Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-08


onr customs revenue. | think the reduc
| tion should be made in the revenue derived
! from a tag upon the imported necessaries of
! life, We thus directly lessen the cost ofliv-
! inc in every family OF the land. and release
| ia the people in every humble home larger
measure OF the rewards of irugalindustry.
! During the wear ended November l, 1885,
one hundred and forty.ive national banks
were organized, with m aggregate capital OF
! SIG ,93S 600, and circulating notes have been
| issued to them amounting to S4,274,9l0.
! The whole number OF these banks in exist
/ ence CT the day above mentioned was :, ~.
! Nothing more important than the present
condition Of cur currency and Coinage can
claim attention. The necessity for an addition
to the silver currency ofthe nation asis COM
PEELED by the silver coinage act, is negatived
| by the fact that up TO the present time ouly
about fifty millions Of the silver dollars so
coined have actually found their way into
circulation leaving more tnaa one hundred
; and sixty five millions il the possession Of
the Government. Against this latter
amount there are outstanding silver certti.
Gates amounting to about ninety-three mil
lions Of dollars. Every month two millions
Of gold in the public treasury are paid out
for two millions or more Of silver dollars, 10
!
lated. If continued long enough, this oper-
alton will result in the substitution Of silver
for all the golG the Government owns APP
plieabe to its general purposes. The pro.
portion of silver and its certificates 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 its
obligations, the grcnter inducemcnt there
will he to hoard gold against depreciation
in the value Of silver, or for the purpose of
specializing. When the time comes that
gold has been withdrawn from circulation,
then will be apparent the difference be-
tween the real value Of the silver dollar and
4 dollar in gold. Gold will be at premium;
banks which have substituted gold for the
deposits of their customers may pay them
with silver bought with such gold. thus
making handsome profit; rich spectators
will sell their boarded gold to their neigh.
bors who need it to iquidste their foreign
debts, at ruinous premium over silver aud
the aboring men and women of the land ,mcst
defcnseless of all, will find that the dollar
received for the wage OF their toll has sadly
shrunk in its purchasing power. If this sill
| yer. coinage be continued we may Teasen-
ably expect that gold and It's equivalent will
abandon the field of circulation to silver
alone This, OF course, must produce Il
severe contraction Of our circulating medium
inst cad Of adding to it. We have now on
hand all The silver dollars necessary to sup
ply The present needs of the people If the
need Of more is at any time apparent their
coinage may be renewed.
The most gratifying results have attend
ed operations of The Life Saving Service
during the last fiscal year.
The Army consisted, at the date of the
last consolidated returns, Of two thousand
one hundred and fifLy-four offices and TWEEN
ty four thousand seven hundred and five
enlisted men. II appears that the number
Of assertions have diminished but that dur
ing the last fiscal year they numbered 9, 927
The ectiug Judge. Acknowledgement reports
tha; the number OF trials by general courts
martial during the year was 2, 32S, and that
IL ,S5l trials took place before garrison and
re2imcutal ccu:ts-nurtiul. The suggestion
that probably more than half the army have
beensried for oilenses, great and small, in
one year, may well arrest attention.
All must admit the Importance OF an effective
navy to nation like ours. having such nm eX-
tended sca-coast to protect. And yet We have
not single vessel of war that could keep tho
seas against tir.t-cass vessel Of any important
power, Such condition ought not longer TO
continue.
| He approves the recommendation of the Post
ma.tcr-Gcneral to reduce the charges on domes-
tic money-orders Of five dollars and less from
eight to five cents The ircc-delivery system
has been extended and one hundred and sew
enty-eight cities now enjoy its conveniences. En-
pericnce has commended it to those who enjoy lis
benefits, and further enlargement OF its tacili-
ties is due 20 other communities to which It Is
adapted.
The present mode Of compcnsatng United
States marshals and district attorneys should in
his opinion be changed. There i. u direct in
duccncnt for them 10 make their fees in cr!nl-
nal cases ia large Is possible in an effort 10 reach
the maximum sum permitted. As Il consequence,
| INSCRIPTIONS marshals are found encouraging
frivolous prosecutions. srrcsting people on petty
charges Of crime and transporting them to dis
| tant places for examination and trial. for the
purpose of earning mileage and other fees He
| thinks marShals and district attorneys should be
| paid salaries, adjusted b. rule which will make
them commensurate with services fairly rem
dcrcd. In connection with this bjcc he desires
| 10 suggest the advi8abilitY of investing I nted
| States commissioners with the power to try and
determine certain violations OF law within the
grade Of m,dcmcanorS
| lie recommends the passage OF law author
izn9 the appointment OF SIX commissioners.
three of whom shall DC detailed from the army,
to be charged with the duty Of 4 careful inspec-
| ton from time 10 timo of all the Indians upon
our reservations or subject to the care and con-
| troll of the Government, with view of discov-
| crlnS tnclr exact cOnulLlOn ana HccuS, anu uc-
termining what steps shall be taken on behalf
of the Government to improve their situation.
He recommends tho repeal and modification
OF certain land laws for the protection Of tho
Government and actual settlers.
He says there should be no relaxation in the
firm but just execution of the law now in opera
ton, in reference to pOygamy, and would be
glad to approve such further legislation rs will
rid the couutry of this blot upon It's fair fame.
He reiterates his views civil service reform
and recommends that the salaries of the commits
soncrs be increased to sum more commensu-
rate 10 their important duties.
lie says provision has not yet been made for
accommodating the principal library of the Cow
ernmont The vast collection Of books and
pamphlets gathered at the Capitol number
some seven hundred thousand, exclusive of
manuscripts, maps, and the products of tho
| graphic arts. He recommends prompt action to
insure proper accommodation and protection.
he says: The present condition of the law |
| relating to the succession to the Presidency in |
| the cvent Of the dnath lsahlity or rnmnyal of |