Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-07

VI Fhe pvnub tnus Chlleu olUz,2b9, 46O be-
came subjected under sucn calls 20 re.
demptlon prior to November 1886
The remainder amounting TO 500, Ois. Gao.
matured upder the calls for that
date. In addition to the amonnt
subject 10 payment and cancellation prior
70 November there were bonds with the
interest thereon amounting TO S5,072 $50.
which were anticipated as to their ma
turity, of which S2,6G4 $50 had not been
called and thus Sl07, Sal 500 had been
actually applied prior TO November
1886, to the eXtingulshment of our bonded
interest bearing debt, leaving on that dav
still outstanding the sum ~ Sl.1b8.448.-
49, or this amount $50, s4s. 700 were
still represented by per cent. bonds
They however have been since November
or will 1T once be, further reduced py
S22, COG l50 being bonds which have been
called as already stated, nut not redeemed
ana cancelled before the la ter date.
SILVER COINAGE
During the fiscal year ended June 30.
1856, there we coined under the com
pulsory silver coinage act Of 1878
29,s8S 800 silver dollars, and the cost of
the silver used in such coinage was S28,-
44S $50 OIL. There had en- coined up to
the close Of the previous fiscal year, un-
der the provisions of the law, 203 ,S82, =
65i silver dollars, and ON December | /,
1854, the total amount Of such coinage
was $247, l8l, 5l9. The direct II of the
mint reports that at the time of the pass-
age OF the law Of 1873 directing coinage.
the intrinsic value OF the dollar thus
coined was 944 cents each, and that on
July 81, 1886, the price of silver reached
fhp lOWpqE has q ,.n
intrinsic or bullion price OF our standard
silver dollars at that date was less than
~ cents. The price OF silver on NJvem-
Der 30 last was such as to make the dol
lars intrlnsically worth rs cents each.
The differences In the value
OF the coins represented the
huctuation in the price of silver, and
they certainly do not indicate that com
pulsory coinage by the government EN-.
h noes the price of that commodity or
secures unif rmity in its value. Every
fair and legal fort has been made by I e
treasury department to distribute this
currency among the people. The with
drawal of Uuited States treasury notes
OF small denominations and the issuance
OF small silver certificates have been re-
sorted to in the endeavor to accomplish
this result, in obedience to the will and
sentiments of the representatives of
the people in the congress. On NOvem-
her ~, 1856, the people held of these
coins or certificates representing them the
nominal sum If Sl66,S73 ,04l, and and we
still had S79, 464,345 n the treasury as
against about Sl42,S94, 055 in the
hands Of the people and $72 1865, BIG re-
naming in the treasury one gear ago.
The director of the mint again urges the
necessity of more vault room for the pur-
pose of storing the silver dollars which are
not needed for circulation by the people.
have seen no reason TO change the views
expressed in my last annual message oil
the subject of this compulsory coinage,
and again urge its suspension on all the
grounds contained in my former recon-
mendatlon, inforced by the significant
increase of our gold expectations during
the last year as appears by the compare
tive statement herewith presented, and
for the further reasons that the more this
currency IS distributed among the people
the great becomes our duty 10 protect
1t from disasters that we now have album
dance for all our needs, and that
there seems but little proprlety in build
ing vaults to store such currency, when
the only pretense for its coinage Is the
necessity of its use by the people as cir
culating medium.
CUSTOMS SUITS.
The great number of now suits pending
in the United States courts for the SOUTH
ern district of New York, growing out of
the collection of customs revenue at the
port OF New York, and the number OF
such suits that are almost daily Instituted,
are certainly worthy the attention OF con,
gress. The legal controversies based
upon conflicting views by i'm.
portcrs and the collector as
TO the Interpretation of our present
complex aud indefinite revenue laws
might be largely oovlated by an amend.
ment of these laws, but pending such
amendment the present condition of this
litigation should be relieved There is
now pending about twenty-tlv hundred
OF these suits More than HOO have
Oeen commenced within the past eighteen
months, and many OF the others have
been at issue for more han twenty five
years. These delays subject the govern
ment to loss of evidence and prevent the
preparation necessary to defeat unjust
apd fictitious claims, which, with CON
stantly accruing interest, threat
EN- to double the demands in
VOWED. In the present condition
OF the dockets OF the courts well filed
with private suits, and Of the force
allowed the district attorney, no greater
than Is necessary for the ordinary and
current business Vt his office, these reve.
nue. litigations cannot b.. considered in
default of.'he adoption by congress of a
plan Tor ths general reorganization of the
leuer u courts. As has been heretofore
recommended, urge the propriety o:
passing law permitting the appointment
OF an additional federal iudge in the dis
trlct where these government suits have
accumulated so that by continuous SEES
sion Of the courts devoted to the trial
OF these cases they may be determined.
1t Is entirely plain that great saving to
the government would be Accomplished
by such remedy, aud the sultors who
have honest claims would not be denied |
justice through delay.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report OF the secretary of war
gives detailed account OF tine admits |
trstion OF his department and contains
sunury recommendation for the Improve. |
ment OF the service which fully anproye |
The army consisted at The date
OF the last consolidated return of
gioS officers and "a 94G enlisted men.
Inc expenses OF the d, partme for the
last fiscal year was $50, 1896 .s08 Ss. i'm
cludlng S6,29i,S05 As r public wo-ks
ana river anu haIbOr improv, ments.
especially direct the attention of the con.
gresS to the recOmmand.+to,, 49,. -, 49, |