Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-02

The Foreign Service.
The legislation Of the last session affected
In the diplomatic and Consular service cer-
tain changes and reductions which have
been productive of embarrassment The
population and commercial activity of our
country are steadily on the increase and are
giving rise to new. varying and often,delica 0
relationships with other countries Our for
eisn establishment ROW embrac nearly
double the area of operations that it did
twenty years ago. The confrment OF such
q service within the limits OF the expenditure
then established is not, it seems to me, in
accordance with true economy. A COM
munity of 10000, 900 people should be ade-
quately represented in its intercourse with
foreign nations A project for the reorgan-
ization of the Consular service and for re-
casting the scheme OF extra territorial
jurisdiction is now before you. If the limits
Of 9 short session will not allow of its full
consideration, / trust that you will not fail
10 make suitable provision Tor the present
needs of the service.
A Change.
It has been customary to define in the
appropriation acts the rank of each diplo-
matte Office to which salary is attached.
suggest that this course be abandoned,
and that it be left to the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, to fix
from time to time the diplomatic grade Of
the representatives of this government
abroad as may seem advisable, provision
being definitely made, however, as now for
the-amount OF salary attached to the respect
I've stations. The condition Of our finances
and the operations of the various branches
If the public service, which are connected
with the Treasury department, are very
fully discoursed in the report
of the Secretary of the Treasury.
The Silver Dollar.
Iconcur with the Secretary Of the Treas
ury in recommending the immediate sus-
pension of the coinage OF silver dollars and
Of the issuance OF silver certificates. This
is matter to which in former communica-
tions have more than once invoked the at
tention Of the national legislature. 1t ap
pears that annually for the past six years
there have been coined in compliance with
the requirements of the act Of February 2S
1878, more than twenty seven million silver
dollars. The number now outstanding
is reported by the Secretary to
be nearly Sl6j 100000, whereof bat little
LCre than 100000 or less than - per
cent are in actual circulation. The merc
existence Of this fact seems to ne 20 furnish
OF itself coeen; argument for the repeal
of the statute which has made such !ac1
possible but there are other gravcr consid-
erations that tend in the same direction
The Secretary avows his conviction that
unless this coinage and the issuance OF
silver certificates be suspended, silver is
likely at no distant day, to become our sole
metal standard. The commercial disturbance
AID the impairment of national credit that
would be thus occassioned can scarcely be
over estimated | hope that the Secretarys
sugges tons respecting the withdrawal from
circu atiou of the one dollar and two dollar
Sotes will receive your approval: 1t is
likely that a considerable portion of the sIl-
yer now incumbering the vaults OF the
reasury might thus find its way into the
currency while trade dollars have ceased
for the rresent at least to be an cement OF
active disturbance in our currency system.
Some provision should be made for their
surrend,r r to the government. In view OF
the circumstances under which they were
coined and of the fact that they
nave never had legal tender qussity, there
should be otEered for them onl ly a slight ad-
vance over their nnl!ioR value. The Secre-
;ary in the course OF his report considers
he propriety Of bea0Iiying the designs OF
sur Subsidiary silver coin, oad so increasing
heir weight that they may bear their due
ratio of value to the standard dollar. HIS
conclusions in this regard are Gord....."my ap
nrovs, 81 In ny annual message of 1882 ]
recon- rC menc.d the abolition I'm "f all excise
taxes, except those relating to distilled
spiris This rec ,mmenda,0n Is now re-
newed. In case those taxes shall be abol-
ished the revenues that will still remain 10
the government WILL in my opinion
not only suffice to meet its reasonable ex
penditures, but will afford surplus large
enough to permit such tariff reduction as
may seem to be advisable when the re
suits of recent revenue laws and CONNER
cial treaties shall have shown in what quar-
ters these reductions can be most iudiciously
effected.
Our Foreign Trade.
One of the greatest Of the problems which
ppeak 10 the wisdom of Congle for sou
tion is the ascertainmeut Of the most effec-
tive means of increasing our foreign trade
and thus relieving the depression under
which our industries are now languishinr.
The Secretary of the Treasury ad-
advises that the duty Of IN.
vestigating this subject be entrusted
in the frat instance to competent commits
sion. While fully recognizing the consider
atious that may be urged against this
course, / am nevertheless of the opinion that
non the whole no other would be likely TO
Eject speedier or better results. That por-
ion OF the Secretary report which concerns
ne condition of our shipping interests can
not fail to command your attention. lie
erpbaticaly recommends that as On incen.
i've to the investment OF American capital
in American steamships, the Government
shall, by liberal payments for mail trans
ports,ion, or otherwise, lend its active
assistance TO individual enterprise,
and declares his belief that unless
that course be pursued our foreign carrying
trade must remain as it is to-day almost ex-
clusively in the hands of foreigners. One
phase Of this subject is now especially prom
inent in view of the repeal Oy the aot oi
June 26, 1884, Of all statutory provisions
arbitrarily compelling American vessels to
carry the mails to and from the United
States. AS it is necessary to make provis-
ion to compensate the owners Of such YES.
sells for performing that service after April
1895, it is hoped that the whole subject will
receive early consideration that will lead to
the enactment Of such measures for the re-
vival Of our merchant marine as the wisdom
Of Congress may devise.
The Three Per Cent Bonds,
The three per cent bonds ofthe Govern
ment to the amount of more than Sl0o, ,0OO,-
900 have since my last annual message been
redeemed by the Treasury. The bonds OF
that issne still outstanding amount to little
over 500, ,OOO, 600 about onefourth OF which
will be retired through the operations OF the
sinking fund and during the coming year
as these bonds sill constitute the chief basis
for the circulation of the national banks
The question how TO avert the contraction
of the currency caused by their retirement
nrfa ia