?v X V THE PITTSBURG- DISPATCH. ' WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 7. 1893. I which has now for something more than 30 J -ears continuously pre railed in onr legis ation, has been a xnichty instrument for the development of onr national wealth and s most powerful agency in protecting the homes of our workingmen from the invasion of want I hare felt a most solicitous in terest to preserve to onr working people rates of wac.es that would not only give daily bread bat supply a comfortable margin for those home attractions and family com forts and enjoyments without which life is neither hopeful nor sweet. They are American citizens a part ot the great people for whom our Constitution and Gov ernment were framed and instituted and it cannot be a perversion of that Constitu tion to fo legislate as to preserve in their homes the comfort, independence, loyalty and sense of interest in the Government which are essential to good citizenship in peace, and whicc. will bring tnis stalwart thron as in 1S01 to the defense of the flag when it is assailed. A Xcw Tolicy to Bo Introduced. It is not my purpose to resewbere the argument in favor of a protective tariff The result of the recent ejection must be accepted as having introdnced a new policy. We must assume that the present tariff, constructed upon the lines of protection,-is to be repealed, and that there is to be sub stituted for it a tariff law constructed solely with reference to revenue; that noduty is to be higher becanse the increase will keep open an American mill or keep up the wages of an American workman, but that in every case such a rate of duty is to be im posed as will bring to the Treasury of the "United States the largest returns of rev enue. The contention has not been between schedules, but between principles, and it would be offensive to suggest that the'pre vailinj partv will not carry into legislation the principles advocated by it and the pledges given to the people. The tariff bills passed by the House of Eepresentative's at the last session were, as I suppose, even in the opinion of their promoters, inadequate and justified only by the fact that the Senate and House of Representatives were not in accord, and that a general revision could not, therefore, be undertaken. A Suggestion to the Senate. I recommend that the whole subject of tariff revision be left to the incoming Con cress. It is matter of regret that this work must be delayed tor at least three months; for the threat of great tariff changes intro duce" so much uncertainty that an amount, sot easily estimated, of business inaction and ot diminished production will neces sarily result. It is possible also that this uncertainty may result in decreased reve nues from customs duties, for our merchants will make cautious orders for foreign goods in view of the prospect of tarifi reductions and the uncertainty as to when they will take effect. Those who have advocated a protective tariff can well afford to have their disastrous forecasts of a change of policy disappointed. If a system of customs duties can be framed that will set the idle wheels and looms of Europe in motion and crowd our warehouses vith foreign made goods, and at the same time keep our own mills busy; that will give us an increased participation in the "markets of the uorld" of greater value than the home market we surrender; that will give increased work to foreign work men upon products to be consumed by onr people without diminishing the amount of uork to be done here; that will enable the American manufacturer to pay to his work men from 50 to 100 per cent more in wages than is paid in the loreign mill and yet to compete in our market and in foreign mar Lets with the foreign producer; that will iurthcr reduce the cost of articles of wear and fcod without reducing the wages of those who produce tuem; that can be cele brated after its effects have been realized, as its expectation has been, in European as well ni in American cities, the authors and promoters of it will be entitled to the highest praise. All Mast carn by Exatrlence. "We have had in onr history several ex periences of the contrasted effects of a rev enue and of a protected tariff, but this gen eration have not felt them and the expe rience cf one generation is not highly instructive to the next The friends ot the protective system, with undiminished con fidence in the principles they have advo cated, will await the results of the new experiment The strained and too often disturbed re lations existing between the employes and the employers in our great manufacturing establishments have not been favorable to a calm consideration by the wares earner of the effect upon wa;e ot the protective system. The facts that his wajjes were the highest paid in like callings in the world, and that a maintenance of this rate of wages, i-i the absence of protective duties upon the prod uct of his labor, was impossible, were ob scured by the passion evoKed by these con tests. He may now be able to review the question in the light of his personal ex perience under the operation ot a tariff for revenue only. If that experience shall demonstrate that present rates of wages are thereby maintained or increased, either ab solutely or in their purchasing power, and that the aggregate volume ot work to be done in this country is increased, or even mamtained.so that there are more or as many days work in a year at as good or bet ter wages for the American workman as has been caused under the protective system, everyone will rejoice. A general process of uage reduction cannot be contemplated by any patriotic citizen without the gravest apprehension. It may be, indeed I believe is, possible for the American manufacturer to compete successlully with his foreign rival in many branches of production with out the defense cf protective duties, if the pay rolls are equalized; but the conflict that stands between the produces and that re sult, and the distress of our working people when it is attained are not pleasant to con template. The society of the unemployed, now holding its frequent and threatening parades in the streets of foreign cities, should not be allowed to acquire an Ameri can domicile. REVIEW OF THE WORK Accomplished by the Administration Dur ing tbo Tast Year Credit Dae for Care ful, Progressive and Economical Meth ods Tho Kcsults of Reciprocity. The reports of the heads of the several ex ecutive departments, which are herewith submitted, have very naturally included a resume of the whole work of the adminis tration with the transactions of the last fis cal year. The attention, not only of Con gress, but of the country, is again invited to' the methods of an organization which have been pursued and to the results which have been attained. Public revenues amounting to 51,411,079,292 28 have been collected and disbursed without loss from misaiipropria tion, without a single defalcation of such importance as to attract the public atten tion, and at a diminished per cent of cost for collection. Public business has been transacted not cnlv with fidelity but progressively, and vith a view to giving to the people in the fullest possible degree the benefits of a service established and maintained for their protection ana comfort Our relations with other nations are now undisturbed by any serious controversy. The complicated and threatening differences with Germany, and England relating to Earaoan affairs, with England in