The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-07

UuV VINO says the Comm ssioner General
came as cabin pass myers, and an unknown
number from Mexico and Canada.
The Marine Hospital Service.
The surgeon general of the Marine Hos
pital Service reports that the past year.
being the one hundred and first of the ex-
lstence of the service, has been the most
active in its history. The number of pa
tlents treated in the marine hospitals and
dispensarles exceeded that of any previous
year, and the duties of the service In re-
Iation to quarantine and public health were
I largely increased, both in volume and va
riety, by reason of the war with Spain and
the resulting territorial acquisitions
speaking OF the Savannah quarantine, the
Secretary says
Inc savannah quarantine station is one
Which, from sanitary standpoint is of
the greatest importance, Savannah being
the principal city of the South Atlantic
seacoast and the vessels entering there
pelng OF an especially dangerous character.
hasmuch as they come from tropical
ports. During the last year there were AS
vessels subjected to quarantine inspection
at that port, of which number fifty-eight
We're infected. The acquisition of this
quarantine was in accordance with the
spirit as well as the letter of the law of
1888, which contemp}a ties the surrender by
state and local guarantees of their quar-
antine functions to the national govern
ment. This is rightly regarded as an i'm
portant step in the attainment of a strictly
national quarantine.
American Ships.
Our total tonnage on June 80 1899 was
the greatest recorded since 1866, and the
output of our shipyards during the fiscal
year was the largest of any year, except
1891, in the past quarter of century. For
the first time in our history the tonnage
of our steam vessels exceeds that of all
other documented craft, and our steam
ships registered for foreign trade, in num-
Der and tonnage, surpass our former
records.
The Secret Service.
The Secretary gives quite an interesting
account of the great counterfeitng case in
which so many cigars were seized in diff
ferent parts of the country. He says:
"A gigantic counterfeiting conspiracy,
directed by men of brains and means,
which involved the reproduction of notes
of the denominations of 49, $780,
$50, Sl00, and $1,000 upon paper
almost equal to the distinctive paper
adopted by the government, and the issue
and use of counterfeit internal revenue
stamp for packages of fifty cigars, was
unearthed by the secret service. The pro-
motors and engravers, and plates, paper
tools, and presses were captured, and the
evidence secured was so complete that the
principals had no other course than to
plead guilty. A 800 silver certificate,
which was the only one of the series
placed in circulation, was so perfect that
it passed the banks and sub treasures,
and was redeemed in the treasury DEPART
ment and the entire government issue of
SIG, 100000 was called in as the only sure
method of stopping the further circulation
of this dangerous counterfeit. The de-
lection of the bill was followed, after
fourteen months of patient investigation,
by the complete exposure of a scheme in
volving the circulation of $10,O000O0 in
fraudulent notes, which, had 1t been sue
| cessful would have amounted to calam-
ity Two attorneys at law of high repute
one of them a former district attorney
of the United States, were so related to
the conspiracy as to attempt the bribery
of one of the operatives of the service
The integrity of the operative, however,
could not he corrupted The attempt re-
suited in the indictment, trial and convic-
ton of both attorneys for the crimes of
conspiracy and bribery"
The Money Standard.
1.-THE state of the treasury says the
| Secretary, "as shown in lis proper place,
exhibits a degree of financial strength
never before equaled. 1t places he govern
ment in a D ST i'm, more favorable than
has before existed, to take any st ps Con
gress may c0ns der W Sc toward inaugu-
rating needful improvements in the cur
rencv or iudicious modifiCatiorS in the
banking laws. There are two potn TO
which pubic attention has long been d.
rected and urCn VIII oh 3eg atiVe action
has been earnestly sired. These are, frs,
The money standard and, second, be ter
adaptatien of cur currency syst m to The
requirements of expanding L AIDE and in
dustry 30 of csc Gu stions are OF
prime Importance Il our well-be.ng as a
people, and demand the consideration
which their impor,ance just!fies. Upon
these two ques ions feel 1t my duty 10
speak with earnestness.
FL 81, as to the money standard Gold
now. constitutes that a daId 1t is now,
and for many years has been, the S and
ard by which the values of all COMMON
ties whether foreign or domestic nave
been measured or declared. 1t IS the stand
ard 10 which reference has been had IN an
contracts or undertakings involving the
future payment of money. 1t is the d.
ard which tesis the quality or va ne OF me
intermediate currency with which wages
are paid and ALL or nearly all, OF the
minor bus ness affairs of the people are
carried on. The debate over the relative
merits of gold and silver as the true ana
proper money standard has b en- kng ana
exhaustive; but while the discussion has
continued the advanced nations Oh me
earth one after the other with hardly
an exception, have adopted gold as the
more suitable for commercial needs. IN
decd, it is vigorously asserted, and with
truih. hat he United Sates is in this very
category-that our money standard is god
and with some show Of reason it is
argued that nothing IS required other than
10 '1et things alone" Such a conclus on,
however. does not commend Itself TO the
judgment of those to whom staollty IN me
| future is not less important thah goou
conditions in the pres ant."
/
at has long been the desire and
hone OF many intelligent ana
patriotic citizens to secure need
fnl and enduring stability in
the money standard by an international
! agreement in regard to gold and silver,
which would be effective to that end The
realization of that desire and hope seems
now TOO remote to justify present consid-
| Grafton: but if those who still cherish it
! shall offer it in objection to the action
49, ,,rorasaa II is a sufficient answer