The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-07
INTERIOR ArRIcA.

can Association, OF which the King of
the Begians is Presid mt and n citizen
OF the United States the chief execu-
tive officer. Larye tracts of territory
nave been ceded 10 the association by
native chiefs.
Roads have been opened and steam.
boats placed on the river, and the
nucles of states established at twenty
TWO stations under one flag, which
offers free dom TO commerce. and pro-
hibits the slave trade. The objects OF
The society are p iilanthropic. 1t does
not aim ut permanent political con-
troll, but seeks the neutrality of the
valleys.
The United States cannot be indif-
ierent to this work. nor TO the interests
or their citizens involved in it. 1t may
become advisable for us to cooperate
with other commercial powers in
promoting the rights of trade and res
idence III the Congo valley, free from
the interference of political control of
any one nation.
SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC.
III view OF The freq ency of invita-
tons Of FOREIGN governments to par
tlclpate III sOcia. ana scientific con-
crosses for the discussion of import mt
matters of cen raj cen ern, i repeat
The suggestion of my .aSU message,
that provision be made II the exc r.
else OF discretionary power by the
Executive in appoin ing delegates to
SUCH conventions. Specialists ale
ready TO serve the National interests
N such capacity without personal
profit or other comp niation than the
DER ymnnt Of exp nSeS ;.ctGa ~ in
niIlrnn and fhfG ROT ~ Al ~
annual appropr alton won suffice TO
meet
RESTRICTIONS OF COMMERCE..
l have alluded in my previous message
to the injurious and vexatiols restrictions
suffered by our trade in The Spanish West
Indies. Brazil, whose National outlet for
its great National staple, C flee, il through
the Uniteu States, IMPOSES q heavy export
duty upon that product. Our petrO-
ieum exports are hampered in turkey and
other Eastern ports by restrictions as to
storage AMI by onerouS tlXalio.i. For
these miSchiefs adeQ rate re,lef Is not al
ways provided by reciprocity treaties like
that with Hawaii, or that lately negoli-
ated with Mexico and now awaiting the
action OF the senate. Is IL not advisable to
provide some measure of equitable retail
alton in Our rn.ationS with cover ments
which discriminate az INST our own? Ii,
Tor eXhmp q, TIE executive were empow-
ored 10 apply to Spanish vessels and car.
goes from Cuba and Porto Rico the same
rules of treatment ami scale of penalties
for technical faults which are applied to
our own vessels and cIrgOeS in The An
TILES, resort 10 that course might not be
barren Of good results.
FINANCE AND REVENUE.
The report OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury gives full and interesting exhibit of
the financial condition of the country. 1t
shows that the ordinary revenues from al
sources for tie fiscal year ended June 20,
there WAS received from the customs, SELL
sB, $685.: from internal revenue, Sl44,-
.0,3ts.9S; from sales of public lands,
81 800, eG442: from tax on circulation and
deposits ot national blnkS, 50, Ill, o.. 50;
ffOm rroiits on the coinage Of bullion,
Other sources. Slf,3%,6;;.1J Total, $685.
2ST 6l.0'. For the same period the ordi-
nary expenditures were. for civi! EXPENSES,
-. III" = 81 ; for foreign intercourse,
81. 7l9,2i5.2,; for Indians, $780,, 0l.%4;
for pensions, S6G,Ol2, $780,; for the mill
tary establishments and arSenals, SIS, 911,-
1913; for the naval establishments, INCLUDE
ing vessels AMI impr0 ements at navy
yard, 81 ,9JS, Az. l1; for miscellaneous eX-
rerdltureS. including public buildings,
lighthouses, and collecting the revenues,
Sfo, L9S. 4@2.73; for expenditures on account
- hPiobtiCb WI OVlUilOid Oh. Clt.V O.iNs tOI
Interest on the puHlic debt, $ DIG, l3l.2.
Tota!, SO 5,1iN, Ia 81. Leaving surplus
revenue of Sl3 so, 44L4l, which, with an
amount drawn from the cash balance in
the treasury of 100, 25j-S III, 1IS, IT,
s6-was applied to the redemption OF the
sinking fund. and i,Sjo 700 of fractional
currency. For the sinking fund, SAG, SO. 6
or the funded loan of 1851 were continued
at 3 l-9 per cent; S6i. $50, go OF the loan of
July and August, Isl, were continued at
9 LIZ per cent: and 50 .59L6 D of the
funded loan Of 10 Z, sl,4lSSN Of the fund.
ruary 1861, $4,000 of the loan of July and
August, 1861, $4,000 of loan OF March,
ls63, 81 ESQ, of loan of July, 1882, S47, $50;
OF 5-20s of 1862, SIC, 800; of 5-2Os of 1864,
$500; of ,-2Os Of 1885,, SO, 600; of 1O-4Os of
consols of is67, $3.50 of consols of 1s6s.
Sl54, G5o; of Oregon war debt, S $50; of
refunding certificates, 500, 100; OF old de-
mand compound interest and other notes,
$4,000. Total, S1S4,17S, 1896.
INTERNAL TAXATION.
There are cegent reasons, however, why
the national indebtedness should not be
thus rapidly extinguished. Chief among |
them is the fact that only by excessive |
taxation Is such rapidity attainable. In |
to the congress, ut its last |
session, recommended that all excessive |
taxes be abolished, except those relating to |
distilled spirits, and that substantial re- |
auctions be also made in tho revenues from |
customs. A statute has since been en-
lcted by which the annual tax and tariff |
receipts of the government have been cut |
Town TO the extent of at least $50, O00, 900
,r S60, 100000. While have no doubt that
IT'LL further reductions may be wisely |
made, do not advise the adoption at this |
session of any measure for large diminu-
ion of the national revenues. The results |
u the legislation of the last session of con-
yress have not as yet become sufficiently
apparent to justify any radical revision or
weeping notifications of the existing
aw.
In the interval which must elapse before
he effects of the act of March 8 1885, can
10 definitely ascertained, portion at
east OF tho surplus revenues may be WISE
y applied to the long neglected duty of
our nation and providing
licenses for the protection of our harbors.
This Is matter to which 1 shall again
ldvert.
NATIONAL CURRENCY.
Immediately associated with the imam
ial subject just discussed is the important
question, What legislation is needed re-
;arding the national currency? The ag-
,regate Of bonds now on deposit in the
Teasury to support the national bank cir !