relation to the seal fisheries in the Bering Sea, and wiih Chile, growing out of the Baltimore affair, have been adjusted. Tho Kesults of Reciprocity. There have been negotiated and con cluded, under section 3 of the tarifi law, commercial agreements relating to recip rocal trade with the following countries: Brazil, Dominican Bepublic, Spain for Cuba and Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Salva dor, the German Empire, Great Britain for certain West Indian colonies and British Guiana, Nicaragua, Honduras and Austria Kvngary. , Of these, those with Guatemala. Salvador. the German Empire, Gr itain, Nica ragua, Uondura s and vHungarr have been concluded .since my last annual message. Under. t he Je trade arrangements it free or favored admission has been secured in every case for an important list'of Ameri can products. Especial care has been taken to secure markets for farm -products in order to relieve that great underlying industry of the depression which the lick of an ade quate foreign market for our surplus often brings. An openinfhas also been made for manufactured products that will undoubt edly, if this policy is maintained, greatly augment our export trade. The full benefits of these arrangements cannot be realized instantly. New lines of trade Are tobe opened. The commercial trav eler must survey the field. The manufact urer must adapt his goods to the new mar kets and facilities lor exchange must bo established. Xoif fields Are Being Opened. This work has been well begun, our mer chants and manufacturers have entered the new fields with courage and enterprise. In the case of food products; and especially with Cuba, the trade did not need to wait, and the immediate results hare been most gratifying. If this policy and these trade arrangements can bo continued in force and aided by the establish ment of American steamship lines I do not doubt that we shall, within a short period, secure fully .one-third of the total trade of the countries of Central and South America, which now amounts to about 5600,000,000 annually. In 1885 we had only 8 per cent of this trade. The following statistics show the increase in our trade with the countries with which we have reciprooul trade agreements from the date when such agreements went into eilec UP to September 30, 1892, the increase being in some almost-wholfy and in 6thers in an" important degree the result of these agreements. Thedomcstio "exports to Germany and Austria-Huncary have increased in value from 547,673,756 to 557,993,064, an Increase ot 510,219,308, or 21,63 per cent "With American countries the value of our ex ports has increased from 544,160,285 to 551, 613;598, an increase of $10,453,313, or 23.67 per cent The total increase -in the value of exports to all the countries with which we have reciprocity agreements has been ?20,772,62L The Lines Most Benefited. This increase is chiefly In wheat, flour,' meat and dairy products, and Jn manufact ures of iron and steel and lumber. There has been a large increase in the value of imports from all these countries since the commercial agreements went into effect, amounting to 574,291,525, but it has been entirely in imports from the American countries, consisting mostly of sugar,coffee, India rubber and crude drugs. The alarmed attention of our European com petitors for the South American market has been attracted to this new American policy, and to our acquisition and their loss of Sonth American trade. A treaty providing for the arbitration of the dispute between Great Britain and the United States as to the killing of seals in the Bering Sea was concluded on February 29 last This treaty was-accompanled bv an agreement prohibiting pelagic sealing pending the arbitration, and a vigorous ef fort was made during this season to drive out all poaching sealers from the Bering Sea. Six naval vessels, three revenue cut ters and one vessel from the Pish Commis sion, all under the command of Commander Evans, of the navy, were sent into the sea, which was systematically patrolled. Some seizures were made, and it is believed that the catch in the Bering Seaiy poachers amounted to less than 500 seals. "Where Seals TVero Slaughtered. It is true, however, that in the North Pa cific, while the seal herds were on their way to the passes between the Aleutian Isl ands, a very large number, probably 35,000, were taken. The existing .statutes of the United States do not restrain our citizens from taking seals in the Pacific Ocean, and perhaps should not, unless the prohibition can be extended to the citizens of other na tions. I recommend that power De given to the President, by proclamation, to prohibit the taking of seals in the North Pacific by American vessels, in case, either as the re sult of the findings of the tribunal of arbi tration or otherwise, the restraints can be applied to the vessels of all countries. The case of the United States for the tribunal of arbitration has been prepared with grtat care and industry by the Hon. John AV. Foster, and the counsel who represent this Government express confidence that a re sult substantially establishing our claims and preserving this great industry for the benefit of all nations will be attained. During the past year, a suggestion was received through the British Minister that the Canadian Government would like to confer as the possibility of enlarging, upon terms of mutual advantage, the commercial exchanges of Canada and of the United States, and a conference was held at Wash ington, with 3fr. Blaine acting for this Government, and the British Minister at thiscapltal and three members of the Do minion Cabinet, acting as commissioners on the part of Great Britain. No Agreement With Canada. The conference developed the fact that the Canadian Government' was only pre pared to offer to the United States'in ex change for the concession asked the admis sion of natural products. The statement was frankly made that favored rates could not be given to the United States as against the mother country. This admission, which was foreseen, necessarily terminated the conference upon this question. The bene fits of an exchange of natural products would be almost wholly with the people of Canada. Some other topics of interest were con sidered in the conference and have resulted in the making of a con vention for examining the Alaskan boundary and the waters of Passamaquoddy Bay adjacent to Eastport, Me., and in the initiation of an, arrangement fcr the pro tection of fish life in the coterminous and neighboring waters of our Northern border. The controversy as to tolls upon the Welland Canal, which was presented to Congress at the last session by special message, having failed of adjustment, I felt constrained to exercise the authority con ferred by the act of July 26, 1892, and to proclaim a suspension of the free use of St Mary's Falls Canal to cargoes in transit to ports in Canada. The Secretary of the Treasury established such tolls as were thought to be equivalent to the exactions unjustly levied upon our commerce in the Canadian canals. Our Northern Neighbors Unfriendly. If, as we must suppose, the political re lations of Canada and the disposition of the Canadian Government are to remain un changed, a somewhat radical revision of our trade relations should, I think, be made. Our relations must continue to be intimate, and they should be friendly. I regret to say, however, that in many of the contro versies, notably those