d silver dollars; but some of these
are trade conditions that statutory enactments do not control and of the
continuance of which we can not be certain.

I think it is clear that if we should make the coinage of silver at the
present ratio free we must expect that the difference in the bullion
values of the gold and silver dollars will be taken account of in
commercial transactions; and I fear the same result would follow any
considerable increase of the present rate of coinage. Such a result
would be discreditable to our financial management and disastrous to all
business interests. We should not tread the dangerous edge of such a
peril. And, indeed, nothing more harmful could happen to the silver
interests. Any safe legislation upon this subject must secure the
equality of the two coins in their commercial uses.

I have always been an advocate of the use of silver in our currency.
We are large producers of that metal, and should not discredit it. To
the plan which will be presented by the Secretary of the Treasury for
the issuance of notes or certificates upon the deposit of silver bullion
at its market value I have been able to give only a hasty examination,
owing to the press of other matters and to the fact that it has been
so recently formulated. The details of such a law require careful
consideration, but the general plan suggested by him seems to satisfy
the purpose--to continue the use of silver in connection with our
currency and at the same time to obviate the danger of which I have
spoken. At a later day I may communicate further with Congress upon this
subject.

The enforcement of the Chinese exclusion act has been found to be very
difficult on the northwestern frontier. Chinamen landing at Victoria
find it easy to pass our border, owing to the impossibility with the
force at the command of the customs officers of guarding so long an
inland line. The Secretary of the Treasury has authorized the employment
of additional officers, who will be assigned to this duty, and every
effort will be made to enforce the law. The Dominion exacts a head tax
of $50 for each Chinaman landed, and when these persons, in fraud of our
law, cross into our territory and are apprehended our officers do not
know what to do with them, as the Dominion authorities will not suffer
them to be sent back without a second payment of the tax. An effort will
be made to reach an understanding that will remove this difficulty.

The proclam