Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1885 — SECRETARY MANNING’S REPORT. [ARTICLE]

SECRETARY MANNING’S REPORT.

Ho Urges a Cessation of Silver CoinageOther Recommendations. The report of Secretary of the Treasury Manning is a pamphlet of more than a hundred pages. Its statistical features are well summarized in the President s Message. The Secretary treats at great length of the silver question, and concludes that the disorders of the currency may be perfectly remedied without shock to business interests by the repeal of the clause requiring the treasury purchases of silver bullion, and the repeal of the act making compulsory treasury issues and reissues of the legal-tender notes. A cessation of the coinage of the silver dollar is strongly urged. The recommendations of the Commissioner of Internal Uevonue as to an amendment to the bonded whisky law which shall postpone the collection of the tax, under certain conditions, until withdrawn for consumption ; as to the abolition of the office of Inspector of Tobacco; as to tiie exportation of tobacco under regulations prescribed by the Commissioner, and as to the taxation of fractional parts of tlio gallon of distilled spirits, aro approve d. It is recommended that the immigration law be so that all commissions or officers, to be charged with the care of immigrants at the several ports, bo appointed directly by the Secretary of the Treasury. A special report is mode on the evils arising out of tariff duties, such as false Invoices, extortionate consular lees, and bribes given and re-

ceived at the port of entry, in closing which the Secretary says: "The law which denounces those acts as crimes or offenses to be punished ought not to be a dead letter, as it is now But tho real difficulty is, I fear, in the fact that so large a portion of the peoplo of the country disapprove of the present tariff rates, and would condemn any adequate punitive and deterrent legislation, like that of 1799 and 1863, intended to uphold those tariff rates,; or would only support such legislation because obedience to all law is, among right-minded people, a general obligation. But yet, if the existing rates of duty aro to stand, and if those compound rates wherein even specific rates depend on foreign values are hereafter to be inflicted, there will bo need, I think, of new deterrent legislation which will more surely and swiftly imixiril the property on which foreign manufacturers and shippers seek to evade payment of duty whioh they kuow the law imposes, aud which duties those who present truthful invoices must pay, since tho collectors cannot levy ad valorem rates on less than the invoice or entered value."