Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-02

eiiie suustdut IA ana needed aid given to COM
merce result ID In IN enormous reduction of
the public tebt and OF the annual Interest
charge Is after OF increased satisfaction.
There have been purcha ed and redeemed
since March |, lse9. 4 and AZ per cent bonds 70
the amount I s2l1 g.. IS at cost of $40
~, resulting In the reduction OF the annual
interest char se OF s. coo and total saving
Of interest OF 81 ,576,.05.
notice wi great pleasure the statement
OF The secretary that the receipts from internal
year nearly ils,00,0Ji and that the cost OF col
Letting this larger revenue was less BY $780, zoo
1nan Tor tue same purpose the pre- edng year.
Inc percenta ge OF cost of collecting the Gus
toms revenue was less for the last fiscal year
than ever be ore.
The customs administration board is pro-
vided Tor by the act of June 10, ls90. was So
iected with great care and is composed in part
OF mrn whise preyians exper ence in the
admnistration Of the old estoms regulations
nau made tn sm familiar with the evils to be
reneoiied, al IN part OF men whose legal and
judicial acq iirements and erience seemed
To Mt them for the wcrk of interpreting and
applying the new statute. The chief aim of
the law is TO secure honest valuations of all
dutiable mel ehandise and 10 make these valu-
ations unifo m at ali eur ports OF entry. II
had been made manifest by a congressional
investigation that a system of differentiation
had been lon in use by certain classes of i'm
porters, resu ting not only in a great loss of
revenue, but In a most intolerable oiscrimina-
ton against honesty. IL is not seen how this
LEGISLATION When II Is understood. can be re-
garded Ly the citizens OF any country having
commercial dealings with US as unfriendiy
III any duty Is supp rss,d TO be excessive LET the
complaint b. edged there II " n surely not
be Gained by any wei disposed people that a
RENE ~ may be sought and allowed in a sys-
TEN OF quasi smuggling.
War Department..
The report OF the secretary of war exhibits
several gr I'll tying results attained during the
year by wise and transformations methods The
percentage If desertio from he army IAN
eViI Tor VINE 9th congress and the depart
ment nave long b en- see in "a remedy has
been REFUGE dur.n the past year "A per cent
ana for he mont rs III August and Septem-
er, during which tine the tavora Bile effects
OF the act OF June II we're felt, - per cnt AS
compa ed with the same months of lss9 The
results Ia led 70, Il seorganizatIon aud con-
soldation Il the divisions having charge of
the hospita- and services of the volunteer
soldiers arr very remarkable. This change
was effected IN July. loos, ana at that time
there were 1854 cases awaiting attention
more than h tif OF those being calls from the
pension flee Tor informal ON neCessar, 10 the
adJudIca tin f'i y snsIun claims. On the 9TH
day or June last, though over three hundred
thousand new ais mai come la, there was
not n%le case that had not been examined
ana answered
l concur l. the reco.ume datioas of the sec
rotary that adequate and regular appropris-
lions oe COltfEu q Tor coast defens, works
and ordnance. Plans have b.en pra ticaIly
agreed upon and there ca be good reason
Tor della! Ins the execution OF them, while
the defenseiess state Of our great seaporis
tion.
the eacou nag, m nj that has been extended
% tie mIltia OI tne :; ates generally has
most Apron ateiy ocsIgnated that the "na-
ttonal gLa G should be continued and en-
arge J. These military organizations consti-
tute, in la ge sense, Ine army Of tut. United
States. VIII about fve-sixth. of the annual
cost or then maintenance Is defraye1 BY the
states.
department of Justice.
The report o. the attorney general is under
the law uoInittcd directly to con. ress, but as
the deplr TIN ent OF justice il OF the eNecii-
tive de- artu ents some 'eference 20 the worA
/
the main an effective euort has been made 10
bring to tria ana punishment ali yiolators OF
the laws, but at the same time care has b.en
taken that frivolous and technical offens.ss
should not DE used 10 swell the ices of officers
or 10 harass we'll disposed citizons. Espec-
ial attention is call 10 the iacis connected
with the prosecution "T violation OF election
laws amt OF offenses against United States Of
hcers. The number OI conVictioIs secured
very many oI them UPON pleas OF guilty, Will
II Is hoped. lave a salutary influence There
have been 81 veral cass where post masters ap-
pointed b. he have IA en- subjected to violent
interference N the discharg. Of their official
duties. ana 10 persec tioils aud personal yio-
lence of the most extreme character some.
