The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-12-16

that the silver dollar authorized by the bin
Continued t9 be Ct iess commercial value than
rcfer1e4 to- SsSan March is ana las BEEN sss
continued con as required TX the act The aver.
been Se,s7e, 4as The total amount coinei prior
70 the flrSt OF November last was, $1&S47, 76O.
OF this amount $47, OS4. $50 remain in the Treas.
the people. A constant EFFORT has been made
% Keep this currency in circulation, aud con-
slueraDie expense has been necessarily In
Treasury is prompt and sure. Contrary to the
conndent anticipation of the friends of the
q Se sver doaa e q s e. PH re- so o
silver,has not increased. During the year prior
to the passage Of the bill authOrizing its coin.
contained was from ninety to ninety-two cents.
as compared with the standard gold dollar.
During the last year the average market value
Of the silver dollar has been eishty-eight and
Il is obvious, that the legislation Of the last
Congress in regard to silver, 90 far as it was
silver Is result 81 that legislation, has failed
to produce the effect then predicted. The
longer the law remains in force, requirs' 8 as
in reality, is not a dollar, the greater becomes
the danger that this country will be forced to
accept a single metal as the sole legal standard
less Value than il purpcrts t to be Be- worth in the
recognized money of the world. ts.s
The Constitution of the United states, sound
require that Tie Country yu should have a its
legal-tender money, both gold and silver coin,
of an intrinsic value, rs bullion, equivalent to
possess. The Constitution, in express terms,
recognizes both gold and silver as the only
true legattender money To hantsh either OF
and limit the circulating medium of exchange
to the disbursement Of important intercsts.
The United States produces more silver than
In maintaining It as one of the two precious
metals which furnish the coinage of the
world. 1t will in my Judgment, contribute
Of existing legislation as requires the coinage
OF silver dollars containing only 412N grains
OF silver, and in its stead will authorize the
lars of equivalent value as bullion with gold
dollars. This will defraud no man, and will
be In accordance with familiar precedents:
the ratio of value between gold and silver, in
order to establish it more nearly IN accord
ance with the actual ratio Of value between
In financial legislation every measure in the
direction of greater fidelity in the discharge
70
which debtors are required to pay, and to in
crease the facility with which money can be
own recent financial history shows how sure
money becomes abundant whenever conn.
dence In the exact performance Of moneyed
obligations Is established.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
me Secretary Of War reports that the e1-
penditures of the War Department for the fis-
cal year ended June 20, 1880, were $39, 8s4, 1903
The appropriations for this Department, for
63O.4O. -
With respect to the Army, the Secretary in
limited by statute Section Lis, Revised Sta
but that provisos contained in appropriation
ment of but $1,000. 1t Is believed the full legal
strength Is the least possible force Mt which
having ip view efficiency, discipline and econ
Omy. While the enlistment OF this force
would add somewhat to the appropriation for
spects 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
tide of settlers which has flowed in upon new
territory. impose upon the military an entire
along wagon and seaRe roates Of travel
| Is no longer necessary. Permanent quarters
ut points selected. of more substantial char.
s &c than those heretofore constructed, VIII
buildings cannot be erected without the sane
ton Of Congress, and when sales Of military
| moneys received have reverted to the Treas
| ury. and could only become available through
| new appropriation. 1t is recommended that
Pro s n De MADE Dx nos.s a ao
buildings as are found to be unnecessary, and
for the application of the proceeds to the con.
struction OF other posts. While many OF the
tary purposes, owing to the changed condition
| Of the country, their occupation Is continued
at 9, eat expense and Inconvenience, because
| they afford the only available shelter Tor
tronrs.
OF the line. in active duty: from their neil regs-
| tenance of the service. Tho constant demand
for small detachments, each OF which should
be commanded by cemmissioned oficer,
| ry service away from their commands, Occa-
siOns scarcity in the number required for
| company duties. With q view to lesseninY this
| drain to some extent, it Is recommended that
the law authorizing the detail of officers from
the active list professors of tactics and mill
tary science at certain colleges ard universe
details be made from the retired list OF the
Attention is asked to the necessity OF pro-
| viding by legislation for organizing, arminR
and disciplining the active militia OF the
country, and liberal appropriations are recon-
mended in this behalf The reports Of the
Adjutant General of the army and the Chief
| of Ordnance touching this subject fully set
| forth its Importance.
The report of the officer in charge Of educa-
ton in the army shows that there are seventy
with an aggregate attendance Of 2,3O5 enlisted
men and children. The ecretary recommends
masters, with the rank and pay OF COmmissary
F.! SerRcants. An appropriation Is needed to
| supply the Judge AdvOca! es of the army with
mends that the corps Of Judge Advocates be
| placed upon the same footing as to promotion,
with the other staff corps of the army. Under
Justice consists of one officer, the Judge AdvO-
| cate General and the corps of Judge AdvO-
Gates, of eight officers of equal rank lMaJOrs),
with a provision that the limit Of the corps
shall remain at four, when reduced BY casual
| ty or resignation to that number. The con-
solidation of the Bureau of Military Justice,
same sam basis With the other stan corps Of the
army, would remove an unjust discrimination
against deserving officers, and subserve the
| best interests of the service.
THE NATIONAL DEFENSES.
Especial attention is asked to the report Of
the Chief of Engineers upon the condition
Of msny q the
| ferred to, the Secretary fs able to emphasize
| the Recommendations made. and to state inae
is discredtable to the country. While other
Nations have been increasing their means
for carrying on offensive warfare and attack
in preparation for defense; nothing ofimpor-
tance has been done towards strengthening
and finishing our casemated works since our
OF modern warfare and the heavy aimor Of
| modern fortifications and ships came into
| use among the Nations, and our Garth works
| left, by q sudden failure Of appropriations
| some years s.nce, in all stages OF incOmple-
ton, are now being rapidly destroyed by tho
| elements.
THE MISSISSIPPI AND COLUMBIA RIVERS.
The two great Rivers of the North American
| Continent. the Mississippi and the Columbia.
| have their navigable waters wholly within the
| limits of the United States, and are OF vast
| importance to our internal and fO eign com
merce. The permanency OF the import ant
| work on the south Pass OF the Mississippi
River seems now to be assured. There has
| been no failure whatever in the maintenance
| of the maximum channel during the six
months ended August ldst. This experiment.
ocean, and is an improvement, upon the per
| manent success of which congratulations may
| be exchanged among people abroad and at
| Of the Mississippi Valley, whose Commercial!
! exchanges float I'm an un0bstructed channel
| safely to and from the sea.
1 ~ ttH<aK Ia.