Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-12-12

promptly but very considerably enacted
THE TARIFF.
/ recommend q revision of our tariff law,
both In its administrative features and in tho
schedules. The need OF the former Is generally
conceded, and AN agreement upon the evils and
inconvenience 10 be remedied and the best
methods for their correction Will probably not
be diffleult Uniformity Of valuation NJ all oul
ports is essential, and effective measures should
be taken To secure 1t. II is equally desirable
that questions affecting rates and classliicA
tons should be promptly decided
The preparation Of a new schedule Of customs
duties is d matter Of great delicacy because Of
its effect upon the business OF the country, OF
great difIiculty by reason Of the wide divergence
OF opinion To the objects that may be pro
NOTED by such legislation. Some disturbance
OF business may perhaps result from considers
tion OF this subject BY Congress, but this TEN
porary illeifect will be reduced TO minSnum
by prompt action and the assurance which the
country enjoys that any necessary changes
will be so made as not to impair the just and
reasonable protection of our home industries.
The inequalities Of the law should be adj
iusted, but the protective principle should be
maintained and fairly applied to the products OF
our farms as well as our shops. These duties
necessarily have relation to other things be
sides the public revenues. We can not limit
their effects by fixing our eyes on the public
Treasury alone They have a direct relation 10
home production, to work, 10 wages and to the
commercial independence of our country, and
the wise and patriotic legislator should enlarge
the field of his vision TO include all of these.
The necessary reduction in our public reve
nfles can, ] am sure, be made without making
the smaller burden more onerous than the
larger by reason Of the disabilities and limita
lions which the process OF reduction puts upon
both capital and labor The free list can very
safely be extended by placing thereon articles
that do not offer Injurious competition 10 such
domestic products as our home labor can sup
ply. The removal OF the internal tax upon 10
bacco would relieve an important agricultural
product from burden which was imposed only
because our revenue from customs duties was
{nsnf1Pipnf for the nlnlc needs. III safe DrOV1S,
ion against fraud can be devised the removal OF
the tax upon spirits used Ia ths arts and in
manufactures would also offer an unOrieltion
able method OF reducing the surplus.
NATIONAL. BANK CIRCULATION.
A table presented by the Secretary Of the
Treasury, showing the amount OF money OF all
kinds in circulation each year from 1873 TO the
present time, Is OF interest. 1t appears that the
amount of National Bank notes IN circulation
has decreased during that period STA, iO9, 729 OF
which 49, 100, 299 Is chargeabe 10 the last year.
The withdrawal Of bank circulation Will neeess
sarily continue under existing conditions.
The total amount of money of all kinds In
circulation on March /, 1873, was SSO5, 1913 SO7,
while on october !, 1880, the total was 81 ,405,-
01S0O0. The amount per capita increased about
Ave dollars during this time.
THE SILVER DOLLAR
The law requiring the purchase by the Treas
ury of a. 000OU worth OF silver bullion each
month 10 be coined into silver dollars OF 412Is
grains has been observed by the department
but neither the present Secretary, nor any OF
his predecessors, has deemed il safe TO exercise
the discretion given by law TO Increase TINS
monthly purchases TO 100000. When the
law was enacted February ~ 1879, the
price of silver in the market was 81 20 40
per ounce making the bullion value Of the dol
lar Q3 cents Since that time the price has fallen
as low as 9l2 cents per ounce, reducing the bull
ion value of the dollar to 700 cents. Within the
last few months the market price has some
what advanced and on the LIST day OF Novem-
Der last the bullion value Of the silver dollar
was ~ cents, The evil anticipations which
have accompanied The coinage and use Of the
silver dollar have not been realized.
AS coin IL has not had general
use, and the public treasury has
been compelled 10 store il. But this is mani
testify owing to the fact that its paper repre-.
sentative is more convenient The general &C
ceptance and use OF the silver certificate show
that silver has not been otherwise disoredited.
Some favorable conditions have contributed To
maintain this practical equality in their com.
mercial use between the gold ana silver dol
lars. But some Of these are trade conditions
that statutory enactments do not control ana
of the continuance of which we con not be GER
tain.
/ think It is clear that il we should make
coinage of silver at present rates free we must
expect that the difference in bullion values Of
the gold and silver dollars Will be taken account
of in commercial transactions and ! fear the
same result would follow any considerable in
crease of the present rate OF coinage such a
result would be discreditabe to our financial
management and disastrous to all business in
terests. We should NOT tread the
u IL
and indeed, nothing more harmful
could happen to the silver interests. Any safe
legislation upon this subject must secure the
equality of the two coins in their commercial
uses. ! have always been an advocate OF the
use OF silver in our currency. We are large pro
ducers of that metal and shnald not discredit il.