as to the fisheries on the Atlantic, the sealing interests on the Pacific, and the canal tolls our negotiations with Great Britain have continuously been thwarted or retard ei by unreasonable and unfriendly objections and protests from Canada. In the matter of the canal tolls, our treaty rights ere flagrantly disre garded. It is hardly too much to say that the Canadian Pacific and other railway lines which parallel our Northern boundary are sustained by commerce having either its origin or terminus, or both, in the United States, uanaoian railroads compete with those of the United States for our traffic and. without the restraints of our inter State commerce act Their cars pass al most without detention in and out of our territory. . ,. The Canadian Pacific Railway brought into the United States from China and Japan, via British Columbia, during the year ending June 30,1892, 23,239,689 pounds of lreight, and it carried from the United States tobe shipped to Chin a and Japan, .ia British Columbia, 24,003,340 pounds of freight There were also snipped from the United States over this road from Eastern ports of the United States to our Pacific porta during 'the same year, 13,912,073 pounds of freight, .and there were 'received .over this road at the, United States Eastern ports from ports I freight Mr. Joseph Nimmo, Jr., formerly .Chief of the Bureau of Statistics, when be-. fore the Senate Select Committee on Rela tions with Canada, April 23, '1890, said that "the value of goods thus transported be tween different points in thfs United States across Canadian territory prpbably amounts to 5100,000,000 a year." A Question for Canada Alone. There is no disposition on the part of the people or the Government of the United States to interfere in the smallest decree with the political relation of Canada. That question is wholly with her own people. It is time-forus, however, to consider whether, if the present state of things and trend of things is to continue, our interchanges upon lines of land transportation should not be put upon.a different basis, and our entire independence of Canadian canals and of the St Lawrence as an outlet to the sea secured by the construction of an American canal around the Falls of Niagara and the open ing of ship communication between the Great Lakes and one of our own seaports. We do not hesitate to avail ourselves of our great natural trade advantages. We should withdraw the support which is given to the railroads and steamship lines of Canada by a traffic that properly belongs to us, and no longer furnish the earnings which lighten the otherwise crushing weight ot the enormous public subsidies that have been given to them. The subject of the power of the Treasury to deal with this matter without fnrther'legislation has been nnder consideration, but circumstances have postponed a conclusion. It is proba ble that a consideration ot the'propriety'of a modification or abrogation of the article of the Treaty of Washington relating to the vtransit ot goods in bond is involved in any- complete solution ot the question. Difficulties Settled by Diplomacy. Congress at last session was kept advised of progress of the serious, lor a time, threatening differences between the United States and Chile. It gives me now great gratification to report that the Chilean Gov 'ernment, in a most friendly and honorable spirit, has tendered and paid as an indem nity to the families of the sailors of the Baltimore, who were killed, and to those who were injured jn the outbreak in the city of Valparaiso, the sum ot 575,000. This has been accepted,, not only as an' in demnity for a wrong done, but as a most gratifying evidence that the Government of' Chile rightly appreciates the disposition of this Government to act in a spirit of the most absolute .fairness and. friendliness in our intercourse with that brave people. A further and conclusive evidence of the mu tual respect and confidence now existing is furnished by the fact that a convention sub mitting to arbitration the mutual claims cf the citizens of the respective governments has been agreed upon. Some of these claims have been pending for manv'years, and have been the occasion of much unsat isfactory diplomatic correspondence. I have endeavored in every way to assure our sister republics of Central and South. America that the United States Govern ment and its people have only the most friendly disposition toward them all. We do not covet their territory. We have no disposition to be oppressive or exacting in our dealings with any of them, even the weakest Our interests and onr hopes for them all lie in the. direction of stable gov ernments by their people and of the largest development of their great commercial re sources. The mutual benefits of enlarged commercial exchanges of a more familiar and friendly Intercourse between onr peo ples we do desire and in this have sought their friendly co-operation. A Just Kcspocslbillty for Injuries. I have believed, however, while holding these sentiments in the greatest sincerity, that we must insist upon a just responsi bility tor any injuries mulcted upon our official representatives or upon our citizens. This insistence, kindly and justly, but firmly made, will,. I believe, promote peace and mutual respect , Our relations with Hawaii have been such as to attract an increased interest, and must continue to do-sct I deem it of great im portance that the projected submarine cable, a survey for which has been made, should be promoted. Both for naval and com mercial uses we should have quick com munication with Honolulu. We should be fore tbiffiave availed ourselves of the con cession, made many years ago to this Gov ernment, for a harbor and naval station at Pearl river. Many evidences of the friend liness of the Hawaiian Government had been given in the past, and it is gratifying to believe that the advantage and necessity of a continuance of very close relations is appreciated. The friendly act of this Government in expressing to the Government of Italy its reprobation and abhorrence of the lynching of Italian subject in New Orleani, by the payment of 125,000 franc, or 524,330 90, was accepted by the King of Italy with every manifestation of gracious apprecia tion, and the incident has been highly pro motive of mutual respect and good wiih A Protest 8ent to France. In consequence of the action of the French Government in proclaiming a pro tectorate over certain tribal districts of'the west coast of Africa, eastward of the San Pedro river, I have felt constrained to make protest against this encroachment upon the territory of a Republic which was founded by citizens of the United States, and toward w'hich this country has for many years held the intimate relation of a friendly counselor. The recent disturbances of the public peace by lawless foreign marauders on the Mexican frontier have aflorded. this Gov ernment an opportunity to testify its good will for Mexico and its earnest purpose to fulfill the obligations of international friendship by pursuing and dispersing the evil-doers. The work of relocating the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, westward from El Paso, is progressing favorably. Our intercourse with Spain continues on a friendly looting. X regret, however, not to be able to report as yet the adjustment of the claims ot the American missionaries arising from the disorders at Pouape, in the Caroline Islands, but I anticipate a satis factory