wlt
=
flats and the Illinois aud Mississippi rivers
[ Ihl- would be a national work, and one of
/ gleat value 80 the producers OF the West and
South, IN giving them cheap transportation
/ Tor their produce to the seabOard aud mar
/ ket to the consumers of the East In giyiu9
cheaper food, particularly Of the articles Of
food which do not find foreign market,
aUd the prices Of produce therefore are
not regulated by the foreign demand
the advantages OF such work are too OBJ
/ viOus for argument. | submit the subject 10
1 yDu, therefore, without further comment. In
attempting 10 regain our ! st commerce aud
carving trade, heretofore called attention
to the state south Of us offering field where
much mlght lie accomplished TO further
this object | suggest that a small
appropriation be made accompanied
with authority for the Secretary OF the Navy
to tit out a naval vessel TO ascend the Amazon
River to the mouth of the Madeira, thence to
explore that river aud its tributaries into Boz
livia, and To report to Congress, at its next
session, or as soon a. practicable, the accessi
bllty OF the country by water. its resources,
and the population SO reached Such an ex-
portation will cost but ntt!e. II can do no
harm, aud NAV result in establishing
trade of value to both nations.
In further connection with the Treasury
department. | would recommend a revision
and codificaton OF the tariff laws, and the
opening Of move minis for coming money,
with authority to coin for such DatiOns as may
apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention Of Congress is invited to the
recommendations ia the report OF the Secre-
tary OF War, herewith accompanying. The
apparent great cost of supporting the
Academy is fully explained in the
report, aud IL Will receive your attention
While inviting your great attention to all the
recommendations made by the Secretary OF
4 IL.
invite your to consider first the importance
of preparing for war ~ time OF peace, by pro-
viding for a proper armament for our sea-
coast deieuses. Proper armamentis OF vastly
more Importance than tortiicahons. The lat.
ter can be supplied very speedily Tor
temporary purposes when needed, the former
cannot. The second Is the necessity OF re-
opening promotion in the st fl corps Of the
army. Particularly this necessity telt in
the Medical Pay md Ordinance Departments.
At Ibis tire 1t is necessary 10 employ contract
surgeons to supply Tho necessary medical
attention II CARED for the army. With the
present force Of the Pay Department it is now
ditficcit 70 make the payments to troops
provided for by law. Long delays IN
payments are productive of deserti"ns and
Generalization, and the law prohibits the
payment OF troops by other than regular army
Paymasters. There are now sixteen yacan-
cies IL the Ordnance Department, thus ieay-
officers TO conduct the business of the different
arsenals m a large scale, If ever required.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
| During the past year our navy has been re-
duced by the sale of some vessels no longer M
/ for naval purposes and by the condemnation
of others not yet disposed oi This, however,
/ has been more than compensated for 10y the
repair Of six OF the old wooden ships aud by
| the building Of eight new sloops-of-war au-
] 4 IN ba q
OF these latter has occurred at a d0ubls fortu-
nate time They are about being completed
when they probably will be much needed, aud
| the work upo them has not only gwen en-
pluyment to thousands Of men, but no doubt
has been the means of keeping open cstab-
menls OF other works at a time of great iinan-
ca distress. Since the commencement last
mouth, however the decreasing occurrences
which have taken place in the waters of the
Caribbean sea aud along our very seahoard,
while they illustrate most furcibly the me-
ccssIty always existing That a nation situat-
ed ae ours is should maintain IN a state Of
| efficiency a navy adequate to ts responsible
| tiles, has as the same ma de handed that all
+ tue cti tive force We really have shall be put
I an immediate readiness for warlike service
I This has been aud is being done promptly aud
effectively and am assured that the available
shIps aud every authorized man OF the AmeTi-
| can navy will be ready Tor whatever action Is
! required for the safety Ut our cities or the
maintenance OF our honor, This, OF course, viii
require the cXpeudi ufe in q short time of
! some of the appropriations which were calcu-
/ lated 10 extend through the fiscal year, but
/ Congress will. ] doubt not, understand and
/ appreciate the emergency, and will provide
| Adequately. not only for the present pre-
/ paration, but for the future maintenance
/ of our naval forces. The Secretary of the
I Navy, has, during the pasi year been quietly
! putting some Of our most extensive monitors
/ in condition for service. aud thus the eXigency
4 finds "a ~ much better condition tor war
than We would possibly have been without
] this action.
PEST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
/ A complete exhibit X presented in the ac-
/ complaining report Ot the Postmaster Gen
4 cral of the operations Of the postoffice De-
partmont durlne The wear The ordinary
/ postal revenues for the fiscal year ending ,sne
I 80, 1873, amounted 20 SO. 800. ~. and the
/ expenditures u I'll kinds 10 500, 0si ,gi5 81.
/ The increase Of revenue tor 1872 was - 0Si,-
4 3l1 90 aud the increase IN expenditures
/ f2iG 1885,, and interest Of payments mad,
I from special appropriations for mail steam
/ ship iincr The amount drawn from the
general treasury 20 meet the deficiencies has
1920 $40. The constant extension of our
+ postal service, particularly upon railroad and
4 improved facilities for the collections. trans.
mission, distribution and delivery OF mails
which are being provided, account Tor the in-
Z creased gWppu1ltureA 80 this U0Uul4V Ltuuph