Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-11

shows that in addition 10 the large 'ou
,oge ~ documented vessels mentloneu
in the statistics above stated OF vesseis III
this trade, there Is a very conslderao.e
number of inferior undocumenteo cralu
employed on Bhe rivers and elsewhere
consisting Of unrigged barges, hatooaCs'
etc. Upon the Ohio river and lts trlou-
taries above Cincinnati alone this aoui-
tional tonnage is found to amount 70
.. 47O, SAT tons. The value OF the coast
ing and river fleet TO domestic COM
merce was SIS, 12S, 500 in 1850.
The demand for ships OF war Will giVe
us shipyards competent Tor ou!iuIns
commercial vessels to any extent anu
there is no good reason why shIps
should not be built here, and trahspoIV
under American ownership Ialr shale
OF our exports and imports. Great III
dustrles like ship building ana the nav
igation of ships should not De sulIeu,
dered by US TO other nations wltnou - q
determined struggle to retain them No
backward step should be taken IN tiie
efforts now being made 10 restore tne
American flag to the high seas.
The report quotes from ana reae"s
the recommendation concerning neeGeu
amendments TO the laws, made oy MS
predecessor, and says that they nave
been made in whole or in part oy every
Secretary for the past ten years anu
their importance cannot be overeSIihaI-
ed. IL is unwise 10 neglect to furnish
adequate means for the efficient coliec-
tion and protection Of the custom reVe-
nne. He asks that an additional appro-
pristion be made for the purpose OF de,
fraylng the expenses Of an increased
customs force to take care OF the mer-
cbandise sent to the Worlds FAR.
The total production OF distilled
spirits was 1859, O62, $50 gallons, an lh-
crease of $3.50, 4G1 gallons. There was
also produced 1904, 712 gallons OF fruit
brandy: 3,s19 distillerles were operated,
and 3O,497, 269 barrels Of beer were pro-
duced.
Imuorts Of merchandise amounted 10
SS44. 9l6. 166, an increase Of $50, 900, loI
and the exports amounted TO 1854, 4eO'-
$40. an increase Of $50, 652, 1926. The eX-
ports exceeded the imports by $4,000, :
GA. The exports of treasure amounted
TO Sos, 953, 642 and the imports TO $780,
259, 447.
The EXPORT trade with Great Britain
amounted to SAL, 500, s07 and the I'M
ports to Sl94, 793, 262. The value of ex-
ports and imports carried in cars was
S72. s56.lg4. Exports increased to
France. Germany, China, Brazil, Spain,
British Australia, Mexico, Central
American States and the Netherlands,
and decreased TO the Argentine Repuo-
lie, Great Britain, Russia and BRUSH
North American possessions.
With the approaching exhaustion OF
the supply Of free arabic land In the
United States only tritling percentage
Of immigrants now engage In farming
on their arrival in this country, what
ever may have been their former occu-
patton. The vast majority OF them
crowd into our cities and large towns,
with the inevitable result OF overstock-
ing the labor market and depressing
wages, while the least efficient and most
vicious among them soon drift into our
DoorhOuSeS and prisons, TO be continu-
iEg burden upon our people.
The laws already enacted by Congress
for the purpose OF checking this ten
dency and preventing the mischief
which would result from unrestricted
immigration have accomplished some
thing. The attempt TO enforce these
laws efficiently has also developed
body Of information, based on actual
experience, which should be invaluable
in framing future legislation. While
the application of existing laws has
very greatly diminished some Of the
specific abuses at which they were
aimed, it obviously has not prevented
a large increase in the total volume OF
immigration and a distinct deteriora-
tion in It's average quality.