The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-12-07
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.


The attention OF Congress cannot be too
earnestly called to the necessity of throw
ing some greater safeguards in choosing
and declaring the election of President.
Under the present system there seems to
be no provided remedy for contesting the
election in any one State. The remedy is
particularly in the enlightenment of the
electors. The compulsory support of the
free schools and the disfranchisemen of all
who cannot read and write the English
language, after fixed probation, would
meet my hearty approval. | would not
make this apply, however, to those ALREADY
voters, but | would to all becoming so after
the expiration of probation fixed upon.
Foreigners coming to this country to be
come citizens, who are educated in their
own language would acquire the requisite
knowledge Of ours during the necessary
residence to obtain naturalization. If they
did not take enough interest in our Ian.
gusge to acquire sufficient knowledge to
enable them to study the Institutions and
laws of the country intelligently, would
not confer upon them the right to make
and enact laws nor to vote FIR those who
do.
| append to this message for convenient
reference, a synopsis of the administrative
events and of all recommendations to Con.
gress by me during this seven years. Time
may slow that some of those recommends
tons not to have been wisely conceived,
but believe the larger part will be no
to my administration.
sANTO DOMINGO AGAIN.
One of these recommendations met with |
united opposition of one political party in
the Senate, and with strong opposition in
The other, namely: the treaty for the annex |
alton of Santo Domingo to the United |
States, to which | shall specially refer.
as do that if my views had
been concurred in the country would be in
a more prosperous condition today, both /
politically and financially Santo Domingo
IS fertile, and upon its soil may be grown
ust those tropical products Of which the
United States use so much, and
which are produced and prepared for mar
iet now by slave labor almost exclusively,
namely. sugar, coffee, dye wood, mahogany,
ropical fruits, tobacco, etc. About Is
Der cent. of the exports of sugar are con
umed in the United States. A large
percentage of the exports of Brazil find
he same market. These are paid for
'lmost exclusively in coin, legislation,
'articuiarly in Cuba, being unfavorable to
mutual exchange ofthe products of each
ountry. Flour shipped from the Missis-
lppi River to Havana can pass by the
cry entrance to the city on its way to a
ort in Spain then pays duty fixed
pom articles to be re exported, transferred
} Spanish vessel, and brought back al :
lost to the point o; starting, paying sec
nd duty, and still leave profit over what
ould be received by direct shipment. All
lat is produced in Cuba could be pro.
uced in Santo Domingo, which, being a
art of the United States, commerce be-
Teen the island and the main land would
free. There would be no export duties
, her shipments, nor import duties on
ose coming here. There would be no
,port duties upon the supplies of r
achinery, etc., going from the States.
be effect that would have been produced
ION Cuban commerce with these advau-
ges to America is observable at glance.
ne Cuban question would have been SET
d long ago in favor of free Cuba. )
undreds of American vessels would now
advantageously used in transporting the
luable woods and other products of the
and to market, and in carrying supplies
d emigrants to it. The island is but
arsely settled, while it has an area sufi.
mt for the productive employment of
Veral millions of people. The soil would 2
We soon fallen into the hands of United
Ates capitalists. The products are so
liable that emigration there would have
en- encouraged; the emancipated race of
, South would have found there a con.
NAL home where their civil rights Z