The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-08

pursued Il seems 70 me, however, Tor vsr1-
Gus reasons, 30 sweeping . measure as the
total abolition OF internal taxes would, for the
present, be an unwise STEP Two Of these rea-
sons are desc ring Of special mention:
L It Is by no means clear that. even If the
existing system of duties on imports is contin-
ued without modification, those duties alone
VIII yield sufficient revenue for al the needs
OF the government It L. estimated
that 800, 100000 win be required for
pensions during the coming year and 1t may
well be doubted whether the maximum annual
demand Hor that object has yet been reached
Uncertainty upon this question wouli alone
justify, IN my Judgment, the retention for the
present Of that portion Of the system of inter
nal revenue which is least Objectionable to the
people
2 A total abolition Of excise taxes would
almost inevitably prove esrious, II not
an insurmour able objection to a thor
0ugh revision Of the tariff, and to any
considerable reduction in import duties,
THE PRESENT TARIFF SYSTEM
Is. in many respects, unjust It makes un-
equal distributions both Of its burdens and its
benefits This fact was practically recognized
by majority OF each house of congress, in
the passage of the act creating the tariff COM
mission. The report of that commission will
be placed before you at the beginning of this
session. and will, trust afford you such in
formation as to the condition and prospect Of
the various commercial, agricultural manu-
featuring, mining and other interests of the
country, and contain such suggestions for
statutory revision, as viii practically aid
your action upon this important subject
The revenue from customs forsthe fiscal
year ending June 80 1879 amounted to $751;
000, 900. 1t has in the three succeeding wears
reached first 1885,, 000, coo; then $19S, 600 600;
and finally, as has been already stated, $780,
100000. The income from this source for the
fiscal year which will end on June 80 1883.
will doubtless be considerably in excess Of the
sum last mentioned If the tax on domestic
spirits is to be retained, it is plain, therefore,
that large reductions from the Gus
toms revenue are entirely feasible
While recommending this reduction l
am far from advising the abandonment of the
policy of so discriminating in the adjustment
Of details as to afford aid and protection to
domestic labor But the present system
should be so revised as to equalize the public
burden among all classes and occupations,
and bring 1t into closer harmony With the
present needs of industry Without entering
into minute details, which, under present
circumstances, is quite unnecessary, recon-
mend an enlargement of the free list so as to
include within it the numerous articles
which yield inconsiderable revenue, q sim
pliication of the complex and moon
sis'ani schedule of duties upon certain manu-
steel, and substan tial reduction of the duties
upon those article and upon sugar, molasses
silk, wool, and wooden goods. If q general re-
vision of the tariff should be found to be i'm
practicable at this session, I express the hope
that at least some of the more conspicuous in
equalites of the present law may be corrected
before your final adjournment One Of them
is specially referred to by the secretary. In
view of the recent decision of the supreme
court, the necessity of amending the law by
which the Dutch standard of color is adopted
as the test of the saccharine strength Of sug-
ars, is too obvious to require comment
THE INDIANS
From the report of the secretary of war it
appears that the only outbreaks Of Indians
during the past year occurred in Arizona
and in the southwestern part of New Mexico
They were promptly quelled, and the quiet
which has prevailed in all other parts of the
has permitted such an addition to be made to
the military force In the region endan-
gered by the Apaches that there is little
reason to apprehend trouble in the future
sEACoAsT DEFENsEs.
Those parts of the secretary's report which
relate to our seacoast defenses and their arma-
ment suggests the gravest reflections. Our
existing Notifications are VIGOROUSLY made
quate to the defense of the great harbors and
cities for whose protection they were built
The question OF providing an armament suit
6U W our pEoSolt u0CC66IUl0S HAS D60U blo SUD-
ject 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 no steps for the
manufacture or conversion Of any heavy can
non, but the secretary expresses the hope
that authority and means to begin that i'm
portant work will soon be provided
THE MILITIA.
invite the attention of congress to the pro-
priety of making more adequate provisions
for arming and equipping the militia than are
the statute books. The matter has already
been the subject of discussion in the senate,
and a bill which seeks to supply the defcien-
cies of existing laws is now upon its calendar.
The secretary Of war calls attention to the
fact that an embarrassment growing out Of
the recent act of congress making the retire.
of officers of the army compulsory at the age
of GA. The act of 1868 is still in force which
limits to 400 the number of those who can be
retired for disability or upon their own appli-
cation.
Two acts, when construed together. seem to
forbid the relieving even for absolute incapac-
ity Of officers who do not fall within the pur-
view of the latter statute, save at such times as
there chance to be less than 400 on the retired
list There are now 400 1t is not likely that
congress intended this result, and I concur
with the secretary that the law ought to be
amended
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
The grounds that impelled me to withhold
my signature from the bill entitled, @An act
making appropriations for the construction,
repair, and preservation Of certain works on
rivers and harbors," which became law near
the close of your last session prompt me to ex-
press the hope that no similar meas
ure will be deemed necessary dur
| ing the present session of congress.
c11n a rona ho a.
serious objection, in addition to that which
| was lately urged upon your attention. lam
informed by the secretary of war that the
| greater portion Of the sum appropriated for
the various items specified in that act remains
unexpended. Of the new works which it au-
thorlzed, expenses have been incurred upon
two only, for which the total appropriation
was $910,000. The present available balance
| is disclosed by the following table:
Amount of appropriation by act of Aug.
19, 1882 -. ..... :. 10000
toJ B. Eads .........-.....-.-.- s04, 900
priations. @ Abs, 26s
| Total S2s, 791 ,1ss
Less amount drawn from treasury be-
tween July l, 1882. and Nov. 80,
....-.-..---...-........-.... 6,Oo6,lS4
Total. ST., 73o, o44
| Apparent by this exhibit that, so far as con-
| Germs most of the items to which the act Of
congress of August, 1862, relates, there can be
no need of further appropriation 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 en-
tirely feasible to provide for those objects by
appropriate legislation. It is possible, for
example, that a delay until the as
sembfing of the next congress, to
| make additional provision for the
Mississippi river Improvements, might be at
tended with serious consequences If such
| should appear to be the case, just bill relat-
/ ing to thai snhiect would command nv an