The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-08
Presidents Nfessage.

ytetbfuayssA 1tb e4Heme sonetu piO-
cludes its publication in our columns en-
lire, Nor docs the document possess
anything ofexciting interest. 1t is well
written, Glgnified in tone, ana in ali
thiags temperate in character.
The President sets out with a very
interestihg and comprehensive sum
mary Of the changes wrought in our con-
dition within the century ofour national
existence, referring to our Increase from
Is States to SO, and Of population from
three millions to forty millions; to the
growth of our manufacturing products,
which from almost nothing have risen to
the vast sum Of 2,l00, 100000 annually.
The Message recommends a Constitu-
ti0nal amendment making 1t the duty Of
the several States "to establish and for
ever maintain free public schools ade-
quate TO the education of all the chill
dren in the rudimentary branches, with
sex, color, birthplace or religion; forbid
ding the teaching in said schools of re-
ljgions, atheistic or pagan, and prohibit
Ing the granting of any school funds, or
school taxes, or any part thereof, either
by legislative. municipal, or others, Tor
the benefit of any other object of any
nature or kind whatever.n
Attention is called to the eonsidera-
tion Of the important question Of taxing
Church property. And the President
very properly suggests the Importance
OF correcting an evil, which, as he says,
will probably lead TO great trouble in
our land before the close of the present
century; and he proceeds to point out
the rapid increase in the vast amounts
OF untaxed church property, saying;
"In 1850, ! believe. the church
property of the United States
which paid no tax, municipal.
or State, amounted to about $50, 900 600.
In 1860 the amount had doubled. In 1915
it is about 81 600, 900 600; by 1900, without
check, ut is safe to say this property will
reach sum exceeding $4,000, 900, 900. So
vast q sum, receiving all the protection
and benefits Of government without bear.
ing it's proportion of the burdens and ex-
penses in the same, will not be looked
upon acquiescently by those who have
paid taxes"
The Message proceeds to suggest the
taxation of all property equally, whether
church or corporation, exempting only
the last resting place Of the dead.
Our foreign relations are represented
as generally ON friendly footing; and
Spain is particularly mentioned. in
kind and forbearing spirit. The indem-
nifty In the case of the ship Virgiatus
was promptly paid by the Spanish Gov
ernment in full, and distribution thereof
has been directed.
Concerning the Cuban rebellion the
President speaks with very proper and
positive terms of condemnation of the
barbarism that has constantly charac-
terized that conflict for seven years;
through all which time, desolation, ruin,
pillage and incendiarism have pervaded
and laid waste the rich fields and towns
Of that productive region, destroy
ing and endangering the property
Of peaceful American citizens re-
siding there, and outraging all the
laws OF civilized warfare; and for the
suppression of this all the efforts of
Spain have thus far proved abortive.
And yet terrible as the state of things
"Applying to the existing condition oil
affairs in Cuba, the tests recognized by
the publicists and writer's on interna-
tional law, and which have been
observed by nations Of dignity,
honesty and power when free
from sensitive, selfish or unworthy mo-
tiyes, I fail to find in the insurrection
the existence of such substantial polit-
ical organization, real, ralpable and
manifest to the world, having the forms
and capable OF the ordinary functions OF
Government toward it's own people and
to other States, with Courts for admin
istration of fjustice, and with local habi-
tation possessing such an organ.
fzation of force, such material, such
occupation of territory, as to take the
contest out Of the category Of Q mere re-
bellious insurrection or occasional
skirmshes and place it Oh the terrible
footing Of war, to which recognition
OF bolligerency would aim to elevate it,"
And hetherefore regards the accordance
of belligerent rights to be as yet unwise
and premature. He however suggests
that the time must speedily come, unless
the insurrection be suppressed, when
other nations must seriously consider
the only remaining remedies, bymedia.
tfon and Intervention. The President
afirms that in all her difficulties, the
United States have performed all their
obligations to Spain with perfect fair
ness and fidelity, and expresses the
hope that all pending questions will meet
with satisfactory adjustment
On the subject of the depredations
committed within our territory by bands
Of Mexicans from the Stree zone" on
our frontiers, the President gives utter
ance to some plain aud positive intima,