Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-08

The Presidents Views.
No message of late years has attracted the at
ention which the one sent by President Cleve-
land To Congress to-day will receive. The time
and the man will invest the document with Pc
culiar interest The message IL quite long, but
1t contains little superfiuous matter. 10 opens
with graceful tribute to the memory of Vice
President Hendricks. and then proceeds &C
cording To ordinary form. to speak of our for
eign relations. These, in general, are satisfac-
tory. There are" says the President "no
questions of difficulty pending with any foreign
government" The only disagreeabie inciden:
of special moment was the rejection of Mr..
Kelley minister at Vienna. The Presi-
dent explains, with regard to this matter that
the representative selected was IAN estimable
citizen of unimpeached pfebity aad compe-
tence, and that the objections to him by the
Austrian government could not be aequiesced
in by the United states, as they required 'such
an application Of a religious test Is qualifica-
tion for Office under the United States would
have resulted in the practical Acknowledgement
of a large class of our citizens and the abandon
ment of a vital principle in our government"
Hence, the post has been allowed to remain
vacant
The satisfactory settlement Of the Panama
isthmus troubles is touched upon, and then the
President alludes briefly to our part in the
efforts to develop the Congo region. In this
matter, and in other international questions,
We have followed our historic policy of diplo-
matte neutrality and Independence. Our rela-
tons with Great Britain, he says, are those of
marked good will" with Mexico on the
"most cordial terms, and with Spain, i'm spite
of some disagreements, our relations are, alto
gether. friendly.
The President is not inclined TO change the
tariff by diplomatic methods, and hence he has
held up the pending commercial treaties with
.friaS
on those matters. An additional reason for eau
ton is 10 be found in the "new and large
drains" on the treasury, which are contem-
plated.
The two financial features Of most import
ance relate to the tariff and the silver coinage.
On both of these q uestons the message is suffi-
GENTLY explicit. The President urges u conser-
vative tariff reduction on Important necessities,
arranged "a not to- break down labor or ruin
capital invested in manufactures.
within these limitations" he writes, 50
certain reduction should be made As to
silver, the President is decidedly aggressive In
his attitude. He declares that ''the boarding
OF gold has begun" and that this movement
will eliminate in the disappearance of gold IN
less the present tendencies are stopped by
prompt legislation. He recommends, therefore,
"the suspension of the compulsory coinage of
silver dollars directed by the law passed in
February. 1S7S.'
The most important Recommendation, so far
as the general public is concerned, which he
makes with reference to the army Is that the
meteorological branch OF the signal service be
putunder civilian auspices. The navy he thinks
should be at once put ON q better basis unless
ii is to remain simply - shabby ornament"
And he lays emphasis on the fact that 1t Is not |
alone necessary that ships should be new. To
be of any usefulness, they must represent the
most advanced progress of naval science.
The President takes the responsibility for |
the policy of the post office department. towards
tho steamship companies carrying the foreign
mails. BE approves the attitude which Mr. |
Villas has assumed towards the companies and |
arYues that II was the only proper course for the
government to pursue under the circumstances
9he abstract question of subsidy he refers to |
congress a. . matter properly within its ju1s
diction. Il
Mr.. Cleveland takes . hopeful view of the
efforts in progress to elevate the condition of
the Indians and he pays a high tribute to 1.-The
selfsacrifcing and pious men and women" who
are laboring 10 rescue the race from degrade
ton. He suggests that . special commission
- creatod to be charged with the duty Of ascer-
tanning the needs of the Indian and. the best
method of meeting them. AZ rule, the be-
hayior Of the Indians during the year has been
orderly and encouraging.
The land laws, he thinks, must be adjusted to |
the altered conditions Of population in the far |
W0Os AHS kfo"tu VI tllSst part Oh the country /
has enhanced the value of land. and made a
revision Of laws affecting the rights Of property
very desirable in order that the small pro-
pFietor may be sufficiently protected.
No part Of the message will be read more
eagerly than that which bears on civil service
reform. On this point Mr.. Cleveland is as de-
cided as was TO be expected. He lays down the
principle that mo public position Should be q
reward for partisan service" and argues that
any other theory Is fraught with danger to the
nation.
The President devotes considerable attention
TO the needs Of the federal capital and. what he
says on this point has a general as wen as
local interest He urges Congress to provide for
q suitable District building and for new build
Ing tor the national library.
The message throughout is characteristic of
Mr.. Cleveland in the elear-cuf, explicit deelarss-
ton Of his views, allowing no man TO mistake
them in any particular.
The .twin relic" must Co. The Morrnons
might as wall understand II first as last III
they insist on polygamy, they must find
another country. There is all Asia for instance
q large place, with great diversity OF climates
where plural marriage is the fashion, In Africa.
also. they would find congenial neighborhoods,
But In this country, as that fistic philosopher
John Ia. sullivan observes, lone wife is |
enough
The Importance of public hygiene has now he |
come generally recognized, so that the proceed. |