River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-05


duties Il matter of great delieacy because OF
It's effect upon the business OF the country. OF
great difficulty by reason OF the wide divergence
OF opinion as TO the objects that may be pro
NOTED by such legislation. Some disturbance
OF business may perhaps result from considera-
ton OF THIS subject By congress- out THIS tenn
porary il-efeet will be reduced to a minimum
by prompt action and the assurance which the
country enjoys that any necessary changes
win De 80 made as not 10 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
mainl aimed and fairly applied 10 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 to
home production. To work, to wages and To the
commercial independence OF our country, and
the wise and patriotic legislator should enlarge
the field oil his vision to include all OF these.
The necessary reduction in our public reve-
nues can, / am sure be made without making
the smaller burden more onerous than the
larger by reason OF the disabilities and hmita-
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 to.
bacco would relieve an important agricultural
product from a burden which was imposed only
because our revenue from customs duties was
ion against fraud can be devised the removal of
the tax upon spirits used IN the arts and in
manufactures would also ofIcr an nnoDlectlon'
able method OF reducing the surplus.
NATIONAL BANK CIRCULATION.
table presented by the Secretary Of the
Treasury, showing the amount or money or all
present time Is OF interest. IL appears that the
amount OF National Bank notes III circulation
has decreased during that period Sil4 iOs,7s Of
which 81 .pQ 23q is clargeaDlc 10 the last year
The withdrawal Of bank circulation will neces-
saIily continue under existing conditions.
The total amount Of money OF all kinds In
- ~tIl
while OH October I. 1899 the total was 81 ,40d.-
0iS0O. The amount per capita increased about
five dollars during this time
TuE SILVER DOLLAR.
The law requiring the purchase by the Treas
ury OF ~ G00UO worth OF silver bullion each
month 10 be coined into silver dollars OF il2il
grains has been observed by the department;
hut neither the present Secretary nor any OF
his predecessors. has deemed il safe 10 exercise
the discretion given by law 10 increase the
monthly purchases TO SitOD0O. When the
law Was enacted February ~. 1879. the
price OF silver in the market was tl.D 40
per ounce. making the bullion value OF the dol
lar 90 cents Since that time the price has fallen
as low as el9 cents per ounce, reducing the bull
ion value Of the dollar 10 'Oo cents. Within the
last few months the market price has some
what advanced and ON the lst day OF Novem-
Der last the bullion value OF the silver dollar
was ;2 cents. The evil antlcipations which
have accompanied the coinage ana use OF The
As coin il has not had general
use and the public treasury has
been compelled TO store IL But THIS Is mani
testify owing To the fact that its paper repre-
sentative is more convenient. The general ac-
ceptance and use OF the silver certificate show
that silver has not been otherwise diseredited.
Some favorable conditions have contributed 10
maintain this practical equality in their com
mercal use between the gold aud silver dol
lars Hut some OF these are trade conditions
that statutory enaoiments do not control and
OF the continuance OF which We can not be GER
tain.
col of all AZ DrPSPut rates free
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
result would De discreditable to our financial
management and disastrous 10 all business IN
terests We should not tread the
dangerous edge OF such peril,
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 should not discredit il.
To the plan which will be presented by the
Secretary OF the Treasury for 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 ana 70 the fact that
Il has been so recently formulated. The details
OF such 4 law require careful consideration, but
the general plan suggested by him seems to
satisfy the purpose continue the use OF
the same time 10 obyiate the danger OF which
have spoken. At later day may communi-
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 a second
line wholly Ia our own keeping. very urgent
ly recommend an appropriation at 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
harboTs should be prompted by the necessary
appropriations Care should be taken tina. the
Government is not committed to the prosecu-
ton OF works not Of public and general adyan'
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
nomically reached II 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 ). Terry in August last. and the
killing OF the latter by Deputy Marshal Maggie,
the President recommends that some definite
prov ision De made bv law, not only for the pro
lection OF Federal officers, but for fun trial OF
such cases In the United states courts. The
duty Of protecting fits ofrcArs as such and OF
publishing those who assault taem on account
Of their Official acts should not DO devolyed ex-
oressly or by acquiescence upon the local au-
thorities.
Events which have been brought TO my at
tention, happening In other parts of the cOun
try, have also suggested the propriety OF eN
tending by legislation fuller protection 10 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
Tor the purpose OF depressing healthy eompeti-
ton or 10 nlonopolize the production or sale OF
an article OF general necessity they become dan
gerous conspiracies against the public good and
should be made the subject OF prohibitory and
even penal legislation.
NATuRALIzATIoN LAWS.
Our naturalization laws should be so revised
as To make the inquiry into the character ana
good disposition towards our government OF
the persons applying for citizenship more
thorough. Those who come 10 our shores 10
swell the injurious influences and 10 extend
the evil practices Of any association that de
hes our laws should not only be denied citizen
A BANKRUPTCY LAW.
The enactment OF a National bankrupt law or
character TO be permanent part OF our ieels-
lation Is desirable. II should he simple IN hs
method ana il, Expensive In its administration
PosTAL SERVICE And NAvY.
The President cOncurS i'll the suggestions
made by Secretary Of the Navy Tracy and POST
master-Iieneral Wanamaker in their annual re-
ports Of 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 or the chill
dren of school age andin the allotment OF lands
to adult Indians Our treaty Stipulations should
be observed with fidelity, and our legislation
should be highly cpnsderate OF the best inter
ests OF an ignorant and helpless people.
The reservations are now generally surround
ed by white settlements. We can no longer
push the indian back into the wilderness, and
II remains only, by every suitable agency, 10
push him upward into the estate of a self.sup;
porting and responsible citizen. FOR the adult
the hrst step is TO locate him upon q farm ana
fOrthe child To place HMM a school. school az
tendance should be promoted by every
moral agency and these failing, should
be compulsory. The National schools
for Indians have been very successful ana
should be multiplied, and as far as possible
should be SO organized and conducted as TO
facilitate the transfer OF the schools 10 the
States or Territories in which they are located
when the Indians in q neighborhood have aof
cepted citizenship and have become otherwise
fitted for such q transfer,
The agreement between the Sioux Indians
and the commission appointed 10 negotiate LOT
the release Of the lands belonging 10 that tribe
will be transmitted to Congress IN due time
By that agreement anout q(UOUD acres is re
leased 10 the Government, No results nave as
vet been obtained as result ~ tle negotiations
between the commission appointed Tor that
purpose and the Cherokee tribe relative to The
cession OF their lands, nor Is II believed
that conclusion can be immeulately
these lands for grazing purposes IS clearly re
sponsible for the obstruction OF the negolia-
tionS These lands ought not to be and can not
long be held for the advantage OF a few against
the public interests, The Government has IN
der the treaties certain rights In these lands.
These will not be used oppresslyely, but II can
not be allowed that those who by suferance oc'
NanI ms IN 10