The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-08

the legislative DranCn OF bne government,
In readiusting the burdens of federal tax
alton sound public policy requires that
such of our citizens as have built up large
and important industries under present con-
ditions should not be suddenly, and to their
injury, deprived of advantages to which they
have adapted their business, but if the pub
lie good requires it they should be content
with such consideration as shall deal fairly
and cautiously with their interests, while
the just demand of the people for relief from
needless taxation is honestly answered.
Just here the President enters into
discussion of the claims of labor and
how it is oppressed by taxation; and it
is assumed that the farmers are suffer-
ing because they are obliged" to pay
prices for the necessaries of life and
implements of husbandry " largely in
creased by an unnatural profit which,
by the action of the government, is
given to the more favored manufac-
turer." No particular facts or figures
are given by the President to sustain
these assumptions. This portion of
the message will provoke great deal
of discussion in congress and in the
press.
The sum paid upon the public debt
during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1886, was S4 ,455 ,7O4 1886. In regard to
the silver question, the President says
have seen no reason to change the
views expressed in my last message upon
the subject of this compulsory coinage,
and l again urge its suspension on all
the grounds contained in my former
recommendation, REINFORCED by the sig
nfcant increase of our gold expectations
during the last year. as appears by the com
parative statement herewith presented, and
for the further reasons that the more this
currency is distributed among the people the
greater becomes our duty to protect it from
disaster; that we now have an abundance
for all our needs, and that there seems but
little proprety in building vaults to store
such currency when the only pretense for
its coinage is the necessity of its use by the
people as circulating medium.
In reviewing the report of the secre-
tary of war, the President endorses the
recommendation that officers be re-
quired to submit to an examination as
a preliminary to their promotion. He
also suggests effective steps to improve
the defensive condition of our sea-
coast and lake frontier. There are no
important suggestions in regard to the
navy. The affairs of the postal service
are reviewed, and the recommends
tons of the postmaster-general as to
the extension of the free-delivery serv-
ice and the appointment of another
assistant pOstmaster-general are en-
dorsed In referring to the conduct of
the department of justice, the Presi-
dent recommends the erection of a
penitentiary for the confinement of
United States prisoners, which are now
confined in more than thirty state pris-
ons. They are now subjected to nearly
as many different modes of treatment
and discipline, and are far too much
removed from the control and regula-
ton of the government. SO far as they
are entitled to humane treatment and
an opportunity for improvement and
reformation, the government is respon-
sible to them and society that these
things are forthcoming. The President
again urges a change in the federal
judicial system to meet the wants of
the people and obviate the delays
necessarily attending the present con-
dition of affairs in our courts.
The report of the secretary of the in-
terror is next considered. The esti-
mates presented for the Indian service
for the ensuing year are S422 ,3S6.20
less than those of last year. The eX-
hibit made of the condition of our
Indian population and the progress of
the work for their Enlightenment, not
withstanding the many embarrassments
which hinder the better administration
of this important branch of the service,
is a gratifying and hopeful one. " AS
a race, the Indians are no longer hostile
but may be considered as submissive to
the control of the government. Few
of them only are troublesome. There
is less opposition to the education and
training of the Indian youth, as shown
by the increased attendance upon the
schools, and there is a yielding ten
dency for the individual holding of
land. Inequalities of existing special
laws and treaties should be corrected
and some general legislation on the
subject should be provided, so that the
more progressive members of the diff
ferent tribes may be settled upon home
steads and, by their example, lead others
to follow, breaking away from tribal
customs and substituting therefor the
love of home, the interest of the
family and the rule of the state.''
The recommendation of the secretary
of the interior and the commissioner of
the general land office, looking to the
better protection of public lands and of
tho puhlio survays tho prpSarvatinn of