Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-12-10

uninterrupted Improvement In the accuracy
Of its forecasts has greatly increased it,
whose occupations are related to weather
conditiOns. OmittiEg further reference to
the operatfsns Of thu depa stment, I COM
msan the sscsstarys report and the sus
alton Of Congress.
tivil Service Reform.
The progress made In eivil-serv1ce' reform
furnishes cause for the utmost congratu-
iation There ;ure now IA the competitive
sand places. A. most radical and sweep
Ing extension wNs made by executive
ORDER dated the 9Th day Of May, 1898, and II
cluded IN the statement 1t may be said that
practically all positions contemplated by
the civil-service law are now classified.
National Finances and the Tariff.
desire to recur to the statements else
where made concerning the Governments
OF venturing upon sense suggestions touch
Ing our present tarin law and Its opera
tion. This statute took effect "n the 18th
day. OF August 1894. Whatever may be It's
shortcomings as complete measure Of tar
In reform. 1t must be conceded that 1t has
opened the way to a freer and greater ex-
change of commodities between us and other
countries. and thus furnished a wider mar
ket for our products and manufacturing.
The only entire fiscal yearrdurng which this
law has been In force ended the 3Oth day
OF June. 1896. In that year our imports In
creased over those OF the previous year
more than $6.500.OOO. while the value Of the.
domestic products we exported and! which
found ma rkets abroad was nearly $7O,0OO.-
600 more than during the preceding year.
The present law, during the only coynplets'
nscal year OF its operation. has yielded near
~ ss" 100 more revenue than was re-
year. There was. nevertheless. Il deficit be-
tween. our receipts and expenditures OF
little more than $25,0O0.oO0. This. however,
such In December last. seven. months be-
fore the close Of the fiscal year. that the
Secretary of the Treasury foretold def
cheney OF $17.O00.OOO. The great and; In
creasing apprehension and tlmidlty In busi-
ness circles and the depression In all aetlpd,
ties intervening, since that time resulting
from causes perfectly we'll understood and
Its operation. seriously checked the imports
We would have otherwise received and read
lily account for the difference between. this
estimate OF the Secretary and the actual ded.
cheney, as well as for continued dedctt.
Indeed 1t must be confessed that we could
hardly. have had more untavorable period
than the last two years forf the collection OF
that our recuperatiOn from this business de-
preston will be sudden but 1t has already
set In, with promise OF acceleratson and
continuance.
! believe our present tariff law. II allowed
fair opportunity. will In the near future
yield a revenue which. with reasonably. eco
nOmic expenditures. Will overcome all de-
fciencies. Meantime no dencit that has.
occurred or may occur need excite or dis
turb US. To meet any. such deficit we have
in the treasury In no addition to gold re-
than 2S,OO0,OoO applicable to the payment
OF the expenses OF the Government. and
which must. unless expended for that pur-
pose remain useless hoard. or. IL not e1-
travaganfly wasted. must in any event b.
perverted from the purpose OF It's exaction.
from our people. The payment. therefore.
of any deficiency, In the revenue from thlA,
fund Is nothing NOR than Its proper and leg
ltimate use.
1t Is UNNECESSARILY. better to appropriate.
our surplus to the payment of justinable e1-
penses than to allow it to become, an tnvl-
tation to reckless appropriations and ex.
travagant expenditures. ! suppose 1t Will
not be denied that under the present law
our people obtain the necessaries OF conn
Portable existence at cheaper rate than for.
merly. This is matter OF supreme impOr-
lance, since 1t Is the palpable duty OF every
ton as light as possible. The people should;
not be required to relinqulsh this privilege
Of cheap living except under the stress Of
their governments necessity made plainly
manifest.
The Currency SYSTEM.
am more convinced than ever. that Ne
can have no assured financial peace ana
safety until the government currency OBJ
legations upon which gold may be demand
ed from the treasury, are withdrawn from.
circulation and Cancelled. This might be
done, as has been heretofore recommended.
but their exchange for long-terM bonds bear
demption with the proceeds Of such bonds.
Even II only the United States notes known
as greenbacks. were thus retired. 1t II prob4
able that the treasury notes issued IN PAY:
ment OF silver purchases UNDER the act OF
July Ia. 1890. now paid Ia gold when de-
manded, would not create much disturbance
as they might from time to time. when e.
ceived insthe treasury by redemption IN gold
or otherwise, be gradually and prudentlY
replaced by silver coin.
In default Of this plan. however, 1t would
obligations redeemable in gold. whenever
SO redeemed. should be Cancelled instead Of
being reissued.
notes. They should be allowed to, Issue cir
culatiOn to tho par value OF bonds deposited
as security for Its redemption. aud the tax
on their circulation should be reduced to-
one-f fourth OF per cent.
In considering projects for the retirement
OF United States notes and treasury notes
issued under the law OF 1880. am OF che
opinion that we have placed too, much stress
upon the danger Of contracting the currency
and have calculated too little upon the gold
that wond be added to our circulation II
invited to us, by better and safer financial
methods. Ii Is not SO much a contraction OF
our currency that should be avoided ~
such unequal distribution. This might b
Obyiated, and any fear OF harmful conirac-
ton at the same time removed. by allow
ing the organization Of smaller banks and
In less populous communities than are now
permitted, and authorizing banks to estab-
fish branches in small communities under
proper restrictions.
rhe entire case may be presented by the
statement that the day OF sensible and sound
financial methods will not dawn upon "
until our government ahandons the banking
business and the accumulation Of funds. and
confines Its monetary operations to the re-
ceipts Of the money contributed by the peO-
pie for It's support. and. to the expenditure
at such money for the peoples benent.
Our business interests aud all good clti-
zens long for rest fram feverish agitation,
and the Inauguration hE the Government q
a reformed financial policy. which Will EN-
courage enterprise and make certain the r.
wards IT labor and industry.
Roast for the trusts.
Another topic in which our people right
fully take deep interest may here be BRIEF
IL considered. I rafer to the existence Of
trusts and other huge aggregations Of cap
ital, the object Of which is to secure the
monopoly OF some particular branch Of trade,
industry, or commerce and 20 stt6e whole