The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-08
Report OF the secretary OF the Treas

, The report of the Secretary of the
Treasury, which is made. directly to Con.
gress and forms no part of this message,
will show the. receipts and expenditures
OF the government for the last 6scalyear
the amount received from each source OF
revenue, and the amount paid out
for each of the departments of the
government. 1t will be observed
from this report that the amount of re-
ceipts over the expenditures has been
but -, S44, ss2 for the fiscal year ending
June S0th, 1874, and that for the current
fiscal year the estimated receipts over the
expenditures, will not much exceed
$9,000,0OO.
revenues Increased, Expenditures
Diminished.
In view of the large National debt ex-
isting, and the obligations to add per
cent per annum to the sinking fund, a
sum amounting to now over 100000
per annum. l submit whether the rev.
enues should not be increased and expen-
ditures diminished to reach this amount
of surplus. Not to provide for the sink
ing fund is a partial failure to COM
ply with the contracts and obligations of
government. At the last session
of Congress, very considerable reduc-
ton was made in the rates of taxation,
and in the number of articles submitted
to taxation. The question NAV well be
asked whether or not in some instances
unwise. In connection with bis subject
We find that the opinion that the means
Of collecting the revenue, especially from
| imports, have been so embarrassed by
legislation, as TO make it questionable
whether or not large amounts are not
lost by a failure to collect, to the direct
loss of the Treasury, and to the prejudice
of the interests of honest importers and
tax payers.
The Secretary Of the Treasury, in his
report, favors legislation looking to all
early return to specie payment, thus
supporting the views previously express
ed in this message. He also recommends
economy in appropriations; calls atten-
| ton to the loss of revenue from repeal
ing the tax on tea and coffee, without
| benefit to the consumer; recommends an
| increase of 10 cents gallon on whisky,
and further, that no modification be made
in the banking and currency bills passed
ut the last session of Congress, unless Il
modification should become necessary by
| reason of the adoption of measures for
| returning TO specie payments. In these
recommendation l cordially join.
Suggestions az TO the Tariff
would suggest to Congress the pro-
priety Of readjusting the tariff, SO as TO
increase the revenues and at the same
time decrease the number Of articles upon
which duties are levied. Those articles
which enter in our manufactures that are
not produced ut home it seems to me
should be treated free; those articles
of manufacture of which We produce a
constituted part of but do not produce
the whole, that part which we do not pro-
duce should enter free; also, | will in
stance fine wool, dyes, &c, as these arti-
Giles must be imported to form part of
the Manufacture of the higher grades of
wooden goods. Chemicals used rs dyes
compounded in medicines and used in
various ways in manufacture, come under
this class. The introduction free of duty
OF such woods as we do not produce
should stimulate the manufacture Of goods
requiring the use OF those who DO
produce and therefore would be Il benefit
to home productions. There are many
articles entering into home manufactures
which we do not produce ourselves, the
tariff upon which increases the cost OF
producing the manufactured articles !
All corrections in this regard are in the |
direction of bringing labor and capital in |
-, ,-i, n zach M her and nt sunni ~
inc one of the elements of prosperity 80
much needed.
Report Of the Secretary of War.
The report of the Secretary OF War, |
herewith attached and forming Il part OF |
this message, gives all the information |
concerning the operations, wants and |
necessities of the army, and contains |
many suggestions and recommendations
which | commend te your attention.
There is no class of government en-
plovees who are harder worked than the |
army officers and men, none who per-
form their tasks more cheeriuliy |
and efficiently under circumstances
of greater privatiOns and hardshps.
1t is desirable to render more efficient
this branch of the public service. All
tn, recommendations of the Secretary OF
War regard as judicious, and special
" commrnd to your attention the follow
ing: The consolidation of the government
arsenals; the restoration OF mileage l"
officers travelling under orders; the en-
cmption of money received from the sale
of subsistence stores from being covered
into the treasury; the use of approprla-
-. Il, ,,,,r,hnsn nf Subsistence !
stores without waiting for the beginning
of the fiscal year for which the appropria-
ton is made; for additional approprla-
lions for the collection of torpedo mate
rial; for increased appropriations for the
manufacture Of arms; for relieving the
States from Indebtedness for arms charg-
ed to them during the rebellion; for drop
ping officers from the rolls OF the army
without trial for the offence
of drawing pay more than once
for the same period; for the discourage
ment of the plans to pay soldiers oy
checks. and the establishment OF fr"-
fessorship OF Rhetoric and EnglIsh Lit
eroturc at West Point. The reasons for
these recommendation are obvious, and
ore set forth sufficiently in the report at
tached. | also recommend that the Stau
corps of the army be fixed, where this has
not already been done, so that promotions
may be made and vacancies filled rs thcE
occur in each grade, when reduced ori""
IN. number 10 be fixed by law. The
necessity for such regulation Is specially
felt now in the pay department, the
number Of officers in that department be
inc below the number adequate to tie
performance OF the duties required
of them by law.
p.nort of the Secretary Of the Navy.
The efficiency of the navy has oeTh
I.r,rclv increased the last year under the
imnulse of the foreign complications
which threatened Us at tn" commence
,onnt Of the last session of Congress.