The Daily Tombstone. [volume] (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-10

commerce of the government in re-
gard to silver coinage would be speed
lily changed by the action of congress.
Prosperity hesitates upon our TIRES
hold because of the dangers and I'M
certaintics surrounding this question"
He concludes the paragraph as fol
lows: mo interest appeals to the
United States so strongly for safe
and staple currency as the vast army
of the unemployed. | recommend the
suspension of compulsory coinage OF
silver dollars, directed by the law
passed February, 1878"
On our sea coast defences he says:
"The board of Notifications or other
defenses, appointed in pursuance OF
the provisions of the act of congress
approved March 3, 1885, will in IA
short time present its report, and it il
to be hoped that this may greatly aid
the legislation so necessary to remedy
the present defenseless condition OF
our sea coast"
He recon.nends legislation, to pro-
bibit the construction OF bridges over
navIgable waters in such manner as to
obstruct navigation.
"The report of the secretary of the
navy gives a history OF the operations
OF his department and the present
condition OF the work committed to
his charge. He details in full the
course pursued by him to protect the
rights of the government in respect
to certain vessels unfinished at the
time of his Accession to office, and
also concerning the dispatch boat,
Dolphin, claimed to be completed and
waiting the acce ptance IF the depart
ment. No one can fail to see from
the recital contained in this report
that only the application of business
principles has been insisted upon in
the treatment of these subjects, and
that whatever controversy has arisen
was caused by the exaction on the
part of the department on contract
obligations. He says they were legally
construed in the case of the Dolphin
with entire justice to the contractor.
| Congress in its session authorized the
construction OF two additional new
cruisers and two gun boats at a cost
not exceeding in the aggregate 81 ,995,
| 90. Steps have been taken for the
| procurement OF such plans for the
| construction of these vessels as would
! be likely to insure their usefulness
when completed. We have not a
single vessel OF war that could keep
the sea against any first-class vessel OF
any important power. The nation
that cannot resist aggression is con-
stantly exposed 10 it; its foreign policy
is OF necessity weak and its negotia-
ton are conducted with disadvantage
because it is not in condition to en-
force the terms dictated by its sense
of right and justice. l deem it my
duty to especially direct the attention
OF Congress to the close OF the report
of the secretary OF the navy in which
the humiliating features of the pres
ent organization OF this department il
exhibited. The conviction is forced
upon us that before We proceed any
further in the restoration of a navy
we should need thoroughly reorgan.
lied navy department"
In commenting on postal matters
the message says: at was decided
with my appreciation, after sufficient
examination, to be inexpedient for the
Postoffice department to contract foi
carrying our foreign mails under con
litional authority given by the last
Congress. The amount limited wds
inadequate to pay all within the pur-
view of the law-the full rate OF DC
cents per mile-and it would have
been unjust and unwise to have given
it to some and denied il to others ncr
could contracts have been let under
the law to all at a rate to have brought
the aggregate within the appropria.