River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-12-18

w0ub. be most disastrous To our credit.
At the last session of Congress very consider
able reduction was made IN rats Of taxation.
and the ma nber Of articles submitted 10 taxa
ton, the question may well be asked whether
or mot, nj some instances, nnMlselK. Ia con-
nectlon with this subject too, venture the
cpiulpl. that the means of collecting the reye-
uue. AID especially for imports have been 20 en-
haua-sed 6y legislation a. % make it question:
able whether OF not large amounts are not lost
by failure to collect to the direct l0ss OF the
treasury and the prejudice u the interests Of
the honest importers aud tax payers
The secretary Of the treasury, IN his reportta-
yurs legislation looking to specie payments thus
supporting the views previously expressed ~
this message He also rec HAmends economy
III appropriations att..ltion To- the
loss II revenue from repeating the
tax tea and coffee wit aalt benefit 10 the
consumer recommends al increase Of ten
cents gallon on whiekey, and further that no
modification be made IN the banking and cur
rency bili passed at the last session OF Con-
gress, unless modification should become nee
9ssory ~ reason Of the adoption Of measures
for returning 10 specie payments. In these
recommendation | cordially join
| would suggest TO Congress the propieiy OF
adjusting the tariff as to iIierease the revenue.
and at the same time decrease the number OF
articles upon which dniies are levied
Those articles, which enter INTO our manutae-
lures and are not produced ~ home, it seems
Of manufacture which we produce constltn-
ent part Of. but do not produce the whole
that part which we do not produce should en-
ter free also. ! will instance fine wool, dyes,
6c. These articles must be imported, to form
a part Of the manufacturing of the higher
trades Of wooden goods, Chemicals. used as
dyes, compounded in medicines, and used III
various WAYS la manufacturing. come Under
tins class. The introduction. free Of Duties OF
such woods ~ we do not produee would stimuli
] L. Al a IL
qnirng the Use If those we do
produce, and therefore YVES II be benefit to
home production There are MANI articles
entering into home manufacture which we do
not produce ourselves, the tariff upon which
increases the cost of producing the manufae-
tured article. All corrections III this regard
are III the direction of bringing labor and cap
ltal in harmony with each other, and OF
supplying one of the elements
Of prosperity, so much needed.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report Of tie Secretary of War. here
with a, ached, and forming part of this mes
sage, gives all the information concerning the
operations, wants and necessities Of the army
and contains many suggestions and fecommen-
dations which | commend to your special atten-
tions. There il no class Of government employees
who are harder worked than the army officers,
and none who perform their tasks more cheer
fully and efficiently, and under circumstances
ton is desirable to render more eff
icent this branch of the public service.
All the recommendations ( the Secretary OF
war | regard as judiclous, and especially com
mend the following The consolidation of the
government arsenals the restoration OF mile
ages to officials travelling under orders; the
exemption of money received from the sale of
subsistence stores from being covered into the
treasury the use of appropriations for the
purchase of subsistence stores without waiting
for the beginning of the fiscal year for which
the appropriation is made; for additional ap-
preparations for the collection of torpedo ma
terals for increased appropriations for the
manufacture Of arms for relieving the various
states from indebtedness: for arms charged to
them during the rebellion for dropping officers
| from the rolls of the army without trial, for
the offense of drawing pay more than once
for the same period for the Encouragement
OF the plan to pay the soldiers by checks, and
for the establishment of a professOrship of
Rhetoric and English Literature at West
Point The reasons for the recommendations
are obvious, and are set forth sufficient
IL in the report attached. | also recon-
mend that the status Of the staff corps
of the army be fixed which has not already
been done, so that promotions may be made;
vacancies filled. as they occur in each grade
when reduced below the number fixed by law.
Tie necessity for such legislation is specially
now IN the pay department. The number of felt
vacancies in that department is below the num-
Der adequate to tho performance of duties re-
quired of them By law.
THE NAVY.
The efficiency of the navy has been
largely increased during last year
under the impulse of foreign
complications which threatened us at the COM
mencement of last session of Congress. Most
of our efficient wooden ships were put in con-
dition for immediate service. and the repairs
! of our iron-cad fleet were pushed with the
utmost vigor. The result is that most of
4 these are ineffective. and need only to be man
ned and set III commission to 20 at once into
! service. Some of the new sloops author
( lied by Congress are already in com
mission, aud most of the remainder are
tunched, and wait only the completion of their
machinery to enable them to take their places
as part OF our effective force. Two iron tor
pedo ships have been completed during the
last year, and ur of our large double-turreted
/ ironclads are now undergoing repairs. When
( these are finished, everything that is needful
of our navy, as at present authorized, will be
in condition for eryice, and. with the advance
III the science of torpedo waffaoe. the Ameri-
can navy, comparatively small as it il. will be
found at any time powerful enough for the
/ purposes of peaceful nation.
SURVEYS AND OBSERVATIONS.
Much has also been accomplished during the
year in aid of science, and To increase the sum
:
of commerce and civilization; extensive and
much-needed suundings have been made for
photographic purposes, and to fix the proper
routes of ocean telegraphs. Further surveys
I of the great stlmus have been
undertaken and completed, and two vessels of
the navy are now employed in conjunction with
those of Engla d. France, Germany and Russia,
in observations connected with the transit
of Venus useful and interesting to the scien-
tifc world The estimates for this branch of
from
those Of last ear the general support of the
service being somewhat less. and thus far i'm
proyements at the various stations rather
larger than the corresponding estimate made
year ago. The regular maintenance and
STEADY increa in efficiency Of this most inn
portant arm, IA proportion to the growth of
our maritime intercourse and interests. is rec
commended to the attention Of Congress The
use of the navy during peace might be
further utilized by a direct authorization
of the employment of naval vessels in sur
veys of the supposed navigable waters of other
natlonailties on this continent, especially the
tributaries of the two great rivers of South
America the Orinoco and the Amazon. Moth
ing prevents, under existing laws, such ex-
plorations, except that expenditures must be
made for such expeditions beyond those
usually provided for by the appropriations.
The field designated is unquestionably one of
interest. and one capable of large development
of commercial interests. advantageous to the
people reached and to those who may estab-
lish relations with them.
THE PosroFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
The education of the people entitled to ex-
ercse the right of franchise | regard as essen
tial to the general prosperity everywhere, and
especially 80 in republics. where both education
anc previous condition do not enter into ac-
count in giving suffrage. Next 70 the public
school, the postoffee il the great agent of edu-
cation over our vast territory. The rapdty with
which new sections are being settled. thus i'm
ereasing the carving of the mails in a more