The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-12-13

and for the purchase Of material: aud probably
the largest Of all comparative contraction arts
ing from the organizing Of free labor In
the South Now every laborer there receives his
wages, and for the want Of savings banks the great
er part of such wages is carried in the pocket, or
boarded for future use. These suggestiors are
thrown out for your consideration without any rec
ommendatiou that they shall he adopted literally,
but hoping that method may be arrived at to Sc
cure elasticity of the currency VIII keep
employed all the industries of the country, and pre-
vent such imitation will put off indefinitely the
resumption of specie payments, an object dcvoutly
to be wished for by ALL aud by none more earnestly
than the class of people most directly interested
those W no earn their bread by the sweat of their
brow. The decision of Congress on this suject will
have the hearty support of the Executive.
THE sHIP-BUILD1NG INTEREST.
In previous messages have called attention to
the decline il American ship-buildng. and recon-
mended such legislation would secure to us our
portion OF the carrying trade. Stimulated hv high
rates and abundance of freight the progress for
the last year in shpbuildng has been satisfactory
There has been increase of about three per cent.
in the amount transported in American vessels
over the amount of last year. With the reduced
cost of material which has taken place it may rea-
sonably be hoped that this change viii be MAIN
tanned and even increased However, as we pay
about $50, 100000 per aunum to foreign vessels for
the transportation of our surplus products to u
market thus increased, the balance of trade is
against us to the amount. The subject l. one wor
thy Of your serious consideration.
WATER TRANSFORMATIONS.
Cheap transportation is subject that has at
tracted the attention of both producers and con
p
TO- if 1t has not been the direct cause, of the recent
panic and stringency. As Congress, at It's last
session, appointed special committee To investi.
gate this whole subject during the vacation. and re
, port at this session, have nothing 70 recommend
unit their re port is re,dy. There is one work,
, however, of a national character, in which tho
greater portion of the East and West the North
and the South, are equally interested. 10 WHICH I
: viii invite your attention. The Stale or New York
has u canal connecting Lake Erie with the tide
; water on the Hudson River. The State Of Illinois
has similar canal connecting Lake Michigan with
| he paVipahla the Illinois thus
! making water communication inland between the
East and the West. These great artificial water
courses the property of the states through
2 which they pass, and pay toll TO those states.
Would il not be wise craftsmanship tO pledge TO
these states that if they viii open these canals for
the passage of large vessels the Government viii
! look after and keep III naug2ble condition
! the great public HIGHWAYS with which they
! connect, to-wit the overslaugh on the Hud-
son, the ST. Clair Flats and the Illinois and Aisss-
{ sIppi rivers2 This would be national work, and
of great value to the producers Of the West aud
South in giving them cheap transportation for their
produce to the sedboard, maj ket to the
sumers of the East. Ia giving cheaper food. par
ticuarv the articles Of TODD which do not mud
foreign market and the prices Of produce therefore
are rot regulated by the foreign demand the advan-
tages of such work too obvious for argument
I submit tine subject to you, therefore, without tuT
@ ther comment In attempting 20 regain our lost
q commerce and carrying trade heretofore called
S attention to the states south OF as offering field
S where much might be accomplished to further this
= object. I suggest that a small appropriation be
made, accompanied with authority, for the Sccre-
tary OF the Navy TO 1T out naval vess ascend
, the Amazon river to The mouth of the Madeira,
thence to explore that river its tributaries into
Bolivia, and to report to Congress at its next
sion, practicable, the accessibility Of
the country by water, its resources, and the pu-
latIUn reached. Such eNplUr ton viii cost
but little. 1t can do no harm, and may result in
5 establishing trade Of yaue to both nations. In
further connection with tie Treasury Department,
1 would recommend a revision and codifeation OF
the tariff laws, and the opening 81 more minis for
coming money, with authority 10 com tor sucA ma
D WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention II Congress Is invited to the recon-
men atoms in The report OF the Secretary Of War,
, herewith ecc0n panyiug. The apparent great cost
i of supporting the Academy l. fully explained III
the report, and it viii receive your attention.
