Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-12-03


shows that It's adoption under proper conditions
is equally an accommodation to the public and
an advantage to the postal service 1t Is more
than self-sustaining and for the reasons urged
by the Postmaster General, may properly be ex-
tended. 1t is the opinion of that officer that it
IS proper to provide means whereby exceptional
dispatch in dealing with letters in free-deliveTy
ofhces may be secured by the payment
OF extraordinary postage This scheme
might be made effective by the en-
ployment of a special stamp whose cost
should be commensurate with the expense of the
extra service. In some of the large cities private
express companies have undertaken to outstrip
tne government mail carriers by affOrding far
prompter Transmission of letters and better facii-
ties than have hitherto been at the command of
the post office. 1t has always been the policy of
Inc government to discourage such enterprises,
and in no better way can that policy be main
tanned than in supplying the public with the
most effective mail service that, with due regard
10 It's own interests can be furnished for its &C
commodation
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
Inc encouragement renews the recommends
ions contained in his report of last year touching
Lees of witnesses and Jurors. He favors radical
changes in the fee bill the adoption of system
Dy Whlch attorneys and marshals of the United
STATES should be compensated solely by salaries,
and the erection by the government of q peniten-
tlary for the confinement of offenders against its
laws.
or the varied governmental concerns In charge
OF the interior department, the reports of its Sec
Rotary present an interesting summary. Among
the topics deserving particular attention I refer
you 10 his observations respecting our Indian
afalrs the re-emptiOn and timber culture acts
the failure of railroad companies to take title to
lands granted by the government and the opera
tons OF the pension office, the patent Office, the
census bureau and the bureau of edu-
cation. Allusion has been made already
to the circumstance that, both as between
different Indian tribes and as between Indians
and the whites, the past year has been one of un-
broken peace In this circumstance the presi-
dent is glad to find justification for the policy of
the government in dealing with the Indian ques-
t1on and confirmation of views which were fully
expressed In his first communication to the For
ty-seventh Congress-. The secretary urges new
enactment OF statue for the punishment of
crimes committed on Indian reservations and
recommends the passage of bill, now pending
in the House of Representatives for pu chase of
tract of $4,000 square miles from the Sioux res
ervatlon. Both these measures are worthy of ap-
proVal. concur with him, also, in advising the
repeal OF the presumption law, the enactment
OF statutes resolving the present legal complica-
tons touching lapsed grants to railroad COM
panes, and the funding of the debt of the several
Pacific railroads under such guaranty as shall eff
fectually insure its ultimate payment. The re-
port OF the Utah Commission will be read with
interest 1t d1sclOses the results of recent legsla
ton looking to the prevention and punishment of
polygamy in that territory. still believe that if
that abominable practice can be suppressed by
law, 1t can only be by the most radical legisla-
ton consistent with restraints of the constitution
would again recommend, therefore, that Con-
gress assume absolute political control of the ter
r1tory of Utah and provide for the appointment
of a commission with such governmental powers
as in its judgment may justly and wisely be put
into their hands.
THE EXTENSION OF TRADE.
In the course of this communication reference
has more than once been made to the policy of
this government as regards the extension of our
foreign trade: It seems proper to declare
the general princi pies that should in my opinion
underlie our national efforts in this direction.
The main conditions of the problem may be
thus stated: We are people of mechanical pur-
suits and fertile in invention. We cover q vast
extent of territory, rich in agricultural
production, and in nearly all the raw
materials necessary for successful man
establishments more than sufficient to supplyour
demands The wages of labor are no where else
so great The scale of living Of our artisan
classes is such as tends to secure their personal
comfort and the development of those higher
morals and intellectual qualities that go to the
making of good citizens. Our system of tax and
tariff legislation is yielding a revenue which is
in excess of the present needs of the government
There are elements from which it is sought to
devise a scheme by which without unfavOrably
changing the condition of workingmen our mer-
chant marine shall be raised from its enfeebled
condition and new markets provided for that
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 natural market of sup
ply and demand. 1t is from them that we should
obtain what we do not produce or do not produce
in suffciency, and 1t is to them that the surplus
shops should flow under conditions that will
equalize or favor them in comparison with for
eign competition Four paths of policy seem to
point to this end. The first, series of
reciprocal commercial treaties with the countries
of America, which shall foster between us and
them an unnampeFed 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 admission Free
or under favored scheme of duties, of our own
products, the benefits of such exchange to apply
rind1 oHnrt Acc
ties to the contract The removal on both sides
from vessels SO privileged of all ton
mage dues and national imports so
that their vessels may ply unhindered be-
tween our ports and those Of the other contract
ing parties, though without infringing
on the reserved home coastng trade
The removal or reduction of burdens on the ex-
ported products of those countries coming within
the benefits of the treaties and the avoidance of
the technicalities restrictions and penalties by
which an intercourse with those countries IS at
present hampered. Second, by the establishment
Of the Consular service of the United States on a
salaried footing, permitting the REIMBURSEMENT
of consular fees, not only as respects vessels IN
der the national flag, but also as respects YES
entitled to the benefs of the treaties
Thirdly, the enactment of measures TO
favor the construction and maintenance
of steam carrying marine under the flag of the
United States FOurthly, the establishment of
an uniform currency basis for the countries of
America, so that the coined products of our
mines may circulate on equal terms throughout
the whole system of commonwealth. This would
require monetary union of America, whereby
the output of the bullion producing countries
and the circulation of those which yield neither
gold nor silver could be adjusted in conformity
with the population wealth and commercial
needs of each. AS many of the countries furnish
no bullion to the common stock
the surplus production of our mines and mint
might thus be utilized, and a step taken toward
the general reconciliation of silver. To the ac-
complishment of these ends, so far as they can be
attained by separate treaties, the NEGOTIATIONS
already concluded and now in progress have been
directed, and the favor with which this enlarged
policy has been received warrants the belief that
its operations will ere long embrace ALL or nearly
all, the countries of this hemisphere. 1t is by no
means desirable, however, that the policy under
should be applied 10 these
countries alone The healthful enlargement
of our trade with Europe, Asia and Africa
should be sought by reducing the tariff
burdens on such of their wares as neither
we nor the other American States are fitted
to produce and thus enabling ourselves to obtain
in return better market for our supplies of food
of raw materials and of the manufactures in
which we excel. It seems to me that many of
elements in the great national con-
fict between protection and free trade maythus
turn to good account, that the revenue may be
reduced SO as no longer to oYertax the people;
that protective duties may be retained without
becoming burdensome; that our shipping inter
ests may be judiciously encouraged; the curren-
cy fixed on a firm basis, and above all
10I1 off