The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-12-10


not be difficult. Uniformity of valu-
ton at all our ports is essential, and
effective measures should be taken to
secure it. 1t is equally desirable that
questions affecting rates and classified
tions should be promptly decided.
The preparation of a new schedule
of customs duties is a matter of great
delicacy, because of its direct effect
upon the business Of the country. and
of great difficulty, by reason of the
wide divergence of opinion as to the
object that may properly be promoted
by such legislation. Some disturb
ance of business may, perhaps, result
from the consideration of this subject
by Congress, but this temporary effect
will be reduced to the minimum by
prompt action and by the assurance
which the country already enjoys that
any necessary changes will be so
made as not to impair the just and
reasonable protection of our home in
dustries. q4u
The inequalities Of the law should
be adjusted, but the protective prinei-
pies. should be maintained and fairly
applied to the products of our farms
as well as OF u shops.
These duties necessarily have rela-
ton to other things besides the public
revenues. We cannot limit their
effects by fixing our eyes on the public
treasury alone. They have a direct
relation to, home productions, to work,
to wages, and to the commercial indie
pendence of our country; and the wise
and patriotic legislator should enlarge
the field of his vision to include all
of these x & x x
Of free whisky and tobacco the
President says: "The removal of the
internal tax upon tobacco would re-
lieve an important agricultural pro.
duct from a burden which was i'm
posed only because our revenue from
custom duties was insufficient for the
public needs. If safe provision against
fraud can be devised the removal of
the tax upon spirits used in the arts
and in manufactures, would also offer
an unobjectionable method of reduc-
ing the surplus"
The President pays his respects to
trusts as follows: Earnest attention
should be given by Congress to a con-
sideration of the question how far the
restraint of those combinations of
capital commonly called "trusts" is a
matter of federal jurisdiction. When
organized, as they often are, to crush
out all healthy competition, and to
monopolize the production or sale of
an article of commerce and general
necessity, they are dangerous con
spiracies against the public good, and
should be made the subject of pro-
hibitory and even penal legislation "
Our naturalization laws should be
revised, says Mr. Harrison. "Those
who are the avowed enemies of social
order, who come to our shores to swell
the injurious influence and extend the
evil practices of any association that
defes our laws, should not only be
denied citizenship, but a domicile."
LIZ 1dNO1S a OoAA4 OPU NV" LILO
enactment of a national bankrupt law,
of a character to be a permanent part
of our general legislation, is desirable.
It should be simple in its methods and
inexpensive in it's administration"
Speaking of the Agricultural De-
partment, MI. Harrison uses this Ian
guage: The creation of an executive
department to be known as the de-
partment of agriculture, by the act of
February 9th last, was a wise and
timely response to a request which
had long been respectfully urged by
the farmers of the country. But much
remains to be done to perfect the or
ganization of the department so that
it may fairly realize the expectations
which it's creation excited. In this
connection attention is called to the
suggestions contained in the report of
the secretary, which is herewith sub
mitted. The need of law officer for
the department, such as is provided
for in the other executive departments,
is manifest. The failure of the last
Congress to make the usual provision
for the publication of the annual re.
port should be promptly remedied.
The public interest in the report and
it's value to the farming community I
am sure will not be diminished under
the new organization of the depart
ment.
I recommend that the weather SER
vice be separated from the war de-
partment and established as a bureau
in the department of agriculture. This
will involve an entire re-organ-
ization both of the weather bureau
and of the signal corps, making of the
first a purely civil organization and of
the other a purely military staff corps.
The report of the chief signal officer
shows that the work of the corps on
its military side has been deteriOrat-