Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-12-10

while their products struggle In foreign markets
i'm comps titon Of nations which. by allowing
rper exchange Of productions than we permit
.nabp their people TO sell Tor ptices which distress
every patriotit citizen rcioi,ss In the con
,tantly increasing pride Of our people IN American
citizenship and IN the glory OF our national
achievements and progress. q sentiment prevails
hat the leading strings. useful to nation IN as
infancy. may well be-, to great extent discarded
In the present stage Of American ingenuity, cour-
age and fearless self reliance. And for the privil-
age Of indulging this sentiment with true Amerl-
IAN enthusiasm, our citizens are quite willing 10
forego an idle surplus in the public treasury; And
NIL the people know that the average rate OF tcd-
lra eXaction upon imports today, i'm time OIL
peace. while but little less upon some articles OF
necessary consumption Is actually more than was
imposed by the grfevous burden. willingly borne
AT a time when the government needed millions 20
by war the safety and integrity OF the
Union. II has been the policy OF the government
to collect the principal part OF It's revenues ny a.
tax upon imports; and no change IN this policy II
desirable But the present condition OF aItails
our people TO demand that. by FtNls-
ion of our revenue laws, the receipts OF the gov
eminent shall be reduced to the necessary expense
Of its economical administration; and this demand
should be recognized and obeyed by the peoples
in the legislative branch OF the
government. In readjusting the burdens OF led
eral taxation, sound public policy requires that
such of our citizens aS have built up large and I'M
uortant industries under presents conditions
should not be- suddenly and To- ther INJURY ue,
prived Of advantages 10 which they have adapted
their business but if the public good requires It,
they should be content with such consideration as
shall deal fairly and cautiously with their inter
ests while the just demand of the people for re
lief from needless taxation is honestly answered.
A reasonable and timely submission To- such de-
mand should certainly be possible without dlsas-
trous shock to any interest, and cheerful cohces-
sion sometimes avcrts abrupt needless action, OIL
ten the OutgrOwth OF Impotence and delayed jus
tice. Due regard should be also accorded. in any
proposed readjustment to the interests OF Amer
lean labor, 50 far as they are involved We con
graduate ourselves that there is among us no la
e.
doomed. under all conditions to the ineXorable
fate Of daily toll We recognize IN labor chiel
factor in the wealth of the republic and we treat
those who have it in their keeping as citizens en-
titled TO the most careful regard and thonghtful
attention. This regard and attention should he
awarded them not only because labor Is the capital
of our workingmeu justly entitled to the share OF
government favor. but for the further and not less
important reason that the laburing man, surround
ed by his family in his humble home, cunsum
er is vitality Interested in all that CheapenS the cost
of living and enables him to bring within his do
nestle circle additional comforts and advantage.
This relation of the workingmen to the revenue
laws of the country, and the manner In which II
palpably influences the question Of wages should
not be forgotten in the 1ustable prominence CIV,
en- to the proper maintenance Of the supply ana
protection of well-paid labor; and these consider
ations suggest such an arrangement OF govern
ment revenues as shall reduce the expense of liv
ing while it does not curtail the opportunity for
work nor reduce the compensation of American
labor and inuriously affect its condition and the
dignihed place it holds in the estimation of our
people.
from the soil produce the things consumed by all,
are. perhaps. more directly and plainly concerned
than any other of our citizens in a just and care
full system of federal taxation. Those actually
engaged in and more remotely connected with this
kind of work number nearly Onehalf of our pop
ulation. None labor harder than they No enact
ment limits their hours of toll and no interposi-
ton of the law enhances, to any great extent,
the value Of their products: and yet for many Of
the necessaries and comforts of life which the
most sciupulous economy enables them to bring
into their homes, and, for their implements OF
husbandry, they are Obliged to pay price large
ly increased by an unnatural profit which, by the
action of the government, is given to the more
favored manufacturer.
| recommend that keeping in view all these
considerations the increasing and unnecessary
surplus of national income annually acculnulat-
ing be released to the people by an amendment to
our revenue laws which shall cheaper the price
of the necessaies of life aud give frcer entrance to
such imported materials a. by American labor
may be manufactured into marketable commodi-
ties Nothing can be accomplished, however. IN
the direction of this much-needed reform. unless
the subject is approached in a patriotic spirit Of
devotion to the interest of the entire country and
with willingness to yield something Tor the pup
/ lie good
The silver Dollars.
