The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-09
%, Ell, apon the people or retards the CONNER
cial dc osslopment OF the nation.

I
cial Development OF the nation.
General Prosperity and Contentment.
| II may be- argued that our condition would
| be better " our tariff legislation were upon
| free trade hAsts; but IL cannot be denied thst
all the conditions Of prosperity and Of general
contentment are present In larger degree
| than ever before In our history, and that, too,
Just when It was prophesied they would be in
| the worst state. Agitation for radical changes
| in tariff aud financial legislation cannot help,
but may seriously impede business, 10 the
| prosperity of which some degree OF stability IN
legislation Ia essential. think there are con-
| elusive evidences that the new tarih has cre-
ated several great industries which will,
within few years. give employment To sew
eral hundred thousand American workingmen
| and women. In view OF the somewhat over
crowded condition OF the labor market Of the
| United States, every patriotic citizen should
| rejoice at such result.
| Last Years Revenues and Expenses.
The report of the secretary of the treas
ury shows that the total receipts of the
government, from all sources, for the fis-
cal year ending June 30, 1884, were s45S,-
544, 1888 03, while the expenditures for the
same period were $421 ,304 40 ~, leaving a
surplus of $37, ,239, ,762 81. The receipts Of
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, actual
and estimated are $433, 900 900, and the ex-
penditures s409, 900 600 For the fiscal year
| ending June 30, 1898, the estimated re-
ceipts are s455, 1886, $50, and the expendi-
lures SAL, 3O0093
| Silver Bullion.
With regard to the prophecies of the anti
silver men, that the coinage of $2, 600 600
! per month would create disaster. they were
not wide of the mark. The president says
that he Is still Of the opinion that the free
coinage of silver, under existing condi-
tions, would disastrously affect our busi-
ness interests at home and abroad, and
that we could not hope to maintain an
equality In the purchasing power of the
! gold and silver dollar in our markets. and
In foreign trade the stamp gives no added
value to the bullion contained in coins.
The producers of the country, its farmers
and laborers, have the highest interest
that every dollar, paper or coin, is
sued by the government, shall be as good
AS any other IL there Ia one less valuable
than another, its sure and constant errand
will be to pay them for their toll and for
their crops.
Our silver Exports Exports Reduced.
After comparing our silver standard
with England's, and referring TO the re-
duction of the export of domestic silver
during the past year, the president says:
consideration, but they should not forget that
the government is now buying and putting out
| Of the market Whit Ia tho equivalent OF the
entire product OF our silver mines. This is
more than they themselves thought of asking
two years ago. believe IL Is the earnest de-
sire Of great majority o: the people, as it is
mine, that a full coin use shall be made of sill
yer just as soon as tho cooperation of other
nations can be secured and ratio fixed that
will give circulation equally to gold and silver.
The business of the world requires the use Of
both metals; kSt l do not see any prospect of
gain, but much of loss, by giving up the pres
ent system, in which full use is made of gold
and q large Of silver, for one In which sill
yer alone will circulate. Such an event would
be at once fatsl to the further progress of the
! silver movement.
Europe Wants silver.
The true friends Of silver will be careful not
TO overrun the goal and bring its silver none
tiZation, with the necessary attendant loss of
our gold TO Europe, and the relief OF the pres
sure there for larger currency. have en-
deavored, by the use Of official and unofficial
agencies, to keep a close observation of the
state of public sentiment In Europe upon this
| question and have not found 10 10 be such as
to justify me in preparing an international con-
ference. There Is, however, l am sure, q
| growing sentiment in Europe In favor Of q
larger use Of silver, and l know OF no more
effectual way OF promoting this sentiment
than by accumulating gold here. A scarcity
| of gold in the European reserves will be the
most persuasive argument for the use OF silver.
The president alludes to the retirement
of Secretary Proctor from the cabinet, and
says that his report exhibited the results
of an intelligent, progressive, and business
| like administration of department which
! has been too much regarded as one Of mere
routine. The separation of Secretary Proc
tor from the department by reason Of his
appointment as q senator from the state
| of Vermont was q source of great regret
| to him and to his colleagues in the cabi-
net, and he was sure it was to all those
who have had business with the depart
ment under his charge In the administra-
tion of army affairs some especially good
work has been accomplished. The efforts
of the secretary to reduce the percentage of
desertions by removing the causes that
promoted it have been so successful as to
enable him TO report for the last year a
lower percentage of desertion than has
been before reached in the history Of the
army The resulting money savingi is con-
siderable, but the improvement in the NOR
ais Of the enlisted men is the most valr-
able incident Of the reforms which have
broughta about this result.
Our Hsrbor Defenses.
| Inc WOTh VI sittS sHOTS Ddu-
teries for harbor defense and the manu-
facture of mortars and guns Of high power
to equip them have made good progress
during the year. The preliminary work OF
tests and plans, which so long delayed a
start, is now out Of the way. Some guns
have been completed, and with an en-
larged shop and a more complete equip
ment Mt Watervliet the army will soon be
abreast of the navy in gun construction.
| Pensions and Records.
The srea. work done in the record and pen
| sion division Of the department by Major
| Ainsworth Of the medical corps, and the clerks
under him, is entitled to honorable mention.
| Taking up the work with nearly 1900 cases
behind, he closed the last fiscal year without a
single case left over, though the new cases had
| increased Sc per cent In number over the
previous year by reason Of the pension legisla-
lation OF the last congress.
The president concurs in the recon-
mendation OF the attorney general that
the right in felony cases To a review by
| the supreme court be limited.
The Chinese Exclusion Act.
| The enforcement by the treasury depart