Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-12-17

uueico nave DttH III slftl OF sIlVtI ctl-
tlticates, while the average within that
period has been 20 per cent.
The proportion of silver and its GER
tiiicates received by the government
Will probably increase as time goes on,
for the reason that the nearer the
period approaches when it will be
obliged 10 offer silver in payment of
us obligations the greater induIcement
there will be to hoard gold against de-
probation in the value of silver, or for
the purpose of specializing. This
boarding of gold has already begun.
When the time comes that gold has
been withdrawn from circulation. then
will be apparent the difference between
the real value of the silver dollars and
the dollar in gold. and the two coins
VIII part company. Gold, still the
standard OF value and necessary in our
dealings with. other countries, will be
at premium over silver. Banks
which have substituted gold for the de-
posts Of their customers may pay them
with silver bought with such gold. thus
making handsome profit; rich specu-
lators will sell their boarded gold to
their neighbors, who need it to liquid
ate their foreign debts, at ruinous
premium over silver. and the laboring
men and women of the land. most de
fenseless of all, will find that the dol
lar received for the wages of their toll
has sadly shrunk in its purchasing
power. so ii this silver coinage be
continued we may reasonably expect
that gold and its equivalent will aban-
don the field of circulation to silver
alone. This, of course, must produce
severe contraction of our circulating
medium instead of adding to it.
The president goes on to mention
our participation in the conference of
the Latin union, and refers to the fail
ure of that effort. He recounts send
ing delegate to look into the financial
condition of Europe, and says that the
attitude Of the leading European coun-
tries has not been changed on financial
subjects since 1881 and that these views
are supported by public opinion. He
then SAYS:
The steps thus taken have therefore
only more fully demonstrated the use
lessness of further attempts at present
to arrive at any agreement on the sub
ject with other nations. The condition
in which our treasury may be placed
by persistence in our present course
is matter ofconcern TO every patriotic
citizen who does not desire his govern
ment to pay in silver such of its oblga-
tons as should be paid in gold. Nor
should our condition be such as to
obllge us, i'll prudent management of
our affairs, to discontinue the calling
III and payment of Understanding
obligations which we have the right
| now to discharge and thus avoid the
payment of further interest thereon.
That disaster has not already overtaken
us furnishes no proof that danger does
n n
present silver coinage. / recommend
the suspension of compulsory coinage
OF silver dollars, directed by the law
passed in February, 1878.
THE LIFE SAVING SERVICE.
The most gratifying results have at
tended The operations of the life saving
service during the last fiscal year. The
observance of the provision of law re-
curing the appointments of the force
employed in the service to be made
solely with reference to their fitness,
and without reference to their political
or party utilization" has secured the re-
suit which may confidently be expected
in any branch of public employment
where such rule is applied. AS a
consequence this service is composed
of men well qualified for the perform
ance of their dangerous and exception
ally important duties.
The number of stations in commits
sion at the close of the year was 2 g.
The number of disasters to vessels and
crafts of all kind within then field OF
action was 81. The number of per-
sons endangered in such disasters was
2,439, of whom 2,42S were saved. and
only eleven lost. Other lives which
were imperiled, though not by dis
or m oh oil
and large amount of property was
saved through the aid of this service.
The cost of It's maintenance during the
year was 1898 ,474.43.
THE ARMY.
The report of the Secretary of War
is herewith submitted. The attention
OF Congress is invited to the detailed
account which it contains of the ad-
ministration of his department and his
recommendations and suggestion for
the improvement of the service.
The army consisted, at the date of
t.the last consolidated returns, of 2.154
officers, and a, 705 enlisted men. The
expenses of the departments for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1885, in
GLIDING Sl3, l64, 394.60 for public works
and river and harbor improvements,
were DID. DOT, JJJ.0f.
Beside the troops which were dis
patched in pursuit of the small band of
Indians who left their reservation in
Arizona and committed murders and
outrages, two regiments of cavalry and
one of infantry were sent last July to
the Indian Territory to prevent an out
break which seemed imminent. They
remained to aid, if necessary in the
expulsion of intruders upon the reser-
Walton, who seemed to have caused the
discomfort among the Indians, but the
executive proclamation warning them
to remove was complied with without
interference.
Troops were also sent to Rock
Springs, in Wyoming Territory, after
the massacre of Chinese there, to pre-
vent further disturbances, and after
ward to Seattle, in Washington Terri
tory, to avert threatened attack upon
Chinese laborers and domestic violence
there. In both cases, the mere pres
ence of the troops had the desired
effect.
1t appears that the number of deser-
tions has diminished, but that during
the last fiscal year they numbered 2 927,
and one instance is given by the Lieu
tenant General of six assertions by
the same recruit. / am convinced that
this number of assertions can be much
diminished by better discipline and
treatment, but the punishment should
be increased for repeated offenses.
These assertions might also be reduced
by leSsening the term of first enlist
ments, thus allowing disconnected
recruit to contemplate a nearer dis
charge, and the army profitable rid
dance. After one term of service, a
re-enlistment would be quite apt to
secure a contented recruit and good
soldier.
The acting Judge Advocate General
reports that the number of trials by
general courts-martial during the year,
was 1928, and that 1851 trials took
place before garrison and regimental
courts-martial The suggestion that
probably more than half the army has
been tried for offenses great and small,
in one year, may well arrest attention.
OF course, many of these trials before
garrison and regimental courts-martial
were for offenses almost frivolous, and
there should, | think, be way devised
to dispose of these in more summary
and less inconvenient manner than by
court-martial. If some of the pro-
ceedings of courts-martial which l
have had occasion to examine, present
the ideas of justice which generally
prevail in these tribunals, / am salts
fed that they should be much re-
formed, if the honor and the honesty
of the army and navy are by their in
strumentality to be indicated and pro-
tected.
SIGNAL SERVICE.
The work of the Signal Service has