OF these cas- S have been dealt with through the
department OF justice ana in some cases tie
offices nave been abolished or suspended 4
have directed the postmaster general TO pur-
sue tins cOui Sc IN all cases where other efforts
laileu 70 So ure Tor ally postmaster, not him
self in fault, an opportunity pea efuliy TO ex-
erclse tn du les OF his office But such action
Will no su apant the eHorts of the denart-
nenl OF Ju'tlc 10 bring the particular Offend
ers u punishment.
The vacati on by jud ;cial degrees of fradu-
tent cerlncs1tes OF nkturaliz ton upon bi l.
IN equity nl,d oy the attorney general in the
cir uit our OF he Caite.l States is a new aIl-
p lcation al u f.miliar equity juris lotion
Nearly one hundred such dec ees have been
taken durin the year, the evidence disclos-
ing that IA W ~ large num Der OF fraudulent ter-
tlhcaIes OF naturalization have been issued
AND In tins connection beg to renew my rec
omm ndatiC IN that the avs be so .uen,ied AS tn
require a more full ard sc -rching inquiry into
an the iaeis cesar to naturalization be-
lore any cer ihcates are -ranted. IL certainly
Is not too N UGH TO require that an applics-
ton for Amen an ciCiZ -nship shall he heard
with as mut care ana recorded with as much
Ioruiallty a are given To cases involving the
pettiest pro 1erty right
AT the las session returned, without NV
approval, bill entitled An act To prohibit
book making and pool-sell ing la the District
OF toluinbis. and stated my objection % be.
thai IL did not prohib but in Tact licensed
what II Is purpOrted to y. ohlbit An effort
will be III tde under existing laws to suppress
this evil, though II il not certain tn Al th.y
Will be found adequate.
Increased Postal Revenues.
The report of the Postmsster-Iseneral shows
the m l3t gr',tIying progress in the important
work TED To Iii direction. The busl-
ness metho is have been greatly improved A
large economy IN expenditures ami an increase
o. four and three-quarter millions in receipts
have been realized. he deficiency this ~. r
Is S51es.tUj against ID So. ls3 lkst YEAR not
~ithstanding the great enlargement of the
II
qutckened and greater accuracy an dispatch
in distrlbu ing and delivery have been ar
tanned. The re gort will be found to be full of
interest anC suggestion, lot OILY TO Congress-
but To those thoughtful citizens wpo NAV he
Interested II know what business metho. Is can
90 Tor that department. OF public adm nist ra-
ton which most nearly toucHes all our peo le
The pasSa &c of the act Ia amend certain sec
lions OF the Revised Statutes latin TO lot
ter.es al rDvec sept iS 1870 ma icon received
with great and deserved popu' = favor The
Postoiice department anu the =, p.,Fi Inent OF
justice ut once entered upon tn enforcement
of the law With sympathetic vif-o; ud aIready
the public mails have b. en- Largely 1 s.ed from
the fraudu ent and de J.oraiizi < appeals and
literature emanating from the lottery com
plnies.
Our New Navy.
The onst ructon ard equi pm. ,it OF the new
ships for the navy have made very satisfac-
tory progress. Since March lSsJ min. new
vessels have been put IN commission and dur
ing this Wi1ter four more. including one moni-
tor. will be- added. The construction OF the
1ther vesse authorized IS being pushed both
IN the government and private yards. with
energy and watched with the most scrupulous
care.
10 test the relative resisting power OF armor
p ates have been 50 valuable ms TO at tract great
attention IN Europe The only part Of the
work upon the new ships that Is Threatened by
unusual de ay is the armor-plGting and every
effort Is De- ng made TO reduce that TO a mimi
mum. IL b a sources of generalization that
the anticipated influence of these modern ves-
sells upon the esprit de corps of the officers and
seamen ha 3 been fully realized. Confidenc %
and pride in tine ship among the crew are
equivalent to a secondary battery. Your favor
able C CONSIDERATION is invited 10 the recon-
mendations of the secretary.
Intians and Public Lands.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior
exhibits wi IN great flllness and trness the
vast worl OF the department and the
satisfactory re ults attained. The suggestions
made by hi N are earnestly commend.d TO the
c0nsideratO on of Congress, though they cannot
all be given particular mention here. The
several act OF Congress LOOKING to the reduc-