216 



CONGRESS. (PBESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



satisfy me of the inexpediency of entering into en- 

 gagements of this character not covering the entire 

 traffic. 



These treaties contemplated the surrender by the 

 United States of large revenues for inadequate consid- 

 erations. Upon sugar alone duties were surrendered 

 to an amount far exceeding all the advantages oifered 

 in exchange. Even were it intended to relieve our 

 consumers, it was evident that, so long as the exemp- 

 tion but partially covered our importation, such relief 

 would be illusory. To relinquish a revenue so essen- 

 tial seemed highly improvident at a time when new 

 and large drains upon the Treasury were contem- 

 plated. Moreover, embarrassing questions would have 

 arisen under the favored-nation clauses of treaties 

 with other nations. 



As a further objection, it is evident that tariff reg- 

 ulation by treaty diminishes that independent con- 

 trol over its own revenues which is essential for the 

 safety and welfare of any government. Emergency 

 calling for an increase of taxation may at any time 

 arise, and no engagement with a foreign power should 

 exist to hamper the action of the Government. 



By the fourteenth section of the shipping act, ap- 

 proved June 26, 1884, certain reductions and contin- 

 gent exemptions from tonnage dues were made as to 

 vessels entering ports of the United States from any 

 foreign port in North and Central America, the West 

 India Islands, the Bahamas and Bermudas, Mexico, 

 and the Isthmus as far as Aspinwall and Panama. 

 The Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, 

 Portugal, and Sweden and Norway have asserted, 

 under the favored-nation clause in their treaties with 

 the United States, a claim to like treatment in respect 

 of vessels coming to the United States from their home 

 ports. This Government, however, holds that the 

 privileges granted by the act are purely geographical, 

 muring to any vessel of any foreign power that may 

 choose to engage in traffic between this country and 

 any port within the defined zone, and no warrant ex- 

 ists under the most-fa vored-nation clause for the ex- 

 tension of the privileges in question to vessels sailing 

 to this country from ports outside the limitation of 

 the act. 



Undoubtedly the relations of commerce with our 

 near neighbors, whose territories form so long a front- 

 ier line difficult to be guarded, and who find in our 

 country and equally offer to us natural markets, de- 

 mand special and considerate treatment. It rests with 

 Congress to consider what legislative action may in- 

 crease facilities of intercourse which contiguity makes 

 natural and desirable. 



I earnestly urge that Congress recast the appropria- 

 tions for the maintenance of the diplomatic and con- 

 sular service on a footing commensurate with the im- 

 portance of our national interests. At every post 

 where a representative is necessary, the salary should 

 be so graded as to permit him to live with comfort. 

 With the assignment of adequate salaries the so- 

 called notarial extra-official fees, which our officers 

 abroad are now permitted to treat as personal perqui- 

 sites, should be done away with. Every act requir- 

 ing the certification and seal of the officer should be 

 taxable at schedule rates and the fee therefor returned 

 to the Treasury. By restoring these revenues to the 



Sublic use the consular service would be self-support- 

 ig, even with a liberal increase of the present low 

 salaries. 



In further prevention of abuses a system of consu- 

 lar inspection should be instituted. 



The appointment of a limited number of secretaries 

 of legation at large, to be assigned to duty wherever 

 necessary, and in particular for temporary service at 

 missions which for any cause may be without a head, 

 should also be authorized. 



I favor, also, authorization for the detail of officers 

 of the regular service as military or naval attaches at 

 legations. 



Some foreign governments do not recognize the 

 union of consular with diplomatic functions. Italy 



and Venezuela will only receive the appointee in one 

 of his two capacities ; but this does not prevent the 

 requirement of a bond and submission to the respon- 

 sibilities of an office whose duties he can not discharge. 

 The superadded title of consul-general should be aban- 

 doned at all missions. 



I deem it expedient that a well-devised measure for 

 the reorganization of the extra-territorial courts in 

 Oriental countries should replace the present system, 

 which labors under the disadvantage of combining 

 judicial and executive functions in the same office. 



In several Oriental countries generous offers have 

 been made of premises for housing the legations of the 

 United States. A grant of land for that purpose was 

 made some years since by Japan, and has been re- 

 ferred to in the annual messages of my predecessor. 

 The Siamese Government has made a gift to the 

 United States of commodious quarters in Bangkok. 

 In Corea, the late minister was permitted to purchase 

 a building from the Government for legation use. In 

 China, the premises rented for the legation are favored 

 as to local charges. At Tangier, the house occupied 

 by our representative has been for many years the 

 property of this Government, having been given for 

 that purpose in 1822 by the Sultan of Morocco. 1 ap- 

 prove the suggestion heretofore made, that, in view 

 of the conditions of life and administration in the 

 Eastern countries, the legation buildings in China, 

 Japan, Corea, Siam, and perhaps Persia, should be 

 owned and furnished by the Government, with a view 

 to permanency and security. To this end I recom- 

 mend that authority be given to accept the gifts ad- 

 verted to in Japan and Siam, and to purchase in the 

 other countries named, with provision for furniture 

 and repairs. A considerable saving in rentals would 

 result. 



The World's Industrial Exposition, held at New 

 Orleans last winter, with the assistance of the Fed- 

 eral Government, attracted a large number of foreign 

 exhibits, and proved of great value in spreading 

 among the concourse of visitors from Mexico and Cen- 

 tral and South America a wider knowledge of the 

 varied manufactures and productions of this country 

 and their availability in exchange for the productions 

 of those regions. 



Past Congresses have had under consideration the 

 advisability of abolishing the discrimination made by 

 the tariff laws in favor of the works of American art- 

 ists. The odium of the policy which subjects to a, 

 high rate of duty the paintings of foreign a'rtists and 

 exempts the productions of American artists residing 

 abroad, and who receive gratuitously advantages and 

 instruction, is visited upon our citizens engaged in art- 

 culture in Europe, and has caused them, with practi- 

 cal unanimity, to favor the abolition of 'such an un- 

 gracious distinction ; and in their interest, and for 

 other obvious reasons, I strongly recommend it. 



The report of the Secretary of the Treasury fully 

 exhibits the condition of the public finances and of 

 the several branches of the Government connected 

 with his department. The suggestions of the Secre- 

 tary relating to the practical operations of this impor- 

 tant department, and his recommendations in the di- 

 rection of simplification and economy, particularly in 

 the work of collecting customs duties, are especially 

 urged upon the attention of Congress. 



The ordinary receipts from all sources for the fiscal 

 year ended June 30, 1885, were $322,690,706.38. Of 

 this sum $181,471,939.34 was received from customs 

 and $112,498,725.54 from internal revenue. The total 

 receipts, as given above, were $24,829,163.54 less than 

 those for the year ended June 30, 1884. This diminu- 

 tion embraces a falling off of $13,595,550.42 in the re- 

 ceipts from customs and $9,687,346.97 in the receipts 

 from internal revenue. 



The total ordinary expenditures of the Government 

 for the fiscal year were $260,226,935.50, leaving a sur- 

 plus in the Treasury at the close of the year of $63,- 

 463,771.27. This Is $40,929,854.32 less than the sur 

 plus reported at the close of the previous year. 







