Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-12-12
The Presidents Message.

auu II published IN fnll, would be read
by few. We publish IN lieu of the
whole an ABSTRACT as furnished by the
Baltimore Sun which is not too long
to read, and the reading of which will
supersede the necessity threading the
message in ertenso. ift
The message opens with the usual
reference TO the foreign relations
of the United States, which be is able
10 state are everywhere peaceful. Of
more immediate interest, however, is
the recommendation, made by the
Secretary OF the Navy and Endorsed bv
the President as an important measure
Of national defense in case OF war with
any foreign power, that immediate
steps be taken for the creation of an
interior coast line Of water. way across
the peninsula Of Florida, along the
coast from Florida 10 Hampton Roads,
between the Chesapeake BAY and The
Delaware river. and through Cape Cod,
thus recognizing more or less directly
the national character of the projected
Chesapeake and Delaware ship-canal.
Commercial treaties haye been made
with Servia, ROumania, Corea and
Madagascar; legations have been eslab-
lshed in Persia, Corea and Siam, aud
it is recomm ended that the interests of
American citizens residing or trading
10 Bulgaria and the Central American
States be cared for by the presence of
consular representatives of the Ubited
States. Reference is made TO the
Brazilian export duty on coffee, and to
the penalties for technical faults an.
piled to American vessels and cargoes
in the Antilles, and the suggestion ls
made that rataliatory measures applied
to Spanish vessels and careoes from
Cuba and Puerto Rico might not be
barren OF good results. Attention is
called to the WORK OF The International
African Association in the Congo valley.
and Congress is reminded that it NAV
become advisable for US 10 cooperate
with other commercial powers I'D pro.
noting the rights Of trade in that re.
gion free from the interference or
political control OF any one nation -
No large reduction of revenues IS adj
vlsed. Congress is reminded that q
tariff bill has been recently passed, tn e
results Of which are not yet suflicien Il Y
apparent 10 warrant further molifca-
ZION OF the tariff or internal revenue
laws. He states, however, that the
legislation referred 10 has cut down the
income Of The govern ment some fifty or
sixty millions Of dOlars-a statement
at variance with that made by the Sec
rotary Of the Treasury, who puts the
net reduction at but $50 100000. The
surplus of revenue over expenditure,
which the President estimates at 500.
900 900, it is recommended shonld be
spent in rehabilitaling our navy aud
providing coast delenses. The sugges-
ton Of the Secretary of the Treasury as
to the proper method of perpetuating
the national hank system is approved.
1t is accordingly recommended that the
tax OF per cent. on the circulation OF
the national banks be repealed, and
that the amonnt of the circulation al
lowed on bonds deposited for securlt,
be increased TO 90 per cent. on the
market value of such bonds. The
effect OF this would be to make it proc
ftable to the banks to base their circu-
lallon on 1 per cent. which arc not re-
deema BILE till 1907. With respect to
the disposition to be made of trade
dollars the President and Secretary of
the Treasury, while not favorlng ex.
actly The same plan, are in substantial
agre ement. The former recommends
that the trade dollar be accepted by the
treasury and the minis as bullion at a
small percentage above the current
market price OF silver Of like hneness.
The Secretary suggests simply that the
standard silver dollar be exchanged,
dollar for dollar, for the trade dollar,
the latter 10 be regarded as so much
bullion bought under the act Of 1878.
Approval is given also the Secretary of
the TreasuD's plan tor the consolida-
lion OF certain Gus; oms districts, and it
Is added hat by the reduction Of inter-
nal revenue districts, recently perfect
ed, their MN Der has been reduced from
1913 to SO. Dwelling on the unprotect-
ed condition Of our extended seacoast,
the number Of large aud wealthy cities
with which it is dotted, the age and
weakness OF our works Of defense, their
Inferior armament and imperfect toll
pedo equipment, the President urges
the reconstruction Of our navy and The
building Of plant for the manufacture of
heavy ordinance, and points TO The
oyerh)wing condition of the treasury IS
a fact that renders the present tie
proper time for the inc p.ion Of so
patriotic work.
Attention IS called to the growth Of
the umber OF postofiices from 46, 23l
10 1882 10 47,S63 in 1888. The re-
commentator is made, adversely TO
the views of the Postmaster-Gen eral,
that the raie Of postage on drop letters,
which at present is two cents where the
carrier system is esla blfshed and one
cent elsewhere, be made uniform by re-
ducing 1t everywhere 10 one cent. Ref
erence is made 10 the long .mooted pro-
position that the government should
assume the same control over the tele-
graph that 1t mas always exercised over
TIE mail, bot the President is unable