The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-12-04

lures thereot. SS3. 463. SlS; cotton aud mantfa
tur az cotton. $50, 35l. SO; hides and skins
other Than Ia SKINS. SD 81 3 6
COINAGE MATTERS.
concur with the secretary OF the treasury
, in recommendln the immediate suspension o
( the coinage OF silver dollars and of the /. SUI
I 2nce OF silver certificates. This is a matter IL
! which in former communications l have in
I vnked The attention of the national legislature
! 1t Tppe rs that annually fer the past six yea
/ there have been coined in compliance with TIT
/ requirements Of the act OF February IS, 1878
/ NOR tina 27001CO0 silver do la s. The mum.
/ or nos outstanding is reported by the secre
tary to nearly SlS5, o. 600, whereof but lille
| more than S45,' O0,000 or less than % percent
/ are IN actual circulation. The mere existence
OF this fact SEEMS t. me to fnrhiSh of ITSELF a
| cogent argument Tor the repeal of the statute
! which has made such Il ,ct poSs .bl'. But
! there are other and graver reasons that tend in
/ TIM sane direction The sec etary AYERS his
/ conviction that unless the COINAGE and tire
/ issuance OF silver certificates b suspended,
/ silver IS likei. at M distant day, TO become,
/ Gus sole metallic Sianda Il. The commercial
! disturbance an the impairment { natio al
| credit that would be thus occasioned, can
/ scarcely be oyerestimated.
L hope that the Secretaly's sug-
/ gestionS respe ting the withdrawal from cir
I cuiatlOn OF the one dollar and and two dollar
notes Will receive your approval. 1t is mainly
| that considerable portion of tho silver now
| in The vaults of the treasury might find its WAY
INTO currency, while trade dollars have ceased
for the present, at least, to be an cement of
active disturbance in our currency system.
! Some provision should re made for their sur
render 10 the government In view of the cir
I of the fact that they have nry-r ad a legal
/ tender qualify, there should be offered
! for them. only at a slight advance over their
| bullion value. The secre, AIRY IN the course Of
! his report considers the D opriety OF beautify-
| ing the designs of our subsdi sry silver coins.
a OF SO increasing III If weight that they
| may bear their due ratio of the value of the
| standard dollar. His conclusions in this re-
| gard are cordially approved.
TARIFF AND TAXEs.
In my annual message of 1882, l recon-
| mended tie abolition OF Ill excise taxes except
| those relating to distilled spirits. This rec
concentration is now renewed In case these
! taxes shall be abolished, the revenues that
| will still remain To the Z Yernment will, in my
expenditures, but VIII afford n surplus large
! enough to permit sucn tariff r, ductiGn
as ma, seem to be admissible, when the result
of the recent revenue laws and commercial
| treaties shall have sh wn N VIII t quarter s
| these elections can be most judiciouSly
effected.
FOREIGN TRADE
One of the Gravest Of the problems which
appeal TO the WiSdJm of congress fer solution
is the ascertaining of the most effective means
of increasing our for ign trade and thus re-
lieving the depression under which our indus
tries are now languiShing. The secretary of
the treasury advises that the duty of Ii veSti-
eating this subject be i trusted. in the
first instance. to competent commits
sion. While fully recognizing the consid-
erati0nS that may be urged against this
course. am. nevertheless, of the opinion
that Updn the Whole no other W uld be likely
TO effect SDeedier or better results.
That portion OF the Sc rotary s report which
concerns the condition of our shipping inter
ests cannot f;lil TO Command your attention.
He especially recommends that as an incen-
tive to the investment of American capital in
American stea ships, the government shall,
by liberal payments for mail transportations.
or otherwise 1-noS its active assistance to in
d1yldua enterprise, and declares his bel. eli that
unless thai course be pursued, our foreign
carrying trade mast remain as it is to-day
cigners. One phase of these subjects
IS now. especially prominent in
view, of the repeal by the
act of June 2f, 1881, of all salutary provisions,
arbitrarily compelling American vessels to
carry the mails tO and from the United States
AS 1t IS necessary 10 make provision to COM
that service after April 1885, 1t $ hoped that
the whole subject will receive early consider
alton that Will lead to the enactment of such
measures for the eVival OF our merchant
marine as the wisdom OF congress may de-
wise.
ON BONDS.
The three per cent. bonds of the government
to the amount of more than SlG0 100000 have,
since my last annual message, been redeemed
by the treasury. The bonds OF that
issue still odtStal ding amount to little
viii h will be retired through the operation
of the sinking fund during the coming year.
