The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1881-12-10
SO. Such legislation would seem to be
justified by the recent action Of hanks on
the occasion referred to in the Secretary's
rs,fNs

SO. Such legislation would seem to be
Justified by the recent action Of hanks ON
the occasion referred to in the Secretarv's
| report
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY.
or the fifteen millions Of fractional cur
rency still outstanding, only about eighty
thousand has been redeemed during the
past year. The suggestion that this
amount may properly be dropped from f,-
ture statements Of the public debt seems
worry OF approval
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
The President, after giving All immense
array of figures relative to the financial
condition OF the country, sums up as fol.
lows: 1t is estimated that even II the an.
nual receipts and expenditures should con.
tinue as ut present, the entire debt would
be paid III ten yeats. In view, however,
Of the heavy load of taxation which our
people have already borne, We may well
consider 1t Is not the part OF wisdom to re.
duce the revenues, even If we delay little
the payment Of the debt.
THE ARMY.
The Secretary Of War recommends the
legislation necessary to increase the mum.
ber Of enlisted men to thirty thousand, the
| maximum allowed by law. This he deems
necessary to maintain quietness on our
| ever shifting frontier; to preserve peace
and suppress disorder and inarauding in
new settlements; to protect settlers and
their property against Indians and against
the encroachmentS Of intruders, and to en-.
able peaceable e,nigrants to establish homes
in the most remote parts OF our country.
THE BEAsTLy INIovlry.
3.,f f,s.,
annual message to Congress- has alluded to
the necessity Of stringent, legislation for
the suppression OF polvgamy in the Terri.
tories, especially in Utah. The exist
ing statutes for the punishment Of the
odious crime, SO revolving to the moral, re-
| ligious sense of Christianity, has been PER
| s'stentlv and conte.nptunusly violated ever
since its enactment. Indeed, in spite OF
co'nmendable efforts on the part OF the
authorities who represent the United
States in that Territory. the law has in very
rare instances been enforced and for a
cause to which reference will presently he
made, is practically dead letter.
The fact that the adherents OF the Nor.
mon Church, which rests upon polvyamv
as its corner stone. have recently been pro-
ping in large numbers, Idaho, Arizona,
and other Of our Western Territories, is
we'll calculated to excite the livelicst inter
est and apprehension. 1t imposes uI,ot,
Congress and the Executive. the duty o
arraving against this barborious system al
the power which under the CONSTITUTION,
and Law, they can WELD for its destruction,
| Reference has been already made to the
obstacles which the United State, officer.
have encountered in their efforts to punish
violations of law. Prominent among the
obstacles is the difficulty OF procuring legal
evidence sufficient tn warrant Il convictinn
even in the case OF the most motor io,ls OF
tenders.
Your attention is called tn the ,,cc,,,.,
ton OF the Supreme Court OF the Unite,
States explaining it's judgement of the re
ver>al in the case OF Miles who had bcc,
convicted Of Bigamv IN Utah. The Cour
refers to the fact that the secresy attending
the celebration of marriage in that Terri
tory makes that part of polvyamv yer,
difficult, and the proprietv is suggested %
modifying that law OF evidence, which, noA
makes wifi. incompetent to testify asans
her husband. The suggestion, is ar
proved.
recommend, also, the passing of an &c
providing that in the Territories of thcs,
United States the fact that Il woman ha
been married tc a person charged with big
amy shall not disq.,ality her as witness up
on his trial for that otfcnse.
further recommend legislation b,
which any person solcmnizns marriage
in any of the Territories shall be required
under stringent penalties for neglect or re
fusal to file Il certificate OF such marriag,
in the Supreme Court OF the Territory, un
less Congress may devise other practica
measures for obviating the diiiicu'tic
; which have hitherto attended the efforts I.
suppress the iniquity.
assure you Of my determined purpos
to CO operate with you in any lawful AM
discreet measures which may be propose'
to that end.