The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-11
THE CONSULAR SERVICE.

thorough treatment of this question is
one which intimately concerns the ma.
tional honor.
THE CONSULAR SERVICE.
The legislation of the last session
effected in the diplomatic and consular
service certain changes and REDUCTIONS
which have been productive of embarrass-
ment. The population and commercial
activity of our country are steadily on
the increase and are giving rise to new.
varying and often delicate relationships
with other countries. Our foreign estab.
lishmept now embraces nearly double the
area of operations that it occupied
twenty years ago. The confinement of
such service within the limits of ex-
penditure then established is not, it seems
; to me, in accordance with true economy.
A community of sixty millions of people
should be adequately represented in its
intercourse with foreign nations. A
project for the reorganization of the
consular service and for recasting the
scheme of extra territorial jurisdiction is
now before you. If the limits of short
session will not allow of its full consid-
Grafton, I trust that you will not fail to
make suitable provision for the present
needs of the service.
THE REVENUES.
The ordinary revenues for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1884, were S34S,.
SIG, ,S69.92. The public expenditures
during the same period were 1920, GIG, ,473.
Leaving surplus of S57, ,603, 1896 as COM
pared with the preceding fiscal year.
There was net decrease of over S21,-
100000 in the amor7t of expenditures.
The aggregate receipts were less than
those Of the year previous by about
S54OOO,0OO. The falling off in revenue
from customs made up nearly $50, 100000
of this de6cienc-, and about S23, 100000
of the remainder was due to the dimin-
ished receipts from internal taxation.
The secretary estimates the total
receipts for the fiscal year which will end
June 80, 1885, at $3.50, 100000 and the
total expenditures at S290,620, ,2O1.16, in
which SUM are included the interest on
the debt and the amou payable to the
sinking fund. This W i'd leave sur.
plus for the entire year of about $39, ,000,-
900.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
The value of exports from the United
States to foreign countries during the
year ending June 30, 1884, was as fol.
lows: Domestic merchandise, 1924, 1884,.
852; foreign merchandise, Sl5,54S,757.
Total merchandise, s740.5l3,609; specie,
S67, 1888. Total exports of merchan-
disc and specie, SS07, ,646, ,992. The cot
ton and cotton manufactures included in
this statement were valued at $208,900,-
Ais; the breadstuffs at Sl62,544,715;
the provisions at $114,416,547, and the
mineral oils at SAT ,l03,2 ,24S. During the
same period the imports were as follows:
Merchandise, S667 697, ,699; gold and
silver, s37 1926, ,262. Total, sos, 1885.
THE SILVER COINAGE.
I concur with the secretary of the
treasury in recommending the immedi
ate suspension of the coinage of silver
dollars, and Of the issuance of silver
certificates. The number now outstand.
ing is nearly one hundred and eighty five
million whereof but little more than
forty million, or less than % per cent,
are in actual circulation. The secretary
asserts his conviction that unless this
coinage and the issuance of silver GER
ti6cates be suspended, silver is likely, at
no distant day, to become our sole metal
lie standard. The commercial disturb.
ance and the impairment of national
credit that would be thus occasioned can
scarcely be overestimated. I hope that
the secretary's suggestions respecting the
withdrawal from circulation of the one
dollar and two dollar notes will receive
your approval. 1t is likely that a con.
siderable portion of the silver now
encumbering the vaults of the treasury
might thus find its way into the currency.
INTERNAL REVENUE TAXES.
In my annual message of 1882 re-
commended the abolition of all excise
taxes except those relating to distilled
spirits. This recommendation is now
renewed. In case those taxes shall be
abolished the revenues that will still re-
main to the Government will, in my
opinion, not only suffice to meet its
reasonable expenditures, but will afford
a surplus large enough to permit such
tariff reduction as may seem to be ad.
visable when the results of recent reve.
nue. laws and commercial treaties shall
have shown in what quarters those re-
ductions can be most judiciously affected.
FOREIGN TRADE.
One of the gravest of the problems
which appeal to the wisdom of Congress
for solution is the ascertainment of the
most effective means for increasing our
foreign trade, and thus relieving the
depression under which our industries
are now languisbing. The secretary of
the treasury advises that the duty Of
investigating this subject be intrusIed in
the first instance to competent COM
mission. While fully recognizing the
considerations that may be urged against
this course, I am nevertheless of the
opinion that, upon the whole, no other
would be likely Defect speedier or better
results. That portion of the secretary's
report which concerns the condition of
our shipping interests cannot fail to COM
mand your attention. He emphatically
recommends that as an incentive to the
Investment of American capital in
American steamships the Government
shall, by liberal payments for mail trans
portation 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
exclusively in the hands of foreigners.
One phase of this subject is now especi-
ally prominent in view of the repeal by
the Act of June 26. 1884, of all statutory
provisions arbitrarily compelling Ameri.
can vessels to carry the mails to and
from the United States. As it is neces.
sary to make provision to compensate
the owners of such vessels for performing
that service after April, 1885, it is hoped
that the whole subject will receive early
consideration and will lead to the enact
ment of such measures for the revival OF
our merchant marine as the wisdom OF