The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-12-10
fuence and the protection of the universal Laws
of our country.

| THE PUBLIC DEBT.
The sum paid upon the public debt during the
fiscal year ended June so, 1885, was S44 551 0fs &c.
During the twelve months ended October 81,
/ 1885. 3 per cent bonds were called for redemp.
ton. amounting to S127 2SS 100 of which $50 64S.
| 200 was so called to answer the requirements OF
the law relating to the sinking fund. and
s46,5g9 for the purpose OF reducing the public
| debt by application OF part of the surplus in
/ the treasury to that object. OF the bonds
| thus called S102, 269. $50 became subject under
such calls to redemption prior to November 1,
! 1856. The remainder, amounting to $3.50, 1856 80
matured under the calls after that date. In adj
dltlon to this amount subject to payment and
| cancellation prior to November l there were
| also paid before that day certain of these
| bonds. with the interest thereon amount
! ing to S5,0T2, $50 which were anticipated
| as to the maturity of which s2664,S50 had not
been called. Thus S101,3il,S 500 had been
actually applied prior to the 1st of November,
| 1886, to the extinguishment of our bonded and
interest bearing debt, leaving on that day still
outstanding the sum of 81 .153, 44S,112. OF this
amount SS6, S4S 200 was still represented by per
| cent. bonds. They, however, have been since
! November II, or will at once be, further reduced
! by S226t6,150, being bonds which have been
| called as already stated, but not redeemed and
| cancelled before the latter date.
SILVER COINAGE.
| During the fiscal year ended June 80, 1886,
| there were coined under the Compulsory Silver
Coinage act of 1875 20 SS $40 silver dollars, and
| the cost of the silver used in such coinage was
| SOB AS, 950.01. There had been coined up to the
| close OF the previous fiscal year under the pro-
visions of the law 203 SS2 554 silver dollars, and
| on the 1st day of December, 1886, the total
| amount of such coinage was S247, 49,, $40.
| The Director of the Mint reports that at the
time of the passage of the law of 1878 directing
| this coinage, the intrinsic value of the dollar
thus coined was 9ll4 cents each, and
yer reached the lowest stage ever known, SO
that the intrinsic or bullion price of our
| standard silver dollar at that date was less
than 70 Genus. The price of silver on November
/ nc n m. al nj int
| cally worth IS cents each. These differences in
the value o. the coins represent but the fluctua-
| tons in the price of silver, and they certainly
| do indicate that compulsory coinage by the
| Government enhances the price Of that COM
| modify or secures uniformity in its value.
have seen no reason to change the views
expressed in my last annual message on the
subject of this compulsory coinage, and again
urge its suspension on all the grounds con-
| tanned in my former recommendation, reins
| forced by the significant increase of our gold
| expectations during the last year, and for the
| further reasons that the more this currency is
| distributed among the people the greater be-
comes our duty to protect 1t from Disaster
| that we now have abundance for all our needs;
| and that there seems but little propriety in
| building vaults to store such currency when
| the only pretenSe for its coinage is the neces-
! sity of its use by the people as q circulating
medium.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT
The report of the Secretary of War gives de-
| tailed account of the administration of his de-
| pafGnenG, ana contains Sunury rec0nm6n0a-
| lions for the improvement of the service, which
| [ fully approve. The army consisted, at the
date Of the last consolidated return, OF 21OS
| officers and "a, 946 enlisted men. The expenses
| of the department for the last fiscal year were
$36 900, 9O32S, including 1924 3O549 for public
| works and river and harbor improvements.
| Iespecially direct the attention of the Congress
| to the recommendation that officers be required
| to submit to an examination as q preliminary to
| theirpromotion.
The subject of coast defenses and fortified
tons has been fully and carefully treated by the
| Board on ForttcatiOns, whose report was sub
mitted at the last session of Congress-; but
| construction work of the kind recommended by
| the board has been possible during the last
| year from the lack OF appropriations for such
| purpose The defenseless condition of our sea-
coast and lake frontier is perfectly palpable;
| the examinations made must convince us all
| that certain of our cities named in the report of
| the board should be fortified and that work on
| the most important of these Notifications
| should be commenced at once. The work has
| been thoroughly considered and laid out the
Secretary of War reports, but all is delayed in
| default Of Congressional action. 4;
| THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
| The recommendations Of the Secretary of
| the Interior and the Commissioner of the Gen
| eral Land Office looking to the better protee-
| ton Of public lands and the public surveys, the
| preservation of national forests, the adiudica-
| ton of grants to States and corporations and
| of private land claims and the increased eff
| cheney OF the public land service, are COM
! mended to the attention of Congress.
