The sun., 1883-12-05
The Presidents Message.

1 ouC VI tHc vi hNlhON
istratlon Of public affairs during tho past
twenty-sevcn months is highly crcditable to
him. There has been steadily growing conf
dcncc both in the souudness OF his Judgment
and in the sincerity of his desire to serve the
best interests of the country That is why
his first December message to Congress was
awaited with curious interest, his second
with respectful attention, and his third with
tho very general conviction beforehand that
1t would be clear in its terms, wise in its
recommendations and patriotic in its inspir-
ing motives.
So 1t Is. The document sent to Congress
| yesterday afternoon contains much evidence
that tho President thinks for himself. His
opinions and recommendations on important
questions of policy are often wholly different
from those which he transmits in tho re-
ports of his Cabinet advisers. He conveys
from the departments without expressed or
implied approval some schemes with which
we should be sorry to find him in agreement.
His assent to measures which meet his own
views is sufficiently distinct: his silence in
regard to other measures proposed by the
members Of his Cabinet, 50 far from meaning
consent, is quito as eloquent as the most en-
crgetic phrase Of disapproval.
This is particularly true in respect to Sec
retary CHAMBERS s amazing plan for dispos-
ing OF the surplus revenue. Mr.. CHANDLER
urges the immediate creation Of a system of
| Government canals, across the neck of the
Florida peninsula, up the Atlantic coast from
the st. Johns River to Hampton Roads, from
Chesapeake Bay into the Delaware River,
and across Cape Coda line OF inland water
ways devised by Mr. CHANDLER as q "meGs-
ure OF national defence or course this line
of bitches, however convenient ii might
prove for floating along the coast tho Robe
sonian war vessels that cannot live in the
open sea- would become in practical opera
tion q line Of assault upon the national Treas
ury; and nobody is better able to understand
that fact than President ARTHUR who vetoed
the River and IIarbor bill of 1882. He trans
mits CHANDELIERS S extraordinary scheme with
out n word OF comment.
The same independence of Judgment is
seen in his treatment of the trade dollar
question. Secretary FoLGER advises Con-
grcss that the trade dollars should be re-
deemed by tho Government at their NOM
inal value in standard silver dollars a
proposal that Is sure to meet with hearty
encouragement from any provdcnt indi-
vidual who may happen to have accumu-
lated great store of trade dollars. The
President, on the other hand. while agreeing
with his Secretary of the Treasury as to the
dcsrability OF retiring the anomalous coin,
recommends that it bo received by tho
Treasury and the mints as bullion at slight
percentage above the current market price
OF silver.
Not to multiply examples OF tho Pres
ident's habit OF forming his own opinions on
matters Of public policy, we may call attcn-
tion to ono more instance. Postmaster
General GRESHAM, in his carefully consd-
cred report, argues against the immediate
reduction OF single-rate postage on local
letters from two cents to ono cent. MIR.
J ARTHUR thinks differently. He is in favor
OF adopting the one-cent rate for local letters
delivered by carriers, even at risk OF tempo
| rarily diminishing the postal revenue.
} great part OF the message is devoted to
! the multitude Of comparatively unimportant
matters, foreign and domestic, which annual.
: ly call for statement, II not for discussion
: We are ut peace with oil the world. Our
, conflicting relations with foreign countries
are OF insignificant import, almost without
exception, and the fact that the President
Z has no grave international complication to
, lay before Congress is one of the happiest
7. tokens OF our fortunate lot. Legislation is
. needed to further the interests of American
8 fishermen In the North Atlantic, and il
: the sealing grounds off the coast OF
t British Columbia. Spain has not paid
q all OF the Cuban awards. The fraud
t ulent Venezuelan awards and tho equally
: fraudulent awards in Mexican cases neet
further attention. Unlike HAYES, President
Q ARTHUR has ordered suspension OF pay
i ments In the We'll and In Abra cases The
o message has good word for Mexico, and lts
n allusion to the course OF events In Peru vii
y have special interest for retired Republican
4 statesman from Maine who is now writing
8 history. The President is In favor of modify
j ing rather than terminating the reciprocity
J. treaty with the Sandwich Islands, He ha
J, reason to believe that the Chinese exclusion
y act has been evaded with the colluson OF tn
j. officials Of the Middle Kingdom. In the cas-
d OF countries which hamper American trad
or discriminate against our products. he sug
o gests policy OF equitable retaliation.
h The summary OF the Treasury estimate
J. for the present fiscal year shows n total In
r como Of sa43, ,OOO,O 900. and total expendtur
Is OF $25s. 100000. The estimated surplus, there
It fore, Is ss5, ,0oO little more than half o
y which goes into the sinking fund. The esti
c. mated surplus Ior the next fiscal year, on tn
lr basis OF existing laws, is $50 900 900 over tn
II amount to be devoted to tho sinking fund, o
h about slOO.OOOyOOO In all. Notwithstanding
N the serious questions raised by the continue
prospect OF an enormous annual surplus, tn
of President is decidedly of the opinion that
t. will not be wise at the present session
s. adopt any measures for largo diminution c
ID the national revenues. Let us wait" Ii
rs says in effect. "and see the practical result
10 OF the legislation OF last March,"
20 The public plunderers will find little CON
,r fort In the Presidents message this yea
20 None OF the leading schemes for filling tn
Is pockets OF individuals at the common OF
20 pense receive his approval. No job appear
al on the surface. or hides behind ingeniousl
* constructed phrases Mr.. ARTHUR believe