Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-12-17

IL suspended they can be readuy obtained by
all who desire them. II the need bf rncye is at
any time appGrant, their coinage may b6 fe-
newed.
furnishes no proof that danger does not wait
upon continuation Of the present silver coin
age We have been saved by the most careful
fnnnageinentI and Unusual expedionts by COM
bination of fortunate conditions, and by n conf
dent expectation that the commerce 0f the Gov
eminent In regard to silver coinage would be
speedily changed by an action OF Congress.
Prosperity hesitates upon our threshold because
Of dangers and uncertainties surrounding this
question.
Capital tmidly shrinks from trade, and invest
brs are unwilling To take the chance Of the ques-
tionable shape In which their money will be re-
turned to Them while enterprise hhlt5 at a rick
against which care and sagacious management
do not protect. AS necessary consequence,
labor lacks employment, and suffering and dis
tress are visited upon portion OF our fellow-cit
liens especially entitled to the careful consider
alton OF those charged with the duties Of legisla-
ton. No interest appeals to us so strongly for
safe and stable currency as the vast army of the
unemployed.
recommend the suspension Of compulsory
coinage of silver dollars directed by the law
passed in February 1875
THE ARMY.
the report or the Secretary Of War tB hero
with submitted. The attention OF Congress is
invited to the detailed account which it contains
of the administration Of his department and his
recommendations and suggestions for the i'm
prOvement OF the service.
The army consisted, ut the date of the last
consolidated returns, of 2,15i officers, and 24705
enlisted men. The expenses Of the departments
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, including
Sl3 164, ,394G 60 for public works and river and har
Dor improvements, were S45,S5O,999 54.
Beside the troops which were dispatched in
pursuit OF the small bnnd OF Indians who left
their reservation in Arizona and committed mur-
ders and outrages, two regiments OF cavalry and
one OF infantry were sent last July TO the Indian
Territory to prevent I'm outbreak which seemed
imminent They remained to aid, IL necessary,
in the expulsion OF intruders upon the reserva-
,xxyIn IN hoxa Qa1
among the Indians, but the Executive procla-
nation warning them TO remove was complied
with without interference.
Troops were also sent TO Rock Springs, In wy
oming Territory, after the massacre OF Chinese
there, TO prevent further disturbances, and af-
terward to Seattle, in Washington Territory, TO
avert a threatened attack upon Chinese laborers
and domestic violence there. In both cases, the
mere presence Of tho troops had the desired ef-
feet.
sEA-coAsT DEFENsRs.
The Board ON Fortihcations or Other Defenses,
appointed in pursuance of the act OF Congress
approved March 3, 1885, will in short time pre-
sent their report, and it is hoped that this may
greatly aid the legislation so necessary to rene
dy the present defenseless condition OF our sea-
coasts.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy gives
n history of the operations Of his departments
and the present condition of the work COM
mitted to his charge. He details in full the
course pursued by him to protect the rights OF
the Government in respect OF certain vessels
and also concerning the dispatch boat Dolphin,
claimed TO be completed and awaiting the ac-
ceptance of the department.
No one can fail to see, from the recital con-
tanned in this report, that only the application
of business principles has been insisted upon in
the treatment Of these subjects, and that what
ever controversy has arisen was caused by the ex-
action on the part of the department of the con-
tract obligations they were legally construed.
In the case of the Dolphin with entire business
to the contractor, an agreement has been entered
agcprtQinment Il
judicial inquiry of the complete or partial COM
pliance with the contract in her construction,
and further providing for the assessment OF any
damages to which the Government may be en-
titled on account Of partial failure to perform
such contract or the payment OF the sum still
remaining unpaid upon her price in case q full
performance is adiudged. The contractor by
reason of his failure in business, being unable
to sapl5aleta the other three vessels; they We're
diminished state, under n clause in the contract
permitting such n course, and are now in pro-
cess Of completion in the yard of the contractor,
but under the supervision OF the Navy Depart
ment.
Congress in its last session authorized the
construction of two additional cruisers
and two gunboats, ut n cost not exceeding in the
purpose having beeomSn on iGa th,S dny
of July last, steps were at once taken for the
procurement OF such plans for the construction
of these vessels as would be likely to ensure
their usefulness when completed. These are
ing vessels of this character, and
the time is not lost which is spent
in their careful consideration and selection.
All must admit the Importance of an effective
navy to a nation like ours, having such an ex-
tended sea coast to protect Yet we have not a
single vessel of war that could keep the seas
against n first-class vessel of any important
power. Such q condition ought not longer to
continue. The nation that can not resist aggres-
sion is constantly exposed to it. Its foreign pol
icy is of necessity weak, and its negotiations
are conducted with disadvantage because it is
not In a condition to enforce the terms dictated
IrrsN &c - falf aud aVNdff
Inspired as i am by the hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens that the day is not far distant
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 contamination, deem IL my duty to
especially direct the attention of Congress to
the close of the report of the Secretary of tho
Navy in which the humiliating features of the
present organization OF this department is ex-
hibited, and the startling abuses and the waste
of its present methods are exposed The con-
Nction is forced upon us, with the certainty OF
mathematical demonstration, that before we
proceed further in the restoration OF navy, we
need q thoroughly reorganized Navy Depart
ment
The fact that within seventeen years more
than S75,OOO 900 has been spent in construction,
repair, equipment, and armament OF vessels,
and the further fact that instead of an effective
and creditable feet, we have 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
that direction have been little better than blind
| groupings, and expensive, aimless follies.
Unquestionably II we are content with the
maintenance of n navy department simply as an
| ornament to the Government, a constant watch
| fulness may prevent some of the scandal and
abuse which have found their way into our pres
| ent organization, and its incuraDle waste may
| be reduced to the minimum. But II we desire to
| build ships for present usefulness instead Of
naval reminders OF the days that are past, we
must have a department organize for the work,
| supplied with all the latest and best ingenuity
our country affords ana prepared to take
| advantage of the experience of other nations,
systematized so that all efforts shall unite and
lead in one direction and fully iinbued with the
conviction that war vessels now are useless un-
| less they combine all that the ingenuity of
| man has up TO this day brought forth relating
portion Of the Secretarys report devoted to this
| subject to the action of Congress, in the hope
that the suggestions touching the reorganization
] OF his department may be adopted as the hrst
step toward the reconstruction Of our navy,
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The affairs Of the postal service are exhibited
| by the report of the Postmaster General, which
will be laid before you. The postal revenue,
whose rates Of gain upon the rising prosperity OF
1882 and 1883 outstripped the increasing ex-
pense OF our growing service, was checked by
the reduction in the rate Of letter postage, which
took effect with the beginning of October in the
latter SDd it diminished during ths
portion of s2,27JOOO in 1884 to $4,000 in 1885.
| Natural growth and development have, in tho
meantime increased expenditure, resulting in a
deficiency in the revenue TO the expenses Of the
| department Of Sc, ,250OO0 for the year 1884, and
s., 1888, 33b in the last fiscal year. The an
tieipated and natural revival Of the revenue
unfavorable business condition of tho country,
| of which the postal service is faithful indi-
| Gator The gratifying fact is shown, however,
| by the report, that our returning prosperity is
marked by n gain of $3.50, 600 in the revenue
| of tho latter half Of the last year over the
corresponding period OF the preceding year.
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