The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08
marriages Of American citizens contracted in

foreign countries ~ ~ NY e.
-, Tie correspondence submitted herewith
Shows a few OF the constantly occurring ;quea-'
tons Oh these points presented to their taon
by represr natives of the government. There
are few subjects to engage the attention OF
Congress in which more delicate relations are
depending - - ( / / Il s%3
a.. STATE DEPARTMENT.
ID, In the month Of July last Tie building
erected Tor the Department al State was taken
. possession OF and occupied by that depart
ment. L am happy to say that the srchlves
and valuable property of the government in
custody OF that department are now safely de-
posted and properly cared 'or
REVENUES. :
"a The report OF the Secretary Of the Treasury
shows the receipts from customs i"r the nsc;ai
wear ending June 3Oth, 1874, to have been
June 3Oth, 1875, to hav been ~Sl57, 81. 80,
decrease tor tue last fiscal year OF $780,
1ll.34. !
The receipts from internal re, enue for the
year ending the 3Oth o; June, 1874, were $l02..
400 184.9 90, and for the y ar ending the 3Oth OF
June, 1876, we're $llO,OO7 ,493.58, an increase
of $780,, 7O86S.
The re port also shows a complete history
of the working of the Department tor the
last year and contains recommendations Tor re-
form and for legislation which 1 concur III,
but cannot comment on so fully as l should
like to do if space would permit: but will con-
fine myself to few suggestions which LOOK
upon as vital to the best interests OF the whole
people, coming within the purview OF the
treasury. mean specie resumption.
SPECIE RESUMPTION.
Too much stress cannot be laid on the ques-
ton, and hope Congress may be induced at
the earliest dav practicable, to insure the con-
summation of the act OF the last Congress at
its last session to bring about specie resump-
ton on and after the first day OF January, 1873,
at turthest. 1t would be q great blessing II
this could be- consummated, even. at an earlier
day; - ., ,on. o.r+,;n +,,n t,,,t t
full, healthy and permanent reaction cannot
take place III favor OF the industry and hnan-
cial welfare OF the country until we return to
measure ofvalues recognized throughout the
civilized world. While we use a currency not
nzed standard, specie, comes commodity
like the products OF the soil, the surplus seek
itg market wherever there is a demand tor
IT. Under our present system we should want
none, nor would we have amy were it not that
the customs dues must he paid in coin, and
public debt in coin. The yield of precious
metals would flow out for the purchase OF
foreign productions and leave the United
States hewers OF wood and drawers Of water,
because ut the wise legislation on the subject
OF finance by the nations with whom We have
dealings.
am not prepared to say that can suggest
the best legislation to secure the end most
heartily commended 1t will be source of
great qualification to me to be able to approve
any measure OF Congress looking effectively
toward securing resumption. Unlimited intia-
ton would probably bring about specie pay
ments more speedily than any legislation Look
ing to the resumption OF legal tenders in coin
but it would be at the expense of honor. The
legal finders would have no valne beyond set
Ting present liabilities or. properly speaking,
repud.ating them. They would buy nothing
after the debts were all settled.
There are few measures which
seem to me important in this connection and
which commendto your earnest considera-
ton. First, repeal of SO much of the legal
tender acts as makes these notes receivable for
debts contracted after date to be fixed in the
act ITSELF say not later than the LIST OF January,
1877. We should then have quotations at real
values, not fictitious ones. Gold would no
longer be at premium. but currency at dis
count. A healthy reaction would set in at
once and with it a desire to make the curren-
cy equal to what it purports to be. The mer-
chants: manufacturers and tradesmen, and
every calling could do business on a fair mar.
gin OF profit, the money to be received having
an unvarying value. i.aborers and all classes
who work for stipulated pay or salary would
profits would no longer be charged by the cap
italist, to. compensate for the risk OF a down
ward huctuation in the value OF the currenc Y.
second-That the Secretary of the Treasury
$1,000, 100 monthly, OF legal tender notes, by
issuing in their stead longsbond- bearing in
terest at the rate of 365 per cent. per amman,
of denominations ranging from $50 10 StOO
each. This would in lime reduce legal tender
notes to a volume that could be kept atloat
suddenly.
Third-That additional power be given to
the Secretary of the Treasury to accumulate
gold for final redemption, either by increas-
ing the revenue, lessening expenses, or both
1t is preferable to d. botu, and l recommend
wherever it can be done without impairing the
government obligations or Gripping the
due execution thereof.
TEA AND GOLFER.
One measure for increasing the revenue, and
the only one think Of, is the restoration Of
the duty on tea and coffee. These articles
would add probably SIS, OUO, 600 to the present.
amount received tor imports, and would in no
way increasethe price paid for those articles
Ivy the con ,umers. Those articles are the pro-
ducts of countries collecting revenue FROM ex-
ports, and as we, the largest consumers, reduce
the duties, 3they proportionately increase them.
Wit this addition to revenue MANY duties
collected, and which but give An insignificant
return, forthe cost of collections might be re-
mitted to the direct advantage Of consumers at
home: would mention those articles which
enter into manufactures OF all sorts. All duty
paid upon su,h articles go into the cost of the
articles when manufactured here and must be
pad for by the consumers. The duties not
only corne from the consumers at home, but
act as protection to foreign manufacturers OF
the same com pleted article in our own and
distant markets
FRAUDULENT WAR CLAIMS