To the plan which will DO presented ny the
Secretary Of the Treasury for issuance OF notes
OF certificates upon the deposit Of silver bullion
at it's market value ! have been able to
give only hasty examination owing to the
press of other matters and TO the TACT That
1t has been so recently formulated. The details
OF such law require careful consideration, but
the general plan suggested By him seems to
satisfy the purpose-to continue the use OF
the same time TO obyiate the danger Of which
have spoken. At later day l may e0mmuni.
cate further with Congress upon this subject.
OUR COAST DEFENSEs.
Judged by modern standards we are practi-
cally without coast defenses. The security OF
our coast cities against foreign attack should
not rest altogether in the friendly disposition
OF other nations There should be second
line wholly in our own keeping. | very urgent
ly recommend an appropriation al this session
for the construction OF such works IN our most
exposed harbors as will afford ample protection.
RIVERS AND HARBORS
The Improvement of our important rivers and
harbors should be prompted by the necessary
appropriations. Care should be taken thai the
Government is not committed to the prosecu-
tion OF works not of public and general advan-
tage and that the relative usefulness OF
works of that class is not overlooked do not
doubt the end would be sooner and more eco
nomicaly reached if fewer separate works
were undertaken al the same time, and those
selected for their greater general interest were
more rapidly pushed to completion
PROTECTION OF FEDERAL OFFICERS
Referring to the personal attack upon Justice
Field by David s. Terry in August last and the
killing of the latter by Deputy Marshal Nagle,
the President recommends that some definite
provision be made by law, not only for the pro.
lection of Federal officers but for full trial OF
such cases in the United States courts. The
duty OF protecting its officers as such ana OF
Furnishing those who assault them on account
OF their official acts should not be deYolyed ex-
prassly or by acquiescence upon the local au.
thoritieS.
tenton. happening in other parts of the coun-
try have also suggested the propriety Of ex-
tending by legislation fuller protection 20 those
who may be called as witnesses in the courts OF
the United States,
The question Of trusts is considered and the
President says that when they are organized
for the purpose of depressing healthy cOmpett.
tion or 10 monopolize the production or sale OF
an article Of general necessity they become dam
gerous conspiraces against the public good and
should be made the subject of prohibitory and
even penal legislation.
NATuRALIzATIoS LAWS.
Our naturalization laws should be so revised
as TO make the inquiry into the character and
good disposition towards our government OF
the persons applying for citizenship more
thorough. Those who come 70 our shSres to
swell the injurious influences and TO extend
the evil practices OF any association that de-
fies our laws should not only be denied citizen
ship but a dOmicile.
A BANkRUPTcY LAW
The enactment of a National bankrupt law Of
a character to be o permanent part Of our legls-
lation is desirable. II should be simple IN It's
method and Inexpensive In its administration.
POSTAL SERVICE AND NAVY
The President cOncurs In the suggestions
fTs.,k Tro4v n.e.1
mastcr-Gcneral Wanamaker in their annual re-
ports % methods TO increase the strength Of our
naval force and improve the efficiency OF the
postal service.
The report OF the Secretary Of the Interior
exhibits the transactions Of the Government
with the Indian tribes Substantial progress
has been made in the education Of the chill
dren Of school age andin the allotment of lands
To adult Indians. our treaty StipuHtions should
be observed with fidelity and our legislation
should be highly considerable Of the best inter
ests Of an ignorant and helpless people
The reservations are nos generally SURROUND
ed by white settlements, We can no longer
psish the Indian back into the wilderness, and
il remains only, by every suitable agency, 10
push him upward into the tn ate oi q selfsup-
porting and responsible citizen. For the adult
the first step is 20 locate him upon farm, and
for the child 10 place him in a school School at
tendance should be promoted By every
moral agency. and these falling. should
be compulsory. The National schools
.or Indians have been very successful and
should be multiplied. and as far as possible
should be so organized ana conducted as 10
sacilitate the transfer Of the schools to the
States or Territories in which they are located
when the Indians in a neighborhOod have &c
cepted citizenship and have become otherwise
fitted for such q transfer.
The agreement between the Sioux Indians
and the commission appointed 70 negotiate for
the release Of the lands belonging to that tribe
viii be transmitted to Congress In due time.
BY that agreement about au1ig1u acres is re
leased to the Cove amsnt. No results have Is
yet been obtained - ! result q the negotiations