National Republican., 1884-12-02

sistent with the restraints of tho consti-
tuition.
! again recommend, therefore, that con.
gres5 assume absolute political control of
the territory of Utah, and provide for tho
appointment Of commissioners, with such
governmental powers as in It's Judgment
may justly and wisely bo put into their
hands.
The Extension OF Our Foreign Trade.
In tho course OF this communication
reference has more than once been made
to the policy Of this government as re-
gard the extension of our foreign trade.
IL seems proper to declare the general
principles that should, in my opinion,
underlie our national efforts in this
The main conditions of tho problem
may be thus stated
We are people apt in m echanical pur-
suits and fertile in invention we cover
vast extent Of territory rich in agricul-
tural prod uots and in nearly all the raw
materials necessary for successful manu-
iacturo; we have n system Of productive
establishments more than sufficient TO
supply our own demands; tho wages of
labor arc nowhere elso so great the
scale of living of our artisan classes is
such as tends to secure their personal
comfort and the development of those
higher moral and intellectual qualities
that 20 TO the making Of good citizens.
Our system of tax and tariff legislation
is yielding revenue which is in excess |
OF the present needs of the government. |
These are the elements from which il |
is sought to devise q scheme by which, |
without unfavorably changing the condi-
tion of the workingman, our merchant
marine shall be raised from its eufeebed
condition and new markets provided for
tho sale, beyond our borders, of tho mani |
fold fruits of our industrial enterprises. |
Tho problem is complex, and can be |
solved by no single measure ofinnoyation
or reform.
The countries OF tho American conti- |
nent and the adjacent islands are for the |
United States the natural marts of sup |
ply and demand. II is from them that |
we should obtain what we do not produce
or do not produce In sutliciency, and it Is |
to them that the surplus productions of |
our fields, our mills, and our workshops |
should flow, under conditions that will |
equalize or favor them in comparison
with foreign competition.
-Four paths Of policy seem to point to
this end.
First, series of reciprocal comm ercial |
treaties with the countrie, of America
which shall foster between us and them
an unhampered movement of trade. The
conditions Of those treaties should be tho
free admission of such merchandise as this
country does not produce in return for
the admission froo or under q favored
scheme of duties, of our own products
the benefits of such exchange to apply
only to goods carried under the flag of
the parties to the contract; the removal,
on both sides, from the vessels so privi-
legod of all tonnage dues and national
imposts so that those vessels may ply un-
hindered between our ports and those of
the other contracting parties, though
without infringing OH the reserved homo
coasting trade; the removal or redu ction
OF burdens on the exported products of
those countries coming within the bene-
hts OF the treaties; and the avoidance of |
tho technical restrictions and penalties
by which our intercourse with those
countries is at present hampered.
Secondly, the establishment of tho con-
sular service of tho United States on a
salaried footing, thus permitting the re-
linquishment of consular fees not only |
as respects vessels under the ma
vessels of the treaty nations carrying
goods entitled to the benefits of the |
treaties.
Thirdly, the enactment of measures TO |
favor the construction and maintenance |
OF steam carrying marine under the |
flag of the United States.
Fourthly, the establishment of q uni |
form currency basis for the countries of |
America, so that the coined products of |
our mines may circulate on equal terms |
throughout the whole system of COM
monwealths. This would require a mon
etary union of America, whereby the |
Oii tnut ~ thu huIlion nrodno;,,,
and the circulation of those which yield |
neither gold nor silver could be adjusted |
in conformity with the population, wealth,
and commercial needs OF each. AS many
of the countries furnish no bullion to the |
common stock, the surplus production of |
our mines and mints might thus be |
utilized, and a step taken toward the gem
eral reconciliation of silver.
To the accomplishment OF these ends, |
so FAR as they can be attained by separate |
treaties, tho negotiations already con-
cluded and now in progress have been
directed, and the favor which this en- |
larged policy has thus far received war
rants tho belief that its operations will |
ere long embrace all, or nearly all, tho |
countries of this hemisphere.
1t is by no means desirable, however,
that the policy under consideration should |
be applied to these countries alone. The |
healthful enlargement of our trade with |
Europe, Asia, and Africa should be sought |
by reducing tariff burdens on such of |
their wares as neither we nor the other |
American states arc fitted to produce, and |
thus enabling ourselves to obtain in re-
turn better market for our supplies of |
food, of raw materials, and of the manu-
features in which we excel.
1t seems to mo that many of the en-
barrassing elements in the great national |
conflict between protection and free trade |
may thus be turned to good account |
that the revenue may be reduced so as to |
no longer ovortaS the people, that pro- |
tectivo duties may be retained without |
becoming burdensome, that our shipping |
interests may be judiciously encouraged, |
the currency fixed on firm bases, and |
above all such an unity Of interests estab- |
lished among the states of the American |
system as will be of great and ever in |
creasing advantage to them all.
All treaties in the line of this policy |
which have been negotiated or are in the |
process Of negotiation contain provision |
deemed to be requisite under tho clause |
Of the constitution limiting to the house
of representatives the authority to origi- |
nate bills for raising revenue.
Civil Service.
On the Goth of February last trans
mitted to the congress the first annual |
report of tho civil service commission, |
together with communications from the |
heads of the several executive depart
ments of the government, respecting the
practical workings Of the law under
which the commission had been acting.
The good results therein foreshadowed
have been more than realized.
The system has fully answered the OK
pectations of its friends in securing COM
petent and faithful public servants and
in protecting the appointing officers of
tho government from the pressure Of per-
sonal importantly and from the labor of
examining the claims and pretensions of