adjustment in view of renewed and ureent representations to the Government at Madrid. Small Clouds In Tnrkey. The treatment of the religious and edu cational establishments ot American citi zens in Turkey has of late called fcr more than nsual share of attention. A tendency to curtail the toleration which has so bene ficially prevailed is discernible and has called forth the earnest remonstrances of this Government Harassing regulations in regard to schools and churches have been attempted in certain localities, but not without due protest and the assertion of the inherent and conventional rights of our countrymen. Violations of domicile and search of the persons and effects of citizens of the United States by apparent irrespon sible officials in the Asiatic vilatges have from time to time been reported. An ag gravated instance of injury to the property of an American missionary at Bourdour, in the province of Konia, called forth an urgent claim for reparation, which lam pleased to say was promptly heeded by the Government of the Porte. Interference with the trading ventures of our citizens in Asia Minor is also reported, and the lack of consular representation in that region is a serious drawback to instant and effective protection. I cannot believe that these incidents represent a settled policy and shall not cease to urge the adoption ot proper remedies. International copyright has been extended to Italy by proclamation in conformity with the act of March 3. 1891, upon assur ance being given that Italian law permits to citizens of the United States the benefit of copyright on substantially" the same basis as tojfcibjects of Italy. By n special convention, proclaimed January 15, 1892, reciprocal provisions of copyright 'have been applied between the United States and Germany. Negotiations are in prog ress with other countries to the same end. I repeat with great earnestness the recommendation which I have made in several previous messages that prompt and adequate support be given to the American company engaged Jn the construction of the Nicaragua Ship Canal. It Is impossible to overstate the value" from every standpoint of this great enterprise, and J hope that there may be time even in this Congress to give it an impetushat will Insure the early completion of the canal and secure to the United States its proper relation to it when compieiea. MONETARY MATTERS. .Silver and the Internatbyial Conference The Condition of the Treasury An Estimated Surplus at the End of the Fiscal Tear if Importations Continue. The Congress has been already advised that the invitations of this Government for the assembling of an international mone tary conference to consider the question of an enlarged use of silver were accepted by the nations to which they were addressed. The conference assembled at Brussels on the 22d of November'and has entered upon tho consideration of this great question. I have not doubled, and have taken occasion to express that belief, as well in the invita tions issued for this conference as in my public messages, that the free coinage of silver upon an agreed international ratio would greatly promote the interests of our people and equally those of other nations. It is too early to predict what results may be accomplished by the conference. If any temporary check or delay intervenes I be lieve that very soon commercial conditions will compel the now reluctant Govern ments to unite with us in this movement to secure the enlargement of the volume ot coined money needed for the translation of the business of the world. -k .Misleading StatemcntsCorrected. , The report of the Secretary 'of the Treas ury will attract especial interest in view of the many misleading1 statements that have been made as to the state of the public reve nues. Three preliminary facts should not only be stated, but emphasized before look ing into details: First That the public debt has been re. duced since March' 4, 1889, 5259,674,200 and the annual interest charge 511,681,469. Second That there have been paid out for pensions during this administration up to November lt 1892, 5432,564,178 70, an excess of 5114,466,386 09 over the sum ex pended during the period from March 1, 1885, to March 1, 1889; and, Third That under the existing tariff up to December 1 about 593,000.000 of revenue which would hive been collected upon im ported sugars if the duty had been main tained has gone into the pockets of the peo ple, and not into the public treasury as be fore. If there are 'any who still think that the surplus should have been kept out of circulation by hoarding it in the Treasury or deposited in favored banks without in terest while the Government continued to nay to these very banks interest upon the bonds deposited as security for the deposits, or wlio think that the extended pension legislation was a public robbery, or that the duties upon sugar should have been main tained, I am content to leave the argument where it now rests, while we wsit to see whether these criticisms will take the form of legislation. A Balanco In the Treasury. The revenues for the fiscal year ending Jnne 30, 1892, from all sources were 5425, 868,260 22, and the expenditures for all purposes were 5415,953,806 56, leaving a balance of 59.914,453 66. There were paid during the year upon the public debt 540, 570,467 98. The surplus in the Treasury and the bank redemption fnnd, passed by the act of July 14,1890, to the general fund, furnished'in large part the cash available and nsed for the payments made upon tho public debt Compared with the year 1891, our receipts from customs duties fell off 542,069,241 08, while our receipts from in ternal revenue increased 58,284,823 13, leav ing the net loss of revenue lromthese prin cipal sources 533,784,417 95. The net loss of revenue from all sources was 532,675, 972 81. The revenues, estimated and actual, for the fiscal vear euding June 30, 1893, are placed by the Secretary at 5463,336,350 44 and -the expenditures at 5461,336,350 44, showing a surplus of receipts over expenditures ot 52,000,000. The 'cash balance in the Treas ury at the end of the fiscal year, it is esti mated, will be" S20,9),377 03. So far as these figures are based upon, and estimates of receipts and expenditures tor the remaining months of the current fiscal year, there are' net only the usual elements of uncertainty, but some added elements. Possibility of New Legislation. New revenue legislation, or even the el-' peclntion of it, may seriously reduce the publio revenues during the period of un certainty and during the process of business adjustment to the new conditions when they become known. But the Secretary has very wisely refrained from guessing as to the'efiect of possible changes in onr revenue laws, since the scope of those changes and the time of their taking effect cannot in any degree be forecast or foretold by him. His estimates must be based upon existing laws and upon a continuance of existing business conditions, except so far as these conditions may be affected by causes other than new legislation. The estimated receipts for the fiscal year ending June SO. 1894, are 5490,121.365 38, and the estimated appropriations 5457,261, 335 33, leaving an estimated surplns of re ceipts over expenditures of 532,860,030 05. This does not include any payment to the sinking lur.d. in the recommendation ot the Secretary that the sinking fund law be repealed I concur. The redemption of bonds since the