Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-10

under SecClon 0OIb OF the statutes re-
| ferred to. as if the offense had been
committed on board merchant vessel
of the United States on the high seas.
There appeared on the trial, and other
wise came to me, such evideAce of the
bad treatment of the men that in con-
sideration of this and of the fact that
the men had no access to any public
officer or tribunal for protection. or the
redress of their wrongs, l commuted
the death sentences that had been
passed by the courts upon three of them.
In April last my attention was again
called to this island and to the unregu-
lated condition of things there by let
ter from a colored laborer, who COM
planned that he was wrongfullv de-
tanned upon the island by the phosphate
company after the expiration of his con-
tract of service. A naval vessel was
sent to examine into the case of this
man, and generally into the condition of
things on the island. 1t was found that
the laborer referred to had been de-
tanned beyond the contract limit. and
that condition of revolt again existed
among the laborers. A board of naval
officers reported, among other things,
the following:
"We would desire to state further that
the discipline maintained on the island
seems to be that of convict establish
ment, without its comforts and cleanli-
ness, and that until more attention is
paid to the shipping of laborers, by
placing it under government super
vision, to prevent misunderstanding
and Misrepresentation: land until some
ameliorating influence is shown in the
treatment of the laborers, these disor-
ders will be of constant occurrence"
I recommend legislation that shall
place labor contracts upon this and
other islands, bearing the relation that
Navassa does to the United States, un-
der the supervision of a court commits
sioner, and that shall provide at the ex-
pense of the owners an officer to reside
upon the islands, with power to Judge
and adjust disputes and to enforce just
and humane treatment of the employees.
1t is inexcusable that American laborers
should be left within our own iurisdic-
tion without access to any government
officer or tribunal for their protection
and the redress of their wrongs.
ITERNATIoNAL COPYRIGHT.
International copyright has been Sc
cured in accordance with the conditions
of the act of. March 3, 1891, with Bel
GUM, France, Great Britain and the
British possessions and Switzerland, the
laws of these countries permitting to
our citizens the benefit of copyright on
substantially the same basis as their
own citizens or subjects. With Ger
many, especially, special condition had
been negotiated upon this subject which
will bring that country within the reci-
procal benefits of our legislation.
TARIFF LEGISLATION.
The general interest in the operations
of the treasury department has been
much augmented during the last year
by reason of the conflicting predictions
which accompanied and followed the
tariff and other legislation of the laet
congress affecting the revenues. As to
the results of this legislation upon the
treasury and upon the country, on the
one hand it was contended that the i'm
ports would so fan off as to leave the
treasury bankrupt, and that the prices
of articles entering into the living OF the
people would be 30 enhanced as to dis
astrously affect their comfort and happi-
ness; while on the other it was argued
that the loss to the revenue, largely the
result of placing sugar on the free list,
would be direct gain to the people;
that the prices OF the necessaries of life,
including those most highly protected,
would not be enhanced; that labor
would have larger market and the
products of the farm fetch advanced
prices while the treasury surplus and
receipts would be adequate to meet the
appropriation, including the large ex-
ceptional expenditures for the refund to
the states of the direct tax and the re-
demption of the ~ per cent bonds.
1t is not my purpose to enter at any
length into discussion of the effects of
the legislation to which L have referred,
but brief examination OF the statistics
of the treasury and a general glance at
the state of business throughout the
country will, 1 think, satisfy any inn
partial inquirer that it's results have
disappointed the evil prophecies OF it's
opponents and in large measure real
lied the hopeful predictions of it's
friends. Rarely, if ever, before in the
history of the country has there been
time when the proceeds of one days la
Dor or the product of one farm crop,
could purchase such large amount of
things that enter into the living of the
masses of the people. L believe that a
tariff act of the fifty-irst congress is
very favorable in its average effect upon
the prices of articles entering into COM
mon uses.
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
During the twelve months from Oc-
tober 1, 1890, to September 80, 1891, the
total value OF our foreign commerce
(imports and exports combined) was ST.
747, SOC, ,4O6, which was the largest in any
year in the history of the United States.
The largest in any previous year was in
1890, when our commerce amounted to
81, ,647 ,139, ,093, and the last year exceeds
this enormous aggregate by over one
hundred million dollars.
1t is interesting. and to some will be
surprising, to know that during the year
ending September 80. 1891, our imports
of merchandise amounted to 1924 ,7l5.-
270, which was an increase of more than
$11 ,000, 900 over the value of the i'm
ports of the corresponding months of
the previous year, when the imports of
merchandise were large in anticipation
of the tariff legislation then pending.
The average annual value OF the inn
ports of merchandise for the ten wears
from 1881 to 1890 was $692, 1856 ,522. and
during the year ending September so.
1891. this annual average was exceeded
by $132, ,52S, ,469.
The value Of free imports for the
twelve months ending September 80,
O