Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-07

|
at the time of the passage of the act of 1875
directing. this coinage, the intrinsic valu,
OF the dollars thus coined was ninety fonl
ana one-fourth cents each, and that OF
the 3lst day of July, 1886, the price of
silver reached the lowest stage eve known
also that the intrinsic or bullion price o
standard silver dollars at that date was les,
than seventy two cents. The price of silve
on the 30th of November last was such as tt
make the dollars intrinsically worth seven
ty-eight cents each. These differences il
the value OF the coins represent the fluctua
tions in the price of silver, and they Ger
tainiy do not indicate that com mpulsory coin
age by the government enhances the price
of that commodity or secures uniformity il
| Its state. Every fair and legal effort has
been made by the Treasury Department tc
distribute this currency among the people
The withdrawal of Uuited States Treasury
notes OF small denominations and
THE ISSUING OF SMALL SILVER CERTIFICATES
Has been resorted to in the endeavor tc
| accomplish this result In obedience to the
will and sentiment of the representatives oil
the people in Congress, on the 9th day OF
November. 1886. the people held coins or
certificates representing the nomina. sum
OF sl66 ,S53.Oi1, and we still have $79, ,4s4, ,345
In the treasury, as against about $40, ,S9l ,055
IN the hands OF the people and s72, ,865, ,376 re-
naming in the treasury one year ago. The
Director of the Mint again urges the neces-
sity OF more vault room for the purpose of
storing the silver dollars which are not
needed for circulation by the people. have
seen no reason to change the view expressed
IN my last annual message on the subject of
this compulsory coinage, and / again urge
its suspension on all the grounds contained
in my former recommendation, re- enforced
by the significant increase of our gold eX-
portations during the last year, as appears
by the comparative statement herewith pre-
sentsd and for the further reason that the
10 sfr nj I'D
the people the greater becomes our duty to
protect 1t from disaster That we now have
abundance for all our needs, aud that
there seems but little propriety in building
pretense for its coinage is the necessity OF
It's use by the people as circulating me-
dunn. The great number of suits new
pending in the United States Courts for the
Southern district of New York, growing out
OF the collection of customs revenues at the
port OF New York, and the number OF such
suits that aree almost daily instituted, !,
are certainly worthy the attention of Con-
gress. The legal controversies based on
the, conflicting views By importers and the
collection as to the Interpretation of our
present
CoMPLEXAND INDEFINITE REVENUE LAWS
Might be largely obviated by an amend.
ment OF those laws. But rending such
amendment the present condition of this
litigation should be relieved There are
now pending about twenty-five hundred of
these suits; more than eleven hundred
have been commenced within the past
eighteen months, and many of the others
have been at issue for more than twenty
five years. These delays subject the Gov
ernment to loss of evidence and prevent
the pl eparatiou necessary to defeat unjust
and ficticious claims, while constantly ac-
cruing interest threatens to double the de-
mands involved. In the present condition
OF the dockets of the Courts, we'll filed
with private suits, and of the force allowed
the district attorney, no greater thau is nee
essary for the ordinary and current busi-
less of his office, these revenues litigations
ctnnot be considered. In default of the
adoption by the Congress of plan for the
general
REORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL CONGRESS,
AS has heretofore been recon- mended, l
urgethe propriety of passing law permit
ting the appointment of an additional Fed
eral Judge, in the district where these gov
ernment suits have accumulated, so that by
cantinued sessions of the courts devoted 10
the trial of these cases they may be deter
mined. 1t is entirely plain that great saw
ing to the Government would be accom-
plished by such remedy, and the suitors
who have honest claims would not be de-
MED justice through delay.
THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
Gives detailed account of the administra-
ton of his department, and contains sun
dry recommendations for the improvement
of the service, which l fully approve. The
army consists, at the date of the last consol-
idated returns. of two thousand one hun
dred and three officers, and twenty-four
thousand nine hundred and forty-six en-
listed men.
The expenses of the department for the
last fiscal year were $36, 800, ,903 2S including
Sc, 1874, ,305. AZ for public works and river and
harbor Improvements. l especially direct
the attention of Congress to the recommend
alton that officers be required to submit to
an examination as preliminary to their
promotion. l see no objection but many
advantages in adopting this feature which
has operated SO beneicially in our navy
department as well as in some branches OF
the army.
THE SUBJECT OF COAST DEFENsEs.
And Notifications has been fully and care
fully treated by the Board on Fortifcations,
whose report was submitted at the last ses-
sion OF Congress, but no construction work
of the kind recommended by the Board has
been possible during the last year from the
lack of appropriation for such purpose.
The defenseless condition of our seacoast
and lake frontier is perfectly palpable. The
examinations made must convince us all
that certain OF our cities named in the re-
port of the boards could be fortified and
that work on the most important OF these
fOrtific atoms should be commenced at once.
The work has been thoroughly consid cred
and laid out. The Secretary of War reports,
but all is delayed in default of Congress
sional action. The absolute necessity
judged by all standards of prud snce and
foresight of our preparation for an effect
ual resistance against the armored ships
and steel guns of modern construction,
which may threaten the cities on our Goa is,
is so apparent that ! hope effective steps
will be taken in that direction immediately
The valuable and suggestive treatment of
this question by the Secretary of War is
earnestly commended to the consideration
of the Congress in September and October
| last.
THE HOSTILE APACHEs
Who under the leadership of Geronimo had
| for eighteen months been on the war path
and during that time had committed many
murders and been the cause of constant
| terror to the settlers of Arizona surren-
dered to General Miles. the military COM
mander, who succeeded better than Crook
| In the management and direction of the r
pursuit. Under the terms OF their surren-
der as then reported, and in view of the un-
derstan 'ing which these murderOus savages
| seemed to entertain of the assurances given
them, it was considered best to inprison
them in such manner as to prevent them
| ever engaging in such outrages again, in
stead OF trying them for murder. Fort
P.ckens having been selected as a safe place
of confinement, all the adult males were
sent thlther and will be closely guarded as
| prisoners. In the meantime the residue OF
the band who. though still remaining upon
the reservation, were regarded as unsafe
and suspected of furnishing aid to those on
the war path had been removed to Fort
Marion. The women and larger children
| of the hostiles were also taken there and
arrangements have been made for putting
the children of proper sge in Indian
| schools.
THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY oT THE NAVY
Contains detailed report of the condition
| of his department with such a statement OF
the action needed to improve the same as
should challenge the earnest attention OF
Congress. The present navy of the United
States. aside from the ships in course of con-
struction, consist OF, first, fourteen single
turreted monitors, none of which are in con
! dition-now at the present time serviceable,
The batteries of these ships are obsolete and
can only be relied upon as auxiliary ships
| in harbor defence and then after such an
| ,s.xIt = l.