AS these bonds still continue the chief basis
for the circaiation of t4s national banks, the
question how to avoid the co traction of the
currency caused by their retirement is one CT
constan i Increasing. Importance, 1t seems
to be generally cor celeG that tn law governs
ing this matter ex lcts from the banks exces,
81 Secui iiy, and that upon their present bond
deposits larger clrcula ion than Is now al
lowed may be granted with safety. L hope
that the bill which PASSED the senate at the
last session, permitting the issue of notes equal
to the face value OF the deposited bonds, wilt
commend its II 20 the dp prevail OF the house of
representatives.
EXPENSES IN WAR DEPARTMENT.
In the expenses OF the war department the
secretary reports decrease OF more than So
600, o. OF which reduction OF s5,60d,OO0 was
effected in the expenditures for rive and mar
bOrS, and ZOO, 90 in expenditures for the
quart r-maSterS department. Inside III that
department the annual eXpe SEES OF al the army
bureaus proper except possibly the ordinance
bur-au( ar substantially ceargeS which cannot
b materially diminl he'd without d ch 1nge in
the numerical strength OF the army, The eX-
penditureS III the quarter masters department
can readily be subjected u administrative
decretIon and il is reported by the Secret4ry-of-
war that as d result of increasing SuchdiScretlon
IN reducing the umblr OF drauSut animals III
the army. the annual cost OF Ipplylng and
careing for such animals is now 81, lO5,0s5 less
than It Was IN 1882
The reports of The mi itary commander show
that the last year has zen notable for its en-
tire freedom from-lud an outbreaks.
In defiance of the presidents pro-
tain in ruders sought to make Settlements
in the Indian Ter tory. They were promptly
removed by a detachment of troops. During
the past session OF congress a ill to provide
a suitable fire proof building for the army
medical museum ard the library OF the Sur
geOn Generals Office received the approval OF
the senate a similar bill reported fayors9iy
TO che house of representatives, by one OF It's
commissioners is still pending before that
body. 1t is hoped that during the coming
session the measure may become law
and thereafter Immediate steps may be taken
to secure a plau7 for safe deposit fol. these
valuable collections, now in stats of inse-
curity.
RIvEBS AND HARBoRs.
The funds til which the werhs for the i'm
provement of rivers and harDor3 were prose-
cuted during the past year, were derived from
the appropriations of the act of August 2, 1882,
together with such few balances as were on
hand from previous appropriations. The bal
ance i'll the treasury, subject to acquisitions,
July /, 1885, was SlO.021 $40; the amount appro-
is6, 346; and the amount drawn from the
treasury during the fiscal year was 5. ,22S, 703,
leaving a balance of S3,I13,5 IS in the treasury
subject to requlsition July 1. 1884,
FoRTlFYING THE sEABoARDs.
The secretary OF war submits the report of
the chief OF engineer as to the practicabllity
of protecting cur important cities on the sea-
boards by Notifications ard other defenseS
time has tow come when such defenses can be
prepared with confidence that they will not
prove importune. and when the possible result
of de ay in making such preparations is Seri-
on " considered, delay seems inexcuSable,
For the most important cities. those whose
destruction or capture would be national
humilia ion, adequate de enseS, inclusive of
guns, may be made by the gradual expenditure
of 500 10000. a sum much less than victorious
enemy could levy as a contribution. An ap-
preparation alb, ut one-:eDth of that amount is
fIn..NN M fn0
secretary of war in urging that 1t be granted.
The war department is proceeding with the
conversion of ten incn smooth bore guns into
eight inch rifles. FL ty guns VIII be thus
converted within year. This, however, does
not o5viate the necessity OF providing means
for the construction of guns of the highest
power, both for the purpose OF coast defe So
and for the armament OF war vessels.
In my mes age of March 26th last. called
attention to the recommend alton OF the board
taat the government should encourage the
production of private steel works of he re-
q1ired material for heavy cannon, aud that
two government factorleS-one for the army
forthe fabrication of guns from su 'h.material.
No action having been taken, the board was
reconyeued TO determine more fully, the plans
and estimates necessary for carrying out $
recommendation. Ii Il Sreceiyed info: ma ion
which indie ties THAI there are responsible
steel manufacturers in this C unity who, al
though not provided at present vii the neces-
Sary plant, are willing toe nstruct Ghe same,
and axe a bid for C ntraets with he gov
ernmeut for The supply of the requisite mate
ri Ter the heaviest guns adapted to modern
warfare. If a guaranteed order of sufficient
magnitude accompanied by a positive apprO
priatip.s extending over series OF years. shall
b. made nv congress. all doubts as to the faas-
Ibilty of the plan beidg thus relieved, renew
my RECOMMENDATION tina suah action be taken
by congress as Will enable the government to
conStru its own ordnance upon its CIV terri
tory, and SO to provide the arinaIn11ts de-
maBd d by considerations of national salty
and honor.
THE NAVY.
. ,,.,,ort of oaorafa,,, Of .I,a ,,o,.,.