passage of the law to June 30, 1892, has already exceeded the require ments by the sum of 5990,510,681 49. The retirement of bonds in the future before maturity should be-ft matter of convenience, not of compulsion. We should not collect revenue for that purpose, but only use any casual surplus. To the balance of 532,860, 030 05 of receipts over expenditures for the year 1894 should be added the estimated surplus at the beginning of the year 520, 992,377 03; and from this aggregate there must be deducted, as stated bv the Secre tary "about 544,000,000 of estimated unex pended appropriations. No Recommendation Upon Silver. The public confidence in the purpose and ability of the Government to maintain the parity of all our money issues, whether coin or paper, must remain unshaken. The de mand for gold in Europe and the conse quent calls upon us are in a considerable degree the result of the efforts of some of the European governments to increase their gold reserves, and these efforts should be met by appropriate legislation upon our part. The conditions that have created this drain of the Treasury gohl are in an im portant degree political and not commer cial. In view of the fact that a general re vision of our revenue laws In the near fut ure seems to be probable, it would be better that any changes should be a part ot that .revision rather than of a temporary nature. During the last fiscal year the Secretary purchased under the act ot July 14,1890, 54,353,748 ounces of silver and issued in payment therefor 551,106.608 in notes. The total purchases since the passage of the act have been 120,479,981 ounces and the aggre gate of notes issued 5116,783,59a "The average price paid for silverduring the year was 94 cents per ounce, the highest price be;ng 51 02 July 1; 1891, and the lowest 83 cents March 21, 1892. In view of the fact that the Monetary Conference is now sitting and that no conclusion has yet been reached, I withhold any recommendation as to legislation upon this subject THE ARMY AND THE LAW. Consideration of Reports From the Secre tary of War and the Attorney General Enormous Amount of Claims Now Pending .Against tho Government The report of the Secretary of War brings again to the attention of Congress some important suggestions as to the reor ganization of the infantry and artillery arms of the service, which his predecessors have before urgently presented. Our army is small, but its organization should all the more be put upon the most approved mod ern basis. The conditions upon what we called the "frontier" -have heretofore re quired the maintenance of many small posts, but now the policy of concentration is obvionslythe right one. - The new posts should have the proper itratesic relations to tno oniy "irontlers" re now have, those of the sea coast and of our'northern and part- of our southern boundary. I do not think that any ques- tlon of advantage to localities or to States should determine the location of the new posts. The reorganization and enlargement of the bureau of military information wbjch the Secretary has effected is a work the.use fulness of which will become every year more apparent The work tf building heavy guns and the construction of coast defenses has been well begun, and should be carried on without check.' Skill of the Attorney General. The report of the Attorney General is by law submitted directly to Congress, but I cannot refrain from saying that he has conducted, the increasing work of the De partment of Justice with great professional skill. He has in several directions secured from the courts decisions giving increased protection to the officers of the United States, and bringing some classes bf crime that escaped local cognizance and punish ment into the tribunals of the United States where they could be tried with impartiality. The numerous applications for Executive clemency presented in behalf of persons convicted in the United States courts, and given penitentiary sentences, have called my attention to a fact referred to by the Attorney General in his report, namely, that a time allowance for good behavior for such prisoners is prescribed by the Federal statutes only where the State iu which the penitentiary is located has made such pro vision. Prisoners are given the beneut ot the provisions of the State law regulating the penitentiary to which they may be sent. These' are various, some perhaps too liberal and some perhaps too illiberal. The result is that a sentence for five yesTrs means one thing if the prisoner is sent to one State for confinement and qnite a different thing if he is sent to another. I recommend that a uniform credit for good behavior be prescribed by Congress. Belief for tho Executive. I have before expressed my concurrence in the recommendation of the Attorney General that degrees of murder should be recognized in the Federal statutes as they are, I believe, in all the States. These grades are founded on correct distinctions in crime. The recognition of them would enable the courts to exercise some discretion in appor tioning punishment, and would greatly re lieve the Executive of what is coming to be n very heavy burden the examination of these cases on application for commutation. The aggregate of claims pending against the uovernment invthe Court ot Claims Is enormous. Claims to the amount of nearly 5400,000,000 for the taking of "or injury to the property of persons claiming to be loyal daring the war are now before that court tor examination. When to these are added the Indian depredation claims and the French spoliation claims an aggregate is reached that is indeed startling. In the defense of these claims the Government is at a great disadvantage. The claimants have preserved their evidence, whereas the Government has to send agents to rum mage the field for what they can find. This difficulty is peculiarly "great where the fact to be established is "the disloyalty of the claimant during the war. If this great threat against our revenues is to have no other check, certainly Congress should supply the Department of Justice with appropriations sufficiently liberal to secure the best legal talent in the defense of these claims and to pursue its vague search for evidence effectively. POSTAL PROGRESS. Remarkable Increase In the Revenues and Number or Offices The Connection o the Service With the .Merchant Marine Some Earnest Recommendations. The report of the Postmaster General shows a most gratifying increase and a most efficient and progressive management of the great business of that department The re markable increase in revenues, in the num ber of postoffices and in the miles of mail carriage furnishes further evidence of the high state of prosperity which our people are enjoying. New offices mean new hamlets and towns, new routes mean the extension of onr border settlements, and (increased revenut means an active commerce. The Postmaster General re views the whole period of his administra 1 tion of the office and brings some of his statistics down to.the month ot November last The postal revenues have increased dur ing the last year nearly 53,000,000. The deficit for the year ending June 30, 1892, is 5848,341 ltss than the deficiency of the pre ceding year. The deficiency ot the present fiscal year it is estimated will be reduced to 51,552,423, which will not only be ex tinguished during the next fiscal year, but a surplus of nearly 51,000,000 should then be shown. In these calculations the pay