Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-12-11
NUMBER IA.
ing an abstract Of, but refer you to the report

| bounty few survivors of the war of 1912 re-
siding in the Southern States. / recommend
the restoration of this bounty to all such.
The number of persons whose names would
| be restored to the list of pensioners is not
large. They are all old persons who could
| have taken no part in the rebellion, and the
| services for which they were awarded pen
sions were in defense of the whole country.
| THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION.
| The report of the Commissioner of Agri-
culture, herewith attached, contains sugges-
| tions of much interest to the general public
| and refers to the approaching Centennial and
| the part his department is ready to take in it.
| | feel that the nation at large is interested in
| having this Exposition success, and COM
mend to Congress such action win secure
| a greater general interest in it. Already
many foreign nations have signified their in-
| tention to be represented at it. 1t may be
expected that every civilized nation win be
| represented. 9Ef 0a gHH3 tALl
| THE CIVIL SERVICE.
| The rules adopted to improve the civil (
service of the Government have been adhered
| to as closely as has been practicable with the
opposition with which they meet, The effect
of it has been beneficial on the whole and has
| tended to the elevation of the service; but it
| is impIacticable to maintain them without the
| direct and positive support of Congress.
| Generally the support which this reform re-
| ceives is from those who give it their support
| only to find fault when the rules are
apparently departed from, Removals
| from office without preferringl charges
| against parties removed are frequently
cited as departures from the rules adopted,
| and the retention of those against whom
| charges are made by irresponsible persons
| and without good grounds is also often con-
| demned as violation of them. Under these
| circumstances, therefore, / announce that, if
Congress adiourns without positive legisla-
| tion on the subject Of "civil-selvice Ieform,"
| / will regard such action as a disapproyal of
| the system, and will abandon it. Except so
| far as to require examination for certain APP
| pointees to determine their fitness, com
pettive examinations will be abandoned. +
The gentlemen who have given their SER
vices without compensation as members OF
the Board to devise rules and regulations for
the government of the ceuntry's civil service
have shown much zeal and earnestness in
their work. and to them, as we'll as to myself,
it will be a source of modification il tits to
be thrown away But repeat that it is i'm
possible to carry this system to success
full issue without general approval and as
sistance, and positive law to support it,
THE EMPLOYMENT OF LABOR.
/ have stated that the elements of prosper
|. ity to the nations captal-labor, skilled and
unskiled, and products OF the soil-stiil re-
main with us. To direct the employment Of
these is problem deserving the most serious
attention of Congress. If employment can
be given to all labor offering ITSELF prosperity
/
opinion, and repeat it here, that the first
requisite to the accomplishment of this
end is the substitution of sound
currency in place of one of q fluctuating
value. This secured, there are many inter
ests that might be fostered, to the great
profit of both labor and capital. How to in
duce capital to employ labor is the question.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION. .}3s
The subject Of cheap transportation has oc
, cupied the attention of Congress. New light
rryi11 ha
by the committee appointed by the last Con-
gress to investigate and report upon this SUBJ.
ject.
THE OCEAN CARRYING TRADE
Arevival of ship-building, and particularly
of iron steamship building, is of vast impor-
| tance to our national prosperity. The
United States is now paying over $1O00,000
per annum for freights and passage on
| foreign ships, to be carried abroad and ex-
pended in the employment and support of
other people, beyond q fair percentage of
ewhat should 60 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 l would be willing to sec
| a great departure from the usual course
| of the Government in supporting what
| might usually be termed private enterprise.
| | would not suggest as 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 tovessels
carrying the mails to the South American
States and to Cent al 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
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 @ &c
/ 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 course of general prosperity,
no one will be more ready thanI 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 70, 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 aud available, is: The
bonded debt issued prior TO July j, 1874,
SS,S ,9i043; 3.65 bonds, by act of Congress
June 90 1874, So 0SS, 16S. .T3; certificates of the
Board Of Audit, S4, 77o, ,55S45; total, Sl5,742,-
667.6l; less speclai Improvement assessments
chargeable TO private property in excess
ments, $l,614,05437; less Chesapeake q
Ohio Canal bonds, $4,000, and Wash
ington 81 Alexandria Railroad bonds,
$50, ,000 in the hands of the commissioners
of the Sinking Fund, 81, l,74S,05437; leaving
the actual debt, less said assets, $13, ,994 6l32l
In addition to this there are claims preferred
against the Governm, mt OF the DIstrict
amounting in the aggregate, reported py the
Board of Audit, to 50, l47, ,7S74S, OF which the
greater part will probably be rejected. inns
sum can with no more propTiety be lncluued
in the debt of the District GovernnelfG err Ihan
can the thousands of claims against the Gem s
eral Government be included as a portion OF
the national debt; but the aggregate sum
thus stated includes something more than the
funded dent chargeable exclusively 10 the
District of Columbia.
The act of Congress of June 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 800 bonds;
therefore, in computing with precision The
bonded debt of the District, the aggregate
sums above stated, as respects the BOO
honds now isgued. the outstanding GER
tiicates of the Board Of Audit and the un-
adjusted claims pending before that Board,1
should be reduced to the extent OF the amount /,
to be apportioned to the United States
Government in the manner indicated in The
act of Congress of June 20, 1874. / Iespecially
invite your attention TO the recommendation
Of the Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund
relative to the ambiguity OF the act OF June
20, 1874, the interest on the District bonds,
and the consolidation of the Indebtedness OF
the District.
/ feel much indebted to the gentlemen VINO
consented to leave their private affairs ana
come from a distance to attend TO the Dus.-
ness of this District, and for the able ana SAT