Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-04

of Sll4 lO9 72s in bank circulation and of $685.
4Sl in subsidiary silver. The net increase was
$3.50 224 1eS. The circulation per capita mas III
creased about five dollars during the time COW
cred by the table referred to. The total coinage
of silver dollars was, on November J, 1852 s5i5,-
63s DOL of which S2SS, 5S952l, were in the Treas
ury vaults. and S60O9S $50 were in circulation
Of the amount in the vaults S2I1 ,2ly,9H were
represented by outstanding silver certificates,
leaving Sc 217 ST. not in circulation and not rep
resented by cernhcates.
SILVER.
The law requiring the purchase by the Treas
Frv-y of two million dollars worth of silver
bullion each month, to be coined into silver
dollars OF 4l215 grains. has been observed by the
Department. But neither the present Secretary
NOR any Of his predecessors has deemed 1t safe
to exercise the discretion given by the law 10
increase the monthly purchases TO four mllhon
dollars. When the law was enacted FEBRUARY
rs, 1873 the price or silver in the market was
81 20 4-l9 per ounce, making the bullion Falue OF
the dollar % cents. Siuce thai time The price
has fallen as low as 9l2 cents per oune :, reduc-
ing the bullion value of the dollar TO 100 cents
Within the last few months the prlce mas SOME
what advanced, and on the LIST day OF NoVeth-
Der last the bullion value OF the silver doliar
was 70 cents The evil an1cipauonS winch
have accompanied the coinage and use oil sliveS
hare not been realized. AS colnlt mas not haa
general use, and the public Treasury has been
compelled to store it. But this is manliestly
owing 10 the fact that It's paper representative
is more convenient. The general acceplance
|
has hot been otherwise discredited. Some Ia
vorable conditions have contributed to main
tain this practical equality in their CONNER
cial use between the gold and silver a. liars DuI
some of these are trade conditions that statutory
enactments do not CONTROL and OF the contlnu-
anee of which we cannot be certain
| | think it is Gear that If we should make the
| coinage of silver at present ratio Tree we must
| expect the difference in the bullion values OF
| gold and liver dollars viii be taken account OF
| IN commercial transactions, and tear the same
result would follow any considerable lncrea lS
| of the present rate OF coinage. Sucn result
would be discreditable to our hnanelal manage
ment and disastrous to all business interests
We should not tread the dangerous edge OF sucn
| a peril, and indeed, nothing more harmful
| could happen to the silver interests, ana safe
| legislation upon this subject must secure the
| ecu Atty of the two coins in the commercial
uses. 1t has always been advocated LOT the use
of silver in our currency that we are large pro
ducers of that metal and should not dlscredlt IL
To the plan which will be presented blythe Sec
rotary of the Treasury Tor the Issuance OF notes
of certificates upon the deposit OF silver bullion
at its market value l have been able TO give
only hasty examination, owing 10 the press OF
other matters and to the fact 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 pur-
pose to continue the use OF silver IN connection
with our currency, and at the same time 10 Cd
viste the danger OF which have spoken. At Il
later day may communicate further with Con
gress upon this subject
EVASION OF THE CHINESE EXCLUSION LAW
The enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion
Act has been found to be very difficult on the
Northwestern frontier. Cinnamon landing at
Victoria find it easy 20 pass our border, owing
to the impossibility of the force at the command
of the Customs officers in guarding so long
an in ana line. The Secretary OF the treasury
has authorized the employment of additional
| forces. who will be assigned to this duty and
every effort viii be made to enforce the law.
The Dominion exacts a head tax of $50 for each
| ChiDaman landed, and when these persons in
fraud of our law cross into our Territory and are
| apprehended, our officers do not know what to
| do with them, as the Dominion authorities VIII
not suffer them to be sent back without a sec
| ond tax. An effort will be made to reach an
understanding that will remove this ditlculty.
ssAL K1LLING-REFUGE STATION.
| The proclamation required by Section 30, of
| the Act of March 3 1882 relating to the killing
of seals and other iur-bearing animals, was is
sued by me on on the Dist day of March, and a
| revenue vessel dispatched to enforce the laws
aud protect the interests of the United S'ate7.
| The establishment of refuge station at Point
Barrow, as directed by Congress, was subse-
| quently accomplished.