During the fiscal year ended June -, 1886, there
/ were coined under the compulsory coinage act oil
1873 - 3S g5 silver dollars, and the cost OF the
| silver used in such coinage was SH,54L S96,OVl
! There have been coined up to the close OF the pre-
vious fiscal year, under the provisions Of the law,
2O3 so. 154 silver dollars: and ON the first day oi
! December 1886. the total amount of such coinage
was S2ii ,3 80 The director OF the mint report,
at the time of the passage Of the law Of 1915 di
recting this coinage the intrinsic value Of dollars
] thus coined 81 cents each, and That Oh tht
Dist day of July, 1886, the price of silver reached
the lowest stage ever known, so that the intrinsic
! or bullion price of our standard silver dollar a.
that date less than - cents. The price of sill
! yer on the Both day of November last was such al
to make these dollars intrinscally worth - cent
each These differences in value of the coins rep
resent the fluctuations in the price OF silver an'
| they certainly do not indicate that compusol!
l,,.t 1nap he a
| that commodity or secures uniformity III its value
! Every fair and legal effort has been made by tn
treasury department to distribute TINS enTIenc,
among the people. The withdrawal OF Unte'
States treasury notes of small denominations AM
the issuing Of small silver certificates have bee
resorted to in the endeavor to accomplish this r.
suit in obedience to the will and sentiments of tn
| representatives of the people in congress. On IN
9th day of November, lSSi' the people hee 2
these coins certificates representing them, tn
nominal sum of SlGG,si3,O4l, and we stlll had SD
1854 ,345 in the treasury, as against about SIP
$4,000 in the hands of the people, and S'2s655 e
remaining in the treasury one year ago. The d
rector of the mint again urges the necessity q
more vault room for the purpose of storing thes
| silver dollars which are not needed for circulatiO
bv the people / have seen no reason to chang
the views expressed III my last message upon I'll
subject of this compulsory coinage and l agal
urge its suspension ON all the grounds contained
| my former recommendation reinforced by the SIT
nitcant increase Of our gold expectations durin
the last year as appears by the comparative stat
ment herewith presented, and for the further rei
sons that the more this currency is distribute
among the people the greater becomes our duty
| protect it from disaster: that now hay
abundance for all our needs and that there seen
but little proprety in building vaults to store sue
currency when the only pretence for its coinage
the necessity of its use by the people as circula
ing medium.
The Army and Navy.
The army consisted at the date Of the last CO.
solidated return of 2l03 officers and 2i,0I6 enlistt
The eSPenss OF the a, SePSthn nor q
294 ,305, - for public works and river and harb'
improvements. ] especially direct the attentiC
of congress to the recommendation that office
be required to submit 10 an examination as a pr
liminary to their promotion.
The defenceless condition of our sea coast az
lake frontier is perfectly palpable; the eNamin
tons made by the board of Notifications mu
, convince us all that certain of our cities named
the report of the board should be fortified an
that work on the most important of these torti
+ cations should be commenced at once. The wol
, has been thoroughly considered and laid out, Il
/ secretary of war reports, but all Is delayed in
fault of congressional action. The absolute nece
sty. judged by all standards of prudence al
foresight, of our preparation for an efiectual I
, ! sistance against the armored ships and steel gu
| and mortars of modern construction which ma
threaten the cities on our coast is 50 apparent tn
+ | hope effective steps will be taken in that dire
ton Immediately
In September and October last the host
| Apaches who, under the leadership of Geronim
. | had for Is months been ON the warpath, and du
: | ing that time had committed many murders al
. been the cause OF constant terror 10 the settlers
+ Arizona, surrendered to General Miles, the mi
taTy commander who succeeded General Crook
% the management and direction of their Fursu
; Under the terms of their surrender as then repO
r. ed, and IN view Of the understanding which the
I, murderous savages seemed to entertain Of I
assurance given them, 1t was considered best TO il
prison them in such manner as to prevent their ev
engaging in such outrages again instead of tryi
them for murder. Fort PiCkens having been
l. lected as a safe place of confinement, all the adj
f males sent there, and will be closely guard
il as prisoners. In the mean time the residue OF [
q band were removed To Fort Marion The wOm
Y and larger children of the hostiles We're also TAX
n there, and arrangements have been made for pr
II ting the children of age in Indian schools.
g The present navy of the United States. asl
e from the ships in the course of construction, &C
" ssts first, of II single turreted monitors none
J, which are in commission nor at the present tn
f serviceable. Second, five fourth-rate vessels
IT small tonnage, only one of which was designed
It a war vessel. and all of which are auxiliary mel
e ~. Third q cruising ships, three of which a
n built of iron of small tonnage and - OF WOO
If OF these wooden vessels il is estimated By t
e. chief constructor of the navy that only three
N be serviceable beyond a period of six years,
h which time it may be said that of the preSe
L. naval force nothing worthy of the name will
T. main. All the vessels heretofore authortzeu a
D. under contract or in course Of construction, Z
N cept the armored ships, the torpedo and dynam
nj boats and one cruiser As TO the last of these,
A. bids were in excess of the limit fixed by cungre
a. The production in the United States of armor a
rs gun steel is question which It seems neceSsl
III to settle at an early day If the armored war "
lie sells are TO be completed with those materials
e. home manufacture.
Of The Postal Service.
IL The affairs of postal service show marked a
- gratifying improvement during the past ye
. The reduction of the rate Of letter postage IN IL
~, making the postal revenues inadequte 10 susti
- the expenditures, and business depression a
~ contributing, resulted in excess of cost for
Ut fiscal year ended June 30, 1875, of " million
g lars An additional check upon receipts by dol
ne ling the measure of weight in rating sealed cor
~ spOndence and diminishing One-half the chal
81 for newspaper carriage was imposed by legis
~ ton which took effect with the beginning of
oi past fiscal year, while the constant demand OF
~, territorial development and growing populat