Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-13

changes in the laws by which their circulation
IS now controlled. In my Judgment the latter
course IS preferable. commend to your at
Tenton the very interesting ana thoughtful
suggestions on this subject which appear in
the secretary report The objections which
he urges against the acceptance of other
secuI1Les IMAM the Obligations of Govern
nfent itself as foundation for national bank
circulation, seem to me inSuperable.
For avertiEg the threatened contraction,
/ two courses have been suggested, either of
/ when IS probably feasible. One of these is
/ the issuance of new bonds having many
( years TO run, bearing low rate of interest,
those now 0utstaDding T6e Other Course con Sc
which commendS itself to my own judgment
! as the better, is the enactment of law re-
1 peal1ng the tax on circulation, and permitting
/ the banks to issue notes for an amount equal
/ to 80 per cent. of the market value instead of
as now, the face value of their deposited
belief that the adoption of this plan would
II ford the necessary relief.
THE TRADE DOLLAR
was coined for the purpose of traffic in couR-
tries where silver passed at its value, as ascer-
tanned by its weight and business. 1t never
! had a legal tender quality. Large numbers of
these coins entered. however. into the volume
! of our currency. By common coRsent their
circulation in domestic trade has now ceased
| and they nave thus become a disturbing ele-
ment. They should not be longer permitted
to eInbarrass our currency system. 1 recon-
mend that provision be made for their recep-
ton by the Treasury and minis as bullion, at
a small percentage above the current market
! price or silver or like hneneSS.
| CUSTOMS DISTRICTS.
| The Secretary of the Treasury advises
| consolidation of certain of the customs dis
| tricts of the country, and suggests that the
! ton thereto as is now given him in respect to
collectors of internal revenue by section 8, IA
| of the Revised Statutes. The statistics on
| Ihls subject which are contained IN his report
| furnish Of themselves a strong argument in
defense of his views. At the adjournment of
Congress the number of internal revenue col
/ lection districts was I26 By executive orders
| dated June %, 1888, directed that certain of
these districts be consolidated. The result
| has been a reduction of One-third their num-
| Der, which at present is but eighty-three.
INDIAN TRIBES.
From the report of the Secretary of War it
! viii be seen that in only q single instance has
there been any disturbance of the quiet condi-
ton of our Indian tribeS-a raid from Mexico
into Arizona by small party OF indians, which
| was pursued by Gen. Crook into the mountain
region from which they had come. 1t is con-
fdently hoped that serious outbreaks will not
again occur, and that the Indian tribes which
have for so many years terrified the West will
Itemain in peaceable submission.
SEA COAST DEFENSES.
again call your attention to the present
condition of our extended sea coast, upon
which there are so many large cities whose
wealth and Importance to the country would,
| in time of war, invite attacks from modern
armored ships, against which our existing de-
fenSiYe works could give no adequate prOtec-
ton. These works were built before the in
PRODUCTION of modern heavy rifled guns into
maritime warfare. and if they are not put in
an efficient condition we may easily be sub
jected to humiliation by hostile power great
~ inferior to ourselves. As german to this
subject 1 call your attention to tue import
anee of perfecting our submarine torpedo
defenSeS. The board authorized by the last
Congress to report on the method which should
be adopted for the manufacture of heavy ord
finance adapted to modern warfare, has visit
ed the principal iron and steel works in this
country and Europe. 1t is hoped that its
report ., vii u soon be made, ana that Con
suitable facilities and plans for the manufac
ture OF such guns as are now imperatively
needed.
On several occasions during the past year
officers of the army have, at the request Of the
State authorities, united their military en-
Campments for inspection of the troops. From
the reports OF these officers, am induced to
tia organization by the National Government
would he followed by very gratifying results,
and would afford it in sudden emergencies the
aid Of large body of volunteers, educated in
the performance of military duties,
THE NAVY.
h TheSecretary of the Navy reports that I'M
der the authority of the acts of August 3, 1882,
and March 5, 1888, the work of strengthening
our navy by the construction of modern YES
sells has been auspiciOusly begun. Three
cruisers are in process of construction; the
Chicago of 1850 tons displacement, and the
Boston aud Atlanta, each of $500 tons. They
are to be built of steel, with the tensile
strength and ductihty prescribed by law, and
combination of speed, endurance and arm
| ament are expected to compare faVOrablV
with the best unarmed war vessels of other
nations. A fourth vessel, the Dolphin, is to
be constructed of similar material, and is in
tended to serve as a fleet dispatch boat. The
double-turreted monitors Puritan, Amphitrite
and Terror have been launched on the Della
=. ware River, and a contract has been made for
! the supply of their machinery. A similar
monitor, the MOnadnOck, has been launched
in California The Naval Advisory Board and
the Secretary recommend tho completion of
the monitors, the construction Of four gun
boats and three additional steel vessels like
the Chicago, Boston and Dolphin, as an i'm
portant measure of defense. The Secretary
urges also the immediate creation of an
INTERIOR COAST-LINE OF WATERWAYS
! across the peninsula of Florida, along the
coast from Florida to Hampton Roads, be-
tween the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware
River, and through Cape Cod. feel bound 10
impress upon the attention OF congress the
necessity Of continued progress in the recon
struction OF the navy; The, condition of the
public treasury, as have already intimated,
makes the present an suspicious time for put
ting this branch of service in a state if eff
cheney 1t is no part of our policy to create
and maintain navy able to cope with that of
the other great powers of the world. We have
no wish for foreign conquest, and the peace
danger of interruption. But, that our naval
strength should be made adequate for the de-
commercial interests and the maintenance of
our national honor, is a proposition from
which no patriotic citizen can withhold his
THE POST OFFICE.
The report of the Postmaster-GeneraI con
tains a gratifying exhibit of the condition
the public service committed to his care. 1t
appears that June 80, 1888, the whole num-
Der of POSt-Ofices was A, 1868, of which ,632
were established during the previous year.
The number of offices operating under
the system of free delivery was l54;;
matter amounted to 81, I95, 23O. 80, sum ex-
ceeding by SI,O21, 04,0I the entire cost of the
| carriers service of the country. The rate of
postage on drop letters passing through these
offices is now fixed by law at two cents per
half ounce or fractions thereof. In offices
where the carrier system has not been estab-
lished the rate is only half large. 1t viii be
remembered that in 1863, when free delivery
was first established by law, the uniform single
!. | rate postage upon local letters was one cent,
| and so it remained until 1872, when in those
| cities where carrier service was established
it was increased in order to defray the ex-
; ! Denses of such service. 1t seems to that
, the old rate may now with proprlety be re-
/ stored, and that too even at the risk of dimin-
ishing, for a time at least, the receipts from
: | postage upon local letters. can see rea-
! son why that particular class of mail matter
} | should be held accountable for the entire cost
| 6olfvnr-xy