Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-05
AUGUSTA. MAINE, TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER s. ls

policy of so discriminating in the adjustment
of details rs to afford aid and protection to
domestic labor by the present system,
should it be SO revised ~ to equalize che
public burden among all classes and occu-
pations and bring it into closer harmony with
the present needs of industry. Without enter
ing into minute details which under present
circumstances is quite unnecessary, l
| recommend an enlargement of the free list
so as to include within it the numerous
articles which yield uncomfortable revenue,
q simplifcation Of the complex and incon-
sistent schedule of duties upon certain
manufactures, particularly those upon
cotton. iron and steel and = substantial re-
duction of the duties upon those articles and
upon sugar, nolasses, silk and woolen goods.
II general revision OF the tariff shall be
found to be imprscticable at this session. l
express the hope that at least some of the
most conspicuous irregu ularities ofthe present
law may be corrected before your final ad-
journment. One of them is specially referred
to bv the Secretary in view of = recent decision
of the Supreme Court. The necessity of
amending the Law by which the duties, stand
ard of color, is adopted. ~ a test OF the sac
charine strength of sugars 10 too obvious to
require comment.
OUR MiLIrARY AFFAIRS.
From the report of the Secretary Of War
it appears that the only outbreax of Indians
during the past year occurred in Arizona and
in the southwestern part Of New Mexico.
They were promptly quelled. and the qniet
which has prevailed in all other parts of the
country has permitted such an addition to be
made to the military force in the region en-
dangered by the Apaches that there is little
reason to apprehend trouble in the future.
Those parts of the Secretary's report
which relate to our seacOast de-
fences and their armatures suggest
the gravest reflections. Our existing
fortifcations are notoriously inadequate to
the defense of the great harbors and cities
for whose protection they were built. The
question of providing an armament suited TO
our present necessities, has been the subject
of consideration by board whose report was
transmitted to Congress at the last session.
Pending the consideration Of that report, the
War Department has taken steps for the man.
ufacture or conversion of any heavy cannon,
but the Secretary expresses the hope that
authority and means to begin that important
work will be soon provided. l invite the
attention of Congress to the propriety Of
making more adequate provision for arm
ing and equipping the militia than is afforded
by the act Of 1906, which 10 still upon the
statute books. The matter has already been
the subject of discussion in the states and
bill which seeks to supply the deficiencies of
existing laws is now upon the calendar. The
Secretary Of War calls attention to the fact
that there 10 an embarrassment growing out
of the recent act of Congress making the
retirement of officers of the Army compulsory
at the age of sixty-four. The act of 1873 is
etill in force, which limits to 400 the number
of those who can be retired for dis
ability er upon their own application.
The two acts when construed together seem to
forbid the relieving even for absolute inca
pacity of officers who do not fall within the
purview of the latter statute save at such
times as there chance to be less than four
hundred names on the retired list. There are
now four hundred and twenty. 1t 10 not like
ly that Congress intended this result, and
concur with the Secretary that the law ought
to be amended.
RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
The grounds that impelled me to Withhold
my signature from the bill entitled ian act
making appropriations for the construction,
repair and preservation Of certain
works on rivers and harbors which became a
law near the close of your last session, prompt
me to express the hope that no similar meas
ure will be deemed necessary during the
pTtscUt etssIOu Vi tOuRTeBS. luueeu BuCu u
measure would now be open to serious OBJ
lection in addition to that which was lately
urged upon your attention. l am informed
by the Secretary of War that the greater
portion of the sum appr opriated for the
various items prepared in that account re-
mains unexpended. OF the new works which
it authorized, expenses have been incurred
upon that only for which the total appropriation
was S2l0.0 The present available balance
is disclosed by the following table:
AmouRt of appropriation by act of
August 18th 1852 tls73s, ,675
Amount of appropriation by act Of
June 18th iss2 10000
Amount of appropriation for pay.
Unexpended balance Of former ap-
propriations 473s, ,263
Total 2s,7si.i .iss
Less amount draw n from treasury
up to July LIST 1852 and Nov. 3ofh
1852 6066,lN
Total i,,7s4.s44
1t is apparent BY this exhibit that 50 far as
concerns most Of the items to which the act
Of August 2, 1882, relates, there can be no
need Of further appropriations until after the
close Of the present session. If, however,
any action should seem to be necessary in
respect to particular objects, it will be entire
ly feasible to provide for these objects by
appropriate legislation. 1t Is possible, for
example, that delay until the assembling of
the next Congress to make additional
provision for the Mississippi river
improvement might be attended with serious
consequences. If such should appear TO be
the case. a just bill relating to that subject
would command my approval. This leads
me to offer q suggestion ~hich / trust will
commend itself to the wisdom Of Congress.
Is it not advisable that grants of considerable
sums of money for diverse and independent
schemes of internal Improvement should be
made the subject Of separate and distinct leg
islative enactments? 1t will iscarcely be
gainsaid, even BY those who favor the most
liberal expenditures for such purposes a. are
sought to be accomplished by what is so
commonly called the River and Harbor
Bill" The practice Of grouping in such
bill appropriations for . great diversity of
objects, widely separated either in their
nature or in the locality with which they are
concerned, or in both, is one which 10 much
to be deprecated unless it 10 irremediable. It
inevitably tends to secure the success of the
bill as 4 whole, though many of the items,
If separately considered. could scarcely fail
of rejection. By the adoption of the
course I have suggested, every men,
Der of Congress who whenever oppor
tunity should arise, would use his in