The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-12-17

VI SUI piue' NOt W pr Nlue lOT tue
sinking fund is a partial isilure to com
ply with the contracts aod obligations Oi
the government.
at the last session of congress a very
considerable reduction was made ia the
rates OF taxation and in the number of
articles submitted to taxation. The
question may we'll be asked whether or
not, in some Instances uuwisely.
The secretary Of the treasury in his
report favors legislatiops looking to an
early return to specie payments, thus
supporting the views previously express
sed in this message. He also recon-
mends economy 10 appropriations; calls
attention to the loss Of revenue from re-
pealing the tax on tea and coffee, with
out beue6t TO the consumers; recon-
mends an increase of ten cents q gallon
on whisky. aud further, that no moditi-
cation be made in the banking and cur
rency bill passed at the last session of
congress, unless such modification should
become necessary by reason OF the abop-
tion of measures for returning to specie
payments. In these Recommendations
lcordially join.
TIE TARIFF.
would suggest to congress the pro.
priety Of readjustipg the tariff SO as to
increase the revenue, and at the same
time to decrease the number of articles
upon which duties are levied. These
articles, which enter into our manuiac
lures, and are not produced at home it
seems to me should be entered free.
These articles of manuisc ture which we
produce constituent part OF but not
the whols, that part which we DO not
proeuce should enter free also. l will
instance fne wool, dyes, &c. These
articles must be lmported to form part
ofthe manufacture Of the higher grades
of wooden goods. Chemicles used as
dyes, and used in various ways and
manufactures come under this class.
The introduction. free nf duty, OF
such woods as we Go not produce, would
stimulate the manufacture OF goods re-
curing the use Of those We do produce,
snd therefore would be a beueft to
home production.
There are many articles entering into
"heme manufactures which we DO not
produce ourselves, the tariff upon which
increases the cost of producing the
manufactured article.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the secretary Of war,
herewith attached and forming 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 to your special, stten-
ton. There is no class OF government
employees who are harder worked than
the army officers aud men, none who
preform their tasks more cheeriuiiy aud
efficiently and under circumstances oil
greater privatiou and hardship. Legis-
lation is desirable to render more et.
hclent this branch Of the public service,
THE CONDITION OF THE NAVY.
The efficiency 90 the navy has been
largely Increased during the last year
under the impulse of the foreign com
phcation which threatened US at the
commencement of the last session os
congress. Most OF our efficient wooden
ships were put in condition ior immedi-
ate service, and the repairs Of our iron
clad feet were pushed with the utmost
vigor. The result il that most OF these
are now in an effective state, and need
only to be manned aud put in commis-
sion TO 90 at once into service. some o.
the new sloops authorized by congress
are already in commission snd most OF
the remainder are launched and wait
only the completion OF their machinery
to enable them 10 take their places as
part OF our effective force.
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
The report of the postmaster general.
herewith attached, shows that there was
an increase OF revenue in bis department
in 1873, oeer the previous year, of ST.
AL, and an increase OF cost OF
carrying the mails and paying the en-
ployes, 1904 ,46S9l The report OF
he postmaster general gives interest
ing statistics OF his department, and
compares ;Lem with the CORE. pouding
statistics oil year ago. showing
growth in every branch of his depart
ment.
TROUBLE IN THE SOUTH.
Under this head the President re-
hearses the history OF the Louisiana aud
Arkansas troubles, and the part the ad,
ministration took. He says: Complaints
are made of this interference by Fed
era authorities, but, if said ammend
ment and act do not provide for such
interference as above stated, then they
are without meaning, force, or effect.
and the whole scheme of colored enfran-
cbisement is worse than mockery, anu
little better than crime. Possibly
congress may fni it due to truth and
justice to ascertain, by means OF a COM
mittee, whether the alleged wrongs 10
colored citizens for political purposes,
are real, or the reports thereof were
manufactured for the occasion.
THE CENTENNIAL.
l feel that the nation at large is in
terested in having this exposition a sue
cess, aud commend to congress such
action as will secure greater general
interest in it.
Already many foreign nations have
slgnifed their intention to be represen-
ted at it, and it may be expected that
every civilized nation will be renresen.