Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-16
The Presidents Message.

| AAo mcSSdSo SuufeSSeO On lueSuay, Tue
9Th inst, to Congress by President Cleve
land is full, explicit and well-reasoned
exposition Of Democratic views in regard tt
all the more important issues of the day.
Conservative in tone, it is at the same time
clear and decided on all points. Long it had
to be to touch even cursorily upon the gov
ernment's relations to tho many interests,
domestic and foreign, Of fifty -five millions
of people, but it is nowhere diffuse and ev-
erywhere sensible and practical. After q
feeling reference to the sudden death ol
Vice. President Hendricks, the President
brings into review the international inter.
ests of tho United States, and is able to
make the gratifying announcement that the
relations OF the United States with all for.
eign powers continue to be friendly. No
questions of grave difficulty arc pending
with any foreign government The Argen-
tine government has revived the long dor
mant question of the Falkland Islands, and
Austria-Hungary has based objections to
receiving Mr.. Kelley as the representative
of the United States at Vienna on grounds
that the President pronounces wholly mad
missible. These are not, however, incl
dents Of character to imperil greatly our
relations with these governments. The in
reference of the United States to quiet dis
turbances at Panama and Aspinwall en-
hanced the cordiality of our intercourse
| with the United States of Colombia, and
our successful insistance upon the Ameri-
can citizenship Of Julio Santos has but in
creased the respect in which we are held by
tho government of Ecuador. The Nicaragua
| treaty, as looking to the acquisition of the
territory through which the proposed Mic
aragua canal would pass, is pronounced i'm
polite and inconsistent with a proper OBJ
servance Of the precept of Washington,
which discourages entangling alliances with
foreign States. Of the routes of interoceanic
communication thus far discussed the Pres
ident prefers the Tehuantepec; but whatev-
er route may hereafter be opened, he wish
es it to be consecrated 70 the common use of
mankind. The recent attacks in Wyoming
and Washington Territories by persons not
citizens of the United States upon inOffen-
siye Chinese laborers are regretted as jeop-
ardizing domestic peace and the good rela-
tionship we have always striven to main
tain with China. The just attitude taken
by our government in regard to the inter
probation of treaties of naturalization will,
it is hoped, lead to a satisfactory solution of
the questions raised under this head by the
recent action of Germany. Our relations
with Great Britain have during the past
year been specially marked by good will.
The question of the North American fish
cries will soon demand settlement, and the
fishing interests of Canada and the United
States being intimately related to other gen.
eral questions dependent upon contiguity
and intercourse, it is recommended that
Congress appoint commission to act with
representatives of the British government
in effecting an arrangement that shall be
mutually satisfactory. Our intercourse with
Mexico is becoming closer every year. Rail-
roads have been built across the Rio Grande
and much American capital is invested in
Mexican enterprises. The perfecting Of
legislation needed to make the lately con-
cluded commercial treaty with Mexico ef-
fective is therefore recommended. The pro-
jected treaties with Spain AID San Domin-
90 do not go favorably impress the Presi-
dent by reason of their covering only part
of the traffic with those countries and in
volving the surrender of large revenues by
US for inadequate consideration. The re-
port of the Secretary of the Treasury show
ing a surplus of revenue ascertained and es-
timated for the fiscal year ending june 80,
1886, of about $40, ,000,0 900, the President
advises reduction of the amount exacted
from the people," His words on this point
are few but explicit. s'The proposition" he
says, "with which we have to deal is the
reduction of tho revenue received by the
government and directly paid by tho people
for customs duties. The, question Of free
trade is not involved, nor is there now any
occasion for the general discussion Of the
wisdom or expediency of protective sys-
tenn" He opposes such action by Congress
as would tend to ruthlessly injure indus
tries and interests which have been encour-
aged by the protective features of our pres
ent tariff, nor does he look with favor upon
changes inconsistent with the interests of
American labor, but "within these limita-
tions a certain reduction should be made in
our customs revenue" As respects the
classes of articles that should first be freed
from excessive taxation, the President says:
81 think the reduction should be made in
the revenue derived from tax upon the
imported necessaries of life. We thus di-
rectly lessen the cost of living in every fami-
ly in the land, and release to the people in
every humble home larger measure of the
rewards of frugal industry" The silver
problem is discussed at some length, and
with great clearness. The right Of Con-
gress to purchase silver to coin into dollars
is questioned; but granting the right, the
necessity of making further purchases to
add to the 215, 759, ,4S1 silver dollars in ex-
istence to-day is assumed to be nsgatived
by the fact that up to the present time but
SO, 600, 900 of silver dollars have been gotten
into circulation, leaving over 165, 900, 600 of
them in the custody of tho government
Every month" says the President put
ting the absurdity of the Bland act in a
strong light, 'two millions of gold in the
public treasury are paid out for two millions
or more of silver dollars, to be added to the
idle mass already accumulated" From
many points of view the continued coinage
of the standard dollar is shown to be not
only useless, but inexpedient and danger
GUS. The Presidents very able discussion
of the matter is closed with recommended
ton that "the compulsory coinage of silver
dollars directed by the act of February,
1878, be suspended. The Irregularities
found to exist in the bureau of the coast
and geodetic survey are referred to, and it
is recommended that it's work be limited by
statute to definite objects, and its functions
be performed in subordinatiOn to the head
Of the Navy Department. In discussing
questions affecting the army the fact that
in force of "a, 705 enlisted men and g. "a
officers there were IA, 179 trials by court
martial last year is adverted to without
commendation, and the remark is added
tuab IL tuo Ioode VI JuStiCo PieSoutcu III
some of the cases examined are the ideas
that generally prevail in these tribunals,
the honor and honesty of the army demand
that they be reformed. The signal service,
it is suggested, should be separately estab-
lished and transferred from the War De-
partment to some one of the civil depart
ments. The President subscribes heartily
to Secretary Whitney's recommendations in
respect to reorganization Of the navy
On this topic he is very emphatic: ''If we
desire to build ships for present usefulness
instead of naval reminders of the days that
are past, we must have department or
ganized for the work, supplied with all the
talent and ingenuity our country affords,
prepared to take advantage Of the expert
.ence of other nations, systematized SO that
all effort shall unite and lead in one direc-
tion, and fully imbued with the conviction
that war vessels, though new, are useless
unless they combine all that tho ingenuity
of man has up to this day brought forth re-
lating to their construction" The Indian
problem receives sympathetic treatment, and
4 - = III Al L.