The Portland daily press., 1886-12-07


cumulating be released TO the people by an
amendment TO our revenue laws which shall
cheaper the price of the necessaries Of life
and give freer entrance 10 such imported ma
terials as by American labor may be manu-
tactured into marketable commodities.
Nothing can be accomplished, however, In
the direction Of this much needed reform un-
less the subject Is approached In a patriotic
spirit OF devotion to the interest Of the en-
tire country and with willingness to yield
something for the public good.
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
The sum paid upon the public debt duri ng
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1886, was
S44,551, ,043,36. During the twelve months
ended Oct. 81, 1886, three per cent bonds were
called for redemption, amounting 70 Sl27,-
2S3, 100, Of which S80,643,200 was so called TO
answer the requirements Of the law relating
TO the sinking funds, and $40, 800 for the
purpose Of reducing the public debt by ap-
treasury to that object. OF the bonds thus
called S102, ,269, ,450 became subject under
such calls, 10 redemption prior to Nov 1,
1886. The remainder, amounting to 25,013,-
$50, matured under the calls after that date.
In addition 10 the amount subject TO pay
ment and cancellation prior to Nov. /, there
were also paid before that day certain Of
these bonds, with the interest thereon,
amounting to S5,072,3JO, which were antici-
pated as to their maturity. as 70 which 81
800 had been actually applied prior TO the lst
of November 1886 to the extinguishment Of
our bonded and interest-bearing debt, leav-
ing on that day still outstanding the sum Of
S1,153, 49, i12. of this amount, $50, ,S48, 700
were still represented by three per cent bonds.
They, however, have been, since Nov. 1, or
will at once be further reduced by So, COS 100
being bonds which have been called as al
ready stated. but not redeemed and cancelled
before the latter date.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
During the fiscal year ende June 30, 1856,
there were coined under the compulsory
coinage act Of 1878, 20,S38, ,905 silver dollars,
and the cost Of the silver used in such coin
age was S23, ,44S, ,960.01. There has been
coined up to the close Of the previous fiscal
year under the provisions Of the law 203,-
49,, ,554 silver dollars, and on the first day OF
December, 1886. the total amount Of such
coinage was S247, 131 $40. The Director Of
the Mint reports that at the time Of the pas
sage Of the law Of 1878, directing this coin
age, the Intrinsic value Of dollars thus coined
was ninety-fOur and One-fOurth cents each,
and that on the 3lst 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 at that date was
less than seVenty-twO cents. The price Of
silver on the 30th day Of November last was
such as to make these dollars intrinsieally
worth seyenty-eight cents each. These diff
fluctuations in the price Of silver, and they
certainly do not indicate that compulsory
coinage by the government enhances the
prices Of that commodity or secures uniform
ity In its value. Every fair and legal effort
has been made by the Treasury Department
to distribute this currency among the people.
The withdrawal Of United States Treasury
notes of small denominations and the issu-
ing Of small silver certificates have been re-
sorted to in the endeavOr to accomplish this
ft1f In f.tA 20 h. rnrfn
ments Of the representatives of the people In
the Congress. On the 9th day Of NOyem-
Der, 1886, the people held of these coins, or
certificates representing them, the nominal
sum Of 66,S73,041, and we still had S79,-
464,345 in the Treasury, as against about
and S72, ,S65, ,376 remaining In the Treasury
one year ago. The Director Of the Mint
again urges the. necessity Of more vault room
for the purpose Of storing these silver dol
lars, which are not needed for circulation by
the people. l have seen no reason to change
the views expressed in my last message upon
the subject of this compulsory coinage, and
l again urge its suspension on all the
grounds contained in my former recOmmen-
dation, reinforced by the significant in
crease of our gold expectations during the
last year as appears by the comparative
statement herewith presented, and for the
further reasons that the more this currency
Is distributed among the people the greater
becomes our duty to protect 1t from disaster (;
that we now have abundance for all our
needs, and that there seems but little propri-
ETY. in building vaults to store such currency
when the only pretence for its coinage is the
necessity Of its use by the people as eircu-
lating medium.
