The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

We publish on our outside this week
the first annual message of President
Hayes, delivered before Congress on
Monday last 1t is an able and carefully
prepared document, and while we do
not endorse all of it, it still contains
many valuable suggestions which Con-
gress will do well to heed.
In regard to his Southern policy, we
cannot agree with the President in his
views concerning its results. 1t is prob
ably true that under it Teace and quiet
have prevailed at the South to greater
extent that heretofore, but this state of
affairs has been the result of the COM
plete intimidation of Republicans
white as we'll as black-through his nom
interferencepolicy. The same thing might
have happened under Gen. Grants ad-
ministration, had he seen fit to with.
draw federal protection from the ballot
x,and there would have been 10 Repub
lican party in the South at the last Presi-
dental election-Samuel J .Tilden would
have been in the white house to-day, and
Rutherford B. Hayes would have been
simply Governor Of Ohio In this opin-
ion, however, we may be mistaken, and
we sincerely hope that we are. 1t Is pos
sible that all classes of citizens in the
South are fully protected in the free ex-
ercise of all their civil and political
rights, but all the evidence we have seen
and heard upon the subject SD far, con-
firms us in the opposite belief.
On the silver question the President
takes moderate ground. He admits that
an additional amount of coin is needed,
but thinks that in making silver an I'M
limited legal tender, an exception should
be made in favor of our national debt.
So far as bonds issued since 1873 are
concerned this view is probably correct,
as since that time gold has been the only
coin in this country recognized as mon
ey; but in regard to bonds issued prior
to that date, we think the case is entirely
different, for up to that time the silver
dollar had been the unit of our money,
and legal tender for any amount. We
hope, however, that the friends of the
silver bill will SO modify it as to meet
the Presidents views. When a man is
hungry shalt loaf is better than no
bread" and such bill as Mr.. Hayes
suggests is decidedly better than none.
Regarding the repeal of the resump-
ton act, the President expresses himself
with great positiveness, as being opposed
to any change in the present law. If
the silver bill passes, so that both silver
and gold can be used, it is possible that
resumption may take place at the time
contemplated, without very greatly de-
ranging the commercial interests of the
country. but if it takes place in gold
alone, we look for general prostra,ion
of business, only equaled by the panic
of 1873.
The President recommend. the levy
ing of an import duty on tea and coffee
We differ with him again there. Tea
and coffee are articles of general con.
sumption among the poorer classes and
unless the necessity for additional reve-
nue. becomes more pressing than it now
seems to be, no tax should collected from
them.
The other suggestions contained in the |
message we generally approve. On the
whole, the message, though very able |
ono, will be decidedly unpopular in the |
West, for the present, at least.