Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-12-07

IN the treasury khey will becoEae the
temptation 70 corrupt and sxlfava-
CANT expenditure. The President.
therefore. suggests that unless il shall
be found that the probable sxpsndi-
tnres of the government for the COM.
ing year have been underestimated
all internal taxes except those which
relsts TO distilled spirits can be prn-
dsntly abrogatad. This woald dimia-.
ish the cost Of collection g SOC. Coo
and retire from ofice from l.5n0 to
2.0JO persons. He does not think,
however, that the time has arrived
for the total abolition Of internal
taxes. Cor the reason that it Is doubt
fuI whether che duties on imports
would ahsne be sufficient for the needs
Of government. and because. more
over. total abolition Of excise taxes
would prove q serious obstacle TO q
thorough revision Of the tariff.
The present tariff system i. the
President frankly admits. in many
respects unjust, and if the tax on do
nestle spirits is TO be retained. he Is
clearly Of the opinion. judging from
the revenueO derived from customs
during the last few years. that large
reductions in the customs revenue are
entirely feasible; and this may be
accomplished. he believes. without
abandoning the protection Of domes-
tic labor by squalizing the public
burdens among all Glasses and occu-
pations.
The President refers to his veto Of
the river and harbor bill of last ses-
sion, and recommends to the consid-
Grafton of Congress the advisability
of the passage Of an amendment to
the Federal CO Fit tion which would
permit the exeeutlSe to disapprove Of
any item or items in an appropria-
ton bill without being under the
necessity Of eOndemning the entire
measure. el
| Referring to the report Of the Sec
rotary Of War, ths attention Of Con-
gress in invited to the propriety Of
making more adequate provision for
arming and equipping the militia,
and to the conflicting legislation with
reference to the retirement of army
officers. The condition Of the navy,
rs shown in the secretaFy's report, is
commented upon and the attention Of
Congress called to the intimate con-
nection and interdependence' Of the
navy and the commercial marine, and
to the continued decadence Of the lat
ter and the transfer of our growing
commerce TO foreign bottoms.
| The report Of the Postmaster Gen.
eral shows that there is a considera-
bic surplus in his department, and
| the President expresses himself in
favor Of q reduction of letter postage
TO the rate of two cents per half
ounce, and believes that the increase
in postal patronage would equal the
expenditures after the lapse Of three
or four years, if they wonld not ulti-
marelv greatly increase the revenues
from this source. 60
| In regard to that portion Of the
Attorney-General's, re port which
touches upon the star-route, cases, the
President says that ''if any guilty.
person shall finally cape punishment
itNi not be for lack OF earnest and
diligent efforts on the part Of ia,
! prosecution.
j, Commenting in connection witt
the report Of the Secretary Of the In
terion upon the illiteracy disclosed
in certain portions Of the country By
the census returns, the Presiden
: thinks il a momentous question wheth
er Congress should not extend imme
diate and substantial aid to supple
ment individual effort and State leg
! islation in behalf Of education.
: Upon the subject of civil-service re
/ form the President recalls the senti
/, lnents expressed in his last communi
cation to Congress, and adds tia
since these suggestions were submit
!, ted "the people Of the country, ap
4 parently without distinction Of party
n have in various WAYS given express
sions Of their earnest wish for promp
aud definite action. In my judgmen
such action should no longer be posi-
y poned."
9 The President takes occasion to e
/, himself right upon the question {
official removals, and claims that
y the fourteen months Of his admins
i tration only eighty-nine remova
: have been made. exactly the sam
a. number made in the four months
!. President Garfield's administration
= In connection with this subject
% also expresses his disapproval
forced contributions from Office holl
D. ers, and favors their prohibition
: law.
p The Postmaster General has adop