Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-12-06

the formal invitations in this regard ten
iered by the Governments of England, Hol-
land, Belgium, Germany and Austria. The
Executive has In some instances appointed
Honorary Commissioners. This is, however, a
most unsatisfactory expedient, for without
some provision to meet the necessary work
ing expenses Of q commission. it can effect
little or nothing in behalf of exhibitors. An
International Inventions Exhibition is to be
held in London next May. This will cover a
field OF special Importance, and in which our
country holds foremost rank, but the Ex-
ecutlve Is, at present, powerless to organize
proper representation of our vast National in
terests in this direction / have in several
previous messages referred to this subject. 1t
seems 10 me that statute giving to the Ex-
ecutive general discretionary authority to &C
cept such invitations and 10 appoint honorary
commissioners without salary and placing at
the disposal of the Secretary Of State a small
fund Tor defraylng their reasonable expenses.
would be OF great public utility.
COLLISIONS Al SEA.
This Government has received official no
tice that the revised international regulations
for preventing collisions at sea have been
adopted by all the leading maritime powers
except the United States, and came into force
on the LIST OF September last For the due
protection of our shipping interests the pro-
visions OF our statutes Should at once be
brought into conformity with these regula-
tions.
COPYRIGHT LAWS.
The question Of securing to authors, com
posers and artists copyright privileges in this
country in return for reciprocal rights
abroad, is one that may justly challenge Jour
attention. 1t is true that a convention will
be necessary for fully ACCOMPLISHING this re-
suit, but until Congress shall by statuta fix
the extent to which foreign holders of copy
right shall be here privileged, it has been
deemed unadvisable3to negotiate such conven-
tions For this reason the United States
were not represented at the recent conference
at Berne.
NEUTRALITY LAWS.
l recon mend that the scope of the neutral
lty laws of the United States be 50 enlarged
as to cover all patent acts of hostility COM
mitted in. our territory and aimed against the
peace of friendly nation. Existing statutes
prohibit the fitting out of armed expeditions
anu restrict the shipment OF explosives,
though the enactments in the latter respect
were not framed with regard to international
obligations, but simply for the protection of
passenger travel these statutes were in
tended to meet spetgdl emergencies that had
already arisen. Other emergencies have
arisen since and modern ingenuity supplies
means for the organization of hostilities with
out the open resort to armed vessels or to fili-
clustering parties.
l see no reason why overt preparations in
this country for the commission of criminal
acts, such as are here under Consideration.
should not be alike punishable, whether such
acts are intended to be committed in our own
country or Ia foreign country with which
we are at peace. The prompt and thorough
treatment OF this question, is one which init
mately concerns the National honor. Our
EXISTING NATURALIZATION LAWS
Also need revision. Those sections relating
TO persons residing within the limits of the
United States in 1875 and 1898, have now
,lrr LsrN~ 49, ,rl-
nizlng the citizenship of the children of natu-
rallied parents is ambiguous in its terms and
partly obsolete There are special provisions
OF law favoring the naturalization of those
who serve i'll the army or in merchant vessels,
while no similar privileges are granted those
who serve in the navy or marine corps.
An uniform rule of naturalization, such as
the Constitution contempates, should, among
other things, clearly define the status of per-
sons born within the United States subject to
foreign power (Sec 1899, and of minor
children Of fathers who have declared their
intention of becoming citizens, but havs
failed to perfect their naturalization. 1t
might be wise to provide for a central bureau
Of registry, wherein should be filed authenti-
Gated transcripts Of every record of natu-
ralization in the several Federal aud State
Courts, and to make provision also for the
vacation or cancellation of such record in
cases where fraud had been practced upop
he had removed or forfeited his acquired cit
izenship. A just and uniform law IN this re-
spect wouli strengthen the hands of tae
Government In protecting Its citizens abroad,
and would pave the way for the conclusion
of treaties of naturalization with foreign
countries.
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE.
The legislation of the last session effected
in the Diplomatic and Consular Service GER
tain changes ami reductions which have been
productive of embarrassment. The popula-
tion and commercial activity of our country
are steadily on the increase, and are giving
rise to new, varying and often delicate re!a-
tionships Of other countries. Our foreign
establishment now embraces nearly double
the area of operations that it did twenty
years ago. The CONTINENT of such service
within The limit of expenditure then estab-
lished is not, it seems to me, i'll accordance
with true economy A community of sixty
millions of people should be adequately rep
resented in its intercourse with foreign ma
lions. A project for the reorganization of the
Consular service ant ior recasting the scheme
of extra territorial juris fiction is now before
you. Ii the limits OF a short session will not
allow its full cons Iteration, | trust you will
not fail to make suitable provision for pres
ent needs of the service.
1t has been customary to define in the ap-
preparation acts the rank of each diplomatic
office to which a salary is attached. | suggest
that this course be abandoned and that 1t be
lett to the President, with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, to fix from time to time
the diplomatic grade OF the Representatives of
this Government ABROAD as may seem adyisa-
BILE; provision being definitely made, however
as now, for the amount OF salary attached to
the respective stations.
THE CoUNTRy's FINANCES.
The condition of our finances, and the
operations OF the various branches of the
ht,h
Treasury Department are very fully discussed
in the report OF the Secretary. 1t appears
that the ordinary revenues for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1884, were:
From customs .............,..S1 1886, 067, 4S9 20
From Internal Revenue. ........... III 5S5,032 So
From all other sources. 81, s66 800 IS
Total ordinary revenues ...... $34s, 5l9, $50 92
The public expenditures during the same period
were:
For civil expenses ....... s22sl2,so7 II
For foreign intercourse ...... ,2o0, $50 81
For Indians ..........-.-......... 6414,990 -
For pensions .--... 81, IN, rs 80
For the military establishment, in
Guiding river and harbor improve
ments and arsenals .......--.... ss.4a9,sos IS
For the navaie establish ment, in
Guiding vessels, machinery and i'm
provements at navy yards. IL, 80, 6al "a
For miscellaneous expenditures, in
Guiding public buildings, light
houses and collecting the revenue. 1888, 10 90
For expenditures on account of the
District of Columbia ....-...... 3,40-. 049 90
For interest ON the public debt. 57,57S,37S IS
For the Sinking Fund ..-,......... $3.50, 5z9 50
Total ordinary expenditures $3.50, GIG, 4s3 So
Leaving surplus Of .... $57 500, 1896 90
As compared with the preeed;ag fiscal year,
there was net decrease of over so, 0O0, 900
in the amount of expenditures. The aggre-
gate receipts were less than those Of the pre-
vious year by about $4,000, go The falling
off of revenue from customs made up nearly
5000 600 OF this deficiency, and about $685.
O0O,O00 of the remainder was due to the
diminished receipts from internal taxation
The Secretary estimates the total receipts
for the fiscal year, which will end June 50,
1885, at 1881 900, 900, and the total expendi.
lures at $3.50. $50, 2Ol is, in which are included
the interest on the debt and the amount nay.