The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-23

OF the congress or the LaGln Union, In Ordel
to indicate our interest in its objects and re
port it's action.
It may be said, in brief, as the result OIL
these efforts, that the attitude of the leading
powers remains substantially unchanged since
the monetary conference of 1881, nor is it tx
be questioned that the views of these govern
ments are in each instance supported by the
weight of public opinion. The steps thus
taken have therefore only more fully demon
strated the u~selessness of further attempts al
present, to arrive at any agreement on the
subject with other nations.
In the meantime we are accumulating sill
yer coin, based upon our own peculiar ratio
to such an extent, and assuming so heavy g
burden to be provided for in any information
al negotiations, as will render us an undesira.
BILE party to any future monetary conference
of nations.
1t is a significant fact that four of the five
countries composing the Latin Union men,
toned in our coinage act, embarrassed with
agreement among themselves, that no more
silver shall be coined by their respective gov
ernments, and that sue as has been already
coined and in circulation shall be redeemed
in gold by the country of it's coinage. The
resort to this expedient by these countries
may we'll arrest the attention of those who
suppose that we can succeed without shock
or injury, in the attempt to circulate upon
its merits, all the silver we may coin under
the provision of our silver coinage act.
The condition in which our treasury may
be placed by a persistence in our present
course, is a matter of concern to every patri.
otto citizen who does not desire his govern
ment to pay in silver such of its obligations
as should be paid in gold. Nor should our
condition be such as to obiige us, in a prudent
management of our affairs, to discontinue
the calling in and payment of interest-bear-
ing obligations, which We have the right now
to discharge and thus avoid the payment OF
further interest thereon.
The so-called debtor class, for whose beneti-
the continued compulsory coinage OF silver IS
insisted upon, are not dishonest because they
are in debt; and they should not be suspected
of the country, in order that they may cancel
their present debts by paying the same in de-
preciated dollars. Nor should it be forgotten
that it is not the rich nor the money-lender
alone that must submit to such a readlust-
ment, enforced by the government and their
debtors. The pittance of the widow and the
orphan and the incomes of helpless bene
fciaries of all kinds would be disas
trously reduced. The depositors in savings
trust the savings of the poor, when their little
accommodations are scaled down to meet the
new order of things, would, in their distress,
painfully realize the delusion Of the promise
made to them that plentiful money would i'm
prove their condition.
We have now on hand all the silver dollars
necessary to supply the present needs of the
people and to satisfy those who from sentl.
ment wish to see them in circulation; Il II
their coinage is suspended they can be readily
obtained by all who desire Them. II the need
- 6 o,,o =, ~ aap fsn,a won't fhnIrs H0Ina0 a
may be renewed.
That disaster has not already o~vertaken us
furnishes no proof that danger does not walt
upon q continuation of the present silver
coinage. We have been saved by the most
careful management and unusual expedients,
by a combination of fortunate conditions, and
by q confident expectation that the course OF
the government in regard to silver coinage
would be speedily changed by the action OF
Congress.
Prosperity hesitates upon our threshold be-
cause Of the dangers and uncertainties sur
rounding this question. Capital tlmldly
shrinks from trade, and investors are I'm
willing to take the chance of the questionable
shape in which their money will be returned
to them, while enterprise halts at a FISK
against which care and sagacious manage
ment do not protect.
AS q necessary consequence labor lacks EN-
ployment, and suffering and distress are Wis
tied upon a portion of our fcllow-citlzens
especially entitled to the careful consideration
of those charged with the duties of legisla-
lation. No interest appeals to us SO strongly
for a safe and stable currency as tho vast
army of unemployed.
l recommend the suspension Of the COM
pulsory coinage of silver dollars directed by
the law passed in February, 1878.
HI WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the secretary Of war is here
with submitted. The attention of Congress is
to the detailed account which it con-
of the administration of his department.,
and his recommendations and suggestions for
the Improvement of the service.
THE NAVY.
The report of the secretary of the navy
gives a history of the operations of his depart
and the present condition of the work
to his charge.
He details in full the course pursued by him
to protect the rights of the government in re-
of his accession to office, and also concerning
the despatch boat Dolphin, claimed to be
completed and awaiting the acceptance
of the department. No one can fail
to see from recitals contained in this
that only the application of business
principles has been insisted upon in the treat
ment of these subjects, and that whatever
has arisen was caused by the ex-
action on the part of the department of con-
tract obligations as they were legally con-
All must admit the importance of an effec-
tive navy toa nation like ours, having such an
sea coast to protect. And yet we
have not a single vessel of war that could
keep the seas against a irst-class vessel of any
important power. Such a condition ought
not longer to continue. The nation that can
not resist aggression is constantly exposed to
it. Its foreign policy is of necessity weak,
and it's negotiations are conducted with
disadvantages, because it is not in condition
to enforce the terms dictated by its sense Of
right and Justice.
Inspired as 7 am by tile hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens, that the day is not very far
when our navy will be such as BELTS
our standing among the nations of the earth,
and rejoiced at every step that leads in
the direction of such a consummation, l
deem it my duty to especially direct the at
tention of Congress to the close Of the report
of the secretary of the navy, in which the
humiliating weakness of the present organl-
zation of his department is exhibited, and
the startling abuses and waste of its
present methods are exposed The con-
Tlctlon is forced upon us With tho
certainty of mathematical demonstration,
that before we proceed further in the restora-
ton of a navy we need a thoroughly reorgan-
lied navy department. The fact that within
seventeen years more than SIS, 10000 900 have
been spent in the construction, repair, equip
ment, and armament of vessels, and the
further fact that, instead Of an effective Il
creditable fleet, we nave only the discomfort
and apprehension of a nation undefended by
war vessels, added to the disclosures now
made, do not permit us to doubt that every
attempt to revive our navy has thus far, for
the most part, been misdirected, and all our
efforts in that direction have becn little better
thai blind rroninns and eXnensiYe, aimless