Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-07
Presidents Message.
rcoptinued from first page

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of silver a. a result of that legislation, has
failed to produce the effect then predicted.
The longer the Law remains in force. requlr-
ing as it does the coinage of q nominal dollar
which, in reality, is not a dollar. the greater
becomes the danger that this country Will De
forced to accept a single metal as the sole lie.
gal standard of value, in circulation, AMI
this a standard of less value than It purports
to be worth in the recognized money Of the
world.
The constitution of the United States.
sound financial principles. and our best IN.
terests all require that the country should
have as its legal tender money. both gold and
silver coin, of an intrinsic value. IS bullion,
equivalent to that which, upon its face, 1t
purports to possess. The constitution in ex-
press terms, recognizes both gold and silver
as the only true legal tender money. To
Danish either of these metals from our cur
repcy is to narrow and limit the circulating
medium of exchange to the disparagement OF
important interests. The United States pro-
duces more silver than any other country and
is directly interested in maintaining it as one
of the two precious metals which furnish the
coinage of the world, Ii will. in my Judg-
ment contribute to this result if Congress
will repeal so much of existing legislation
as requires the coinage of silver dollars con-
tanning only 4l2 l-2 grains of silver. and in
its stead will authorize the Secretary of the
Treasury to coin silver dollars of equivalent
value as bullion. with gold dollars. This
will defraud no man, and will be in accord.
ance with familiar presidents. Congress, on
several occasions, has altered the ratio OF
value betwe en gold and silver, in order to es-
tablish it more nearly in accordance with the
actual ratio of value between the two metals.
In financial legislation every measure in
the direction of greater fidelity in the dis
charge of pecuniary obligations, has been
found by experience to diminish the rates OF
interest which debtors are required to pay,
and to increase the facility with which money
can be obtained for every Legitimate pur-
pose. Our own recent financial history shows
how surely money becomes abundant when
ever confidence in the exact performance of
moneyed obligations is established.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The Secretary of War reports that the ex-
penditures of the war department for the
fiscal year ended June 80. 1880, were $685.
924, 773.O3. The appropriations for this de-
partment, for the current fiscal year, amount
to Sal 1898, $50. 40.
With respect to the army the Secretary in
vites attention to the fact that its strength is
limited by statute (secti0n LIS, Revised
Statutes) to not more than 10000 enlisted
men, but that prOvisos contained in apprO-
priation bills have limited expenditures to
the enlistment of but $4,000. 1t is believed
the full legal strength is the least possible
force at which the present organization can
be maintained, having in view efficiency, dis
cipline and economy. While the enlistment
of this force would add somewhat to the ap-
preparation for pay of the army, the saving
made in other respects would be more than
an equivalent for this additional outlay. and
the efficiency of the army would be largely
increased.
The rapid extension of the railroad system
west of the Mississippi river, and the great
tide of settlers which has flowed in upon new
territory, impose on the military an entire
change of policy. The maintenance of small
posts along wagon and stage-rOutes of travel
is no longer necessary. Permanent quarters
at points selected, of a more substantial char
acter than those heretofore constructed, will
be required. Under existing laws, perma-
nent buildings cannot be erected without the
sanction of Congress, and when sales of mill
tary sites and buildings have been authorized,
the moneys received have reverted to the
Treasury, and could only become available
through new appropriation. 1t is recon-
mended that provision be made, by general
statute, for the sale of such abandoned mill
tary posts and buildings as are found to be
unnecessary. and for the application of the
proceeds to the construction of other posts.
While many of the present posts are of but
slight value for military purposes, owing to
the changed condition of the country, their
occupation is continued at great expense and
Inconvenience, because they afford the only
available shelter for troops.
The absence of a large number of officers
of the line, in active duty. from their regi-
ments, is a serious detriment to the MAIN
tenance of the service. The constant de-
mand for small attachments, each Of which
should be commanded by a commissioned
officer, and the various details of officers
for necessary service away from their COM
mands, occasions a scarcity in the number
required for company duties. With view to
lessening this drain to some extent, it is
recommended that the law authorizing the
detail of officers from the active list as pro-
fessors of tactics and military science at GER
tain colleges and universities, be so amended
as to provide that all such details be made
from the retired list of the army.
Attention is asked to the necessity of pro.
viding by legislation for organizing, arming
and disciplining the actire militia of the
country. and liberal appropriations are recon-
mended in this behalf. The reports of the
Adjutant- General of the Army and Chief of
Ordinance touching this subject fully set
forth its Importance.
The report of the officer in charge of edu
cation in the Army, shows that there are
seventy-eight schools now in operation in the
army with an aggregate attendance of 2,3O5
enlisted men and children. The Secretary
recommends the enlistment of one hundred
and fifty schoolmasters, with the rank and
pay of commissary-sergeants. An appropri-
alton is needed to supply the judge advocates
of the army with suitable libraries, and the
Secretary recommends that the corps of judge
advocates be placed upon the same footing.
as to promotion. with the other staff corps of
the army. Under existing laws, the Bureau
of Military Justice consists of one officer, the
JudgeAdvocate General. and the corps of
judge advocates. of eight officers of equal
rank, (majors,) with a provision that the
limit of the corps shall remain at four, when
reduced bv casualty or resignation 10 that
number. The consolidation of the Bureau
of Military Justice, and the corps of Judge
advocates, upon the same basis with the other
staff corps of the army, would remove an
unjust discrimination against deserving Off
GERS. and subserve the best interests of the
service.
OuR HARBoR DEFENcEs.
Especial attention is asked to the report of
the Chief of Engineers upon the condition of