Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-05

year For the nSeal year ended June %. ISL
the surplus revenue amounted to sIO1 COO. 0oe
For the fiscal year ended on the 18th of In n,
tast, me surplus was more han Sls2;tOe-uO. III
been made of these moneys. They have notonll
answered the requirements of The sinking fund
bnt nave Afforded a large balance applicable q
other reductions of the public debt. But reDeV
the expression OF my convection that such
INDEBTEDNESS
as is now taking place is by no means a cause for
eongratulatiou. 1t is a cause rather for serion,
sPprenensioH. it continues it must speedily b,
followed by one Of the evil results already Sc
forth in the report of the secretary; either the sur
Plus must lie idlei in the treasury. or the govern
bonds NOT then ~redeemable, and which unde
such circumstances cannot fail to N AZ
be devoted to extravagant expenditure, which a,
sxPerence has taught, is ever the bane of over
nowfng treasury.
H REDUCTION OF THE REVENUE.
II Was made apparent IN the course OF the ami
mated discussions which this question aroused Al
me isst session of Congress that the policy of dt
LuIhlsning the revenue by reducing taxation com
manded the general approval of the members OF
ootn houses regret that, because of conflicting
views as TO the best methods By which that police
should be made operative. none of It's benefits have
As yet been resped. In Iulhllment of what l deem
my constitutional duty. but with little hope that
l can make any valuable contribution 10 this
SsIed question, 1 shall proceed TO intimate briefly
my own views in relation TO il,
Upon the showing OF our financial condition al
the close of the last fiscal year I felt jusifed In
recommending to Congress the abolition OF inter
its various forms, and upon distilled sTsrits and
upon the man ufacturers and dealers In sfcn an.
Giles. venture now TO suggest that unless II shall
ne SoSsrn Inat inc probable expenditures OF
been under-estimated all internal revenue
Ale save those which relate 10 dis
Such = course, accompanied by a simplihoatisn
OF the machinery OF election. which would then
pc easy OF accomplishment might reasonably be
expected TO result in diminishing the cost of such
CORRECTION by at least $500 600 and in retirement
tem of excise duties has never commended Itself
20 the faver OF the American people, and has never
IN me treasury when by reason of special exigen-
e,es me aa5es on import have proved inadequate
OPPOSED TO PIG-IRON KELLEY'S ATF
FEe sentinaent OF ron-
msnds that the present excise tak shall be sbo.-
sted. 1t seems to me, however fer-varF5rs rea-
s91s 50 sweeping measure a the total abolition
wise step. Two OF reasons are deserving OF
Ftrst-It is by no means clear that the exist
ing system OF duties on Imports, continued with
out modihcation' WI Yield sufficient reyenpe
mated that 500. OoO, 900 will be required fer pen
lions during the coming year, aud itmay wen be
for that object has yet been reached. Uueer,
tsinty upon this question would alone justify, m
that portion of the system of internal revenue
which Is least Objectionable to the people.
Scond-A total adoption of excise taxes would
almost inevitably prove a serious, If not an insur-
mountable, objection to a thorough revision of the
tariff and I any considerable execution in i'm
port duties.
Il PRESENT TARIFF SYSTEM
is in many respects unjust. 1t makes unequal dis
Iributions both OF It's burdens and Its benefits
of each House of Congress in the passage OF an act
fbt oSm me dar1 Viii Eo mn n1sced hc dne rep Fepo J, t Gt
beginning of this session and will, / trust, offer
you such Information as TO the condition and
prospects of the various commercial, agricultural,
manufacturing, mining and other interests of the
country, and contain such suggestions for a statu
tory revision as will practically aid your action
upon this Important subject.
The revenue from customs for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1879, amounted to S137, 600, 600
1t has In the three succeeding years reached. first,
slS6, 100000; then sl9S, O00, 600; and finally. as has
been already stated, 500, 900, 900. The income from
this source for the fiscal year which will end on June
, 80. 1898. win doubtless be considerably in excess
tic Splits is 70 be retained, it is plain, therefore,
that large reductions from the customs revenue
are entirely feasible. While recommending the
reduction, 1 am far from advising the abandon
ment Of The policy of so discriminating in the ad-
TO domestic labor; but the present system should
be SO revised as to ~eaualise the public burdens
among all classes and occupations. and bring i,
into greater harmony with the present needs OF
industry. Without entering into minute details,
which. under the present circumstances, is
quite unnecessary, I ecomme an en-
largement of the free list so as to
yield inconsiderable revenue. A simplidcation of
the complex and inconsistent schedule of duties
upon certain manufactures, particularly those Of
cotton, iron and steel, and a substantial reduction
of the duties upon sugar, molssses, silk, wool and
shall be found to be fmpractieaoie at this ln session.
| express the hope that at least some of the more
conspicuous inequalities of the present law may
be corrected before your final adjournment. One
of them is specially retired to by the secretary.
