Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-12-10

eliminating duty OF 10 per cent on tea and cot.
fee brought into the dominion from the United
States. II this unequal contest between Amer
lean lines without subsidy, or with diminished
subsidies and the English Canadian limo 70
which have referred Is 70 continue, think
we should ut least sec that the facilities for
customs ontry and transportation across our
territory are not such as TO make the Canadian
route favored one, ind that the discrlmlnar
| ton Us 10 duties, 70 which have rcferTed' II
met by like discrimination ~ TO the
| importation OF these articles from Canada
No subject, think, more nearly touches the
povcrand prosperity Of our country thnn this oil
the development Of our merchant marine upon
the sea. II we could enter into conference with
other competitions and oil would agree TO with
hold government aid. we could perhaps tako our
chances with the rest, but our great competitors
| have established and maintained their lines by
| government subsidies until now they have prac-
| ally excluded us from participation In my
opinion no choice Is lef; us but to put tho issue,
moderately ~ least, on the same lines.
| THE NAVY:
| The report OF the secretary OF the navy ex-
hibits great progress In the construction OF our
new navy. When tho present secretary entered
upon his duties only three modern steel vessels
were In commission. The vessels siEce put In
| commission and 10 he put IN commission during
| The winter will make a total of nineteen during
| his adm Illustration OF the department During
| the current year ten war vessels and three
| navy tugs have been launched Two other large
ships ana torpedo boat are under
contract and the work upon them well
advanced md the four monitors are awaiting
only the arrival Of their armor, which has been
unexpectedly delayed. or they would have been
before this In commission.
| Contracts have been let during this admins
trntion under the appropriations for the In
crease OF the navy, including new vessels and
| their uppurtrn' ncos 20 the amount OF D),Nl-
| COZ, and there has been expended dur!nI the
| SANE period for labor ~ navy yards upon simi-
| lar work az 0OO,OD without the smallest scan.
dial or charge of fraud OF partially. The en-.
thusias:l and intcrcs! Of cur naval officers both
Of Inc STAFF anG line have been greatly lirdlcd.
They have responded magnihcently 10 the con-
| hdence OF congress and have demonstrated TO
the world IN uneycellcd capacity TO construct
| In ordnance and IN everything involved In the
building. equippiaS and sailing OF great war
| ships. 4; the beginning OF Secrctarc Tracy's
administration several difficult problems re-
NAMED TO DO grapplcd with and solved
before the efficiency In action OF our steam
ships could be secured II is believed thnt
as the result Of new processes In the construc-
tion OF armor plate ou- later ships will be
clothed with defensive plates OF higher resist
ancc than are found on any war vessel anoat.
We were withcu: torpcdoes. Tests have bean
made TO use ertain the relative efficiency OF diff
ferent constructions, O torpsdo has been adopt
ed and the work OF construction Is now being
carried on successfully. We IRE without armor
piercing shells. We are now making what q
believed to be proiectile superior TO
Any bcfore In u.s. smokeless pow
Ger has been adopted md o slow burning
powder for guns OF large caliber High exnio-
ala Ne te t,aI1o hsa.
guns have been found and the manufacture OF
Gun cotton has been developed and the question
Of supply is no longer in doubt
The development Of naval militia which has
bsen organized in eight states aud brought into
cordial and cooperative relations with the
navy. Is another important achievement
There arc now enlisted In :hoRs GgsaalEa.
sicns 1880 mn a2d they are likely 10 b
greatly extended. I recommend such lesisla'
ton and appropriations rs will encourage ana
develop this movement Tho recommends
tons Of the secretary, will / do not doubt re-
cciyp the friendly consideration OF congress-,
for he has enjoyed, rs no has deserved. the con-
hdence OF oil those interested In the develop
ment OF our navy, without any division upon
partisan lines I earnestly cypress the hope
that work which has made such noble pro-
gress NAV not be STAYED. The wholesome In.
fuencc for the peace and increased sense of
security which our citiz?ns domiciled In other
lands feel when these magnificent ships
under tho American nag appear Is already
most gratefully apparent The steamships
from our navy which will appear In the harbor
Of New York, will be convincing demonStra
lion 10 the world that the United States Is o
great naval power.
THE INTERIOR
The work OF the interior department always
very burdeusome, has been larger than ever be-
fore, during the administration Of Secretary
Noble. The disability pension law. taking the
eleventh census, the opening OF vast areas or
Indian lands TO settlement the organization OF
Oklahoma and the negotiations for the cession OF
Indian lands furnish some Of the particulars OF
the Increased work and the results achieved
testify 10 the ability, fidelity and indusir' Of
the head OF the department and his e!icient as
sistnnts.
Several important agreements for the cesslon
OF Indian lands negotiated by the Indian mission
appointed under the act Of March ., 1889, are
awaiting the net of congress Perhaps the
most important Of these is that for tho cess!on
OF the Cherokee strip. This has been o
source Of great vexatioh 10 the exec
utive representative md great friction
inures between tho settlers in their desire 70
occupy It and the Indians who assert title. The
agreement which has been made by the COM
mission Is perhaps the most satisfactory that
could have been reached II will be noticed
that It is conditioned upon its ratification by
congress- before March I. 1893. The secretary
OF the interior who has given the subject care
full thought, recommends the ratification OF the
agreement and was inclined to follow this REQ
ommendation. Certain It is that some action
by which this controversy shall be brought TO
IN end and the lands opened to settlement IA
urgent
The rest of the presidents message
was devoted to departmental affairs,
much of which has already been pub
lished He concludes by hoping the
deliberations of congress will result to
the material advantage of the country,
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