Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-12-06

of mean and treacherous crimes which |
prey upon demagogic fears and make
sport of the patriotic impulse of a :
grateful people,"
Referring to civil service reform the
president says: 'The vast majority of
the voters of the land are ready to
insist that the time and attention of
those they select to perform for them
important pubic duties should not be
distracted by dealing out minor offices
and they are growing to be unanimous
in regarding party organization as
something that should be used in es-
tablishing party principles instead of
debating the distribution of public
places as rewards for partisan activ-
ity."
Referring to the strike commission
erS the president says: The report
of the commissioners has been sub
mitted to me and will be transmitted
to congress with the evidence taken in
the investigation. Their work was
we'll done and their standing and in
telligence give assurance that the re-
port and suggestions they make are
worry Of careful consideration"
IRON, COAL, SUGAR
The tariff act passed at the last
session of congress needs important
amendments" continues the president,
IF it is to be executed effectually and
with certainty. In addition to such
necessary amendments as will change
the rates of duty am still very de-
cidedly in favor OF putting coal and
iron ore upon the free list. So far as
the sugar schedule is concerned l
would be glal under the existing az
gravauons to see every particle of diff
ferential duty in favor of refined sugar
stricken out of our tariff law. If, with
ali the favor now accorded the sugar
refining interests in our tariff laws, it
still languiSheS to the extent of clos
ing the reineries and discharging
thousands of wOrkmen it would seem
at present a hopeless case for reason
able legislative aid.
With the advent Of a new tariff
policy, not only calculated to relieve
the consumers of our land in the cost
OF their daily life, but to invite Il bet
ter development Of American thrift
and create for us closer and more
profitable commercial relation with the
rest Of the world, it follows as logical
and imperative necessity that we
should at once remove the chief if not
only obstacle which so long prevented
our participation in the foreign carry
ing rtade of the sea. The ancient pro-
vision Of our law denying American
registry to ships built abroad and
owned by Americans appears in the
light of present conditions not only to
be u failure for good at every point
but nearer relic of barbarism than
anything that exists under permission
of a statute of the United States.
earnestly recommend it's prompt re-
peal.
FISCAL AFFAIRS.
During the last month the gold
reserve uecdme SO reduced ana LIS
III tner depletion in the near future
seemed So certain" continues the pres
iuv..., mat ii Uecalne necessary " re-
p4eniSh the reserve and thus maintain
popular faith in the ability and deter
nilnatiOn of the government to meet
its pecuniary obligations. 1t would be
Wen if in this emergency authority
huu e--is.cl " issue uonuo D-u4-n, :.
lower rate of interest and maturing
within a short period; but, congress
having failed to confer such authority
resort was necessarily had to the re
sumption act of 1857 and l am glad
to say on the sale Of bonds the premi-
um received operated to reduce the
rate of interest to be paid by the gov
eminent to less than three per cent.
Nothing could be worse or further
removed from sensible finance than
the relations existing between the gov
ernment's monetary obligations than
gold held for it's redemption and the
means Of redemption when the gold
fund is impaired even if the claims
upon this fund were confined to the
obligations originally intended and if
the redemption of these obligations
meant the cancellation Of those Obliga,
tions the draft on the fund would be
very small. But these obligations
when received and redeemed in gold
are not cancelled, but reissued and
made to do duty many times by way
Of drawing goIu from the treasury.
Thus we have had an endless chain in
operation constantly depicting the
treasucy's gold and never a final rest.
The demands that increase our dan
ger also increase the necessity for pro-
tecting this reserve against depletion,
and it is most unsatisfactory to know
that the protection now afforded is
only temporary palliation. 1t is per-
fectly and palpably plain that the only
way under present conditions by
which this reserve when dangerously
depleted can be replenished is through
the issue and sale of bonds Of the gov
eminent for gold; and yet congress
has not only thus far declined to au-
thorize the issue Of bonds best suited to
such a purpose but there seems to be
a disposition in some quarters to deny
both the necessity and the power for
the issue of bonds at all. ! cannot for
a moment believe that any of our
citizens are deliberately willing that
their government should default in it's
pecuniary obliga lion or it's financial