In view of a recent decision of the Supreme Court
the necessity of amending the law by which the
duty standard of color is adopted as the test of the
saccharines strength of sugars, is too obvious to re-
THE ARMY.
From the report of the Secretary of War it ap-
pears that the only outbreaks of Indians during
the past year occurred in Arizona and in the
southwestern part OF New Mexico. They were
vailed in all other parts of the country has per
mitted such an addition to be made to the military
that there is little reason to apprehend tronbie in 1
the future. Those par s of the seeretaryis report
armament suggest the gravest reiection. our ex.
listing Qualifications are VIGOROUSLY inadequate to
whose protection they were built. RE QUESTION
of providing an arm suited to our present
n9cs : mas peen me suplecto conslueratlon by
a BOARD whose report was transmitted to Consress
AZ the last session. Pending the consideration of
Tor the manufacture or conversion of any heavy
cannon, but the secretary expresses the hope that
viii be soon provided. Invite the attention OF
Congress TO the propriety OF making more ade-
qunte provision for the army aud equippirg the
still upon the statute books. The matter has al
ready been the subject of discussion in the Senate
and 2 bill which seeks to supply the deficiencies of
existing laws is now upon its calendar. The Sec
rotary OF war calls attention to the fact that an
embarrassment arises out of the recent act of
Congress making the retirement of officers OF the
army compulsory at the age o fsixty-four. The act
OF 1873 is It'll in force, which limit 10 AGO, the
number OF those who can be retired for disability
or upon their own application. The
the relieving, even for absolute incapacity, of
officers who do not tall-within the purview Of the
latter statute. save at such times as there chance
to be less than 400 names on the retired list.
There are now 100. 1t is not likely that Congress
intended this result, and I concur with the secre-
tary that the law ought to be amended. The
grounds that impelled me to withhold my sigma
for the construction, repair and preser-
Walton 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 measure Will be deemed necessary during
the present session OF Congress. Indeed, such a
in addition to that which was lately
foT@ed upon p tbs your secrs s5.eHu on wal AM am In IN,
portion of the sum appropriated for the
various items specified in thai act remains unex-
OF the new works which it authorized
expenses have been incurred upon two only, for |
which the total appropria ton was s2l0,020; The
Amount Of appropriation by act of Au-
gust 2, 1882, SIS, 73S,S75; amount of appropriation
for payments to j. B.. Eads, sS04, 900; uu-
expended balance of former appropriation, S4.7SS,-
he treasury between JuIS /, Iss9 and SSvember
1881, s6,056, 194. Total, sl7 90, s44.
1t is apparent by this exhibit that so far as con-
1882, relates there can be no need of further ap-
until after the close of the present
session. II, however, any action should seem to
be necessary in respect to particular objects it
will be entirely feasible to provide for those OBJ
sample that a delay until the assembling OF the
next Congress to make additional pr revision for
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENTS
night be attended with serious consequences.
4 such should appear to be the case, a just bill
-elating to that subject would command my ap-
This leads me 10 offer a suggestion, which trust
viii Commend itself to the wisdom of Congress.
s it not advisable that grants of outsiders BILE sums
II money for diverse and independent schemes of
Internal improvement should be made the subject
4 separate and distinct Legislative enactments?
avor the most liberal expenditures for purposes
ought to be accomplished by what is commonly
THE RIVER M HARBo Bull.
hat the practice OF grouping in such a bill ap-
,ropriations for a great diversity OF objects widely
which they are concerned, or in both, is one
vhich is much to be deprecated. Unless it is
he success OF the bill as a whole, though many OF
he items, if separately considered, could scarcely
ave recommended every member of Congress,
when every opportunity should arise for CIV
~riatons. would be enabled so 10 do. without be
ng called upon TO sanction others ,unde-
s TeeGiive be afiorded thereby a full op,
orIunity to exercise his constitutional pre-
eemed TO him Objectionable without impe1iiing
he success of others which commended themselves
D his judgment 1t may be SAID IN opposition to
hese suggestions that the numDer OF work of in
ernal Improvement which are mostly entitled to
aid is so great as % render impracti-
able separate appropriation bills therefor, or even
Dr. such comparatively limited number as make
OF large sums of money. This Obiee-
lon may be well founded, and whether it
e or not the advantages which would be
kelly 10 ensue from the adoption of the
curse j have may perhaps
e more effecIually attained by another which
respectfully submit to Congess as an a.terna-
We proposition. 1t is provided by the constitu- I
of fourteen of our Statesthat the Executive {
lay disapprove any item or Items of a bill appTO- {
money, whereupon tie part OF the bill 4
pproYed shall be law, and The part disapproved
hall fail to become law unles repassed according 7
! the nrovfsions prescribed for the massage of hills ,