The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-12-16
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The country has been given Presi-
dent Arthur's message, and that dis.
tinguished parsonage has fifty shown
to the world that we have an execu.
tive who is quite capable Of intelli.
gently grssping all of the great
questions that will come before Con.
gress for adjudication and considera.
ton.
The document reviews with a de.
gree of satisfaction our amicable re.
lations with foreign countries, and
points with pride to the late York
town celebration, which was repre-.
sented by the French Republic and
descendants of Lafayette and of his
gallant compatriOts. who were our
allies in the Revolution.
The Importance of the message, as
regards the finances, banking and
taxation are at once conceded. Its
recommendation and considerations
upon these subjects are considered at
length in connection with Secretary
Folger's report. In this especial
particular the Presidents statements
show him to be fully versed in the
vital requirements of careful and
judicious legislation, and the paper
is one that has rarely il ever been
surpassed by any OF his illustrious
predecessors.
The treatment OF postal questions,
while comparatively brief, shows
that President Arthur will spare no
pains to prosecute with the utmost
Sigor any and all frauds perpetrated
upon the Government In that branch
of the service. He does not, how.
ever, enter into an opinion relative
to the pending charges against Brady,
Dorsey, etc, ETC., preferrlng, rather,
to be judged by his acts In this mat
ter. and if the administration pushes
to the end reforms commenced by
President Garfield. and metes out just
retribution to the grossly guilty
parties who have so baseiy misused
their power Of Office, it will win the
admiration and praise Of all honest
men.
The President reviews the neces.
sity of reform in our Civil Service.
but does not pisinly state what sort
of procedure In this line would best
suit him. His suggestions. however,
may be understood to disfavor COM
petitiye examinations and a dislike
Of permanent tenure In Office. Con.
gress will have to fill the vacuum &C.
cordinS to its own liking.
The Indian policy as surveyed, is
by no means new, but it is neverthe.
less commendable. President Arthur
would have the aborigines amenable
to the laws of our land, and take
them into citizenship and protect
their rights against the intrusion of
tramps and Migrants. The enact
ment Of a general law permitting the
allotment in severalty to Indians, of
IL reasonable quantity of land secured
to them by patent and for their own
protection. would 60 farther to sever
hostility and make them Industrious
and self:reliant than anything the
Government could do. 1t is to be
hoped that Congress will take de.
cisive steps with the future of the
red man, and thus avert the terrible
Inassacres 50 prevalent on the
borders.
The much sGitated and non-legis-
lated polygamous suppression is again
brought to the attention Of Congress,
and for the sake of decency and re.
gard for our constitutional laws, it Is
truly to be hoped that something
will be done to forever blot out this
accursed stain upon the pages of our
moral statute. 1t is a well.known
fact that the present statute for the
punishment of polygamy is and al
ways has been contemptuously vic.
lated, and steps should be promptly
instigated to stamp out the barbar-
Gus system. and bring the offenders
to justice. The recommend Of the
passage of an act providing that in
the Territories of the United States
the fact that a woman has been
married to person charged with
bigamy shall not disqualify her as a
witness upon his trial for that Offense,
is wise and we'll timed.
The message is strong, clear and
earnest, taken as a whole, and every
reader should peruse it carefully.