Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-12-15
NO. 81.


ward return after journey around the world has
lately visited this country. While our relations
with that king are friendly, this government has
viewed with concern the efforts to seek replenish-
ment of the diminishing population of the island
from outward sources to degree which may i'm
pair the native sovereignty and independence in
which the United States was among the first to
testify a lively interest.
OTHER NATIONS
Relations of unimpaired amity have been main
tanned throughout the year with the respective
governments of Austria, Hun gary, Belgium, Den
mark. Hayti, Paraguay and Uruguay, Portugal,
and Sweden and Norway, and this NAV also be
said of Greece and Eq Iador. Although our re-
lationS with these states have for several years
been severed by the withdrawal of appropriations
for diplomatic representatives a. Athens and Quito
it seems eXpedient to restore those missions even
on a reduced scale, and decidedly recommend
such course with respect to Ecuador. which is
likely within the near future to play an important
part among the nations of the Southern Pacific.
THE GENEVA CONVENTION.
At its last extra session the senate called for
the text of the resolutions Of the Geneva cOnven-
tion for the relief of the wounded in the war
trust that this action fOreshadowS such interest
in the subject will result in the admission to
that humane and eommendable engagement
NEW INTERNATIONAL RULES.
] invite your attention to the propriety of
adopting the new code of International rules for
the prevention of collisions on the high seas and
of conforming the domestic legislation of tie
United States thereto, that no confusion may
arise from the application of conflicting
rules in the case of vessels of differ
ent natiOnaities meeting in tidal waters.
These international rules differ but
slightly from our own. They have been adopted
by the navy department for the government of
the war ships of the United States, OH the high
seas and foreign waters, and through the action
of the state department in disseminating the
rules and in acquai1ting the ship masters with
the option of conforming TO them without the
juriSdictional waters of the United States. They
are now very generally known and obeyed. The
state department still continues to publish to the
country the trade and manufacturing reports
received from its officers abroad. The success
of this course warrants its continuance, and such
appropriations aS may be required to meet the
rapidly increasing demand for these publications
with special reference to the Atlanta cotton expo
sition. The accounts of number of the reports
was devoted to n valuable collection of papers on
the cotton goods trade Of the world.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.
The international conference for which the con-
grcss of 1878 made provision, assembled in this
city in January last, and its sessions were pro-
longed till March. Although it reached no spcci-
| fic conclusions affording future actions of the
participant powers, the interchange of views
proved to be most valuable. Protocols of the ses-
siOns have been already presented to the senate
NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH.
AS pertinent 10 LnlS general SUBJECT, call your
attention to the operations of the national board
of health established by congress, approved
| March ), 1879. Its sphere of duty enlarged
by the act Of June I'd, in the same year. By the
last named act the board required to institute
such measures as might be deemed necessary for
preventing the introduction of contagious or in
fectious diseases from foreign countries into the
United States, from one state into another. The
execution of the rules and regulations prepared
| by the board and approved by my predecessor,
has done much to arrest the progress of epidemic
diseases and has thus rendered substantial SER
| vice to the nation.
The inter national sanitary conference to
which have referred adopted a form of bill
on health to be used by all vessels seeking to
! enter the ports of the countries whose represen-
! tatives participated in the deliberations. This
| form has been preserved by our National Board
of Health and incorporated with its rules and
regulations which have been approved by me in
pursuance of law. The health of the people is
| of supreme Importance. All measures looking
| to their preservation against the species of con
| tagious dseaseas, and the increase of our sani-
tary knowledge for such purpose deserve atten-
tiOn of congress.
EXPENSES.
| The report of the secretary of the treasury
represents in detail highly satisfactory exhibit
of the state and condition of the various branches
of the public service administered by that de-
partment. The ordinary revenues from all
sources for the fiscal year ending June TO- 1881,
were: From customs Sl9S l59 ,676.02 from IN
ternal revenue SI35 264 3Sj5l; from public lands,
81 221 863l7; from tax of circulation and deposits
of national banks. IS ,l16 ,ll5.72 from repayment
of interest by Pacific railway companies, $50,
$780, from sinking fund for Pacific railway
companies, S8O5 1904; from custom fees, fines,
penalties, ETC., 81 ,225, ,5l4.86; from fees,
| lar letters, patents and land, S22 244 98499;
from proceeds of sales of government property,
1852 ia; from profits coinage, S3 ,468 485. 81;
from revenues of the District Of Columbia, 81,
016 1923: from miscellaneous sources Sc ,206,-
$50. l3. Total ordinary receipts, $50 078 2296l.
The ordinary expenditures for the same per-
id were: For civil expenses, $l7, 7,94l, lH.l9;
for foreign intercourse 5 093 95492; for Indians,
! Sc ,5l4, ,l6I.09; for pensions, $50050 27962;
for the military establishment, including river
and harbor improvements and arsenals, $40,
| 4G6 460. 55 for naval establishments in holding
vessels machinery and improvement at navy
yards, SI5, ,086, GIL &c; for miscellaneous expen-
itures, including public building, light house
and collecting the revenue, S4l 837 280.57; for
expenditures on account of the District Of Co
| lumbia So. SAB 9l2O3; for interest on the public
debt, $8 .258, ,74l.1S; for premium of bonds pur
chased $I6l POSTS; total ordinary expendi-
lures 2 ,607 ,128 .875.90 leaving surplus Of reve
nue. of 500 ,G69, ,4O498.
| Which applied as follows:
/ To he redpmntinn of hOuds for