Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-12-10
the Presidents Message.

II
ed to Congress Monday, Dec. 1st., reviews
With his usual painstaking care the pubic !
Incidents, both of domestic and foreign !
character. that have marked the history of
he past year, and upon questions of policy |
Iffecting the industries, the commerce, the
finances, the taxation, the foreign relations
Ind defenses of the country, makes num-
Der of important suggestions that will
doubtless receive from the national legisla
ture all the consideration they deserve. In
the outset he alludes to the recent Presi-
dental election, and congratulates the
country upon the fact that, despite the fer
yer and intensity of the contest and ''the
slight preponderance by which the issue
was determined" the public peace suffered
no disturbance. In this he sees signal
demonstration of "the strength and wis
dom of our political institutions" yet in view
of the controversy over the national cleo
ton eight years ago, and the evident risk
of dispute over the recent contest by reason
of the narrowness of the margin by which
it was decided, he again calls the attention
of Congress to the necessity of providing
more precise and definite regulations for
counting the electoral vote. Our foreign
relations continue to be wholly amicable.
With Nicaragua treaty has been conclud-
ed by which the United States secures GER
tain advantages for the construction OF an
interoceanic canal, railway and telegraph
line through the territory of that republic.
With Spain has been negotiated recipro-
city treaty, the result of which would, it is
thought, be ssto make the intercourse be-
tween Cuta and Porto Rico and ourselves
scarcely less intimate than the commercial
movement between our domestic pOrts.'
The treaty of similar character with Mex
leo has been ratified, and but awaits the
necessary tariff legislation of Congress to
become effective. These treaties are the
expressions of settled policy on the part
of the government to cultivate, through re-
ciprocal concessions, intimate trade rela-
tons with all the countries OF this hemls-
phere and the mission OF the Central and
South American commission which is about
to proceed to Mexico is to prepare the way
for general enlargement of our CONNER
cial intercourse with American States"
The neutrality laws of the United States, it is
recommended, should be enlarged "to cover
all patent acts of hostility committed in
our territory and aimed against the peace
of friendly nation" The President sees
no reason why ''overt preparations in this
country for the commission of criminal
acts should not be punishable, whether
such acts are intended to be committed
here Or abroad" Some modification of our
naturalization laws is also required. The
recommendations of the Secretary of the
Treasury, whose views, as is generally
known, are somewhat in advance of those
of his party, are concurred in with some
explicitness. The coinage of silver dollars
and the issuance of silver certificates should
be Immediately suspended, experience hav-
ing shown it to be impossible to get the
former into circulation, while the growing
abundance of the latter threatens to drive
gold out of circulation, thus efecting a Sc
rious contraction of the currency and
creating the conditions of financial panic
"Unless this coinage and the issuance of
silver certificates be suspended, silver is
likely at no distant day to become our sole
metallic standard" To speed the retire
ment of the trade dollar 1t is suggested
that ga slight advance over their bullion
value' might be offered for them. The
Identification of our subsidiary silver CON
and an increase of their weight is thought
to be advisable. The recommendation that
all internal revenue taxes except those on
distilled spirits be abolished is renewed
The revenue thus lost will cut down the
present surplus, but still leave margin
'large enough to permit such tariff reduc-
ton as may seem to be advisable when the
results of recent revenue laws and CONNER
cial treaties shall have shown in what
quarters those reductions can be most iu-
diciously Effected The Secretary of the
Treasury's advice that a commission be
created to study the problem of "increas-
ing our foreign trade and thus relieving the
depression under which our industries are
now languishing" is concurred in. Special
attention is invited to the Secretary's rec
ommendation of subsidies as the best means
of building up our merchant marine. The
rapid redemption of the per cent bonds
threatens the destruction of the basis on
which the national banks can profitably
rest their circulation, and the question how
to avert the contraction of currency caus-
ed by this threatened retirement of national
bank notes, is recognized as one Of con-
stantly increasing importance, and the hope
is expressed that, as temporary pedi-
ent at least, the banks be allowed to issue
notes to the full par value of the bonds de-
posted by them with the treasurer. A con-
siderable reduction in the expenditures of
the War Department is noted. A notable
feature of the past year has been the entire
absence of Indian outbreaks. The de-
fenseless condition Of the important cities
of the seaboard, as demonstrated by the
chief engineers report, is discussed at some
length. The time has now come in the
Presidents opinion, when defensive works
may be begun with some confidence that
they will not be rendered useless before
their completion by the progress made
abroad in the improvement of guns. ''For
the most important cities, those whose des-
truction or capture would be a national
humiliation, adequate defenses, inclusive of
guns, may be made by the gradual expen-
dit1re of 500, 900, 900, much less than vic
torious enemy could levy as contribution.
An appropriation of about onet tenth of
that amount is asked to begin the work"
One of the four steel cruisers authorized by
the acts of 1882 and 1883 is described as
more than half finished, and Certain ad-
verse criticisms upon the designs of these
cruisers are mentioned as d;scredited by
the favorable opinion of these vessels held
by the navel authorities. The restoration
of the navy to it's former efficiency is warm
ly urged. The recommendation of the
Postmaster-Generalf favorable to the reduc-
fion of the rate on drop letters in the cities,
and the increase of the unit of weight in
rating irst-class matter from one-half to
one ounce is approved, and the extension of
the free-delivefy system is recommended,
as also the project for securing Exception
al dispatch in dealing with letters in free
delivery offices by payment of extraordi-
nary postage" Drastic legislation with
regard to Utah; the repeal Of the pre-emp-
ton law; the enaction of statutes resolving
legal complications in regard to lapse land
grants to railroad companies, and the fund
ing of the debt of the several Pacific Rail-
roads under sufficient guaranty, are other
topics that Congress is invited to consider.
Large space is given to the new CONNER
cial policy of the United States. One feat
ure of it is expected TO be monetary union
of American nationalities, followed by a
general reconciliation of silver. Treaties
contemplating intimate trade relations with
American states are now being negotiated,
and it is desired to enlarge also our trade
with Europe, Asia and Africa. cit seems
to me- says the President, ''that many of
the embarrassing elements in the great ma
tional conflict between protection and free
trade may thus be turned to good account;
that the revenue may be reduced so as no
-onger to overtax the people; that protect
i've duties may be retained without becom-
ing burdensome; that our shipping inter-
ests may be judiciously encouraged; the
currency fixed on firm basis and. above all,