Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1884-12-03

referred to this subject. 1t seems to me
that a statute, giving to the Executive
general discretionary, authority to accept
commissioners, without salary, and placing at
the disposal OF the Secretary of State small
would be OF great public utility.
COLLISIONS AT SEA.
The Government has received official notice
that the revised international regulations for
preventing collisions at sea have been adopted
by all the leading maritime powers except the
United States and came into force on the LIST
of September last. For the due protection of
statutes should at once be brought into con-
formity with these regulations.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
The question of securing to authors, COM
posers and artists copyright privileges in this
country, in return for reciprocal rights abroad, Is
one that may justly challenge your attention.
fully accomplishing this result. But until
Congress shall by statute fix the extent to
which foreign holders of copyright shall be here
privileged, it has been deemed inadvisable to
negotiate such conventions. For this reason
the United States were not represented at the
recent conference at Berne.
NEUTRALITY LAWS.
recommend that the scope Of the neutrality
laws of the United States be so enlarged as to
cover all patent acts Of hostility committed in
our territory and aimed against the peace Of a
friendly nation. Existing statues prohibit the
fitting out of an expedition and restrict the
shipment of explosives, though the enactments
in the latter respects were not framed with re-
gard to international obligations, but simply
for the protection of passenger travel All
these statues were intended to meet special en-
ergencies that had already arisen. Other emer-
gencieS have arisen since, and modern ingenuity
supplies means for the organization of hostiities
without open resort to armed vessels, or to
flibustering parties. see no reason why overt
preparations in this country for the commits
sion OF criminal acts such as are here under
consideration, should not be alike punishable,
whether such acts are Intended to be committed
in our own country, or in a foreign country
with which we are at peace. The prompt and
thorough treatment of this question is one
which intimately concerns the national honor
NATURALIZATION.
vision Those sections relating to persons re-
siding within the limits of the United States
within 1875 and 1898 have now only his
the citizenship of the children of
naturalized parents, is ambiguous in
its terms and partly obsolete. There are
special provisions of law favoring the natural
ization of those who serve in the army or in
merchant vessels, while no similar privileges are
granted those who serve in the navy or marine
corps. A uniform rule of naturalization such
other things, clearly define the status of per-
sons born within the United States, subject to
a foreign power (Sec. 1892, and of minor
children of fathers who have declared their
intention of becoming citizens but have failed
to perfect their naturalization. 1t might
be wise to provide for a central bureau Of regis
transcripts Of every record of naturalization in
the several Federal and State courts and to
make provision also for the vacation or cancel
laJion of such record in cases where fraud had
been practiced upon the court by the applicant
himself, or where he had removed or forfeited
his acquired citizenship. just and uniform
law in this respect would strengthen the hands
Of the Government in protecting it's citizens
abroad, and would pave the way for the conclu-
sion OF treaties of naturalization with foreign
countries.
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE
The legislation OF the last session effected in
the diplomatic and consular service certain
changes and reductions which have been pro-
ductive of embarrassment. The population and
activity of our country are steadily
on the increase, and are giving rise to new,
varying, and often delicate relationships with
nearly double the area Of operations
that it did twenty years ago. The confinement
Of such service within the limits OF expendi-
ture then established is not, it seems to me- in
accordance with true economy A community
Of sixty millions of people should be adequate
Iy represented in its intercourse with foreign
nations project for the reorganization of the
consular service and for re-casting the scheme
Of eXtra-territorial jurisdiction is now before
you. If the limits of short session will not
allow its full consideration I trust you will not
fa1l to make suitable provision for present Aeeds
Of the service.
It has been customary to define in the appro-
priation acts the rank of each diplomatic Office
% which salary is attached. suggest that
ibis course be abandoned, and that it be left to
5he President, with the advice and consent of
ihe Senate, to fix from time to time the diplo-
srnment abroad as it may seem advisable, pro-
vision being definitely made, however, as now,
'or the amount of salary attached to the respec-
i've stations.
THE CONDITION OF OUR FINANCES
ind the operations Of the various branches Of
,he public service which are connected with the
Treasury Department are very fully discussed
n the report of the Secretary. It appears that
The ordinary revenues for the fiscal year ended
une 80, 1884, were:
from customs .................$1 s5, O67, 49, 76
from internal revenue. ......... 121, $50, O7251
From all other sources. ......... 31866, 1907. IS
Total ordinary revenues. :. ss4s, sis. 500 so
THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURES
Turing the same period were:
FOR civil expenses S22, 312, 90771
FOR foreign intercourse. 1890, 766.37
Iof INDIANS. ..................... 6,475.999.29
For pensions 55,429, 22S. SO
Tor the military establishment. in
Guiding river and harbor improve
ments and arsenels. s9,42s 6Os.96
FOR the naval establishment, includ-
ing vessels, machinery and i'm |
provements at navy yards. 17,2s2.eO1
FOR miscellaneous expenditures, in
Guiding public buildings, light |
houses and collecting the revenue. 43939, 1000
FOR expenditures on account Of the
District of Columbia. ........... 3.407, 049.62 |
FOR interest on the public debit. 81, 8.49
FOR the sinking fund. ........... 46, $780, 229. so
Total ordinary expen ditures. .290, GIG, 1888
Leaving surplus of............ 57,6O3, 396.09 |
As compared with the preceding fiscal year,
here was a net decrease Of over So, O00, 600 in |
he amount of expenditures. The aggregate re-
eipts were less than those of the year previous |
" about $54, 100000. The falling off of revenue
rom customs made up nearly $40, OOo, 900 of this
deficiency, and about s23,Oo0,OOo of the |
emainder was due to the diminished re- |
eipts from internal taxation. The Sec
etary estimates the receipts for the ifs
al year, which will end June 80, 1885,
$50 $40 16, in which are included the interest
N the debt and the amount payable to the sink
ng fund. This would leave surplus for the en-
ire year Of about $39, 100000.
THE VALUE OF EXPORTS
rom the United States to foreign countries
Turing the year ending June 30, 1884, was as fol-
Ows: "a
Domestic merchandise. ........... 1924, 964, s52
'oreign merchandise 15,54S, 757
Total merchandise. $40, SIS, 600
pecie. ........... oi,l53,5o5
Total exports Of merchandise and
Specle .SoUi, 64o,99l
The cotton and cotton manufactures included |
this statement were valued at $208 800, AIS, the
readstuffs at $162,544, 715, the provisions at
114 416,547, and the mineral oils at $47, 1O32 4S
IMPORTS.
During the same period the imports were |
s follows: Merchandise, $685., 49,, 1913; gold, |
nd silver, $37, 428, 262; total $7O5, 123, 955. |
lore than 63 per cent. of the entire value of