The Grange advance., 1874-12-08

carry this system to a successful Issue Will
out the general approval and assistance OF
Congress, and positive law to.support It,
LABOR AND CAPITAL.
have stated that the elements of the
property ed Of the and nat'S9' %naR'ed deaptaa aaa
products OF the soil, still remain with us.
lem requiring the most serious attention of |
Congress Ii employment can be given to |
all labor Offering itself, prosperity necessarily
follows. have expressed the opinion, and |
repeat it, that the first requisite to the ac-
coinplishment of this end is the substitution !
of sound currency in place OF one of tiuc-
tuating value. This secured, there are many !
interests that might be fQstered to the great
profit of be tn labor and capital. How to in
duce capital to employ lakr is the question.
The subject Of
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION
has occupied the attention of Congress
New light on this question will without
doubt be given by the committee appointed
by the last Congre to investigate and re-
port upon the subject. A revival of
SHIP BUILDING,
and particularly Of iron steamship building,
is Of vast importance to our national pros
perity. The United States Is now paying
over $l,0c0,0t per annum for freights
and passage OH foreign shipments to be car
ried abroad and expended in the employ,
ment and support of other peoples, beyond
fair percentage of what should go to foreign
vessels, estimating OH the tonnage and travel
of each respectively. 1t is to be regretted
that this disparity in the carrying trade ex-
lists, and to correct it would be willing to
see great departure from the usual course
Of the government in supporting what might
| usually he termed private enterprise.
could not suggest as remedy direct sub
| sidy to American steamship lines, but l
would suggest the direct offer of ample COM
pensation for carrying the mails between
the Atlantic seaboard cities and the conti-
nent on American owned and American
| built steamers, and would extend the liberal
ity to vessels carrying mails to South Ameri-
can States and to Central America and Mex
leo, and would pursue the same policy from
our Pacific sea ports to foreign seaports on
the Pacific. It might be demanded that
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
emergency should he provided 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
| Aoko ~ l<.1% %<>F .ok oc
less securities on hand and available, is the
bonded debt issued prior to July l, 1874, of
$685., ,394, ,O43; three hundred and sixty-tive
bonds under the act of Congress of June 20,
1874, Of $2OS, ,8l6,8 ,873; certificates of the
board OF audit for S477 ,O55, ,845; total, 81 ,574,
266, ,76l, less the special improvement assess
lnents chargeable to private property in ex-
cess OF any demand against such assessment,
of $l6l ,4O5, ,437, less the Chesapeake & Ohio
& zAlexandria 1aliroad bonds of 81, ,9O0, ,G'0, in
the hands of the commissioners of the sink
ing fund $l74, 500, ,437, leaving the actual
debt, less paid assets, at 81, 1893, 461 ,324 In
addition to this, there are claims preferred
against the government of the district
amounting in the aggregate, reported by the
board Of audit, to 1911, ,778, ,748, of which the
greater part will probably be rejected. This
sum can with no more propriety be included
| ia sHC NCOs Va tAAC ASINt 3OS tIltt1l
can the thousands OF sums against the gen.
eral government be included as a portion Of
the national debt But the aggregate
sum thus stated includes some
thing more than the funded
debt, chargeable exclusively to the District
Of Columbia. The act Of Congress Of Novem-
: ber 28th, 1874, contemplates an apportion-
ment between the United States government
. and the District of Columbia in respect ia
, the payment Of the principal and interest Of
, the 3-65 bonds. Therefore in computing
with precision the bonded debt of the District
OF the aggregate sums above stated as re.
+ spects the 3-65 bonds now issued, the out.
standing certificates Of the board OF audit and
the unadjusted claims pending before that
board 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 Goth, 1874.
especially invite your attention to the recon.
. mendatiOn Of the commissioners of the sink
Of June Goth, 1874, the interest ou the dis.
trict bonds and the consolidation of the in.
debtedness to date. feel much indebted to
the gentlemen who consented to leave theil
private affairs, and come from distance, tl
attend to the business of this district, and
tor the able and satisfactory manner in which
it has been conducted, I AM sure theil
services will be generally appreciated by tht
f entire country
1t will be seen from the accompanying
, full report Of the board of health that the
I sanitary condition Of the District is very sat.
1 isfactory: In my opinion the District of Co.
lumbia should be regarded as the ground O
E the National Capitol, in which the entire
people are interested. do not allude to this
, to urge generous appropriations to the Dis.
l. trict, but to draw the attention of Congress
in framing = Law for the morale of the Dis
trict to the magnificent scale on which ths
eminent, s % the man1er T in % Whie for sns osns sns
mental purposes, the reservations, streets
= and avenues was laid out, to the proportion
? of the property actually possessed by thu
. general government think the proportion
! Of the expenses and improvements to b