Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-07

begin to decline. The barefaced and ex-
tensive pension frauds exposed under
the direction of the courageous and gen.
erous veteran soldiers now at the head
of the bureau leave no room for the
claim that no purgation of our pension
roll was needed or that continued vigi-
ance and prompt action are not neces-
sary to the same end. The accusation
that an effort to detect pension frauds is
an evidence of unfriendliness toward
our worthy veterans and denial of
their claims to the generosity of the gov.
ernment suggests an unfortunate indif-
ference to the commission of an offenee
which has for a motive the securing of q
pension, and indicates blindness to the
existence of the mean and treacherous
crimes which play upon demagogic fears
and make sport Of the patriotic impulse
Of grateful people.
| THE TARIFF.
The tariff act passed at the last ses
sion of congress needs important amend.
ments if it is to be executed effectively
and with certainty. In addition to such
necessary amendments as will not change
the rates of duty, I am still very de.
cidedly in favor Of putting coal and
iron upon the free list So far as the
sugar schedule is concerned, l would be
glad, under existing aggravations, to see
every particle of differential duty in
favor of refined sugar stricken out of
our tariff laws. If, with all the favor &C.
corded the sugar refining interest in our
tariff laws, it still languishes to the ex-
tent of closing refneries and discharging
thousands Of workmen, it would seem
to present hopeless case for reasonable
legislation. and whatever else is done or
omitted I earnestly repeat here my rec
ommondation, made in another portion
of this communication, that the addl-
tional duty OF one-tenth of cent per
pound laid upon sugar imported from
countries paying a bounty on its export
be abrogated. 1t seems to me that ex.
ceedingly important considerations point
to the propriety of this amendment
With the advent Of a new tariff policy
not only calculated to relieve the con.
cumers of our land in the cost of their
daily life, but to invite better, oul
products and manufactures should fine
markets in every part of the habitable
globe, consistently supplemented by the
greatest possible liberty Of our citizens
in the ownership and navigation of shipi
in which our products and manufactures
may be transported.
FREE SHIPS.
The millions now paid to foreigners
for carrying American passengers anl
products across the sea, should be turned
into American hands Shipbuiding
which has been protected to strangula
ton, should be revived by the prospec
of profitable employment for ships wher
built, and the American sailor should bt
resurrected and again take his place, {
sturdy and industrious citizen in time O
peace and patriotic and safe defender
OF American interests in the days ol
, conflict, the ancient development OF
; American thrift and create for us close
and more profit able commercial relations
with the rest of the world. 1t follows as
logical and imperative necessity that W,
| = 1,,& ,oe
the only, obstacle which has so Ions
prevented our participation in the foreign
carrying trade of the sea. A tariff bull
upon the theory that it is we'll to checl
, imports, ard that home market should
bound the industry and effort of Amer
lean producers, was fifty supplemented
by refusal to allow American registry
to vessels built abroad, though ownee
and navigated by our people, and thu
exhibiting "a willingness to abandon al
contest for the advantage Of
TEANsoCEANIC CARRIAGE.
Our new tariff policy built upon th'
, theory that it is we'll to encourage sucl
!. importations as our people need, ant
that provision of our law denying Amer
, lean registry to ships built abroad. ant
owned by Americans, appears, in tht
light of present conditions, not only t.
be failure for good at every point, bu
to bo nearer relic of barbarism thar
anything that exists under the permis
sion of statute of the United States
; earnestly recommend it's prompt repeal
THE FINANCIAL. QUESTION.
During the last month the gold reserve
in tho treasury for the purpose of re-
dceming the notes of tho government
circulating as money in the hands Of the
people, became SO reduced and its further
J depletion in tho near future seemed sc
certain that in the exercise Of proper
caro- for the public welfare, it became
necessary TO rcplenish tho reserve and
thus maintain popular faith in the ability
and determination of the go Jcrnment to
moot as agreed its pecuniary obligations.
1t would have been we'll if in this emer-
gcncy the authority had existed to issue