ments to be made under the contracts for ocean mail service have not been included. There have been added 1,590 new mail routes during the year with a mileage of, 8,563 miles; and the total number ot new miles of mail trips added during the year is nearly 17,000,000. The number of miles of mail JournevB added during the last four years is about 76.000,000, this addition being 21,000,000 miles more than were in operation in the whole country in 1861. Tho Increase in Business. The number of postoffices has been in creased by 2,790 during the year; and dur ing the past lour years ana up to uctooer 29 last tho total increase in the number of offices has been nearly 9,000. The number of free delivery offices has been nearly doubled in the past four years, and the number of money order offices more than doubled within that time. For the three years ending June 30, 1892, the postal revenue amounted to 5197,744, 359, which was an increase of 552.263,150 over the revenue for the three years ending June 30, 1888, the increase during the last three years being more than 3) times as great as the increase during the three years ending June 30, 1888. No such increase as that shown, for these three years has ever previously appeared in tho revenues ot the department The Postmaster General has extended to the postoffices id the larger cities the merit system of promotion, in troduced by my direction into the depart ments here,' and it has resulted there, as in the departments, in a large volume of work and that better done. Ever since our merchant marine was driven from the sea by the rebel cruisers during the War of the Rebellion, the United States has been paying an enormous annual tribute to foreign countries in the shape'of freight and passage moneys. Our grain and meats have been taken at our. own docks and our large imports there 'laid down by foreign shipmasters. , Americans Paying Tribute. An increasing torrent of American travel to Europe has contributed a vast sum an nually to the dividends of foreign ship owners. The balance of trade shown by the books of our custom houses has been very largely reduced and in many years alto gether extinguished by this constant drain. In the year 1892 only 12.3 per cent of our imports were brought in American. vessels. These great foreign steamships maintained by our traffic are, many of them, under con tracts with their respective-governments by which, in -time of war, they will become a part of their armed naval establishments. Profiting by our commerce in peace, they will become the most formidable destroyers of onr commerce in time of war. I hare felt, and have before expressed the feeling, that tuts condition ot things was Dom in tolerable and disgraceful. A a wholesome change of policy, and one having in it much promise, as it seems to me, was begun by the law ot Marcn J, isai. Under this law contracts have been made by the Postmaster General for 11 mail routes. The expenditure involved by these con tracts for the next fiscal year approximates 5951,123 33. As one of the results already reached 16 American steamships of an.aggre gate tonnage of 57,400 tons, costing 57,400, 000, have been built or contracted to be built in American shipyards. Prospect of a Powrrfol Fleet The estimated tonnage of all steamships required under existing contracts is 163,802, ana when that lull serri&a required by these contracts is established, there will be 41 mail steamers under the American flag, with the probabilltyof further necessary additions In- the Brazilian and Argentine service. The contracts recently let for 'transatlantic service will result in the con struction of five ships of 10,000 tons each, costing 59,000,000 or 510,000,000, and will add, with the City of New York and City of Paris, to which the Treasury Department was authorized by legislation at the last session to give American registry, seven of the swiftest vessels upon the sea to our naval reserve. The contracts made with the lines sailing to Central and South American ports have increased the frequency and shortened the time of the trips, added new ports of call, and sustained some lines that otherwise would almost certainly have been with drawn. The service to Buenos Ayres is the first to the Argentine Republic nnder the American flag. The service to Southamp ton, Boulogne and Antwerp is also new, and is to be begnn with the steamships City of New York and City of Paris in February next No Chango in This Policy. I earnestly' urge a continuance of the policy inaugurated by this legislation, and that the appropriations required to meet, the obligations of the Government under the contracts may be made promptly, so that the lines that have entered into these engagements may dot be embarrassed. We have bad, by reason of connections with the transcontinental railway lines constructed through our own territory, some advan tages in ocean trade of the Pacific that we did not possess on the Atlantic. The construction of the Canadian Pacific railway and the establishment under large subventions from Canada and England of fast steamship service from Vancouver with Japan and China seriously threaten our shipping interests in the Pacific. This line ot English steamers receives, as is stated by the Commissioner of Navigation, a direct subsidy of 5400,000 annually, or 530,767 per trip for 13 voyages, in addition to some furthir aid from the admiralty in connec tion ftith contracts under which the vessels may be used for naval.purposes. The com petitlngAmericanPacific Mail line under the act of March 3,1891, receives only 56,389 per round trip. Efforts have been making within the last year, as I am informed, to establish under similar conditions a line between Vancou ver and some Australian port, with a view of seizing there a trade in whieh we have had a large interest The Commissioner of Navigation states that a very large per cent of our imports from Asia are now brought to us by English steamships and their con necting railways in Canada. A Protest Against Discrimination. With a view of promoting this trade, especially in tea, Canada has imposed a dis criminating duty of 10 per cent upon tea and coffee brought into the Dominion from the Untied SUtes. If this unequal contest between American lines without subsidv.or with diminished subsidies, and the English Canadian line to which I have referred is to continue, I think we should at least see that the facilities for customs entry and transportation across our territory are not such as to make the Canadian route a fav ored one, and that the discrimination as to duties, to which I have referred, is met by a like discrimination as to the importation of these articles from Canada. No subject, I think, more nearly touches the pride, the power and the prosperity of our country than this of the development of our merchant marine upon the sea. If we eould enter into conference with other competitors, and all would agree to with hold government aid, we could perhaps taee our chances'with the rest, but our great competitors have established and main tained their lines by Government subsidies until now they have practically excluded us from participation. In my opinion no choice is left us but to pursuej moderately at least, the 6ame lines. GROWTH OF THE NAYY. A Great Deal Has Been Accomplished by the Present Administration Largo Sams Expended Without Scandal or Any Chargo.of Fraud or Partiality. Tbe report of the Secretary of the Navy exhibits great