Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-12-11

pledged IS security for their issue.
have not reflected nough on the bearing
this might have in producing scarcity OF
coin with which to pay the duties on imports,
your attention is invited to the subject. Dur
ing the last few years the currency has been
contracted directly by the withdrawal OF three
per cent: certificates, composed Of interest,
notes and 7.3o bonds outstanding on the 4th
of March, 1859. all Of which took the place Of
legal tenders in the bank reserves to the ex-
tent OF s63, 100000. During tho same
period there has been much
larger comparative contraction of the cur
rcncy; the population of the country has
| largely increased moro than 25,00O miles OF
railroad have been built. requiring the active
use Of capital to operate them millions OF
acres of land have been opened to cultivation,
requiring capital to remove the products
manufactures have multiplied beyond all pre-
ced mt in the same period Of time, requiring
capital weekly for the payment OF wages and
tor the purchase OF material, and probably
the largest Of all comparative contraction
arising from the organizing Of free labor in
! the South. Now every Iaborer there receives
his wages, aud 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 consid-
GRAFTON without any recommendation that
they shall be adopted literally. but hoping that
= method may be arrived at to secure such
! an elasticity OF the currency as will keep en-
pioved all the industries OF the country aad
prevent such an imitation ~ will put off in
definitely the resumption Of specie pavments,
IN object devoutly to be wished for by all, and
none more earnestly than the class Of people
most prectly interested, those who earn their
bread by the sweat OF their brow. The decis-
ion of Congress on this subject will have the
| hearty support ofthe executive.
THE sHI1.1U1LD1Na INTEREST.
In previous messages have called atten-
ton to the decline IN American ship building,
| and recommended such legislation as would
! secure to us our portion OF the carrying trade.
Stimulated by high rates and abundance of
freight, the progress for the last year in ship
building has been satisfactory. There has
been an increase of about three per cent.
in the amount transported In American
! We ssels over the amount of last year. With
| the reduced cost of matireal which has taken
place, it may reasonably be hoped that this
change will be maintained, and even increas-
900 per annnm to foreign vessels for the
Transportation OF our surplus products to
= market thus increased, the balance Of trade
IS against us to this amount. The subject is
one worthy Of your serious consideration.
wATRR TRANSPORTATION.
Cheap transportation is subject that has at.
tracted the attention eft both producers ard
consumers for the past few yelrs, and has
W, IL IL Has uOG Uecu Cu0 UlreCt
| cause, OF the recent panic and strin-
gency. As Congress-, At it's last session,
appointed special committee to investigate
! this whole subject during the vacation and
| report at this session. l have nothing to re-
commend until their report is ready. There
in which the greater portion of the east and
! west, the north and the south, are equally in
| tereeted, to which I will invite your attention.
The state of New York has canal connecting
Lake Erie with tide water on the Hudson Riv.
er., The state Of Illinois has similar Ca
! the navigable water on the
Illinois river, thus making water commu-
nicatlon inland between the East and the
West. These great artificial water courses
are the properti OF the states through which
they pass, and pay toll to those states. Would
states that ifthey will open these canals for
government will look al after and and keep @
in navigsble condition tho great public
highways with which they connect, to-wit
the overslougb on the Hudson, the St. Clair
Flats and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers?
This would be . national work, and one of
gleat value to the producers OF the West and
South, in giving them cheap transportation
for their produce to the seaboard aud mar
ket to the consumers OF the East. In giving
cheaper food. particularly Of the articles Of
aud the prices Of produce therefore are
not regulated by the foreign demand,
the advantages OF such q work are too OBJ.
vious for argument. l submit the subject to
yon, therefore, without further comment. In
attempting to regain our l. st commerce and
carrying trade, heretofore called attention
to the state south Of US Offering tield where
much might be accomplished to further
this object, suggest that . small!
appropriation be made accompanied
with authority for the Secretary OF the Navy
River to the month Of the Madeira, thence to
explore that lvor and it's tributaries into Bo-
! jivia, and to report to Congress, at its next
session, or as soon a. practicable, the accessi.
bility OF the country by water. its resources,
| and the population so reached. Such an ex-
portation will cost but little. 1t can do no
trade OF value to roth nations.
In further connection with the Treasury
department., would recommend revision
ana codification of the tariff laws. and the
with authority to cdin for sach nations AZ may
apply.
The attention Of Congress is invited to the
recommendations in the report OF the Secre-
apparent great cost Of supporting the
report, and it will receive your attention
While inviting yOnr great attention to all the
recommendations made bt the Secfetsty Of
War there are two which / would especially
invite your to consider: fret, the importance
of preparing for war in time OF peace, by pro.
viding for proper armament for our sea.
coast defenses. Proper armamentis Of vastly
more Importance than lortiticat,ons. The lat.
ter can be supplied very speedily for
Temporary purposes when needed, the former
! nannOt Tho ia rho nnooeSitv nf
opening promotion in the staff corps OF the
army. Particularly is this necessity felt in
the Medical, Pay aud Ordinance Departments.
At this titie 1t is necessary to employ contract
surgeons to supply. the L, ~.Ary me. medical
present force of the Pay Department. it is now
difficult to mako Inc paymctits to troops
provided for by law. Long delays in
payments arc productive OF desertions and
decentralization, and the law prohibits the
payment OF troops by othct than regular ARMY
Paymasecrs. There are now sixteen vacan.
cies in the Ordnance Department, thus leav.
ing that branch Of service without sufficient
officers to conduct the business OF the different
arsenals On large scale, if ever rcquiled.
THE NAVY pEpARrsENr.
During the pant year our navy has been re-
dutcd " the sale OF some vessels no longer ft
Tor naval purposes and by the condemnation
Of others not yet disposed ot This, however,
hho OcClk HuoiC AHan GtiupoucAtcu lux W tuC
repair of six Of the old wooden ships and by
the building of eight new sloops-of.wat "a.
thorized by the last Congress-. The building
Of these latter has occurred at douby fottu.
nate time. They arc about being completed
when they probably will be much needed, and
tho work NpVl them has not only gwen en-.
ployment to Thousands of men; but no doubt
has been the means OF keeping open cstab-
ments OF other works at time If great fihan.
| clal distress. Since the commencement, last
month, however. the d,stress!ns occurrences
which have taken place in the waters Of the
Caribbean Sea and along our very seabOard,
white they illustrate most forcihly tho ne.
cessity always existing that . nation situat-
, ed as ours is should maintain iu q state Of
efficiency navy adequate to its responsible
tics, has at the same tine 0e handed that all
} tho effective force VIC really have shall be put
in immediate readiness for warIike service
This has been and is being done promptly and
effectively. and an assured that the availab
: ships and every authorized man OF tho Ameri.
can navy will be ready for whatever action il
required for the safety Of our cities or the
maintenance Of our honor. This, of course, viii
require the expenditure IN short time O
some OF the appropriations which were calcu
lated {" extend through the fiscal year, bn
tnn:rrss wilt. [ doubt not, under stand ant
appreciate tho emergency, and will provid,
; adequately: not only f,r the present pre-
para'lon, but for the future maintenance
u our naval fofpss. The Secretary OF tn,
Navy has, during the pas, year been quietl