Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-12-10
The Presidents Message.

The Presidents Message.
The annual message of President Cleve-
land sent to Congress on Monday is an ex-
tensiye paper, dealing in detail with the
numerous affairs of the government and
discussing with force the leading questions
which now engage the public mind.
After adverting to our peaceful relations
with foreign countries, the Chinese ques-
ton, the beneficial change effected by the
Colombian government in erecting Panama
into federal district, the unsettled state
of the Canadian fisheries question, the
propriety of Strengthening our intimacy
with Hawaii by renewing the existing
treaty, our moral right and duty to assist
Liberia ia conserving its integrity, the
issue ofextra territorial Jurisdiction raised
by the action of Mexico in the Cutting
case, the complaint of the government OF
the Netherlands in regard to our special
tariff impost upon Sumatra tobacco, the
Samoan Islands protectorate, our COM
merical relations with the Spanish Antil-
les, the international copyrig hit question,
and the revision of laws affecting the con-
sular Sc; vice, the President proceeds to
the discussion of our several national
problems. The revenues of the year ended
June 30, 1886, show an increase of S13,-
$4,000 6S over last year, there being an
increase of 11,434,cs4 10 from customs
and of 50, 407, 219 GA from internal revenue,
and falling off in other receipts of $2,-
062:274 36. The expense of collecting
both customs and internal revenue have
been reduced, the net saving being $685.
900. The total ordinary receipts were
1886, 439, 1877 o., and the total ordinary
expenditures were $24a,4s3, 1873 so. The
expenses were s177ss, 797 less than the
preceding year, and the surplus was $685..
956,5SS Sc, an increase over the year ended
June 80, 1885, of $50, 492, s17 30. For the
current year the estimated surplus will be
ninety millions.
In referring to the income of the gov
eminent and the existence of a large sur
plus in the treasury, he says: The appli-
cation of the surplus to the payment OF
such portion of the public debt as is now
subject to extinguishment, if continued at
the rate which has lately prevailed, would
retire that class of Indebtedness within
less than one year from this date. A con-
tinuation of our present revenue system
would soon result in the receipt of an an
nual income much greater than Necessary
to meet Government expenses, with no in
debtedness upon which it could be applied
I recommend that the unnecessary surplus
annually accumulating be released to the
people by an amendment to our revenue
laws which shall cheaper the price of the
necessaries of life and give freer entrance
to such imported materials as, by Ameri.
can labor, may be manufactured into mar
ketable commodities" In connection
with this subject be says: 1--WE recognize
in labor chief factor in the wealth of the
republic, and we treat those who have it
in their kealfi1 " itizens entitled to the
most careful regard and thoughtful atten-
ZION, not only because labor is the capital
of our workingmen, justly entitled to its
share of Government favor. but for the not
less important reason that the laboring
man, in his humble home, as consumer
is vitality interested in all that cheapens
the cost of living and enables him to bring
within his domestic circle, additional
comforts and advantages" The President
sees no reason to change the views ex-
pressed in his last annual message on the
subject of compulsory coinage, and he a.
gain urges its suspension on all grounds
contained in his former recommendation,
reinforced by the significant increase Of
our gold expectations during the last year.
The affairs of the postal service, be says,
show marked and gratifying improvement
during the past year, and suggests SUBJ
sidy to certain steamship lines carrying
the mails, especially to South American
ports. He again urges change in the
Federal judicial system to meet the wants
of the people and obviate the delays neces.
sarily attending the present condition oil
affairs in our courts.
The recommendations of the Secretary
of the Interior and the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office looking to the
better protection of public lands and of
the public surveys, the preservation of ma
tional forests, the adjudication of grants
to States and corporations and of private
land claims, and the increased efficiency
of the public land service, he commends
to the attention of Congress. He recon-
mends the repeal of the presumption and
timber-culture acts, and that the home
stead laws be so amended as to better Sc
cure compliance with their requirements
of residence, improvement, and cultiva-
ton for the period of five years from date
of entry, without communication or provis-
ion for speculative REIMBURSEMENT. He
also recommends the repeal of the desert
land laws unless it shall be the pleasure
of the Congress to so amend these laws as
to render them less liable to abuses.
Referring to the report of the Secretary
of the Navy containing detailed exhibit
of the condition of his department; the
President says the batteries of the mont
tors are obsolete, and the vessels can only
be relied upon as auxiliary ships in har-
Dor defense, and then after such an expen-
diture upon them as may be deemed Jus
tifable. Of the wooden vessels he says it
is estimated by the chief constructor of
the navy that only three will be service