Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-06

| recommended TO organize ana equip consular
has established diplomatic representation at this
capital, and has evidenced every great interest III
The enterprise and achievements OF our cltlzens
| | am. therefore, hopeful that benehclai CONNER
ciaI relations between the two countries may be
| brought about.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES.
AS authorized by the congress preliminary steps
have been taken for the asSemblage at this CAPT
tai during the coming year, on the representatives
| of South and Central American states, together
with those of Mexico, Hayti and San Domingo, to
discuss sJIndry important monetary and CONNER
cial topics excepting in those cases where from
reasons of contiguity of territory and the exist
ence Of a border line incapable of being guarded
reciprocal commercial treaties may be found ex-
pedient.
1t is believed that commercial politics inducing
| freer mutual exchange of products can be most
advantag eouSl y arranged by independent but CO.
operative legislation In the mode last mentioned
the control of over taxation for revenue will be al
| ways retained IN our own hands unrestricted by
| conventional agreements with the governments.
In conformity also with COL gressional authority.
the maritime powers have been invited to confer in
Washington IN April next upon the practicability
| Of devising uniform rules and measures for the
greater security of life and property at sea. 4
disposition to accept on the part OF number of
the powers has already been manifested, and If
the cooperation Of the nations chiefly interested
shall be secured important results may be conf
IDENTIFY anticipated
TONNAGE DUTIES
The act of June &C. 1884, and the acts amenda-
tory thereof IN relation to the tonnage duties have
given rise TO extended correspondence with foreign
| nations with whom we have existing treaties of
| navigation and commerce, and have caused wide
| the imposition of the duties referred to. These
| questions are important and l shall make them
the subject of special aud more detailed COM
munlcatIon at the present session.
NATURALIZATION LAWS.
| With the rapid increase of immigration to our
Shores and the facilities of modern travel abuses
of the generous privileges afforded by our natur-
alization laws call for their careful revision The
easy and unguarded manner in which certificates
| of American citizenship can now be obtained, has
! induced class, unfortunately large, to avail
| themselves Of the opportunity to become absolved
from allegiance to their native lands and yet by 6
foreign residence to escape any Just duty and con
tribution Of service to the country of their pro
| posed adoption. Thus, while evadlng the duties
OF citizenship to the United States, they may make
prompt claim for its national protection, and de-
mand its intervention in their behalf. International
| complications of a serious nature arise, and the
correspond nce of the state department disclOseS
| the great Amber and completely of the questions
winch winch nave ceen raised. our laws regIatng the
| issue of passports should be carefully revised,
and the institution of central bureau of registra-
ton at the capital is again strongly recommended.
By this means full particulars OF each of nat
uralization in the United States would be secured
! and properly indexed and recovered, and thus
many cases of spurious citizenship would be de-
tected, and unjust responsibilities would be
avoided.
The reorganization for the consular service is
matter of serious importance to our national in
| terests. The number of existing principal con-
sular offices is believed to be greater than is at all
necessary for the conduct of the public business.
1t is not our policy to maintain more than
moderate number of principal offices, each sup
ported by salary sufficient to enable the lncum-
bent to live in comfort and so distributed as to
| cure the convenient supervision through subordI-
nate agencies of affairs over a considerable dis
| trict. / repeat the recommendations heretofore
|
maintenance of our diplomatic and consular ser
vice should be recast. that the so-caled notarlaI
or unofficial fees which our representatives abroad
are now permitted to treat as personal perquisltes
| should be forbidden. That system of consular
inspection should be instituted and that q limited
humber of secretaries of legation at large should
| be authorized
! FOOD ADULTERATIoN.
| An exhaustive study has also within the Sa me
! i.eiiod been undertaken of the subject of food
! adulteration and the best analytical methods
| for detecting it, A part of the results of this
! work has already been published by the depart
| ment, which, with the matter in course of
preparation will make the most complete treatise
on the subject that has ever been published in
any country.
| CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
Preparations for the centennial celebration Oh
! April 30, 1889, of the inauguration Of George
! Washington as President OF the United States.
| at the city of New York, have been rladc by a
| cality, and believing that an opportunity should
be afforded for the expression of the interest felt
throughout the country with this event, respect
fully recommend fitting and cooperate action by
| congress on behalf of the people of the United
States.
