Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-17

At004OAo CeAa OO poo hhNtA'
tanned. Its interests are entrusted
to the states and the voluntary &C.
ton of the people. Whatever help
the nation can justly afford should
be generously siven to aid the
states in supporting common
schools; but IL would be unjust to
our people and dangerous 10 our
institutions to apply any portion
of the revenues of the nation or oil
the state TO the support OF secia-
rian schools. The separation oi
the church and the state in every
thing relating to taxation should
be absolute.
On the subject of national fl
nances, my views have been so
frequently and fully expressed
that little Is needed In the way OF
additional statement. The public
debt Is now SO well secured, and
the rate Of annual interest has
been so reduced by funding, that
rigid economy in expenditures,
and the faithful application Of our
surplus revenues to the payment
OF the principal OF the debt will
gradually but certainly free the
people from Its burdens and close
with honor the financial chapter
of the war. AT the same time, the
government can provide for all its
ordinary expenditures, and dis
charge its sacred obligations to the
soldier of the Union and to the
widows and orphans Of those who
fell In its defence. The resump-
ton of specie payments, which
the Republican party so coura-
geously and successfully accom-
piished, has removed from the
field OF controversy many qu.s-
tons tnat long and seriously dis
turbed the credit of the govern
meat and the business CT the coun-
try. Our paper currency Is now
as national as the flag, and re-
sumption has not only made ii
everywhere equal to coin, but has
brought into use our store of gold
and silver. The circulating me-
dunn is more abundant than ever
before, and we need only to main
tain the equality of all our dollars
to ensure to labor and capital u
measure of value from the use of
which no one can suffer loss. The
great prosperity which the coun-
try Is now enjoying should not be
endangered by any violent changes
or doubtful financial experiments.
In reference to our customs laws,
a policy should be pursued which
will bring revenues to the treasu.
ry, and will enable the labor and
capital employed in our great in
dustries to compete fairly in our
own markets with the labor and
capital of foreign producers. We
legislate for the people of the Uni
ted States, not for the whole world,
and it is our glory that the Amer
lean laborer Is more intelligent
and better paid than his foreign
competitor. Our country cannot
be independent unless Its people,
with their abundant natural re-
sources, possess the requisite skill
at any time to clothe, arm and
equip themselves for war, and In
time of peace to produce all the
necessary implements of labor. 1t
was the manifest intention of the
founders of the government to
provide for the common defence,
not by standing armies alone, but
by raising among the people a
greater army of artisans, whose
intelligence and skill should DOW
erfully contribute to the safety
and glory of the nation. Fortu-
nately for the interests of COM
merce, there is no longer any for
midable opposition to appropria-
tionS for the improvement of our
harbors and great navigable riv-
ers, provided that the expendi-
lures for that purpose are strictly
limited to works of national i'm
portance. The Mississippi river,
with its great tributaries, is OF
such vital Importance to so many
millions of.pe0ple that the safety
OF Its navigation requires excep-
tional consideration. In order. to
secure to the nation the control of
all it's waters, President Jefferson
the purchase ofa vast
territory, extending from the Gulf.
OF Mexico to the Pacific Ocean.
Tie wisdom of Congress should be
invoked to devise some plan by
which that great river shall cease
to be terror to those who dwell
upon the banks, and by which its
shipping may safely carry the In
dustrtal pofdncts of twenty-five
OF people. The interests
Of agriculture, which Is the basis
OF all our material prosperity, and |
In which seven-fwelfths of our
population are engaged, as well as |
the Interests of manufactures and |
com NJ ax1A nAszsxsad Thai Oh aKansfi