progress in the construction of our new navy. When the present Secre tary entered upon his duties only three modern steel vessels wefe in commission. The vessels since put in commission and to be put in commission during the winter will make a total of 19 daring his adminis tration of the department During the cur rent year 10 war vessels and three navy tugs have been launched and during the fouryears25 vessels will have been launched. Two other large ships and a torpedo boat are under contract and the work upon them well .advanced, and the four monitors are awaiting only the arrival of their armor. which has been unexpectedly delayed, or they would have been belor'e this in com mission. Contracts have been let during this ad ministration, under the appropriations for the increase of the navr, including new vessels and their appurtenances, to the amount of 535,000,000, and there has been expended during the same period for labor at navy yards upon similar work 58,000,009, without the smallest scandal or charge of fraud or partiality. The enthusiasm and interest of our naval officers, both of staff and line, have been greatly kindled. They have responded magnificently to the confi deuce of Congress and have demonstrated to the world an unexcelled capacity in con struction, in ordnance, and In everything involved in the building, equipping and sailing of great war ships. Several Difficult Problems. At the beginning of Secretary Tracy's administration several difficult problems remained to be grappled with and solved before the efficiency in action of our ships 'could be secured, "it is believed'that as the result of new processes in the construction of armor plate our later ships will be clothed with defensive plates of higher resisting power than are found on any war vessel afloat. We were without torpedoes. Tests have been made to ascertain the relative efficiency of the different constructions, a torpedo has been adopted and the work of construction is now being carried on suc cessfully. We were without armor-piercing shells, and without a shop instructed and equipped for the construction of them. We are now making what is believed to be a projectile superior to any before in use. A smokeless powder has been de yeloped and a slow burning powder for guns 61 large caliber. A high explosive capable of use in shells fired from service guns has been found, and the manufacture of gun cotton has been developed so that the question of supply is no longer in doubt. Development of a Naval Militia. The development of a naval militia which has been organized in eight States and brought into cordial and co-operative rela tions with the navy is another important achievement There are now enlisted in these organizations 1,800 men and they are likely to be greatly extended. "I recommend such legislation aud appropriations as will en courage and develop this movement The recommendations of the Secretary will, I do not doubt, receive tho friendly consideration of Congress, for he has en joyed, as he hai deserved, the confidence of all those interested in tho development of our navy, without any division upon parti san lines. I earnestly express the hope that a work which lias made such noble progress may not be stayed. The wholesome influence for peace and the. in creased sense of security which our citizens domiciled in other land's feel when these magnificent ships under the American flag appear are already most gratefully apparent. The ships from oilr navy which will appear kin the great naval parade next April in the naroorot jxev ionc win do a convincing demonstration to the world that the United States is again a naval power. PENSIONS AND INDIANS. The Vast Amount of "Work Accomplished by the Interior Department Lands Which Shonld Bo Opened to Settle ment A Flea for tho Veterans. The work of the Interior'Department, al ways very burdensome, has been larger than ever during the administration of Sec retary Noble. The disability ' pension Iar, the taking of the eleventh census, the open ing of vast areas of Indian lands to settle ment, 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 to the ability, fidelity and industry of the head of the department and hi efficient assistants. ' Several Important agreements for" the cession of Indian lands negotiated by the conTmission appointed under the act of March 2, 1889, are awaiting the action of Congress Perhaps the most Important of these is that for the cession of the Cherokee strip. Thb region has been the source of great vexation to the Executive Depart ment and of great friction and unrest be tween the settlers uho desire to occupv'it and the Indians who assert title. The agreement which has been made by the commission is perhans the most satisfactory that could have been reached. It will be noticed that it is conditioned upon its rati fication by Congress before Marchr4, 1893. Lands to Be Opene !. The Secretary of the Interior, who has given the subject very careful thought, recommends the ratification of the agree ment, and I am inclined to follow his recommendation. Certain it is that some action by which this controversy shall be brought to an end and these lands opened to settlement is urgent. The form of government provided by Congress on May 17, 1884, for Alaska was, in its frame and purpose, temporary. The increase of population and the development of some important mining and commercial interests make it imperative that the law should be revised and better provision made for the arrest aud punishment of crim inals. The report of the Secretary shows a very gratifying state of facts as to the condition of the General Land Office. The work of issu ing agricultural patents, which seemed to be hopelessly in arrear when the present Secretary undertook the duties of his office, has been so expedited that the bnreau is now upon current business. The relief thus afforded to honest and worthy settlers upon the public lands, by giving to them an assured title to their entries, has been ot in calculable benefit in developing the new States and the Territories. A Prospect of Development The Court of Private Land Claims, estab lished by Congress for the promotion of this policy of speedily settling contested land titles, is making satisfactory progress J .u ..a nvij .tut n ugu .uv ,u.-. .a wu. pleted a great impetus will be given to the development of those regions where un settled claims under Mexican grants have so long exercised their repressive influence. When to these results are added the enor mous cessions of Indian lands which have been opened to settlement, aggregating during this administration nearly 26,000,000 acres, and the agreements negotiated and now pending in Congress for ratification by which about 10,000,000 additional acres will be opened to scttlement.it will be seen how much has been accomplished. The work in the Indian Bureau in the execution of the policy of recent legislation has been largely directed to two chief pur poses; first, the allotment of lands in sev eralty to the Indians and the cession to the United States of the surplus lands; and, secondly, to the work of educating the In dians for their own protection in closer contact with the white man, and for the in telligent exercise of his new citizenship. Allotments have been made and patents issued to 5,000 Indians under the present Secretary and Commissioner and 7,600 ad ditional allotments have been made for which patents .are now in process of