Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-01

the ETsci by the Postmaster General IN nv
| properly be extended.
| In the opinion Of that officer it fs important TO
| provide means whereby exceptional dispatch in
dean: with letters in free-deiivery offices NAV be
| secured by payment Of extraordinary postage
This scheme might be made effective by employ
inen OF special stamp whose cost should be COM
| EenSlIrdte with the expense of the extra service
| In some OF the large cities private express COM
! panies nave undertaken TO outstrfp the Govern
! meDt EailcarrieTs by affOriiug, for the prom ut
transmission OF letters better facilities than have
hitherto heaE at the command Of the Post Office.
has always been the policy Of the Government
/ 10 discourage such enterprises. and In no better
| mode can that policy be maintained than in sup
r5yng tue public with the most efficient mail SER
[ can be furnished FOR It's accommodation
| TIE ATTORNEY GENERALS SUGGESTIONS
The Attorney General renewS the recommended
ton contained In his report OF last year touching
| the fees OF witnesses and Jurors
He favors radicsl changes in the fee bilthe adop-
ton OF system by which attorneys and marshals
or the United States shall be compensated solely
by salaries. and the erection by the Government OF
penitentiary for the confinement Of offenders
| against its laws
| INDIAN AFFAIRS.
OF the varied governmental concerns In charge of
the Interior Department. the report OF its Sscre-
| tary presents an Interesting summary Among the
topics deserving particular attention refer you to
his observations respecting our Indian affairs, the
presumption and tlmber-ctlture acts the failure of
railroad companies TO take title 10 lands granted
Oy the Government, and the operations OF the Pen
| sion ONCE. the Patent Office, the Census Bureau
/ and the Bureau OF Education
| Allusion has been made already to the circum-
stance that, both as between the different Indian
tribes and as between the Indians and the whites,
| the past year has been one OF unbroken peace.
In this circumstance the President is glad to find
justification for the policy OF the Government in
It's dealing with the Indian question: and confrma-
t,on OF tle views winch were fully expressed In his
/ first communication TO the Forty-seventh Con-
| greSS
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF
| THE INTERIOR.
The Secretary urges anew the enactment OF q
statute for the punishment OF crimes committed
| on the Indian reservations, and recommends the
| passage OF the bill now pending In the House of
| Representatives for the purchase Of q tract OF
| 1900 square miles from the Sioux reservation.
! Both these measures are worthy OF approval
| concur with him also in advising the repeal of
| the presumption law, the enactment OF statutes
resolving the present legal complications touching
lapsed grants 70 railroad companies and the fund
ing OF the debt OF the several Pacific railroads
under such guaranty as shall enectualy secure its
ultimate payment
! The report OF the Utah Commission viii he read
with interest.
1t discloses the results Of recent legislation look
IN that territory still believe that II that abomi-
nabe practice can be suppressed by law it only
be by the most radical legislation consistent with
| the restraints OF the Constitution.
Iagain recommend, therefore, that Congress as
sumo absolute political control OF the Territory OF
Dtah, and provide for the appointment OF commits
sioners. with such governmental powers as In its
Judgment may justly and wisely be put into their
hands.
OUR COMMERCIAL POLICY.
In the course of this communication reference
has more than once been made TO the policy OF this
government as regards the extension Of foreign
trade 1t seems proper 10 declare the general prin-
cipleS that should in my opinion, underue our
national efforts in this direction.
The main conditions OF the problem may be thus
stated:
We are people apt in mechanical pursuits and
fertile In Invention; we cover vast extent of terri
in
all the raw materials Necessary Tor s: successful
manufacture; we have system OF productive
Establishments more than sufficient to supply our
own demands; the wages OF labor are nowhere else
great; the scale OF living OF our artisan classes
is such as tends to secure their personal comfort
and the Development or those higher moral and
intellectual qualities that go to the making OF
good citizens. Our system Of tax and tariff legis-
lation Is yielding revenue which is in excess OF
the present needs Of the government.
These are the elements from which it Is sought
to devise scheme by which, without unfavorably
merchant marine shall be raised from its enfeebled
condition and new markets provided for the sale,
beyond our borders, OF the manifold fruits Of our
Industrial enterprises.
The problem is complex, and can be solved by no
single measure OF innovation or reform.
The countries of the American continent and the
adjacent Islands are for the United States the nat
ural martS or supply and demand. It Is from them
that we should obtain what we do not produce or
the surplus productions OF our elds our mills and
our workshops should flow, under conditions that
COmD0rtSO0
eign competition.
| Four paths Of policy seem to point to this end
First, series OF reciprocal commercial treaties
with the countries OF America which shall foster
| between us End them an unhampered movement
of trade. The conditions OF these treaties should
be the free admission OF such merchandise as this
country does not produce, in return for the adfs-
| sion free or under favored scheme OF duties OF
| our own products-the benefits OF such exchange
to apply only to goods carried under the nag OF the
parties to the contract the removal on both Sides
from the vessels so privileged OF all tonnage dues
and NATIONAL iposts so that those vessels may ply
unh1ndered between our ports and those of the
other contracting parties though without fnfrinR-
| ing on u reserved home coasttng trade; the re-
mOval or reduction Of burdens the exported pro-
ducts OF those countries coming within the benefits
OF the treaties and the avoidance of the technical
restrictions and penalties by which intercourse
with those countries is at present hampered.
Secondly, the establishment of the consular ser
vice OF the United States salaried footing thus
only respects vessels under the national flag.
but also as respects vessels OF the treaty nations
carrying goods entitled to the benefits OF the
| Thirdly, the enactment of measures to favor the
| construction and maintenance OF steam carrying
marine under the nag OF the United States
rency basis for the countries OF America, so that
the coined products Of our mines may circulate on
! equal terms throughout the whole system OF COM
| monwealths. This would require monetary union
Of America, whereby the output Of the bullion pro-
9hG xnsS aas and the
be adjusted In conformity with the population,
wealth. and commercial needs OF each AS MANY
or the countries furnish bullion to the common
| stock, the surplus production OF our mines and
minis might thus be utilized and q step taken
toward the general reconciliation OF silver
| TO the accomplishment OF these ends, so far as
they can De attained by separate treaties the ne
/ gotiations already concluded and now in progress
have been directed, and the favor which this en-
larged policy has thus far received warrants the
belief that its operations Will ere long embrace an
| or nearly all, the countries OF this hemisphere
| It Is by 10 means desirable, however. that the
policy under consideration should be applied 20
these countries alone. The healthful enhancement
OF cur trade With Europe. Asia and Africa Should
! their wares as neither we nor the other American
states are fitted to produce, and thus enabling our.
selves to obtain In return better market for our
supplies OF food Of raw materials, and OF the man
| ufactures in which we excel
| 1t seems to me that many OF the embarrassing
protection and free trade may thus be turned to
good accooTt-that the revenue may be reduced SC
as no longer to 0vertax the people, that protect
I've duties may be retained without becoming
burdensOme, that our shipping interests may be
judiciously encouraged, the currency fixed on firm
! established among the states OF the American
| system as Will be Of great and ever Increasing
advantage to them all
All treaties In the line OF this policy which have
been negotiated or are In process OF negotiation
! contain provision deemed to be requisite under
the clause OF the Constitution limiting to the
House OF Representatives the authority TO or1gi-
| nate bllis for raising revenge.
| CIVIL SERVICE.
On the goth OF February last I transmitted &c
the Congress the first annual report OF the Civil
Service Commission, together with communications
| FROM the heads OF the several Executive DEPART
mentS OF the Government, respecting the practical