While inviting your greet attention TO all the recon-
mendations made by tine Secretary e War; there
are which would especial, invite vcu con-
sdCr, FIRST the Importance % preparing Tor
in times ct peace, by ovldlug for proper arraa-
mont for sea-coast dcfcuses. Proper aIElarneu
is Of vastly more importance than iCrtifcations
E The latter be supplied very speedily 70
l temporary purposes when needed, the former
cannot. The second s the necessity of re-openinz
promotion Ii the staff corps Of the army PartcII-
larry is this necessity telC n the Medical PAY aud
Ordnance Departments. At this time 1t is necess8
~ to employ contract s geous to supply the neces
sary medical attention required for the army With
the present force of the Pay Department it is now
difficult to make the payments to troops provided
for by law. Long delays il payments are pTOduC-
tive OF assertions and Generalization and the law
prohibits the payment of troops by other than reg
ular army Paymasters, There are now sixteen
ca'''ien IN the Ordnance Department TINS leaving
that branch of service wit out sufficient officers to
| conduct the business OF the different arSGual9
large scale, if ever required.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
During the past year our navy has been reduced
by he sale OF some vessels no longer 1T for naval
purposes and by the condemnation of others not
: | vet disposed Of. This. however, has been more
r than c6mpensa ed for by the epair of six OF the
old wooden ships aud by the building of eight new
slOops-ofwar authorized by the last Congress.
The building of these latter mas occurred at a
2 douhly fortunate time They are about being
completed when they probably will be much
needed, and the work rpou them has not only
given employment to thousands OF men, but no
DOUBT has been the means of Keeping open estah-
hshmeuts OF other works ut time OF great fuan-
Cal Distress. Since the commencement, last
, month however, the distressing occurrences
J which have taken place in the waters of the Car
ribcan Sea and along our very seaboard, while
they illustrate mot foTcibly the necessity
always existing that nation situated
. ours should always maintain IN state of
efficiency navy adeqate to its responsibilities has
at the same time demanded that al the effective
force We really haveshall &c pat "a immediate readi-
ing done promptly and effectively aud an assur-
| ed that the available ships ana every authorized
man of the American navy Will be ready for what
ever action Is required for the safety of cities
or the maintenance of our honor This, Of course
viii require the expenditure in short time of some
OF the appropriations winch were calcul3ted to
tend through the fiscal year, but Congress will, !
doubt not, understand and appreciate he erner-
gency, and provide adequately, Mt only for the
present preparation, but for the future fnainte-
nance Of our naval forces The Secretary of the NJ.
w has, during the past year, been quietly putting
some of our most extensive monitors in condition
of service, aud thus the exigeucy finds us in a
much better condition for than We would pos
sihly have been without this action.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
complete exhibit is presented in the ac-
companying report of the Postmaster General of
the operations of the Postoflice Department during
the year The ordinary postal revenues for the
| tIscia year ending june 50, 1873 amounted to
So $50 4l5I, and the expenditures Of all kinds to
cZ9,0S4,al5 81. The increase of revenue for 1879
sl,oSl, BIZ. 90, and the increase in expenditures
l2io.5i1.36 and interest of payments made from
special appropriations for mail Steamship lines
The amount drawn from the general treasury to
meet the deficiencies was S5,265.470 The constant
extension OF our postal service, particularly upon
railroad and improved facilities for the collection
transmission, distribution and delivery of mails
| which are being provided account for the i'm
| creased expenditures of this popular branch of
public service. The total number Of most
"ihces IN operation on June 80, 1873. was 49,
2i4 net increase of 1881 over the number rcportcd
| the preceding year
The increase of pOstofices was 1913, an increase
OF lb3 during the year. The total length Of rail
road maui routes at the close of the year was Sc $50
miles, an increase of 5,546 miles the wear 1872
FIFTY -nIne railroad postofice lines were in opera-
tlon june 80, 1873 extending over IA 6S6 miles of
ra'lfo2d routes, and performing aggregate ser
vice OF B. 495 miles daily. The number Of letters
exchanged with foreign countries was 81 45g 1s5
an increase of 2,096, 6S5 over the previous ycar
aud the postage thereon 81 ,O21 81 So and the
totai weight OF correspondence exchanged with
european countries exceeded 80 IONS. an increase
OF .! tons over the previous year. The total cost
| OF the UNITED States Ocean Mail Steamship Ser
wee, including s735 900 paid from special appro-
=, at1ols 70 subsidized lines of mail Steamers was