The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-12-14

that purf 0SO, bus ehly uGs any casual suRplUa;
The renSnueS estimated and actual for the
fiscal year ending juno 80, 1888, aIe placed 9y
the secretary at $I63, ,356, ,3bO4 and the Oxpend1'
lures at SiU1, ,336, $50 A. showing surplus OF re-
ceipts over expenditures Of OO0,WO The caSh
balance in the treasury at the end OF the fiscal
year. it is estimated win be S-O,ss2.67.O3.
The estimates of reven 90 70 bO received are
necessary based upon existing laws. New rev.
enue legislation, or even the expectation Of it
may seriously reduce the Dubllc revenues dur
ing the period OF uncertainty and during tho
press OF business ad uStm0nt to the new cond1p
tons when the be- me known.
The total purchases since tn passage OF the
act requiring purchases, have besn l2O,4l9,yol
ounces and the aggregate OF nOes Issued Mlo,-
7S3,59O. The average price paid for silver dur.
ing the year was ~ cents Ter ounce, the highest
price being $l.02As
Ever since our merchant marine was driven
from the sea by the cruisers during the war or
the rebellion, the United States thus paying an
enormous annual tribute to foreign countries IN
the shape OF passage monies. Our grain and
meats have been taken at our own docks and
our large imports there laid down by foreign
ship masters. An increasing torrent OF Amerl-
can travel to Europe has contributed annually
to .th0 dividends of foreign ship owners. The
balance of trade shown by the books of our GUS
tom houses has been largely reduced, and In
many years, altogether extngulshed by TINS
constant strain. In the year 1872 only LA per
cent of our imports were brought In American
our traffic are many OF them under contrac with
their respective governments by which, IN time
OF war, they will become part OF their armed
naval establishments. Prohting by our COM
merce in peace, they will become the most for
midabls destroyers of our commerce in time OF
war. felt, and have before expressed the feel
ing that this condition of things was both intol-
erable and disgraeeful. A wholesome change
of policy and having so much promise as 1t
seems to me, was begun by the law of March 3,
1891. Under this law contracts have been mace
by the postmaster general for eleven ocean mail
routs. The expenditure involved by these con"
tracts for the next fiscal year aproximated 9o4,-
1888. AS ono OF the good results reached, SIX.
teen American ships of an aggregate tonnage OF
81 400 tons, costing 81, 100000 has been built or
contracted to be built In American ship yards.
! The estimated tonnage of all steamships re-
quired under existing contracts, Is 65,oO2, and
when the full service required by these con-
tracts is established, there will DO forty-one
mail steamers under the American flag with the
probability Of further necessary additions IN the
Brazilian and Argentine service. The contracts
recently let for the transatlantic service, will
result in the construction of five ships OF ten
thousand tons each, costing nine or ten million
dollars, and will add, with the City OF New
York, and City of Paris, to which the treasury
department was authorized by Legislation at
the last session to give American registry, seven
of the swiftest vessels upon the sea to our naval
reserve.
I earnestly urge continuance of the policy in
augurated by this Legislation and that the appro-
priations required to meet the Obligations OF the
government under the contracts may DO properly
made 80 that the lines that have entered into
these engagements may not be, embarrassed.
The agreement which has been made by the
commission is perhaps the most satisfactory that
could have been reached. 1t will be noticed that
it is conditioned upon its ratification by congress
before March 4, 1893. The secretary OF the In
terror, who has given the subject careful thought,
recommends the ratification of the agreement and
was inclined to follow this recommendation
Certain it is that some action by which this con-
troversy shall be brought to amend and the lands
opened to settlement is urgent.
When the present secretary entered upon nls
duties only three modern vessels were in commits
sion. The vessels since put in commission and
to be put in commission during the winter Will
make total of 10 during his administration or
the department During the current year ten
war vessels and three navy tugs have been launch
ed.
Contracts have Deen let during this administra--
ton under the appropriations for the increase OF
the navy, including new vessels and their appur-
tenances to the amount of So 100000, and there
has been expended during the same period for
labor at navy yards upon similar work $8OOO,OOO
without the smallest scandal or charge OF fraud
or partiality.
Our army is small, but its organization should
all the more be put upon the most approved
modern basis. The conditions upon what we
have called the frontier, have heretofore re-
Quired the maintainance OF small posts, but now
the policy Of concentration is obviously the right
one. The new posts should have the proper STRAIT
egic relations to the frontiers" we now have,
those Of the sea coast and of the northern part OF
our southern boundary.
REHABILITATION.