Griggs courier., 1888-12-14

country could absorb, 1t would return to the
be held there until business again called for
it. Thus the countrys silver Circulation
would be regulated BY it's business demand,
citation. II such safeguard ls not adopted,
and the silver dollar Is allowed to lose part OF
its purchasing power, the people will demand
purchase, and furthermore, the use by the
Government of the whole or a portion OF the
silver. coinage profits for the redemption Of
the silver dollars which are held by them.
The report criticses coin certificates as be-
ing costly form of money. Last year the cost
Of issuing the s1o5,ooo,ooo was about s4s,,ooo.
The loss by the abrasion OF the com, II 1t was
in circulation, would not equal the cost OF the
cert fcates; on the whole. Think IT may be said
that the currency OF the country would be more
safe and more economical II the coin were
IN actual circulation instead OF being held
by the Government on pledge against out
standing ceruficales, as IS now the case But
whatever may be thought about the Sdom OF
the certificate system there can be no doubt
that with it the further coinage Of gold and sill
ver, except subsidiary coin, is not necessary or
metals should be only in the form OF bullion,
VIII ch can be kept more safely and counted
was adopted all but one Of our nints might be
closed, and large, useless expense be saved an
nually.
PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS REVIEWED.
The Secretary reviews former recommends.
tions for the remedying ofimportant defects in
the customs laws which render it practically
impossible to correct many evils and inequali-
ties which have long affected the system.
II is gratifying to be able to show q further
reduction IN the percentage cost OF collecting
the customs revenue; during the past year It
was 294 per cent; for the year 1885 it was 377
per cent. renew the recommendation made
last year. and repeatedly made by my prede-
ccssors, for the consolidation OF customs dis
tricts and the abolition Of useless customs es-
adjustments.
FoRE1dN COMMERCE
The total value OF the imports and exports OF
the last fiscal year, when compared with that
of the fiscal year 1887, shows an increase Of
EO, 992, 322S.
The value OF our exports OF domestic mer-
chandise during the last fiscal year were less
than that OF 1887 by $40, l6O.Sl9.
The total value OF the imports OF merchan-
disc increased from $500 1873 76s in 1887 to f7 g.,
951. ia in 1855, being an increase of s3l l6s1346,
or per cent, OF which s9S5O,4S4 represents
the increase in the value OF FREQ merchandise,
and &l. .7s6,SG2 the increase in the value OF
duuable imports.
articles and classes OF articles imported was an
increase In the duty collected on manufactures
OF wool; fax, hemp, lute, and manufactures Of;
and potates; and a falling of in the duty col
lected imports OF sugar, molasses and con.
feet onery, raw wool and IRON ore.
For the year 1887 the total vaiues Of imported
articles entered for consumption was s450, ,3a5,-
32l.55, the duty collected being s212. 032 423 80.
Our foreign commerce, carried in vessels OF
the United States, measured by Its value, has
steadily declined from is per cent. in 1856 to
less than IL per cent. in 1883. Even OF this
small percentage only So per cent. was carried
i'll steam vessels bearing our flag.
IMMIGRATION STATISTICS
The receipts of capitation tax for the year
ending June 30 1888, were s291, 1880. The ex-
penditures on account OF Immigration du' ng
alien passengers coming into the United
State, by steam or sail vessels from oreign
countries other than the Dominion Of
ending June 80, 1883. was $3.50, Of
which number 2',6 were tourists or al ems not
intending to stay in the Ulited States In the
year ending June 30, 1888, the total number OF
immigrants arriving at the various ports was
SEQ 333, OF whom 343, TIA were males. OF these
LIS were returned for the following causes:
Convicts, Is: lunatlcs, 70; idiots, 10: liable to
become public charges, l0ll.
NAVIGATION.
The Bureau OF Navlgat on reports small
increase during the last fiscal year in the ton
mage Of the country, arising from the building
OF vessels, chiefly for the coasting trade. The
tonnage built during the previous year was
$50, 45O tons, while that built during the past
year was 2lS0S6 tons comparing favorably, &C.
cordlng to the statst cs available, with the
amount built during that time in Austria, Bel
GUM, Denmark, France, Germany the Neither
lands, Italy, Russia and Sweden combined The
amounts in either case, however, are small as
compared with the tonnage built in the United
Kingdom, where, on the 30th OF June, 1888, 377
vessets, OF Cos, llS tons gross, were under con-
struct on. 1t is useless to expect any mater al
increase in the building OF iron and steel steam
vessels in this country for the foreign trade
under present conditions Were all the
strictions OF the tariff removed, the business
would still be hampered by the higher cost Of
the completed vessel as compared with the ex-
pense OF similar snip built upon the Clyde or
at Belfast.
INTERNAL REVENUE RECE,p PTS,
The receipts from the several objects OF in
terna. taxation during the last two fiscal years.
as reported by the Commissioner OF Internal
Revenue, are as follows:
OBJECTS Fiscal year ended June So