Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/268

 222 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS returning convicts to Europe, and on February 26, 1885, importation of contract-laborers was for bidden. The suspension of the coinage of standard silver dollars, and the redemption of the trade dollars, were repeatedly recommended. The repeal of the stamp taxes on matches, proprietary articles, playing cards, bank checks and drafts, and of the tax on surplus bank capital and deposits, was rec ommended. These taxes were repealed by act of congress of March 3, 1883; and by executive order of June 25, 1883, the number of internal revenue collection districts was reduced from 126 to 83. The tax on tobacco was reduced by the same act of con gress ; and in his last annual message, of December 5, 1884, the president advised the repeal of all in ternal revenue taxes except those on distilled spirits and fermented liquors. Congress was advised to undertake the revision of the tariff, but &quot;without the abandonment of the policy of so discriminating in the adjustment of details as to afford aid and protection to American labor.&quot; The course advised was the organization of a tariff commission, which was authorized by act of congress of May 15, 1882. The report of the commission submitted to con gress December 4 was made the basis of the tariff revision act of March 3, 1883. On July 12, 1882, an act became a law enabling the national banks, which were then completing their twenty-year