After an exhaustive review of previous land
| legislation the message continues: In later
| years these laws, through vicious administrat-
! i've methods and under changed conditions of
| communication and transportation, have been
| so evaded and violated that their benefcent
| purpose is threatened with entire defeat.
| The rapid appropriation of our public lands
| without bona tide settlements OF cultivation,
and not only without intention OF residence,
but for the purpose of their aggregation in
| large holdings in many cases in the hands OF
| foreigners. invites the serious and immediate
| attention OF the Congress.
| recommend the repeal of the Presumption
| and Timber Culture acts, and that the Home
| stead laws be SO amended as to better secure
! compliance with and cultivation for the period
| of five years from date Of entry without COM
mutation or provision for speculative reln.
| Quishment. I also recommend the repeal
| OF the Desert Land laws, unless 1t
| shall be the pleasure Of the Congress to 30
| amend these laws as to render them less liable
| to abuse. The facility with which transfers are
made results in land accumulation instead OF
| land distribution, and that the public domain be
| secured to settlers, it may be deemed advisable
| to provide by legislation some guards and
| checks upon the alienation of vested rights and
| lands covered thereby unit! patents issue.
| Last year an Executive proclamation was Is
! sued directing the removal of fences which in
closed the public domain. Many of these have
| been removed, in obedience to such order, but
| much of the public land still remains within the
! lines of these unlawful fences.
| The removal of the fences still remaining,
| which inclose public lands, viii be enforced
| with all the authority and means with which
| the executive branch OF the Government is or
| shall be invested by the Congress for that pur-
| pose.
| GOVERNMENT PENSIONS.
The report of the Commissioner of Pensions
| contains detailed and most satisfactory ex-
| hibit of the operations of the Pension Bureau.
| During the last fiscal year the amount OF work
| done was the largest in any year since the or
| ganiZation of the bureau; and it has been done
| at less cost than during the previous year in
| every division.
| 1t seems to me that no one can examine our
pension establishment and its operations with
| out being convinced that through its tnstTu-
mentality Justice can be very nearly done to
| all who are entitled under present laws 10 the
| pension bounty of the Government But 1t is
undeniable that cases exist well entitled to re-
| lief in which the Pension Bureau is powerless
| to relieve the really worthy cases. THESE condl-
| lions fully justify application TO the Congress
| and special enactments, but resort 10 the
| Congress for q special pension act tc over-rule
| the deliberate and careful determination Of the
| Pension Bureau on the merits or TO secure Ia
| Vorable action when it could not be expected
under the most liberal execution Of general
| laws, it must be admitted opens the door TO al
| loWance Of questionable claims, and presents
| to the legislative and executive branches Of the
| Government applications concededly not within
the law and plainly devoid Of merit, but SO sur
rounded by sentiment and patriotic feeling that
| they are hard to resist.
The American people, with a patriotic and
| grateful regard for our eX-soldiers too broad
advocates are not only willing, but anxious that
| equal and exact justice should be done to all
honest claimants for pensions. In their sight
/ the friendlesS and destitute soldier dependent
on public charity if otherwise entitled, has pre-
| cisely the same right to share in the provision
made for those VINO fought their country's bat
| ties as those better able, through friends and
| influence, to push their claims. Every pension
! that is granted under our present plan upon any
/ other grounds than actual service, injury dis
ease incurred in such service, and every in
| stance of the many in which pensions are in
creased on other grounds than the merits OF the
claim, work an injustice to the brave and Grip
| Pied but poor and friendless soldier who Is
| tirely neglected, or who must be content with
| the smallest sum allowed under general laws.
| Every consideration of fairness and justice TO
our ex-soldiers, and the protection OF the patTi-
| otto instincts Of our citizens from perVersion
/ and violence, point to the adoption Of pension
system broad and comprehensive enough to
| cover every contingency, and which shall n axe
unnecessary an Objectionable volume Of special
| legislation. As long as we adhere to the prin-
| ciple OF granting pensions for service
| and disability the result OF the service, the
| allowance of pensions should be restricted to
| cases presenting these features. Every patrf-
| otto heart responds to tender consideration FOR
those who, having served their country long and
| well, are reduced to destitution and dependence,
not as an incident Of their service but with adj
vancing age, or through sickness or misfortune.
Il g.