The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-12-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
EXTRACTS ON MATTERS OF SPECIAL
CONCERN IN MONTANA.


can therefore only present SOME VI bno ica
lures Of greatest interest to our readers.
RELATIONS WITH CHINA.
The harmony of our relations with China
is fully sustained a the application Of the
acts lately passed to execute the treaty OF
1880 restrictive of the immigration Of Chi
nese laborers into the United States. Indi-
vidual cases Of hardship have occurred be-
yond the power of the Executive to remedy,
aud calling for judicial determination. The
condition of the Chinese question in the
Western States and Territories Is, despite
this restrictive legislation, far from Icing
satisfactory. The recent outbreak in Wyo-
ming Territory, where numbers Of unoffend-
ing Cinnamon, indisputably within the pro-
lection of the treaties and the law, were
murdered by mob, and the still more recent
threatened outbreak of the same character in
Washington Territory, are still fresh in the
minds of all, and there Is apprehension lest
the bitterness OF feeling against the M"ngo-
liam race on the Pacific slope may find vent
in similar lawless demonstrations. All the
power of this Government should be exerted
to maintain abe amplest good faith toward
China in the treatment Of these men and the
Infexible sternness Of the law In bringing
the wrongdoers to justice should be insisted
upon. Every effort has been made by this
Government to prevent these violent out
breaks and to aid the representatives Of
China In their Investigation of these outra-
ges, and it Is but just to say that they are
traceable to the lawlessness of men, not citi.
zens of the United States, engaged in COM
petition with Chinese laborers. Race preju-
dice is the chief factor in originating these
disturbances, and 1t exists in a large part OF
our domain, jeopardizing our peace and the
good relationship we try to maintain with
China The admitted right of a government
to prevent the influx of elements hostile to
its internal peace and security may not be
questioned, even where there is no treaty
stipulation on the subject. That the exclu-
sion of Chinese labor is demanded in other
countries where like conditions prevail is
strongly evidenced in the Dominion of Can
ada where Chinese Immigration is now reg
ulated by laws more exclusive than our own.
If the existing laws are inadequate to COM
pass the end in view, / shall be prepared TO
give earnest consideration to any further
remedial measure within the treaty bill
which, in their wisdom, Congress may de-
wise.
VIGOROUS ATTACK ON SILVER COINAGE.
Nothing more important than the present
condition Of our currency and coinage can
claim your attention. Since February, 1873,
this Government has, under the compulsory
provisions of law, purchased silver bullion
a. ,Iar IN Of a m
S2O00,00O every month. BY this process up
to the present date 2l5, 759, 43l silver dollars
have been coined. A reasonable appropria-
ton of delegation of power to the general
Government would limit its exercise without
express restrictive words to the peoples
needs and the requirements of the public
welfare. Upon this theory the authority "to
coin money" given Congress by the Consti-
tuition, If it permits the purchase by the
Government of the bullion for coinage, in
any event It does not justify such purchase
and coinage to an extent beyond the amount
needed to suffice as circulating medium
The desire to utilize the silver product OF the
country should not lead to misuse or the
perversion of this power. The necessity for
such an addition to the silver currency Of
the Nation as is compelled by the silver coin
age act, Is negatived by the fact that up to
the present time only about 10000, 900 Of sill
yer dollars SO coined have actually found
their way into circulation, leaving more
than s165 600 900 in the possession of the
Government, the custody Of which has en-
tailed considerable expense for the construc-
ton of vaults for its deposit Against this
latter amount there are outstanding silver
certificates amounting to about $4,000 ,OOO
Every month 81, 900 900 of gold In the public
treasury are paid out for 100000 or more OF
silver dollars to be adeed to the idle mass
already accumulated. If continued long
enough, this operation will result in the sub
stitution of silver for all the gold the Gov
eminent owns, applicable to its general pur-
poses. It will not do to rely upon the
receipts of the Government to make good
this decline of gold, because the silver thus
coined having been made legal tender for all
debts and dues public and private At times
during the last six months 58 per cent Of the
receipts for duties have been in silver or
silver certificates, while the average within
that period has been 20 per cent. The pro-
portion of silver and its certificates received
by the Government will probably increase
az time goes on, for the reason that the
nearer the period approaches when 1t will be
obliged to offer silver in payment OF its obli-
cations the greater inducement there will be
to hoard the gold against depression In the
value of silver or for the purpose Of specula-
ton This boarding of gold has already
begun. When the time comes that all the
gold has been withdrawn from circulation
then will be apparent the difference between
the real value of the silver dollars and dol
lar In gold, and the two coins will part COM
pany.
Gold is still the standard of value and
necessarily in our dealings with other coun-
tries it will be at a premium over silver.
Banks which have substituted gold for the
deposits Of their customers may pay them
| with silver bought with such gold, thus
making handsome profit. Rich specula-
tors win sell their boarded gold to their
neighbors who need 1t to liquidate their for
eign debts at a ruinous premium over silver,
and the laboring men and women Of the
| land, the most defenseless of all, will find
that the dollar received for the wages of
their toll has sadly shrunk In Its purchasing
power. 1t may be said that the latter result
will be but temporary and that ultimately
the price Of labor will be adjusted TO the
change, but even If this takes place the
wageworker cannot possibly gain but must
inevitably lose, since the price he Is CON-
PEELED to pay for living will not only be
measured in coin heavily deprecated and
fiuctuating and uncertain In Its value, but
this uncertainty in the value Of the purchas-
| ing medium will be made the pretext for an
advance in prices beyond that justified by
the actual depreciation. The words uttered
| In 1884 by Daniel Webster in the Senate of
the United States are true to day: "The very
man Of all others who ha' the deepest inter-
est In a sound currency and who suffers most
by mischievious legislation IN money mat
tiers IL the man who earns his daily bread by
his daily toll" The most distinguished all
vocate Of bi.metalisn, discussing our silver
coinage, has lately written: No American
citizens hand has yet felt the sensation OF
cheapness, either IN receiving or expending
the silver act dollars" and those who live
by labor or legitimate trade never will feel
that sensation of cheapness. However
plenty silver dollars may become they will
not he distributed rs gifts among the people,
and II the laboring man should receive four
l..