Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-12-07
The Presidents Message.

Tuesday Without revealing any effort to
be brilliant or statesman ike, the message
is practical and business-li throughout
and expresses in clear language the views
of the Executive upon the various ques-
lions of public concern of present interest
to Congress or needing legislation during
the present session. The President reviews
our foreign relations, which he reports to
be amicable and peaceful. After referring
to some commercial matters of minor i'm
portance, the President refers to the ques-
ton of revenue reform. He does not adj
wise any further material reduction of the
revenues at present. Congress is remind
ed that tariff bill has been recently pass
ed, the results of which are not yet suth-
ciently apparent to warrant further mod
ilication of the tariff or internal revenue
laws. lie states, however, that the legis
ation referred to has cut down the income |
of the government some fifty or sixty mil |
lions of dollars-a statement at variance
with that made by the Secretary of the
Treasury, who puts the net reduction at
but S3O,OOO,OOO The surplus of revenue
over expenditure, which the President es-
Inmates a $50, 100000, it is recommended
should be spent in rehabilitating our navy
and providing coast defenses. The sug
.estion Of the Secretary of the Treasury as
to the proper method of perpetuating the
national bank system is approved. 1t is
accordingly recommend that the lax OF
per cent. on the circula ion of the nation
al banks be repealed, and that the amount
of the circulation allowed on bonds depos- |
tied for security be increased to 80 per
cent. on the market value OF such bonds.
The effect Of this would be tC make it pro-
fitable to The banks to base their circula-
ton on four per cents. which are not re-
deemable till 1907 With respect to the
disposition to be made of trade d ollars The
President and Secretary of the Treasury.
while not tavoring exactly the same plan,
are in substantii agreement. The former
recommends that the trade dollar be &C
copied by the treasury and The minis as
bullion at small percentage above the
cunent market price Of silver OF ike fine
ness. The Secretary suggests simply that
the standard silver dollar be exchanged.
dollar for dollar, for the trade dollar, the
latter to be regarded as so much bullion
bought under the act of 1873 Approval
is given also the Secre AIRY Of the Treasurys
plan for the consolidation of certain Gus
toms districts, and it is added thai by the
reduction oil internal revenue districts, re
Gently perfcc ed, their number las been
reduced from l26 To So Dwelling on the
unprotected condition Of our extended
seacoast. the number of large and veal by
cities with which it is dotted, the age and
weakness of our works of defense, their
inferior armament and imperfect torpedo
equipment, the President urges the recon
struc,ion sf our navy and the building Of
pant for the manufacture of heavy ord
nance, and points to the overtlbwing con
dition of the treasury as a fact that rem
ders the present the proper time for the
inception of So patriotic work
Attention is cal ed TO the growth of the
number Of p"stutiices from 1921 in 1882
47.S63 in 1888 The recommendation is
made. adversely 10 the views Of the Post
master General, that the rate al pos age
on drop letters. which at present is two
cents where the carrier sys EN- is establish
ell and one cent elsewhere, be made uni
form by reducing ii everywhere to one
cent. Reference is made Ia the long moot
Ell proposition that the government should
assume the same control over the telegraph
that it has always exercised over he mail.
but the President is unable 10 accord his
approval 10 the project The suggestion
is made, however. that the government
should be authorized t. exercise some sort
of supervision over interstate telegraphIc
communication. Congress is invited to
consider The important question whether
Federal aid may not with propriety be ex
lsHdcu W Pu'liS primary SduSati'H ~
parts of the country where The percentage
of i'literacy is high. The fai ure Of the
antipo'ygamy legislation of March, 1882,
is cited, and the stroag recommendation is
made that Congress repeal the act upon
which the existing government of Utah
depends. assume control OF the Territory,
and estab.i sh in authority p commission
with powers fitting it to deal effectively
with the Mormon problem. The question
of regul ating interstate commerce is pre-
sented for consideration. The right of
railway corporations to reasonable profits
is conceded, but Congress should protect
the peope from injustice. The effects of
the civil-rights act in the short time dur
ing which it his been in operation are pro-
nounced beneficial The act passed by the
Senate at the last session regulating the
presidential succession is recommended to
the favorable consideration of the present
Congress. 1t is asked that the Executive be
empowered TO veto particular items of an
appropriation bill without impairing the
validity of other items which meet his APP
proval. In concluding, the President re-
commends the passge of new civil-rights
bill guaranteeing to the col.red citizen the
rights secured to him by the fourteenth
amendment
The Democratic party Of the country
may we'll congratulate self upon the hap
Ply manner in which its representatives in
Congress have steered clear of the dangers