THE TREASURY
The report of the secretary of the treasury ex-
IFS in detail the condition of our national finan-
AID the operations of the several branches Of
the government related to his department. The
total ordinary revenues of the government for the
| fiscal sc2r ended June Both, 1883, amounted to
| 1919 266, 01476; of which $4,000, 1883 re-
ceived from custom duties and S124, 296, 81 .98
! from internal revenue taxes. The total receipts
from all sources exceeded those for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1887, by 1885,. 10. The ordi-
nary expenditures of the fiscal year ending June
90 1885, were S259 653, 95S 60 leaving surplus of
S119612, 1862. The decrease in the expenditures
| as compared with the fiscal year ended June 30,
| 1887 was S8,278,220.30
Notwithstanding the payment Of more than five
million dollars, for pensions in excess OF what was
paid for that purpose in the latter mentioned
year. the revenues of the government for the
year ending June 30th, 1889, aScertained for the
quarter ended September Both, 1883 and estimated
for the ren1ainer of the time amount to S377 co.,,
600 and the actual estimated ordinary expenditures
for the same year are 1913 100000, leaving an esti
| mated surplus of S104,00o,000.
The estimated receipts for the year ending June
co. $780, S3?7. 600, 0G0 and the estimated Ordi-
nary expenditures for the same time, are S275, 49,
1884, showing surplus of S1O1, 232, 511 sc. The
! foregoing statements of surplus do not take into
account the sum necessary to be expended to
! meet the requirements of the sinking fund account
/ amounting to more than SAL, Co., 600 annually. The
cost of collecting the customs revenues for the
last fiscal year, was PA per cent For the year
1885, it was BIT per cent.
i The excess of internal revenue taxes collected
during the fiscal year over these collected for the
year ended June 30 1887, was S. 469, 174.26, and
the cost of collecting this revenue decreased from
q of one per cent in 1887 to less than Is of one
per 1eR f2T s ae d tax e eQ 4eaT end ed
June 30, 1887, and 1854, 1888 for the following
year
The requirements of the sinking fund act have
been met for the year ended June 30, 1888, and
for the current year, also, by the purchase OF
bonds After complying with TINS law, as posi-
lively required, and bonds sufficient for that pur-
pose had been bought at premium, it was not
deemed prudent to further eXpend Tie surplus IN
such purchases until the authority to 90 SO should
be more explicit. A resolution, however, having
been passed by both houses of congress removing
all doubt as to executive ut!'Ilty, daily pur
| chaSeS of bonds were commence on the S3d Gay
of April, 1888, and have continued until the pres
! ent time By this plan bonds Of the government.
not yet due, have been purchased up 70
and including the S0th day Of November,
1885, amounting to S94700, 40 me premium nl
paid thereon amounting to 81, 500, 613G8 The
premium added to the principal OF theSe DohuS
represents an investment yielding Sn0uJ : per
cent interest for the time they Still mad TO run,
and the saving to the government represented by
the difference between the amount OF interest at
| per cent upon the sum paid for principal ana
premium and what 1t would nave Pald Ior L[e res,
,at the rate specified in the bonds If they had run
| to their maturity is about 81 165,UUp. AC IfSU
sight this would seem to be profitable and sensible
transaction on the part of the government; ouI as
suggested by the secretary of the treasury the sur
plus thus expended for the purchase OF oondS was
money drawn from the people In excess OF any
actqal need OF government anu NE TtS 80 fI tn9S
Rather than allow it to remain ldie Ia tne Ireaa.
ury, if the surplus under the operation OF Just
and equal laws, had been left in the hands OF tne
people 1t would have been worth IN 11elr BUSINESS
at least six per cent per annum Deductlng from
the amount of interest upon the principal and
premium of these bonds for the Tune they are "