The bee., 1883-12-08

! the coast from Florida to Hampton Roads
between the Chesapeake Bay and the Della
ware River, and through Cape Cod.
feel bound to impress upon the attention
OF Congress the necessity OF continued prog
ress IN the reconstruction of the Navy. The
condition of the public treasury, as ! have
already intimated, makes the presen an au
spicious time for putting this branck of th'
service IN state of efficiency.
1t is no part of our policy to create anc
maintain navy able to cope with that Of
other great powers of the world.
We have no wish for foreign conquest and
the peace which we have long enjoyed is il
no seeming danger of interruption.
But that our naval strength should be made
adequate for the defense of our harbors, the
protection of our commercial interests anC
the maintenance of our national honor, Is 6
proposition from which no patriotic citizen
can withhold his assent.
The report of the Postmaste- General con.
talns gratifying exhibit of the condition
and prospects of the Interesting branch o1
the public service committed to his care. II
appears that on June 3, 1883, the whole mum
Der of postofices was AZ $685. of which 1,63l
were established during the previous fsca
year.
Admitting that its authority in the premi-
ses is as ample as has ever been claimed fol
1t, 1t would not, in my Judgment, be a wise
use of that authority TO purchase or assume
the control of existing telegraph lines, or to
construt others kIth view of entering into
general competition with private enterprise.
| avow my belief, however, that the gov
ernment should be authorized by law to ex-
erclse some sort OF supervision over inter-
state telesraphic communication, and l ex-
press the hope that for attaining that end
| some measure may be devised which Will re-
ceive your appreciation.
The Acknowledgement criticise5 In his re-
port the provisions of existing law fixing the
fees of jurors and witnesses In the federal
courts.
1t is manifest that such compensation as
| might, when these laws were enacted, have
| been just and reasonable. would, in many in
stances, be justly regarded at the present day
as inadequate. / concur with the Attorney
| General IN the belief that the statutes should
| be revised by which these fees are regulated.
So, too should the laws which regulate the
compensation of District Attorney and Mar
shals. They should be paid wholly by sala-
ries, instead of in part by fees, as is now the
case. 1t would prevent much of the present
expensive litigation which ID carried solely
to increase fees.
IparticuIarly call your attention to his pre-
sentation of certain phases of the Indian
| question; to his recommendations for the re-
| peal of the pre-emption and timber culture
acts, and for more stri1 gent legislation to
prevent frauds under the pension laws. The
statutes which prescribe the definitions and
| punlshments of crimes relating to pensions
could doubtless be made more effective by
certain amendments and additions which are
pointed out in the Secretary's report.
lave previously referred to the alarming 2
state of illiteracy in cert4in portions of the
country, and again submit for the consider
aiion of Congress whether some federal aid
should be extended to public primary educa-
ton wherever ed quate provision therefor
has not already been made.
He recommends more stringent laws to
control and disrupt poligamy.
Ihe department of agrlc tlture Is accom-
pi,hing much in the direction of the agri-
cultural development of this country, and
the report of the commissioner giving the
results Of his inv estigations and experiments
will be found interesting and valuable.
trust that Congress will not fail at lis
present session to put Alaska under the pro-
lection of law. Its people have repeat
edly demonstrated against our neglect to
afford them the maintenance and protection
expressly guaranteed by the terms of the
treaty whereby that treaty was ceded to the
United States.
The right of these railway corporations 10
fair and profitable return upon their invest
ments and to reasonable freedom in their
regulations must be recognized, but it seems
only just that, 80 far as its constitutional
authority will permit, Congress should pro-
tect the people at large in their Interstate
traffic against acts of injustice which the
State governments are powerle' to prevent
He recommends the protection of forests
from which the country derives Its supply OF
water.
The Centennial Exposition to be held next
year at New Orleans in commemoration of
the centenary of the first shipment cotton
from port of the United States bids fair to
meet with like gratifying success. Under
the act of Congress of the 10th of February,
1888, declaring that exposition to be national
and International in Its character, all foreign
governments with which the United States
maintain relations have been invited to par
ticipate.
The Civil Service Act is referred to as i'm
perfect, ara asks legislation thereon.
At the time when the present Executive
entered upon his Office his death, removal,
resignation or inability to discharge his du-
ties would have left the government without
q constitutional head.
He asks legislation to prevent such a con-
tingency.
The decision of the Supreme Court on the
fourteenth amendment is alluded to and he
asks that some legislation be devised TO
place the colored people in the position said
amendment intended.
! 1commen nd to your attention the very in
teresting and thoughtful suggestions upon
this subject which appear in the secretary's
report.
Tie objection which he urges against the
acceptance of any other securities than the
obligations of the government itself as a
foundation for National Bank circulation
seems to me insuperable.
For averting the threatened contraction,
two courses have been suggested, either of
which is probably feasible. One is the
assurance of new bonds, having many years
to run, bearing low rate of interest, end
e1changeabie upon specified terms of those
now outstanding. The other course, what
commends itself to my Judgment as the
better, Is the enactment of law repeating
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
bonds. l agree with the Secretary in the
belief that the adoption of this plan would
afford the necessary relief.
The trade dollar was coined for the pur-
pose of traffic IN countries where silver passed
at its value, ascertained by its weight and
fineness. 1t never had legal trade quality.
Large numbers of these coins entered how
ever, into the volume of our currency. By
common consent their circulation in dones-
tic trade has now ceased, and they have thus
become distributing element. They should
not be longer permitted to embarrass our
currency system. / recommend that pro-
vision be made for their reception by the
treasury and he mints as bullion, at small
rercantapa above the currert marEe