The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-11
RIVERS AND HARnons.

tue Improvement OF rivers and haTbor
were prosecuted during the past yea
were derived from the appropriations o
the act of August 2, 1882. together will
such few balances as were on hand from
previous appropriations. The balance
in the treasury subject to requisitior
July ], 1883, was $l0.02l ,649.55. Th,
amount appropriated during the fisca
year 1884 was Sl,Sl9.634.62, and thu
amount drawn from the treasury durinf
the fiscal year was $S,22S. .703.54, leaviuf
o balance of $3.l12 2,5S063 in the treasurJ
subject to requisition July |, 1884.
FORTIFIcATIoNs.
The secretary of war submits thu
report of the chief of engineers as tc
the practicability of protecting our i'm
portant cities on the seaboard by forti,
fcations and other defences able to repel
modern methods Of attack. The time
has now come when such defences can be
prepared with confidence that they will
not prove abortive, and when the possible
result Of delay in making such prepare.
tions is seriously considered delay seems
inexcusable. For the most importan,
cities, those whose destruction or capture
would be o national humiliation, ade.
quate defences inclusive of guns may be
made by the gradual expenditure oil
$60, 100000, q sum which is Iess than q
victorious enemy could levy as contri.
button. An appropriation of about one.
tenth of that amount is asked tor to begin
the wOr and ! concur with the secretary
OF war l urging that it be granted.
NEW WAR VESSELS.
The recommendations of the naval
advisory board approved by the depart.
ment comprise the construction OF one
steel cruiser of $500 tons, one cruiser OF
5000 tons, two heavily armed gunboats,
one light cruising gunboat, one dispatch
vessel armed with Hotchkiss caunon, one
armed ram and three torpedo boats. The
general designs, all of which are calcuia.
ted to meet the existing wants of the
service, are now we'll advanced and the
construction Of the vessels can be under.
taken as soon as you shall grant the
necessary authority.
THE NAVY.
In this the last Of the stated messages
that shall have the honor to transmit
to the Congress of the United States
cannot too strongly urge Upon It's atten.
tion the duty OF restoring our navy 40
rapidly as possible to the high state of
efficiency which formerly characterized
it. AS the long peace that has lulled us
into sense of fancied security may at
any time be disturbed, it is plain that
the policy of strengthening this arm of
the service is dictated by considerations
OF wise economy, of just regard for
on- future tranquility and Of true
appreciation of the dignity and honor of
the Republic.
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.
l confidently repeat the recommends
ton of my last annual message that the
single rate postage upon drop letters be
reduced to one cent wherever the pay.
ment Of two cents is now required by
law. approve the recommendation OF
the postmaster general thst the unit of
weight in the rating of first, class matter
should he one ounce instead Of one halt
ounce as it now is.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
Theattorney- general renews the recon- /.
mendation contained in his report of last
year touching The fees of witnesses and
jurors. He favors radical changes in
the fee bill, the adoption of q system by
which attorneys and marshals Of the
United States shall be compensated
solely by salaries, and the erection by
the Government Of penitentiary for the
confinement of offenders againet the
laws Of the United States.
THE EXTENSION OF OUR COMMERCE.
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. 1t seems proper to declare the
general principles that should, in my
opinion, uuderlie 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 a
vast extent of territory, rich in agricul.
tural products and in nearly all the raw
materials necessary for successful manu-
factures. We have q system of produc-
tive establishments more than sufficient
70 arnply cnr ogn aensn6=. TIE salss
OF labuT ere 60 great, ard TIE scale af
living of our artisan classes il snch as
tends to secure their personal comfort
and the development of those higher
moral and intellectual qualities that 60
to the making of good citizens. Our
system Of tax and. tariff legislation is
yielding revenue which In 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 changing the cons
dition of the working-man, our merchant
marine shall be raised from its enfeebied
condition, and new markets provided for
the sale beyond our borders of the mapi-
fold fruits of industrial enterprises. The
problem 10 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 marts
Of supply and demand. 1t is from them
that we should obtain of what we do not
produce, or do not produce in sufficiency
and It 10 to them that the surplus pro.
ductlons of our fields, our mills and our
workshops should flow under conditions
that will equalize or favor them In COM
parison with foreign 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 and show
an unhampered movement of trade
The conditions of these treaties should
be the free admission of such merchan.
disc as this country does not produce, iu
return for the admission, free or under a
favored scheme of duties, Of our owr
products the benefits of such exchange
TO apply only to goods carried under the
flag Of the parties to the contract; thu
removal on both sides from the vessels &c
pri,. ,.ileged Of all tonnage, dues ant
n finnal inanaaia 10 that thaaa s.aa.aI.