CUSTOMS LITIGATION.
The great number Of suits now pending in
the United States courts for the Southern
District Of New York growing out of the
collection Of customs revenue at the port Of
New York, and the number Of such salts
that are almost daily instituted. are certain
ly worthy the attention CT the Congress.
These legal controversies, based upon con-
flicting views by importers and the collector
as 10 the Interpretation OF our present com
plex and indefinite revenue laws, might be
largely obyiated by an amendment of those
laws, but. pending such, the present eondi-
ton Of this legislation should be relieved.
There are now pending about $500 Of these
suits, apd more than 500 have been com
menced within the past 18 months and many
of the others have been at issue for more
than 25 years. These delays subject the
government 10 loss of evidence and prevent
the preparation necessary to defeat unjust
and fictitious claims, while constantly ae-
eruing interest threatens to double the de-
mands involved, and in the present condition
Of the dockets of the courts, well filled with
private suits, and Of the force allowed the
DistrictAtt0rney no greater than Is necessary
for the ordinary and current business Of hi.
Office these revenue litigatiOns cannot be-
Congress of plan for the general reOrgan-
iZation Of the federal courts as has been
heretofore recommended l urge the pro-
priety of passing law permittln the APP
pointment of an additional Fedora Judge In
the district where those government suits
have accumulated, so that by cintinuous
sessions of the courts devoted to the trial Of
Of these cases they may be determined. II
Is entirely plain that great saving to the
government would be accomplished by such
a remedy, and the suitors who have honest
claims would not be denied justice through
delay.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the Secretary Of War gives Q
detailed account of the administration OF hi:
department and contains sundry recommend
ations for the improvement of the service
which fully approve. The army consisted
at the date Of the last consolidated return oi
two thousand one hundred and three officers
and twenty-four thousand nine hundred anC
| forty-six enlisted men. The expenses Of thI
| department for the last fiscal year were s36,
| 99O,003.3S, including S6,294. .305.43 for publi
i works and river and harbor improvements
| | especially direct the attention CT the Con
| gress to the recommendation that officers b
i required to submit TO an examination as
| preliminary to their promotion. see no oh
/ lection, but many advantages, In adOptin
i bHlo lcdlutcs NHitu ildo OpCAhtCu 81 ouctc5c
| fully In our Navy Department, as well as II
some branches OF the army. The subject o
/ coast defences and f0rthcatiOnS has Deel
| fully and carefully treated by the Board o
Fortifcations, whose. report was, submitte'
| at the last session of Congress, but no con
| struction work Of the kind recommended b.
| the board has been possible during the las
| year from lack Of appropriation
for such purpose. The defenceles
condition Of our sea-eOast and lax
| frontier is perfectly palpable; the eS
aminations made must convince US a
that certain of our cities named In the repor
of the board should be fortified, and tina
work on the most important Of these f0rtit
cations should be commenced at once. Tn
work has been thoroughly considered an
laid out, the Secretary Of War reports, bJ
all is delay in default of C0ngreSsiOn;
action. The absolute necessity, Judged
all standards of prudence and foresight,
our preparation for an etfectual resistant
against the armOred ships and steel guns an
mOrtars of modern construction, which ma
threaten the cities on our coast, Is so appa
ent that hope effective steps will be take
in that direction Immediately. The valuab
and suggestive treatment of this question
the Secretary of War is earnestly commend
ed to the consideration of the Congress.
CAPTURED APACHEs.
In September and October last the hOsti
Apaehes, who, under the leadership of G.
ronimo, had for eighteen months been 0
the war path, and during that time had con
mitted many murders and been the cause
constant terror TO the settlers of Arizon
surrendered to General Miles, the milital
| com.nandpr WIN succeeded General CrOOx