preparation. The school attendance of In dian children has been increased dur ing that time over 13 per cent, the enrollment for 1892 being nearly 20,000. A uniform system of school text books and of study has been adopted and the work in these national schools broughtasnearasmar -be to the basis of the free common schools of the States. These schools can be trans ferred and merged into the common school systems of the States when the Indian has fully assumed bis new relation to the organ ized civil community in Which he resides, and the new States are able to assume the burden. A Good Degree of Efficiency. I have several times been called upon to remove Indian agents appointed by me, and have done so promptly upon every sustained complaint of unfitness or misconduct 1 be lieve, however, that the Indian service at the agencies has been improved, and is now administered on the whole with a good de gree of efficiency. If any legislation is pos sible by which the selection of Indian agents can be wholly removed from all par tisan suggestions or considerations, I am sure it would be a great relief to the Execu tive and a great benefit to the service. The appropriation for the subsistence ot the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians made at the last session of Congress was inadeauate. This smaller appropria tion was estimated for by the Commissioner upon the theory that the large fund belong ing to the tribe in the public Treasury could be and ought to be used for their sup port In view, however, of the pending depredation claims against this fund and other considerations, the Secretary of the Interior on the 12th of April list submitted a supplemental estimate of 550,000. This appropriation was not made as it shonld have been, and the oversight ought to be remedied at the earliest possible date. In a special message to -this Congress at the last session I stated' the reasons why -I had not approved the deed for the release to the United States by the Choctaws and Chlckasaws of the lands formerly embraced in the Chejenne and Aranahoe reservation, and remaining after allotments to that tribe. A resolution of the Senate express ing the opinion of that body, notwithstand ing the facts -stated in my special message, that the deed should he approved and the money, 52,991,450, paid over, was presented to me May 10, 1892. A Controversy With Congress. My special message was intended to call the attention of Congress to the subject, and in view of the fact that it Is conceded that the appropriation 'proceeded upon a false basis as to the amount of lands to be paid for, and is by 550,000 in excess of the amount they are entitled to (even if their claim to the land is given full recognition at the rate agreed upon), I have not felt willing to approve the deed, and shall not do so at least until both Houses of Congress have acted upon the subject It has been informally proposed bv the claimants to re lease this sum of 550,000, but I have no power to demand or accept such a release, and such an agreement would be without consideration and void. I desire further to call the attention of Congress to the fact that the rec:nt agree ment concluded with the Kiowos and Coinaches relates to lands which were a part of the "leased district," and to which the claim ot the Choctaws and Chickasaws is precisely that recognized by Congress in the legislation I have referred to. The surplus lands to which this claim would at tach in the Kiowa and Comache reservation is 2,500,000 acres, and at the same rate the Government will be wiled upon to pay to the Choctaws and Chicasaws for these lands 53.125.00a This sum will be further aug mented, especially if the title of the Indians to the tract now Grier county, Tex., is es tablished. The duty devolved upon me in this connection was simply to pass upon the form of the deed; but, as in my opin ion the facts mentioned in my special mes sage were not adequately brought to the attention of Congress in connection with the legislation, I have felt that I would not be justified in acting without some new ex pression of the legislative will. The Largo Pension List The report of the Commissioner of Pen sions to which extended notice is given by the Secretary of the Interior in his report, will attract great attention. Judged by the aggregate amount of work done the last year it has been the greatest in the history of the office. I believe that the organiza tion ot the office is efficient and that the work has been done with fidelity. The passage of what is known as the disability bill has, as was foreseen, very largely in creased the annual disbursements to the disabled veterans ot the civil war. The es timate for this fiscal year was 5141,956,000, GontHuieS on Third rag. Tho Present Tear Far Surpasses 1891 Ac cording to Kleber & Bro.'s Sales ol Pianos and Organs and Other Instru ments. The Messrs. Elober 4 Bra, 506 TCcod street, are doing a phenomenal business in pianos and organs for holiday elrtSL fnr exceeding that or 183 1, and which was an excellent year. They have to order iresh stock by telegraph almost dally. Their stock of new pianos from $2CO to $1,000 enables the poorest and the richest man to pet a first-class instrument. The Messrs. Kleber are considered the mot conscientious and honest dealers in the city as well as the best lodges of instru ments. Yesterday's sales were two Stelnways, two Conovers and four Operas. Nobody was ever deceived by the firm of 11. Kleber & Bio., SOS Wood street. CLEARANCE SALE OF FURNITURE AT COST. IMMENSE BARGAINS. DELP & BELL, 13 AND 15 -FEDERAL ST., ALLEGHENY. nol9-xwTSu Leading and Largest Jewelry and Art Stores. a p. 1 Purchasing For Christmas. "Whether you buy little or much you'll agree as to the importance of giving thought to the matter of selection. Suitability and appropriateness is a con summation devoutly to be wished. We warrant you variety and diversity and elegance unequaled in these cities and unexcelled in the country. Your desires may run to any kind of jewelry and your fancy to the plain or the elaborate, and still in tnis great store, with its superb assortments, you will certainly find just what you want Diamonds, Jewelry, Silverware, Watches and Clocks, Cut Glass and Bric-a-Biac. A visit of inspection is solicited. E. P. ROBERTS & SONS, Fifth Ave. and Market St P. S. Goods -will be kept until you wish them delivered. de7-nwT SIMEN'S Here are some of the greatest bar gains ever offered 0 the buying peo ple. Assortment of an almost end less variety at prices that are one third less than you can buy else where: Men's fancy embroidered Slippers at 75c. Men's fancy Chenille Wine Velvet at 85c Men's Imitation Alligator Slippers at 85c. Men's fancy Chenille Brown and Black Velvet Slippers at $1, worth $1.25. Men's Goat Slippers at $1. Men's Dongola Operas at r. Men's fine Plush Opera Slippers at $1.50. Cost you $2 elsewhere. Men's finest Dongola Harvard, Everetts and Operas at $1.25. Boys' and Youths' Slippers, 50c to Si. 25. Ladies' Velvet Slippers, 75c to gr. Dancing Pumps in Patent Leather and Dongola at $1.50 and" $2, AT ' G. D. SIMEN'S, 78 OHIO ST., ALLEGHENY, PA. deS-KWf i On Monday, De cember 5, we com mence our annual Stock -Taking and Holiday Sale, during wh'ich we will offer our entire lines at such Bargain Prices that must create a ready sale. Silks. Dress Goods. Cloaks. Linens. Upholstery. . EILHFTlkllOIUKErsr.' dei-Kwxsu s , v,
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