The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-12-03

iAoAJ w Tue luoiuobtt uh0 no WuuAc
arrangements made whereby the dig.
nifty Of the United States can better
be maintained.
There is o surplus revenue this year
Of 500, 1903, $1,000. There was ne,
decrease Of expenditures Of over S21.
100000, and the aggregate receipts
were about $54,000,00 less than last
year
President Arthur recommends the
immediate suspension of the coinage
Of the silver dollar, there having been
issued Of these pieces nearly 1876, ,000,.
600, of which only about % per cent
are in actual circulation. The recon.
mendation TO abolish all excise taxes
except those on spirits is renewed and
Congress is earnestly invited to con.
slider the best means of increasing our
foreign trade.
The contraction of the currency
caused by the gradual retirement Of
bonds is question calling for solu-
tion. The President approves the rec.
ommendation Of the Secretary of war
regarding the necessity of proper
system of coast defense, and he also
recommends the establishment of two
government gun factories.
Mr.. Arthur gives the status of the
new steel cruisers ordered by the pre-
vious Congress. The Chicago is half
finished, the Atlanta successfully
launched, the Boston and Dolphin
ready for delivery. The monitors,
Puritan, Terror and Amphitrite are
being reconstructed, while the Monad.
mock and Miantonomah remain as
they were, owing to lack of appropri-
atious. The Naval Advisory Board
recommends the construction of moro
steel cruisers of forty five hundred
and three thousand tons burden, of
three gunboats, one dispatch boat, one
armored ram, and three torpedo boats.
The President gives ID detail the ac-
tiou of the government with reference
to the bringing home of the bodies of
Commander De Long aud his com
panioDs and The rescue of Lieutenant
Greely and his surviving comrades.
Referring to the report of the Post
Master General, Mr.. Arthur speaks of
the srccess achieved in the reduction
Of postage to two cents. The estima-
ted loss Of revenue at the time the
bill came before Congress was SO ,000,.
600, the actual deficit is $2,375,000,
which he Justly characterizes as com-
plete. vindication of the change. He
recommends the unit Of weight shall
be changed to one ounce, instead of a
half ounce, as now, is in favor of ex-
tending the free delivery of letters and
reducing the postage OH drop letters
to one cent everywhere. He also ad.
vocates extraordinary postage, regula.
ted by stamps, for extra speedy deive-
ry of important letters in our large
cities, thus doing away with the pri :
vate express enterprises now in vogue.
The position of tie subsidizing rail.
roads aud the forfeiture Of land grants,
where the letter and spirit Of the law
have not been lived up to, are freely
discussed, but nothing new or of es-
pecial prominence is developed.
The President speaks in no still
tones Of the gigantic crime of Nor.
monism, bnt advises and urges the
most radical measures looking to its
suppression.
Civil service reform is fully com.
mented upon and its practical work
ings elucidated. The benefits result.
ing to the government, the people and
their representatives, by civil service
examination are clearly set forth aud
abundantly proved.
In his conclusion Mr.. Arthur ur.
gently impresses upon Congress the
necessity of the rapid creation of a
navy, of extensive and sufficient sea
coast defences, of the needs of govern.
mental aid to popular education, oi
of the great desirability of reciprocal
commercial treaties with American
nations and a regulation of the tariff
looking to this end, as we'll as to foster
our own industries. In this portion
Of the mrs-nge the President is par.
ticularly happy and foreible, making
his points with clcarness and concisely
arguing them to the conclusion.
Taken as whole the document is
very able one and reflects great credit
upon the brain. heart and patriotism
of our present Chief Magistrate.