Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-09

til the question of permanent ex-
hibition is acted on
The attention of Congress cam
not be too earnestly called Ia the
necessity of throwing some greater
safeguard over the method OF
choosing and declaring the election
of President. Under the present
system there seems to be no pro-
vided remedy for contesting the
election 10 any one state.
TIE remedy is partially, no
doubt, in the enlightenment of
electors. The compulsory support
of the free school and the disfran-
chisement of all who cannot read
aud write the English language
after fixed probation-would
meet my hearty approval. l
would not m Ike this apply, how
ever,to those already voters, but |
would to all becoming SO after the
expiration OF the probation fixed
upon, Foreigners coming TO the
country 10 become citizens who
are educated in their own Ian
guage would acquire the requisite
knowledge Of ours during the me-
cr~sary residence to obtain natur-
alization. II they did not take in
terest enough in our language to
acquire sufficient knowledge Of il
to enable them 10 study the insti-
tuti0ns and laws of the country
intelligently, l would not confer
upon them the right to make
such laws nor TO select these who
do.
append to this message for
convenient References synopsis of
administrative events and of all
recommendation to Congress made
oy me during the last seven wears.
Time may show some of these re-
commend tti0ns not to have been
wisely conceived, but believe the
larger part will do no discredit to
the admins ration.
One of these recommendations
met with the united opposition of
one political party In the Senate
and with strong opposition from
the other. namely The treaty foi
the annexation of SantO Domingo
to the United States, to which /
will specially refer, maintaining "a
do,that if my views had been
cOncurred in, the country would
be in a more prosperous condition
to-day both politically and finan
cially. Santo Domingo is fertile
and upon its soil may be grown
just those tropical products of
which the United States use SO
much and which are produced and
prepared for market now by slave
labor almost exclusively viz SUI
gar, coffee;dye woods, mahogany,
tropical fruits, tobacco, &c. About
rs per cent. of the exports of Cuba
are consumed in the United Staies
A large percentage of the exports
of BraZil also find the same mar
ket. These are paid for almost ex-
clusively in cuin.iegislatiOn, parti-
cularly in Cuba being unfavOrable
to mutual exchange Of the pro-
ducts of each country. Flour ship
ped from the Mississippi river to
Havana can pass by the very en-
trance to the city on its way to
port in Spain then pays a duty
fixed upon articles TO be re-ex port
ed, transferred toa Spanish vessel,
and brought back almost to the
point Of starting, paying second
duty; and still leave a profit over
what would be received by direct
shipment All that is produced
in Cuba could be produced ia San
Domingo. Being a part of the
United States. commerce between
the I-land and the maitland
would be free, There would be-
no export duties On her shipments
nor import duties on those coming
here. There would be no import
duties up m the supplies, machine
ry, etc., going from the states.
The effect that wound have been
produced upon Cuban commerce
with these advantages to a rival
is observable at glance. The
Cuban question would have been
settled long ago in favor of "Free
Cuba" Hundreds of American
vessels would now be advanta-
geously used in transporting the
valuable woods and otherproducts
of the soil of the island, to a mar
ket, and in carrying supplies and
emig. ants to il. The island is but
sparsely settled, while it has an
area sufficient for the profitable
employment of several millions of
people. The soil would have soon
fallen into the hands Of United
States capitalists. The products
are SO valuable in commerce that
emigration there would have been
encouraged; the emancipated race
of the south would have found
there a congenial home, where
their civil rights would not be
disputed. and where their lahor