Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-09
. FThe President,s Message.

= FChe Presidents Message.
| The'cOuntry will not be disappointed in
/ the Presidents message. There may be
+ parts Of 1t TO which there will be strong
| dissent, but the opinion will be general
| that it is very able state paper. Being
/ the first message by Democratic Presi-
/ dent In nearly quarter Of century, it
was looked for with unusual interest.
There was very great anxietIto know
how a Democratic President would deal
with the important matters, with respect
to which the Chief Executive is expected
to give information and make recOmmen-
dations to Congress.
Each matter that is touched upon is
dealt with in a way that leaves the i'm
preston that it has been mastered. The
information is free from doubt and the
recommendation are positive. Doubt or
indecision, however, or a disposition to
avoid responsibility is hardly to be ex-
bected from man who has the self-conti-
denee, integrity and frmness which the
President has. He seeks for the truth and
the right with regard to any matter, and
when he is satisfied that he has found
them he has settled upon his policy.
He does not favor the policy which APP
pears to have been agreed upon by Mr.. Ar
thurs administration, during the last
year of its existence, with respect to COM
mercial treaties. This policy seems to
have been adopted by the protectionists
as one Of the means for preventing re-
duction of the tariff. The President is
satisfied, however, that if commercial
treaties such as we're negotiated with
Spain and st. Domingo were entered into.
embarrassing questions would be certain
to arise which might result in depriving
us Of the benefits which we sought to Sc
cure by means of them.
In connection with this subject Of COM
merce and treaties attention is drawn to
the fact that more ample provision ought
to be made for the support of our diplo-
matte and consular service. This service
is not only necessary to our commerce,
but does much to form the impression
which is entertained OF our country in
foreign lands. Ministers and Consuls
therefore ought to be paid enough to
enable them to live in a manner BETTING
their positions.
The Presidents opinions with respect
to the tariff have undergone no change.
He thinks there ought to be a reduction,
and he says so emphatically. He does not
believe in a larger revenue than is re-
quired to meet the needs OF the govern
ment economically administered. The
fnr Ice
s6S, 463,771 81. This was nearly $50. 900, 600
less than that Of the previous year, owing
doubtless largely to the fact that
there was last year a very great
falling off in eur foreign trade.
The President Is of the opinion
that the government is never better ad-
ministered than when taxation is limited
to the governments needs. He does not
want any such radical changes in the
tariff as will disturb our industries, or
that Will injure the interests Of American
labor. he is, however, firmly convinced
that there is room for reductions which
will make the necessaries OF life cheaper,
and enable poor man to earn a living
easier.
The silver question is handled very ably,
and at considerable length. The Presi-
dent is more firmly convinced than he was
several months ago, when he expressed
his views with respect to silver in a
letter to Representative Warner, that the
further coinage Of silver should be stop
ped at once. For seven years the govern
ment has been coming silver dollars at
the rate off, 900, 600 month, and now there
are 215, 7b9, 431 of these coins in the coun-
try. They are not, however, all in cireu-
latiOn. Indeed, the government has been
able, by the most strenuous efforts, to put
only 100000 of them in circulation.
The great bulk OF them, 10000, 900, is
looked up in the vaults of the Treasury,
where they are likely to remain. 1t is
evident that an amount Of silver has been
coined far beyond the demand. The Pres
ident we'll says that Congress should use
its authority to coin money only for the
purpose of supplying the country with so
much circulating medium as is
needed, and not for the pur-
pose Of absorbing the product OF
the country's silver mines. The silver
bullion that is purchased each month is
rapidly taking the gold, which is apple
able to the general purposes Of the gov
eminent. out Of the Treasury, and if the
silver coinage act is not repealed, the
the time is not very far distant when the
Treasury will be full OF silver and with.
out gold. The gold will not even be in
circulation. 1t will have disappeared.
1t will be boarded away, and in the hands
OF spectators. Customs duties cannot
be depended on for gold, because duties
are now payable in silver, and the per-
centage Of them which are paid in silver
at present is very large. 1t is
not improbable that the evils TO be
apprehended from a refusal to accept a
silver dollar for more than its bullion
value would now be upon us If il had not
been for the efforts of the Secretary OF the
Treasury to maintain confidence in silver,
and the belief that Congress would
promptly suspend silver coinage. But,
although a silver dollar still crculates at
the same value that the gold dollar does,
the country has not escaped some Of the
evils which flow from the excessive silver
coinage. Those who have money are
afraid 10 invest It, or even TO deposit IT.,
Il