The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-12-18
general approval and assistance, and positive
law to support it.
THE INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM.

general approval and assistance, and positive
law to support it.
THE INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM.
have stated that the elements of prosper
itv to the nations, capital and labor, skilled
| ana unskiIled, and the products of the soil
| still remain with us. To direct the employ
| ment of these is problem deserving the most
| serious attention OF congress. If employment
| can be given to all labor offering itself, pros
| perity necessarily follows. | have expressed
| the 0Dinion and repeat it, that the first re-
| uuisite to the accomplishment of this end, is
| the substitution of a sound currency in place
| OF one of fiuctuating value. This secured,
| there are many interests that might be fos-
| tered TO the great profit OF both labor and
| capital. How to induce labor to employ capi
! tai is the question. Zt6
| CHEAP TRANSPORTATION -sH1PBUILiH m.
The subject of cheap transportatitr z o. a.
| cupied the attention of congress. sep consylt
| ON this question will without doubts, soals& &n
| by the committee appointed by the n 7 con-
| aress to investigate and report upon 4.As sub
| iect revival of shiDbuilding, and particu-
| arly OF iron steamship building. is OF vast i'm
| portance to our national prosperity. The Uni
| ted States is now paving over Il, 600 ,0O0, 900
per annum for freights and passage on foreign
| ships to be carried abroad, and expended in
the employment ard support OF other people,
beyond fair per cen age of what should go to
foreign vessels, estimating on the tonnage and
draft Of each respectively.
1t is to be regretted that this disparity in the
carving trade exists. and to rect il,
would be willing to great departure fIom
the usual course of the government in sup
porting what might usually be termed private
enterprise. I would not suggest, as remedy
direct subsidies to American steamship lines
but would suggest the direct offer OF ample
compensation for
CARRYING THE MAILS
between the Atlantic and the seaboard cities
and the continent on American owned and
American built steamers, and would extend
this liheralitv to vessels carrying the mails to
the South American states and to Central
America and Mexico. and would pursue the
same policy from our Pacific seapOrt7 TO for
eign seaports on the Pacific. 1t might be de-
manded that vessels built for this service
should come up to a standard fixed by legisla-
ton in tonnage, speed and all other qualities,
looking to the possibility OF the government
requiring them at some time for war purposes.
The right, also. of taking possession of them
in such an emergency should be guarded.
| offer these suggestions. believing them
worthy of consideration, in all seriousness, af-
fecting all sections and all interests alike. If
ANYTHING better can be done to direct the
country into course of general prosperity
none will be more ready than l to adopt this
plan.
THE DISTRICT.
Forwarded herewith is the plln and report |
of the commissioners appointed under an act |
of congress approved June 90 1874, to wind |
up the affairs of the district government. 1t |
will be seen from the report that the total |
debt of the District of Columbia, less assets |
on hand and available. is Bonded debt issued |
prior to July /, 1874 $S.8s3, $40. 43; 365 bonds,
act of congress June 20. 1874, S2.O8S 1878;
certificates Of the board of audit. S4770. 5584 As.
Total, S15742, ,667. 81, less special improve
menta Assessments chargeable to private
property in excess of any demand against such
assessment. S1,6l4.054.37, less Chesapeake
and Ohio canal bonds 575. 900 and Washington
and Alexandria bonds $50 600 in the hands of
the commissioners OF the sinking fund, 81
74S 054. 81, leaving the actual debt less said
fund. S13, 994, ,61324.
In addition to this, there are claims pre-
ferred against the board of tie district amount
ing in the aggregate, reported by the board
of audit, So, ,147, .48, of which the greater
part will probably be rejected. This sum can
with no more prOpriety be included in the
debt of the district government than the thou
sands OF claims against the general govern
ment be included as portion of the national
debt But the aggregate sum thus stated in
cludes something more than the funded debt,
exclusively to the District OF Co
lumbia. The act of congress at its last session |
cOntemplates an appointment between the
United States government and the District of
Columbia, i'll respect to the payment OF the
principal and interest OF the 1858 bonds.
Therefore, in comprising with precision the
bonded debt Of the district. the aggregats sums
above stated, as respects the 365 bonds now
issued, the outstanding certificates OF the
board of audit, and the unsdiusted claims
pending before that board, should be reduced
to the extent of the amount to be appOrtioned
to the United States in the manner indicated
in act of congress of June 20, 1874.
l especially Invite your attention to the re-
Of the commissioners of the
sinking fund relative to the ambiguity of the
act of June 30, 1874. concerning the interest on
the district bonds and the consolidation of in
iebtedness to the district. / feel much in
iebted to the gentlemen who consented to
leave their private affairs and come from a
distance to attend to the business of this dis
rict and for the able and satisfactory manner
in which it has been conducted. l am sure
their services will be equally appreciated by
the entire country. 1t will be seen from the
report of the board of health
that the sanitary condition of the district is
very satisfactory.
THE CITY OF MAGNIFICENT DISTANCES.
In my opinion the District of Columbia
should be regarded as the ground of the ma
-iOnal capital, in which the entire people are
| do not allude to this TO urge
general appropriations to the district, but to
draw the attention of congress in framing a
law for the government of the district to the
magnificent scale on which the city was plan
ned by the founders of the government, the
manner in which for oTna mental purposes the
streets and avenues were ialu
out, and the proportion of the property actu-
ally possessed by the general government. l
think the proportion of the expenses of the
government and improvements to be borne
by the general government, the cities of
and Georgetown and the country
should be carefully and equitably defined
THE MISSISSIPPI.
In accordance with section 8 of the act ap-
proved June %, 1874, appointed board to
make a survey of the mouth of the Missssip9i |
liver, with view to determine the best method
IF obtaining and maintaining a depth OF water
sufficient for the purposes of commerce, etc,
nd in accordance with act entitled act
20 provide for the appointment Of a commits
sion of engineers to investigate and report a
plan for the excavation Of the alu-
rial BASIN of the Mississippi river subject to
l appointed commission of en-
yineers. Mother board has yet completed its
abors. When their reports read they Will
)e forwarded to congress without delay.
II s GRANT