Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-10
THE MESSAGE.

As to the entire originality of the Pres
ident's message no doubt need be enter
tanned 1t is an open and easily under
stood document, but by no means such a
statesmanlike paper as was to have been
expected. 1t disappoints large element
in the Democratic party. 1t deals, as is
usual, with the reports of the several De
partmentS, but in many essential matters
1t lacks vigor and that positiveness of
recommendation that was expected and
should have characterized so important a
delivery. Moreover, it is silent on i'm
portant topics.
The reference to the Chinese question is
rather disappointing. When the Presi-
dent asserts that the opposition to the
Chinese on this coast is due to race preiu-
dice, he is at fault The sentiment of this
coast is fiat opposition, straightforward
and unmistaIable, having for its basis the
conviction that Chinese competition with
free white labor is destructive of American
citizenship This cannot be said to be
race prejudice, for that implies an opposi-
ton due to one because of nationality or
blood alone, and this is not true of the
Pacific coast, since their objections are
general and apply to any competition that
is non-contributive to the material inter
ests and destructive Of local institutions of
the Government. The right to restrict
Chinese immigration the President, how
ever admits, and he hopes for remedial
measures, but beyond this Mr. Cleveland
Is not so positive upon the Chinese ques-
ton as was expected, if his message is to
be taken as the full measure of his inter
est in it. But it is better that he is in
favor of some restrictive legislation than
to be opposed to any
Our foreign relations he reports to be
generally satisfactory. He defends Mr..
keiley's appointment, and leaves the Aus
trian-Hungalian Mission untitled, because
that country objects to the presence of an
American representative who had bitterly
assailed one closely related to the ruling
family in that Empire. 1t is by no means
TO be concluded that Austria is wrong and
the President right If we were in error
in sending such a person to that court, we
can afford to admit it frankly.
The President thinks the neutral char
acter of the proposed Nicaragua canal
would not be attained under the PROPOSE
ton 10 give it 4 seeming of ownership by
the United States. The references to the
saaiptenance of the INDEPENDENCE and open
character of the Congo Basin, and readjust-
ment Of the fishery question in the North
Atlantic are wise but the assault upon all
reciprocity treaty propositions is not de-
feasible, nor do we find the President ad-
vancing any strong reasons for his posi-
ton.
The President might easily have given
point to his Just statement that interna-
tional copyright agreements are necessary,
by advising that the printing" clause be
interpolated into the Dorsheimer bill.
That would provide that foreign copyright
books shall be printed in America, and thus
at once remove the objections of printers,
binders and publishers, that now clog the
path TO the desired end
The recommendation that the Signal
Service be made an independent depart
ment is a good one The service has out
grown the War Department, and is only
hindered now in its scientific advancement
by army regulation and conservativeness.
The recommendation regarding reinyest-
ment of trust funds is wise and in line with
the best Judgment. So, too, are the sugges-
. tons that uniformity be sought for in
our naturalization laws, and more charac-
ter and dignity given to our consular serv-
ice, by increasing compensation, and thus
calling to the service better ability and
more energy. He reports the foreign trade
to be in our favor by about Sl6l, 500, 600.
and that as to our revenue we shall in June
next be some S70,000,G00 ahead.
He favors reduction of the tariff upon
necessaries while carefully protecting the
products of labor, and insists that this
does not involve the issues of free trade
and protection, proposition on which the
whole country viii express its disagree
meut. by at once proceeding more vigor-
eusly than ever to discuss them
The President is clear and ringing on
the proposition that civil service re-
formation is reality, and that the
reform has come to stay. He is
unquestionabIy sincere in expressing the
hope the time may never return when