COAST DEFENsEs.
Judged by modern standards, we are practi-
| cally without coast defeDses. Many of the
| structures we have would enhance rather than
diminish the peris of their gsrrisons, if sub
| iected to the fire of improved guns, and very
| few are so located as to give full effect to me
| for coast defense use. This general subject has
| had consideration in Congress for some years,
and the appropriation for the construction OF
| large riled guns made one year ago was, am
sure. the expression OF purpose to provide
| suitable works in which these guns might be
mounted. An appropriation now made for that
purpose would not advance the completion OF
| the works beyond our ability TO supply them
with effective guUs. The security of our coast
| cite, against foreign attacks should not rest
| altogether in the friendly appearance of other
nations. There should be a second line holly
| i'll our own keeping. urgently recommend an
| appropriation at this session for the construc-
| ton OF such works in our much exposed har-
| bors.
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
| approve the suggestion of the Secretary of
War that provisions be made for encamping
companies of our National Guards in our coast
wo ks tor specified time each year, and Tor
| their training in the use OF heavy guns His
suggestion that increase of the artillery force
of the army is desirable is ais, in this connee-
ton, commended TO the consideration of Con
gress.
OUR RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
The improvement of our important rivers and
| our harbors should be promoted by the neces
| sary appropriations. Care should be taken that
| the Government is not committed to the prose-
cution of works not OF a public and general ad-
vantage. and that the relative usefulness of the
works of this class is not overlooked. 80 far as
this work can ever be said to be completed, 90
| not doubt that the end would be sooner snd
more economically reached ii fewer separate
works were undertaken at the same time, And
those selected for their greater general interest
were more rapidly pushed to completion. A
work once considerably begun should not be
subjected to the risk and deterioration which
an interrupted or insufficient appropriation
| necessarily occasions
PROTECTION OF FEDERAL OFFICERS.
The assault msde by David :. Terry on the
person of Justice Field of the Supreme Court of
the United States at Lathrop, California, in Au-
gust last, and the killing OF the assallant by
a Deputy United States Marshal, who had been
depuled to accompany Justice Field and protect
HIM from violence at the hands OF Terry, Ia
connection with the legal prOce dings which
have followed, suggest questions which, in my
judgment are worthy the attention OF Congress.
l recommend that more definite provision be
made By law not only for the protection OF
Federal officers, but tor the full lri 4 for such
cases in the United states Courts.
In recommending such legislation, do not
impeach either the gene cal adequacy OF the pro
vision made by the state laws for the protection
OF ali citizens the general disposition of those
charged with the execution OF such laws to give
pro. ection to the officers of the United States.
The duty of protecting its officers as sucn. aud
Furnishing those who assault them on account
OF their official acts should not be devolved eX
pressly, or by acquiescence, upon the local au-
thoTities
PROTECTING WITNESSES.
Events which have been brought to my at
tention happening i'll other parts OF the country
by legislation, fuller protection to those who
may be called as witnesses in the Courts of the
United States The law compels those who are
! supposed to have knowledge of public offenses
to attend upon our Courts and Grand lures and
give evidence, and there is manifest resulting
duty that these witnesses shall be protected
from injury on account OF their testimony. Inc
investigations of Grim nal otfenses are often
rendered futile, and they often go unpublished,
! it being made impossible by the intimidation OF
witnesses.
INTERMEDIATE COUETS.
The necessity OF providing some more speedy
methods for disrOsng of cases which now come
up for final adjudgment to the Supreme Cours
becomes every year more apparent and urgent.
The plan of providing some intermediate
Courts having final appellate jurisdiction OF
certain classes of questions and cases, has,
think, received a more general approval from
the Bench and Bar OF the eoun ~ than any
other.
without attempting to discuss the details, ]
recommend that provision should be made foI
the establishment of such Courts.
SALARIES OF DISTRICT JUDGES.
The salaries of the Judges of the Distric'
Courts in many of the districts, are, in my Judg
, ment inadequate. / recommend that all such
salaries now below 5000 per annum be in
creased to that amount. 1t is quite true that
| the amount of labor performed BY these Judges
is very unequal, but as they cannot properly en-
gage IN other pursuits to supplement their In
! come the salary should be such in all cases as
to provide an independent aud comfortable
support