Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-12-11

session OF Congress a very considerable re-
ductiOn was made in the rates of taxation
and In the number of articles submitted TO
taxation, and the question may well be
asked whether or not in some instances UNI
wisely. In connection with this SUBJECT,
too, venture the opinion that the means
of collecting the revenues, especially from
imports, have been so embarrassed by leg
islation as to make it questionable whether
or not large amounts are not lost by failure
to collect, to the direct loss of the Treasu-
ry and to the prejudice of the interest OF
honest importers aud taxpayers.
The Secretary OF the Treasury In his O.
port favOrs legislation looking TO an early
return to specie payments, thus support
ing the views previously expressed III this
message. lie also recommends economy
in appropriations; calls attention 10 the
loss of revenue from repeating the tax ol
tea and coffee without benefit TO consum-
ers recommends an increase Of tel cents
a gallons on whiskey, and further, that no
modification be made In the currency and
banking bill passed at the last session of
Congress, unless modification should be-
come necessary by reason of the adoption
of measures for returning TO specie pay
ments. In these recommendations ] cor
daily join. | would suggest TO Congress
the propriety of read nsiiug the iarih, 80
as to increase the revenue, ana At the same
time decrease the number of articles upon
which duties are levied. Those articles
which enter into our manufacture and are
not produced at home, ii seems To me,
should be entered sree. Those articles OF
manufacture which we produce a constitu-
ent part of, but do not produce the whole,
that part which we do not produce should
euter free also / will instance fine wool,
dyes, etc. These articles must be import
ed TO form part of the manufacture OF the
higher grades of wOollen goods, Chemic-
ais used as dye, 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 no.
produce should stimulate the manufacture
of goods requiring the use of those we do
produce, and therefore would b. benefit
to home production. There are, many arti-
ti,les entering into home manufacture that
we do not produce ourselves, the tariff upon
which increases the cost Of producing the
ma nufactured article. All corrections in
tn is regard are in the direction of bring
in z labor aud capital in harmony with each
other, and Of supplying one Of the elr-
ments Of prosperity SO much needed.
THE war NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. RE-.
CoMNESpATIONs.
The report Of the Secretary Of War, here
with attached and forming pant OF this
message, gives all the information concern
ing the operations, wants and necessities
of the army, and contains many augses-
tons and recommendations which com
mend TO your special attention. There is
no class of government employees whu are
harder worked than the army officers and
I men, none who perform their la>ks more
Cheerfully and efficiently nj under err
| cumstances of greater privations and hard
ships. Legislation is desirable to render
more efficient this branch Of the public
| service. All the recommendations OF the
|, Secretary of War regard as judiciuus, aud
| especially commend 10 your attention the
| following: The consolidation Of govern
ment arseualS; the restoration OF mileage
| to officers travelling under orders; the eN-
! emption of money received fum the sale
| of subsistence stores from being covered
| into the treasury; the use OF appropriations
| for the purchase Of subsistence stores with
! out waiting for the beginning of the fiscal
year for which the appropriation is made;
| for additional appropriation for the cplicc-
! ton of torpedo material; for increased Hp-
| preparation for the manufacture OF arms;
| Tor relieving the various states from in
| debicdness for arms charged to them dur
| ing the rebellion for dropping officers
| from the rolls of the army without trial;
| the offence OF drawing pay more than once
| tor the same period; for the discourage
| ment of the plan TO pay soldiers by checks,
| and for the establishment of a professor
| ship of rhetoric and English literature ut
| West Point. The reas for these recom-
mendatons are obvious, aud are set forth
| sufficiently in the report attached. | also
| recommend that the status OF the staff
| corps of toe army be fixed where this has
not already been done, 50 That promotions
| may be made aud vacancies filled as they
occur in each grade, wlen reduced below
| the number 70 be fixed by law. the ne
cessity for such Legislation is specially felt
| now !" ia" Pay department. Tue number
! OF oincers In that department is below the
number adequate to the performance Of
| the duties required Of them by law.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
| ut 9 4,
| ly increased during the last year. Under
| the impulse OF the foreign complications
| which threatened US at the commencement
of the last session Of Congress, many of our
| efficient wooden ships were put In coudi-
| ton for immediate service, and the repairs
| OF our ronclad fleet were pushed with the
utmost vigor. The result is that most OF
| these are now in an effective state, and
| need only to he manned and put into com
mission 10 go at once into service. Some
| Of tho new slOops authorized by Congress
| are already in commission, and more of
| the remainder are launched and await only
| the completion of their machinery to ena-
bic them to take their places as part of our
| effective force. Two iron torpedo shiDs
have been completed during the last year
and four of our large double-turreted iron
| clads are now undergoing repair. When
these are finished, eIerylhing that is useful
| OF our navy, as now authorized, will be in
| condition for service, and, with the adj
vance in the science of torpedo warfare
| the American navy, comparatively small
as II is, will he found at any time powerful
| tor the purposes of peaceful nation.
Much has also been accomplished during
| the year In aid of science and to increase
! the sum of general knowledge and further
| the interests Of commerce and civilization.
| Extensive and much-needed soundings
have been made for photographic purposes
| and To fix the proper route of ocean tele-
| n
| isthmus have been undertaken and COM
| pleted, and Two vessels of the navy are
now employed In conjunction with those
| OF England, France, Germany and Russia,
| in observations connected with the transit
| OF Venus, so useful and interesting TO the
scientific world. The estimates for this
branch of the public service do not differ
materially from those of last year, those for
| the general support of the service being
somewhat less, and those for permanent
| Improvements al the various stations ralh-
er larger than the corresponding estimates
made year ago. The regular maintenance
| and steady Increase in the efficiency of
this most important arm, in proportion to
the growth of our maritime Intercourse
| and interest is recommended to the at
| tenlion of Congress. The use of the navy
in time Of peace might be further utilized
by direct authorization of the employ
| ment of naval vessels in explorations aud
| surveys OF the supposed navigable waters
| OF otner nallOnaillles on This continent, es-
| pecially the tributaries of the two great
rivers of South America, the Oiinoco and
the Amazon. Nothing prevents, under
existing law, such exploration, except that
expenditures must be made in such expe-
ditiOns beyond those usually provided for
by the appropriations. The field desgnat-
| ed is unquestionaDly one of interest," and
one capable Of large development of com
mercial interests advantageous to the PEG
pie reached, aud to those who may cstab.
lish relations with them.
THE PosT-oFFICE DEPARTMENT.