Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-12

tinction of the national debt should be post poned for many years, leaving the bonds to remain as the basis of bank circulation. What shall be substituted for the bonds should be settled by the 18th and not by the 18th Congress. Common honesty and political prudence demand that something should be paid upon the debt every year, but General Walker believes that to pay $15O, ,000, O00 yearly is the height of folly, approaching crime. Several gentlemen intsrviewel think that per cent. bonds should be retained as basis for circulation. Such bond would probably remain at or above psr and would not be subject to much speculation.
 Beef tea is said to be triumphing over rum ln the barrooRs of Omaha The demand for 1t, which began to be lively early in the au- tumn, has, now attained such proportions that the temperance people are delighted Said bsrkeeper to reporter the other day: At first we laughed at the idea of going to the trouble of making it, but now we laugh because we do make it. We sell over 100 drinks day, and as it is a fifteen cent drink there is no reason why we should net smile. Who drinks 1t, do you say2 Why, everybody; the man about town who has been out with the boys comes in here in the morning and calls for beef tea; the business man comes in the afternoon and braces his system with beef tea; the temperance man who drops in with bibulous friend takes beef tea; and. In fact, everybody is becoming slave to it'
 Congressman Dingley, of Maine has intro duced 8 bill which provides for the admission of foreign materials free of duty, not only for the construction of wooden ships Gas has been the case heretofors) but in like manner for the construction and repair of iron and steel vessels; also the material for the manu- facture of all articles entering in to the equipment and construction of such vessels. This is radical proposition The Providence Journal in commenting upon the bill well says: The advocates of wholesale free trade have urged she sdmiss sion of foreign ships, and said, in so many words, that it was useless to attempt to com pete with foreign shipyards in the building of vessels, and that all we could hope to se- cure would be share in the carrying trade This is an affront to American skill and en- tsrprise under equal conditions, and is op- posed to the belief of practical American Workmen and shipbuilders It is obvious that only one-half of what is desired would be the securing of our share of the carrying trade, and that we want the profits of the building and equipment of our own ships as well. Any modification in the customs du- ties that may be necessary to place the com mereial interest of this country on par with foreign nations should be directed towards the re establishment of our shipyards as well as the restoration of our commerce, and it would be very imperfect benefit, if indeed possible competition, to compel the pur- chase of all our ships abroad Anything that will aid in the restoration of our shipyards and the revival of that merchant marine which was once our national pride and profit IS worth trying, but the objects should be CO., ordinate, if indeed the latter is possible with. out the aid of the former.