Smyrna times., 1882-12-06


be serious if not insurmountable OBJ
stacle to a thorough revision of the
tariff. This is a judicious view of the
subject, which has already had the APP
proval of many of our most capable
The Presidents remarks on appro-
priations for internal improvements are
what might have been expected after
his veto of the River and Harbor bill.
He expresses the hope that no bill will
be deemed necessary at this session,
and shows by the figures of the War
Department that there will be no ex-
cuse for one. If any additional appro-
priatiOn is necessary for the Mississippi
River he says a seperate bill for that
purpose would meet his approval.
This suggestion prompts him to the
wider one that it would be a good idea
to have future appropriations for differ
ent schemes of Improvement embodied
in separate bills, so that each one could
be approved or disapproved by the
President according to his judgement.
This plan has the one great objection
that it would cumber legislation with a
multitude of bills, making progress
more tedious than it is now, The
President recognizes this and suggests
second remedy, which is really the
only practical one and which has been
urged repeatedly, that of constitu-
tional amendment authorizing the
President to veto any item in an appro-
priation bill without killing the bill.
That would put an end to River and
Harbor steals forever. We trust
Congress will act upon this suggestion
without delay. Surely many of its
members have had good reason to
know how their constituents feel about
it.
On the question of reducing the pos
tage on domestic letters to two cents
the President heartily favors imme
diate reduction, and gives some inter
esting information on the subject
The excess of the postal revenue il
; the next fiscal year is likely to be So,
100000, and the President is cOnfiden
that, without any increase of postage
; on any other class of mail matter, tn
receipts under the diminished rat
+ would equal the expenditures after tn
:; lapse of three or four years. 1t shoul
] be added that this reduction is mad
; possible by the saving secured to tn
+ Government by the overthrow of til
i Star Route Ring. Concerning tn
e prosecution of the members of tha
Ring the President says it has bee
conducted with zeal and ability, an
i that 1" if any guilty persons shall fiji
Il ally escape punishment for their o
>. fences it will not be for lack of dill
n gent and earnest efforts on the part
4 the prosecution We are not SUI
n that the public will coincide heartily
# that belief.
d The attention Of Congress is call,
is to the mOmentous question of imm
!, diate and substantial Government a
rt to the spread of education, and Il
IS welcome intelligence is given that !
os additional legislation for the supprt
it sion of polygamy is necessary at pre-
no ent, and that the Commissioners |
tv lieve the evil may be suppressed wit
il out resort to the radical measures as
Az some quarters have been thought
ii. dispensible to success. On Indian
in fairs the President simply reaiiirms
ed excellent recommendation of last ye
be The Message closes with an elabOr;
81 statement of the Presidents views
On Civil Service Reform, making the l
or surprising admission that his own sci
tIv of the pressing Importance Of refo
SIC has been "quickened by Observati
MI 1t need only be said here that
orc views are sensible and patriotic, &
% that his declaration that bill for
r,v suppression of political assessme
so would meet his cordial approval '
;ts be welcome news to to the public.