New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-05
! tn. tariff and to any considerable reduction q


The present tariff system Is IN many respects I'M
inst Jtmnkcs distributions both Of the burdens ana
its benefits. This fact was practically recognized
NV n majority Of each house of Congress in tho pms
gage NJ the act creating Tariff Commission; ne
report of that Commission VIII pe placcu pu
you at the beginning Q, ars as to the cond
ton aud prospects of the various comherciai, ast
cultural manufacturing, mining ana otner InVole S
of the country, and contain sucn SUI nvr
statntorv revision. AZ Will practically ava your
action upon this important subject no ~ "a
from customs for tho hseal year eh1inE Jun ,n the
three succeeding years reached first I'll SoooO,ooU,
then NJ 9S 900 900 and finally Us has been aIon"S
stated 500 700 OOO Tue income rom n .1' az ISs3
viii doubtisss he considerably IN excess Oh tno sun -,
last mentioned If the tax on domestic ,,.a 5odnc
be retained, it is plain therefore, wa. feasi
tions from the customs revenue are entllelS i0"''
While recommending this reduction am ar from sn
advising the aDan,. Onnent OF the poilcy Vi s
Surieus ~, ,;D in the adjustment OF details as 10
ntfnrd Aid and protection TO domestic iaDoI D,o
present system should be so 'eyiseu a" ID orrnna
The nnhlic burden among all classes a.lu H.
tious aud bring it into closer harmo Win i .uo
nrnsent needs of industry. without ehteIIn. INV
mioute details which under present ciouiuo'"o t
=; Iii, unnecessary | recommend an enlargement
NJ 1tbs free list 50 as 20 incluue .Wl'n'n IL .9o
nnmerops articles which weld lncOnslueraolo
revenue; a simpfca of the complex ana ncon-
,nt tchc1nip of lutIes upon certain manufac.
tures particularly thOsc oil COTTON, IRON anu steel,
and "A s bstantial reduction OF the dutles upon Iuos
y, t,cles and mon sugar mOlasses, SILK, Wool ana
wooIIen goods. If a general roVlslon OF tue tarli
shall be found to he impracticabe nj TINS session
express the hope That at least some oil the more con
suicuuus INEQUALITIES of the present law NAV he
corrected before your 6nal adjournment. Tue OF
them is specially referred to by the Secretaly IN
view of u recent DECISION Of the Supreme COurt, the
necessity OF amending the law by which the Duich
standard of color IL adopted AS the test OF the sac
charne strength OF sugars, is too obvious 10 require
MILITARY AFFAIRS
From tie report of the Secretary of War 1t APP
pears that the only outbreaks of Indians during the
past year occurred in Arizona and i'll the south
western part OF NewMexiUo They we've promptly
quelled, and the.quiet which has prevailed in all
other parts of tho country has permitted such an
addition To be made to the mi Itary force III the
region endangered hy the Apachos that there Is
little reasO, 10 appTehend trouble III tue fut1re.
Those parts of the SecrctaTys report which relate
to our sea- defenccs and armament suggest the
g:avcst reflections. Our existing Notifications are
VIGOROUSLY Inadequate to the defence or the great
harUors and cities for whose protection thsy were
built. The question of providing an arman eht
suited to our present necessities has been the sub
iect of consideration by Board, whose report was
transmitted To Congress at the last SESSION. Pend
lug the consideration OF that report, tile war De-
partmept has taken no steps for the manufacture
or conversion of any heavy cannon, but the Secre-
tary expresses the hope that authority ana means
TO begin that important worg will soon be provided
Invite the attention of Congress to the propnety
of making more adequate provision for arming ana
eQupping the militia than Is Afforded oy the acI Oh
1906 winch is still upon the statute books. Inc
matter has already been the subject OF discussion IN
tue Senate. and bill which seeks to supply me
deficiencies of the existing laws is now upon lts
The Secretary of War calls attention to an
embarrassment exists, growing out oil the recent
act OF Congress making The retirement OF
officers of the army compulsory at the age OF
sxty.four years. The act OF 1873 Is sui IN force
which limits to 400 the number or those VINO can
be retired for disability upon their own aDplca-
fioD "a when
to forbid the relieving even for absolute ncapaclty
of officers " no do not fall within the purvlew OF the
latter statute, at such tunes as :here chances
to be less than 100 names the retired list. There
are now 42O. 1t is, not likely that Congress III.
tended ths result, and concur with the Secretary
that the law ought To be anne nded.
RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
The grounds that impeed me to withhold my
signature from tho bill entitled An Act making
Appropriatons for the Construction, Repair and
Preservation of Certain Works on Rivers and lar-
bOfs," which became q law near the close oil yonr
last session. prompt ine TO express the nope thaC no
similar mesure will be deemed necessary uuiIng the
present session of Congress. Indeed, such % meas
ure would now be open TO serious ODJectIon III
addition to that which was lately urged upon your
attention. | am informed by the Secretary oil war
that the greater potion of the sum appropriated
for the various items specified in tnat act remains
une pended. OF the new works when IL auth0rlzru
expenses have been incurred upon Two only, ior
" Inch the total appropriation was TZIOooO. / ne
present available balance is disclosed by tue fol
lowing table:
A%S' OF apptop.ia'!onDs az" NOV 1915
Issa u 10000
b ' ID ..... 100000
ton n'nu'N 4,73s 1858
Total ....... s23, 7oI 1873
Lt I1,SI ISsS and Noyomber 80 1882 6,O5GIo4
Total ..........SI7, 734, 9i4
It's apparent by this exhibit that so far as con-
Germs most of the items to winch the Act oil August
q 1882, relates. there can be no need OF 1urther
congratulations until after the close OF tina present
ssiOn. If, however, any action should seem 10 DC
necessary Ill respect TO particular objects II Wl NC
entirely f. AL Bile provide for those objects by APP
proprate legislation. 1t is possible, Tor example
that delay until the assembling OF the
vision for The NJ ssissppi River I'M
proyements might be attended with serious
consequences Ii such should appear TO be the case
lust bill relating 10 that subject would command
This leads nc to offer suggestion which l trust
| will commend itself 10 tue wisdom of Congress- is
| II not advisable that grants Of considerable sums
| of money for diverse and independent schemes OF
| internal Improvement should be made the subjects
OF separate and distinct Legislative enactmensf 1t
will seal cely be gaiusaid, by those who favor
| the most liberal expenditures for such purposes as
are sought to be accomplished by what Is commonly
called TIE River and llarbor BILL that the practice
of grouping IN such bill appropriations for great
diversity OF objects, widely separated either III
| tner nature III the Locality with winch they arc
| concerned or IN both. is one which is much TO be
deprecated unless il IS IrIcmcdiable. Ii newt ably
tends TO secure The success of the bill as whole
though many of the items if separately considered
| could scarcely TAIL of rejection. by
| the adoption of the course i have re-
| commended, every lucm Der of Congress. whenever
| opportunity should arise for giving his influence
and vote for merltorious appropriations, wOnld he
| enabled 80 10 40 wiIhou- being called upon "a
| sanction others undeservIng his approval So also
| would the Executive be aioIded thereby a full OPP
portunty TO exercise his constitutional preroRatIve
OF OPUS ng whatever appropriations seemed 10 him
| objec Yonablc without imperiIling the success OF
| others winch commended themselves to his judg
ment. Ii may he urged in opposition to there sug
| uestions that the number OF works Of internal i'm
| proycment which are justly entitled to Govern
- hmm f1r. II