Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-06

labor from all parts of the
world together, but in bringing to-
gethcr people from all sections OF our
own country, which must prove a
great benefit in the information inn
parted and pride of country cngcn-
| dcred. 1t has been suggested by sci
cntists interested and connected with
the Smithsonian Institute, in COM
munication herewith submitted, that
the Government exhibit be removed
to the Capitol and a suitable building
be erected or purchased for its ac-
conimodatiOn as q permanent cxhibi-
ton. ! earnestly recommend this,
and believing that Congress
would second this view, I
directed that all government exhib-
its at the Centennial Exhibition
should remain where they are, except
such as might be injured by remain
ing in building not intended as a
protection in inclement weather, or
such as may be wanted by the depart
ments furnishing them, until the
question of a permanent exhibition
is acted ON Although the moneys
appropriated by Congress to enable
the participation Of the several ex-
ccutivc departments in the Inter-
national Exhibition. of 1876 were
not sufficient to carry out
the undertaking to the full extent at
first contemplated, it gives me pleas
urc to refer to the very efficient and
creditable manner in which the board
appointed from these several depart
mcnts to provide an exhibition on the
part of the Government, have dis
charged their duties with the funds
placed at their command. Without
a precedent to guide them in the
preparation of sucha display, the sue
cess of their labors was amply attest
ed by the sustained attention which
the contents of the Government build
ing attracted during the period of ex-
hibition, from both foreign and ma
tive people. am strongly impressed
with the value of the collection made
by the Government for the purpose
of the exhibition, illustrating, as it
does, the general resources of the
country, the statistical and practic-
al evidences of our growth as a ma
ton and the uses Of the mercantile
arts and the applications of applied
science in the administration of the
affairs of Government. Many nations
have voluntarily contributed their
exhibits to the United States, to in
crease the interest in any permanent
exhibition congress may provide for.
For this act of generosity they should
receive the thanks of the people and
| respectfully suggest that a rcsolu-
ton of congress to that effect be
adopted.
| ELECTION OF PRESIDENT.
The attention of Congress cannot be
too earnestly called to the necessity
of throwing some greater safeguard
over the method of choosing and de-
claring the election of President.
Under the present system there seems
to be no remedy provided for con-
testing an election in any one State
The remedy is partially, no doubt
in the enlightenment of electors, Tho
J compulsory spirit of the free schools
and the disfranchisement of all who
cannot read and write the English
language. A fixed probation would
meet my hearty approval. l would
} not make this apply, however, to
those already voters, but would to
all becoming so after the expiration
! of the probation fixed upon. Foreign.
ers coming to the country who become
would acquire the requisite knowl.
edge of ours during the necessary
residence TO obtain naturalization. II
they did not take interest enough in
our language to acquire sufficient
! knowledge of it to enable them to
i, study the institutions and laws Intel.
: ligently, ! would not confer upon
} them the right to make our laws, MOI
to select those who do.
ADMINISTRATIVE EVENTS.
append to this message, for con.
venient reference, a synopsis of adj
ministrative events, and of all the
recommendations to Congress made
, by me during the last seven years
t time. 1t may show some of these
/ recommendations not TO have
been wisely conceived, but
, believe the larger part will be no dis,
credit to my administration. One OF
united opposition of one political
party in the Senate, and with strong
opposition from the other, namely the
treaty for the annexation of
sANTo DOMINGO
I to the United States, to which / shall
. specially refer, maintaining as 1 dc
, that if my advice had been concurred
in, the country would be in more
, prosperous condition to-day, boil
politically and financially. Santc
Domingo is fertile upon its soil may
be grown just those tropical products
of which the United States use SO
much, and which are produced OF
prepared for market now by slave
labor almost exclusively, namely
T sugar, coffee, dyewoods, mahogany
tropical fruits, tobacco, etc. About
J sevcnty-tive per cent of the exports
of Cuba are consumed in the United
! States. A large per cent of the ex.
T ports Of Brazil also find the same
| market These are paid for almost
, exclusively in coin, legislation, partic.
i ularly in Cuba, being unfavorable to
a mutual exchange of the products OF
, each country. Flour shipped from
the Mississippi river to Havana car
: pass by the very entrance to the city
, on its way to portion of Spain, then
pay duty fixed. When articles to
be re-exported are transferred to 9
, Spanish vessel and brought back al.
most to the point of starting, paying
. a second duty and still leave
a profit over what would be frs,
received by direct shipment
All that is produced in Cuba could be
/ produced i'm Santo Domingo, and il
being part of the United States
; commerce between that island and
the main land, would be free; there
would be no export duties on hel
, shipments nor import duties on those
J coming here. There would be no i'm.
port duties upon the supplies of ma.
chincry, ETC., going from the States
: The effect that would have been pro.
duccd upon Cuban commerce, will
these advantages to a rival, are OBJ
served at glance. The Cuban ques-
, ton would have been settled long ago
in favor of free Cuba. Hundreds OF
American vessels would now be adj
yantageonsly used in transporting the
valuable woods and other products
of the soil of Santo Domin.
, go to a market, and in car
ryiIg supplies and immigrants to
ii. The island is but sparsely set.
tied while ii 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 capital and the products
are so valuable in commerce that mi
grafton there would have been en-
larged and the emancipatcd race OF
the South would have found there a
congenial home where their civil
lights would not be disputed and
where their labor would be much
sought after; the poorest among
|, them could have found the means to
go and thus in cases of great oppres-
u II