The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-07

! reduce the public revenues during IN,
period OF uncertainty and during he bro
cess OF business adjustment to the nov
conditions when they become known. But
the Secretary has very wisely refraipe,
from guessing as TO the effect OF posslbl.
changes in our revenue laws. since H..
| scope OF those changes and the tine -
their taking effect cannot I'm any deer.,
be forecast or foretold by him. His os
Inmates must be based upon existing laws
and upon continuance OF existing, busi
ness conditions, except so far as fhes.
| conditions may be affected by catse.
other than new legislation. The estimate
receipts for the fiscal year ending In.
90 1894. are $3.50, l21, 365.3S. and the oe,i'
mated appropriations sf57.2C1 .23S. 30. leav.
ing an estimated surplus Of receipts o,,a-
expenditures of S32, $50 0i0.0j. This docs NO,
include any payment 10 the sinking fund
In the recommendation Of the Secretar,,
that the sinking fund law be repealed =
concur. The redemption OF bonds sinca
the passage Of the law TO June 30. 1900
has already exceeded the requirement. h,.
the sum OF 1890, $40, 6Sl. 49, TIE retirerns,,
of bonds in the future before maturi,,
should be matter of convenience. NO,
OF compulsion. We should not collect
revenue for that purpose, but only use
any casual surplus. To the balance. go
S6O,O3OO5, of receipts over expenditures Tor
the year 1894 should be added the es,i-
mated surplus at the beginning OF ~.
year, s20.992, S7703 and from this agere
gate there must be deducted. as sta,ol
by the Secretary. about s44. 900 900 Of esr'
mated uEexpended appropriations. tn.
public confidence I'm the purpose are
ability OF the Government 10 naintaio
the parity OF all our money issues whetbs,
coin or paper, must remain unshaken
The demand for gold in Europe and ,ba
consequent calls upon us are in q con.
siderable degree the result OF the efforts
of some Of the European governments n
increase their gold reserves, and theso
efforts should be met by appropriate leo
isiation on our part.
The conditions that have created .ht.
drain of the Treasury gold are in an i,,,
portant degree political and not con
mercial. In view Of the fact that a eo,.
eral revision OF our revenue laws in Tho
near future seems 10 be probable II wonll
be better that any changes should he
part OF that revision rather than OF a
temporary nature. During the last fiscal
year the Secretary purchased under tbe
act Of July II. 1890. 5i.255.74s ounces NJ
silver, and issued in payment thereof
$5l, l0S,60S in notes. The total purchases
since the passage Of the act have been
40, S90,S9l ourCes, and the aggregate ~
notes issued SIG, 1850 The average price
paid for silver during the year was q
cents per ounce, the highest price being
$l.02 "a, July l. 1891 and the lowest.
So cents, March 21 1892. In view OF the
fact that the monetary conference is now
sitting. and that no conclusion has vet
been reached. l withhold any recon-
mendation as to the legislation upon this
subject.
News Of tho Army.
The report Of the Secretary OF War
brings again TO the attention Of Congress
some important suggestions as 60 the
reorganization OF the infantry and artH-
lery arms Of the service, which his PIE.
decessors have before urgently prescribed
Our army is small but its organization
should all the more be put upon the most
modern basis The conditions
upon what we have called the Frontier"
have heretofore required the maintenance
IF many small posts, but now the policy
IF concentration is obviously the right
)ne. The new posts should have the pro-
per strategic relations to the only
Frontiers" we now have, those OF the
iea-coast and Of our Northern and part
If our Southern boundary. ! do not think
hat any question Of advantage 10 locali-
les or TO States should determine the
ocaton Of the new posts The reorgani-
ation and enlargement Of the Bureau
# Military Information. which the Score
airy has affected. is work the useful
Tess Of which will become every year
more apparent. The work Of building
eavy guns and the construction OF coast
efenses has been well begun, and should
e carried on without check. The report
the Attorney-General is by law sub
lifted directly to Congress- but / cannot
sfrain from saying that he has conducted
he increasing work OF the Department OF
lstice with great professional skill. He
as in several directions secured from
lie courts decisions giving increased pro-
,ction TO the officers Of the United States
nd bringing some classes OF crime that
,caped local cOgniZance and punishment
ITO the tribunals OF the United States,
here they could be tried with impartial
ty.
The numerous applications for Execu-
We clemency presented In behalf OF per-
ms convicted i'm the United States courts
I'd given penitentiary sentences have
llled my attention TO n fact referred
by the Attorney General I'm his reports.
lmely, that a time allowance for good
,havior for such prisoners is provided
? the Federal statutes only where the
ate. in which the penitentiary is loca-
q has made no such provision. Prison
s are given the benefits OF the provisions
the State law regulating the peniten-
lry TO which they may be sent. They
e various. some perhaps too liberal and
me perhaps too ill-llberal. The result
that sentence for five years means one
ing if the prisoner is sent 10 one State
r confinement. and quite a different
ing if NJ Is sent TO another. l recon-
he
vior be prescribed by Congress.
have before expressed my concurrence
the recommendation OF the Attorney
,neral that degrees OF murder should
recognized I'm the Federal statutes as
ey are, I believe. in all the States.
lese grades are founded on correct dis
lctions in crime. The recognition OF
EN- would enable the courts 10 exercise
me discretion in apportioning punish
mt, and would greatly relieve the EX-
utive Of what is coming 20 be a very
avy burden-the examination OF these
ges on application for Communication.
e aggregate Of claims pending against
: Government in the court OF claims. Is
ormous. Claims TO the amount OF nearly
900 900 for the taking of or injury 70
2 property OF persons claiming TO be
yal during the war are now before that
art for examination. When TO these are
ded the Indian depreciation claims and
: French spoliation claims an aggre-
Re is reached that is indeed startling.
the defense OF all these cases the Gov
lment is at great disadvantage. The
.ixants have preserved their evidence.
lereas, the officers OF the Government
? sent into the field 10 rummage Tor
lat they can find. This difficulty is pro-
great where the fact 10 DO
ablished is the disoyalty OF the claim
. IA lhll l-rnat threat