Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-12-05

- usual painS1Nfng care then
Tcidents, both of domestic and 1N0tgn !
character, that have marked the history
of the past year, and upon questions Of
policy affecting the industries, the com
merce, the finances, the taxation, the fore
ign relations and defenses of the country,
makes number of important suggestions
that will doubtless receive from the ma
tional legislature all the consideration
they deserve. In the outset he alludes to
the recent presidential election, and con-
graduates the country upon the fact that,
despite the tervor and intensity of the con-
test and ''the slight preponderance by
which the issue was determined" the pub
lie peace suffered no disturbance In this
he sees a signal demonstration of 1.-The
strength and wisdom of our political in
stitutions," yet in view of the controversy
over the national election eight years ago,
and the evident risk of dispute over the
recent contest by reason of the narrowness
Of the margin by which it was decided,
he again calls attention of Congress to the
necessity of providing more precise and
definite regulations for counting the cleo
toral vote. Our foreign relations continue
to be wholly amicable The recommend
ations OF the. Secretary of the Treasury
whose views, as is generally known, ale
somewhat in advance OF those of his party,
are concurred in with some expliciteness.
The coinage of silver dollars and the issu-
ance of silver certificates should be immed
lately suspended experience having shown
it to be impossible to get the former into
circulation, while the growing abundance
of the latter threatens to drive gold out of
circulation, thus effecting serious con-
traction of the currency and creating the
condition of financial panic. UNLESS
this coinage and the issuance of silver GER
tifcates be suspended, silver is likely at
no distant day TO become our sole metal
, lie standard" To speed the retirement OF
} the trade dollar it is suggested that "a
. sight advance over their bullion value
} might be offered for them. The recon-
mendation that all internal revenue
taxes except those on distilled spirits
be abolished is renewed. The revenue
thus LIST will cut down the present surp US,
but still leave a margin large enough to
| permit such tariff reduction as may seem
to be advisable when the results of recent
revenue laws and commercial trea les shall
have shown in what quarters those reduc-
tions can be most judciously effected
The Secre' airy of the Treasurys advice that
a commission be created to study the prob
lem Of increasing our foreign tride and
thus relieving the depression undlr which
our industries are now languishing" is
concurred in. The rapid redemption OF
the per cent. bonds threatens the d .struc
ton of the basis on which the nationa
banks can profitably rest their circulation
and the question how % avert the con-
traction of currency caused by this threat
ened retirement of national bank notes is
recognized as one of constantly increasing
Importance, and the hope is expressed
that, as temporary expedient at least, the
banks be allow ed to issue notes to the full
par value of the bords deposited by them
With the treasurer The defen.eless con
iIion of the important cities of the sea-
board, as demonstrated by the chiefs en-
gineers report, is discussed at some
length. The time has now come, in the
Presidents opinion, when defensive works
> may be begun with some confidence that
they will not be rendered useless before
their completion by the progress made a
broad in the improvement Of guns" For
the m ost important cities, those whose de
sfruction or capture would he national
humiliation, adequate defenses, inclusive
of guns, may be made by the gradual ex-
penditure OF $60,000 900, much less than a
victorious enemy could levy as a contribu-
ton. An appropriation of about one
tenth of that amount is asked to begin the
work." One of the four steel cruisers au-
thorized by the acts of 1882 end 1888 is
described as more than half finished and
certainly adverse criticisms upon the de-
signs of these cruisers" are mentioned as
discredited by the favorable opinion OF
these vessels held by the naval authorities.
The restoration of the navy to its former
efficiency is warmly urged Drastic leg
lsla Jon with regard to Utah The repeal of
the preemption law; the enactment OF
statues resolving legal complications in
regard to lapsed land grants to railroad
companies. and the funding of the debt Of
r the several Pacific Railroads under suffi-
cient guaranty, are other topics that Con-
gress is invite to consider The labors
of the civil service commission are com
mended by the President and an extension
: OF the system of lis operations is being
' contemplated.
The converting of Congress on Monday