Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-12-05

and in nearly all the raw materials ncccs-
sary for successful manufacture. We
have system of productive establish
mcnts more than sufficient to supply our
own demands. The wages of labor are no
where else so great. The scale Of living Of
our artisan classes is such IA tends to Sc
cure their personal comfort and the dcvel-
opment Of those higher morals and intellec-
tual qualities that go to the making of good
citizens. Our system OF tax and tariff leg
sation is yielding a revenue which j. in
excess OF the present needs of the govern
ment. These are the elements from
which it is sought to devise a scheme by
which without unfavorably changing the
condition Of the workingman our mer-
chant marine shall he raised from its en-
feebled condition and new markets pro
vided for the sale beyond our borders Of
the manifold fruits of our industrial en-
terprises. The problemis complex and can
be solved by no single measure Of limo
walton or reform. The countries of the
American continent and the adjacent
islands are for the United States the nat
tural marts of supply and demand. 1t is
from them that we should obtain what we
do not produce or do not produce in sutfi-
cheney, and it is to them that the surplus
of productions Of our fields, our mills and
our workshops should flow under COndi-
tiOns that will equalize or favor them in
comparison with foreign competition.
Four paths of policy seem to point to this
end
First. "A series Of reciprocal commercial
treaties with the countries of America
which shall foster between us and them
an unhampered 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 under IA favored
scheme of duties of our own products, the
benefits Of such exchange to apply only to
goods if carried under the flag of the par
ties to the contract, the removal on
both sides from the vessels to be 80
privileged of all tonnage dues and Nation
al imports so that their vessels may ply
unhindered between our ports and those
of the other contracting parties, though
without Infringing on the reserved home
cuaSting trade, the removal or reduction of
burdens on the exported products of those
countries coming within the benefits OF the
treaties and the avoidance of the technical
restrictions and penalties by which our
intercourse with those countries i at
present hamper d.
Secondly. the establishment Of the con
sular service of the United States ON II al
aired footing, thus permitting the rclin-
uuShmcut of consular fees not only a. re
spccts vessels under tine National flag but
rs RESPECTS vessels of the treaty nations
carrying goods entitled to the benefit OF
the treaties.
Thirdly, the enactment Of measures to
favor the construction and maintenance
of a ~team-carrving marine under the flag
of the United States.
l'Ourthly.thv establishment of u uniform
currency haSi, for the countries of Aurri-
ca, 50 that the coined product, of our
mines may circulate on equal terms
throughout the " hole system of the com
monwealths. This would require Il none
tary union of America whereby the out
put of the bulllOn-p producing countries and
the circulation of those which yield Meth
er gold nor silver could be adjusted in con
formity with the population. wealth and
commercial needs of each. As many of
the counties furnish no bullion to the
common stock, the surplus production of
our mines and miners might thus be uti-
liZed and Il step taken toward the general
reconciliation of silver.
To the accomplishment of these ends, so
far aS they can be attained by separate
treaties, the negotiations already conclud-
ed and now i'll progress have been directed,
and the favor with which this enlarged
policy has thus far been received warrants
the belief that its operations will ere long
embrace all or nearly all the countries of
this hemisphere. 1t L. by no means de
sirable, however, that the policy under
consideration should be applied to these
mcnt of our trade with Europe Asia and
Africa should br sought by reducing tariff
burdens ON such of their wares a. We nor
other American States are fitted to pro-
duce. and thus enabling ourselves to OBJ
tain in return Il better market for supplies
Of food and raw materials and of the man
ufacturcS in which we excel. 1t seems to
me that many of the cmharraSSinGe elements
in the great National conflict between
protection and free trade may thus he
turned to good account. that the revenue
may be reduced SO as no longer To oVeraX
the people. that protection may be re
tanned without becoming hurdensume.
that our shipping interests may he judi
ciOusly encouraged, the currency liked On
Il firm basis, and above all such unity
of interest established among the states
of the American system rs will be Of great
and ever-incrcaSiug advantage To them all.
All treaties in the line of this policy which
have been negotiated or are i'll process OF
negotiation contain provision deemed 10
be requisite under the clause of the Cuu>ti-
tuition limiting To the House of Reprr-en-
tatiVcS the authority 10 originate bills for
raising the revenue.
The Civil service.
ON the 10Th of February last Trans
mtted To Congress the first annual report
of the civil service commission. together
with communications from the hcaG> of
the several executive department, of the
government respecting hepracticHl work
ing, of the law under which the commits
sion had been acting. The good results
therein forcshadoWed have been more
than realized. The system has fully an
sWcrcd the expectations of its friends in
securing compcten, and faithful pubic
servants and in protecting the appointing
officers of the government from the pressure
Of personal importantly and from the
labor Of examining the claims and prrttn
siuus Of rival candidates for public EN-
pluymcut. The law has had the unqual-
fled support of the President and OF the
heads of the several departments. ANA the
mcmhtr> Of the commission have per
formed their duties with zeal and liVclitV