Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-12-17
cnEAY TRANSFORMATIONS

gress to Investigate and report upon this sub.
ject.
THE OCEAN CARRYING TRADE.
A revival of ship-building, and particularly
of iron steamship building, is OF vast impor-
lance to our national prosperity. The
United States is now paying over 100000
per annum for freights and passage ON
foreign ships, to be carried abroad and ey-
pended in the employment and support of
other people, beyond a fair percentage of
what should go to foreign vessels, estimating
on the tonnage and travel OF each re-
spectively. 1t is to be regretted that
this disparity in the carrying trade exists,
and to correct it | would be willing to see
a great departure from the usual course
of the Government in supporting what
might usually be termed private enterprise
| would not suggest as a remedy direct sub
sidy to the American steamship lines, but |
would suggest the direct offer of ample COM
pensation for carrying the mails between the
Atlantic seaboard cities and the Continent on
American owned and American built steam
ers, and would extend this liberality 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 seaports to foreign seaports on
the Pacific. 1t might be demanded that YES
sells built for this service should come up to a
standard fixed by legislation 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,
affecting all sections and all interests alike
If anything better can be done to direct the
country into a course of general prosperity,
no one will be more ready than to second
the plan.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Forwarded herewith will be found the re-
port of the Commissioners appointed under
an act Of Congress, approved June 20, 1874,
to wind up the affairs of the District Govern
ment 1t will be seen from the report that
the total debt of the District of Columbia,
less securities on hand and available, is The
bonded debt issued prior to July /, 1874,
IS, SS3, 94O43; 3.65 bonds, by act of Congress
June 20, 1874, 81, 0SS l6S.73 certificates of the
Board OF Audit, $4,77O, 55S.45; total, $l5, 742,-
667.6l; less special Improvement assessments
of any demand against such assess
ments, S,6l4, o4.37; less Chesapeake 4
Ohio Canal bonds, 5000, and Wash
ington & Alexandria Railroad bonds,
$4,000; in the hands OF the Commissioners
of the Sinking Fund.- LAS, 054.37; leaving
the actual debt, less said assets, $13, 994, 1924
In addition to this there are claims preferred
amounting in the aggregate, reported by the
Board of Audit, to So, l47, -S7.4S, of which the
greater part will probably be rejected. This
sum can with no more prOprety be included
in the debt of the District Government than
can the thousands of claims against the Gen.
eral Government be included as o portion of
the national debt; but the aggregate sum
thus stated includes something more than the
funded debt chargeable exclusively to the
District of Columbia
The act of Congress of Junc 20, 1874, con- |
templates an apportionment between the
United States Government and the District
of Columbia in respect to the payment OF the
principal and interest on the 1865 bonds;
therefore, in computing with precision the
bonded debt of the District, the aggregate
sums above stated, as respects the 1865
bonds now issued, the outstanding GER
tificates of the Board Of Audit, and the I'M
adjusted claims pending before that Board,
should be reduced to the extent Of the amount
to be apportoned to the United States
Government in the manner indicated in the
act of Congress of June 20 1874. / especially |
invite your attention to the recommendation
OF the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund
relative to the ambiguity of the act Of June
~, 1874 the interest on the District bonds,
and the consolidation of the Indebtedness of
the District.
feel much indebted to the gentlemen who
TO leave their private affairs and
come from a distance to attend to the bust |
ness of this District, and for the able and sat |
isfactory manner in which it has been con-
Quoted | am sure their services will be |
equally appreciated by the entire country.
1t will be seen from the accompanying full |
report of the Board of Health that the sani-
tary condition of the District Is very satlsfac-
tory. In my opinion the District of Column
bia should be regarded as the grounds of the
National Canfo1 in INh
are interested. ! do not alludc to this to
urge generous appropriations to the District,
but to Draw the attention OF Con-
greSs, in framing law for the gov
of the District, to the magnifi-
cent scale on which the city was planned by |
the founders of the Government; the manner
in which, for ornamental purposes the streets
and avenues were laid out, and what was the
of the property actually possessed
by the General Government, ! think the pro-
portion of the expenses Of the Government |
aud improvements to be borne by the General |
Government and the cities of Washington and |
and the country should be care
fully and equltably defined.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
In accordance with See. 3 of the act APP
proved June %, 1874, appointed board 70
make a survey of the mouth of the Missis- |
sippi River, with a view to determine the best |
method of obtaining and maintaining a |
depth of water sufficient for the purposes of |
etc, and, in accordance with an |
act entitled "An act to provide for |
the appointment of o Commission of Engi- |
neers to investigate and report plan for the |
excavation of the alluyial basin Of the Mis- |
sissippi River subject to inundation," ] APP
pointed Commission OF Engineers. Neither
board has yet completed its rabors. When
their reports are received they will be for.
warded to Congress without delay
(Signed) L. $. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Dec :, 1874.
The Iowa State Grange met at Des Moines
on the STU About POO delegates were pres
emit The annual address puts the num-