New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-03

has largely increased.
More than $4,000 miles of railroad hav
been built, requiring the active use of capi
tai to operate them. Millions of acres o
land have been opened TO cultivation, re
| quiring capital to move the products. Manu-
factories have multiplied beyond all prece
dent IN the same period of time, requirin,
capital weekly for the payment of wage
and for the purchase of material, and prob
ably the largest of all comparative contrac
arises from the organizing Of
FREE LABOR IN THE SOUTH.
Now every laborer there receives hi
wages, and for want of savings banks tb,
greater part OF such wages is carried in thu
pocket or boarded until required for use
Ihese suggestions are thrown out TO,
your consideration without any recon
Inendation that they shall be adopted liter
ally, but hoping that the best method NAV
be arrived at to secure such an elasticity O,
the currency as will keep employed all the
industries Of the country and prevent such
an initiation as will put off indefinitely the
resumption OF specie ,payments--an objec,
so devOutly to be wished for by all and by
none more earnestly than the class of people
most directly Observation-Disclosures who earn
their bread by the sweat Of their brow.
The decisions OF Congress on this subject
will have the hearty approval of the execu
tive.
In previous messages l have called at
tention to the
DECLINE IN AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING,
and recommended such legislation as would
secure to us our proportion of the carrying
trade. Stimulated by high rates and
abundance of freight, the progress for the
last year in ship building has been very sat
isfactory. There has been an increase OF
about three per cent in the amount trans
ported in American vessels over the amount
of last year. With the reduced cost of ma
terial which has taken place, it may reason
ably be hoped that this progress will be
maintained, and even increased. However.
as we pay about $50 ,000, 900 per annum to
foreign vessels for transportation of our
surplus products to market, thus increas-
ing the balance of trade against us to this
amount, the subject is enc worthy of your
serious consideration.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION
Is subject that has attracted the attention
of both producers and consumers for the
past few years, and has contributed to- if it
has not been the direct cause of, the recent
panic and stringeney.
As Congress at its last session appointed
special committee to investigate this
whole subject during the vacation and re-
port at this session, have nothing to re-
commend until their report is received and
read. There is one work, however, of a
national character, on which the greater
portion Of the East and the West, the North
and South are equally interested, to which
l will invite your attention.
The State Of New York has canal con-
Meeting Lake Erie with tide water on the
Hudson river. The State of Illinois has a
similar work connecting Lake Michigan
with navigable water on the Illinois river,
thus making water communication inland
between the East and the West and South.
These great artificial water courses are the
property of the States through which they
pass, and pay toll to those States. Would
it not be wise craftsmanship to pledge. these
States that, if they will open these canals
for the passage of large vessels, the
general government will look after
and keep in navigable condition the
great public highways with which
they connect, to wit: the overslaugh
on the Hudson. the st. Clair flats and the
Illinois and Mississippi rivers! This would
be a national work of great value to the
producers of the West and South in giving
them cheap transportation for their pro.
dnce to the aboard and a market, and to
the consumers in the East in giving them
cheaper food, particularly OF those articles
of food which do not find foreign markets.
and the prices, therefore, are not regulated
by foreign demands. The advantages of
such work are too obvious for argument.
l submit the subject to you, therefore, with
out further comment.
In attempting to regain our lost COM
1aerce and
CARRYING TRADE,
I have heretofore called attention to the
States south of US Offering field where
much might be accomplished. To further
this object, suggest that an appropriation
be made, accompanied with authority for
the Secretary of the Navy to tit out naval
vesselt0
ASCEND THE AMAZON
To the mouth of the Madeira; thence to
explore that river and its tributaries into
Bolivia, and to report to Congress, at its
lext session, or as soon as practicable, the
of the country by water, its
sources, and the population so reached.
such an exploration will cost but little.
It can do no harm, and may result in estab-
ishing trade of value to both nations.
In further connection with the Treasury
Department would recommend revision
ind
CODIFICATIoN OF THE TARIFF LAWS,
And the opening Of more minis for coming
money, with authority to coin for such ma
ions as may apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress is invited to
he recommendations contained in the re-
bort of the Secretary of War, herewith ac
Ompanying. The apparent great cost of
the army is fully explained by
his report, and l hope will receive your
1ttention. While inviting your general at
entiOn to all the recommendations made by
he Secretary of War, there are two which |
would especially invite you to consider:
First, THE Importance of preparing for war
n time of peace by providing proper arma-
lent for our sea coast defenses. Proper |
is of vastly more importance |
han Notifications. The latter can be sup
lied very speedily for temporary purposes |
Vhen needed. The former can not. I
The second is the necessity of reopening /
romotion in the staff corps of the army. |
'artieularly is this necessity felt in the |
nedical, pay and ordnance departments. /
It this time it is necessary to employ "con-
ract surgeons" to supply the necessary |
ledical attendance required by the army |
With the present force of the pay depart |
lent it is now difficult to make the pay
lent to troops provided for by law. Long
elays in payments are productive of de- |
ertions and other decentralization, and the
aw prohibits the payment of troops by |
ther than regular army paynasters.
There are now sixteen vacancies in the |
rdnance department, thus leaving that
ranch of the service without sufficient Off
ers to conduct the business of the differ
ut arsenals on large scale if ever re-
uired.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
During the past year our navy has been
epleted by the sale of some vessels no
niger tit for naval service, and by the con-
of others not yet disposed of.
his, however, has been more than com.
ensated for by the repair of six of the old
OGDEN ships, and by the building of eight
ew slOOps of war, authorized by the
lst Congress. The building of these
ttter has occurred at a doubly for
mate time. They are about being com
leted at a time when thau MAY nnsaihlr ]