The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-12-15
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

annual message to Congress on the
9Th inst. In view of the result of
the recent elections we waited pa
tiently for that document. Portions
of it we have read two or three
times to get at his views as he de-
sires us to understand them; but
on some points we have been una.
BILE to get his true position, especial
ly in his discussion of Federal tax
alton. In his discussion he says:
"Those who toll for daily wages
are beginning to understand that
capital, though sometimes vaunt-
ing it's importance and clamOring
for the protection and favor Of the
government, Is dull and sluggish,
till touched by the magical hand of
labor it springs into activity, fur
nishing an occasion for federal tax
alton, and gaining the value which
enables it to bear its burden, and
the laboring man is thOughtfully
inquiring whether in those circum-
stances and considering the tribute
he constantly pays into the public
treasury, as he supplies his daily
wants, he receives his fair share OF
advantages"
This point made by the President
is to the effect that the laboring
men are swindled or defrauded by
the policy of the Government, and
he is just now getting his eyes open
to the fraud. After this showing
he takes up different branch of
the subject to convince men of
money that the tariff is Ubiquitous
in another direction and to another
class of persons, therefore he says:
"The present condition of affairs
cOnstrains our people to demand
that by Il revision of our revenue
laws the receipts of the government
shall be reduced to the necessary
expense Of its economical admins
tratiOn, and this demand should be
recognized and obeyed by the peo-
pies representatives in the legisla-
tive branch of the government"
This position, as it stands, is clear
and easily understood, which, when
stripped of verbiage, it would read:
adopt free trade and buy foreign
goods, where you can get them
cheaper than in America. This
idea is more fully expressed by
him in a talk to farmers who like
to sell at the highest prices and buy
for the least. TO that branch of in
dustry he says:
"Our farmers, too, and those en-
gagged directly and indirectly in
supplying the products of agricul-
ture, so that day by day, and as Of
ten rs the daily wants of their
households recur they are forced to
pay excessive and needless taxation,
while their products struggle in for
eign markets with the competition
of nations which, by allowing freer
exchange Of productions than we
permit enable their people to sell
for prices which distress the Amer
lean f.rmer."
This is a clear statement of the
doctrine of free trade. Even the
Courier-Journal, Mr.. Morrison or
Speaker Carlisle could not object to
any of these questions, as they are
entirely orthodox, being a case of
special pleading for free trade, and
no man after reading these marked
expressions could charge him
with being Janus. faced. Yet
he remembered that his party is
not unit, besides he understands
the great interests of the manufac-
turing and mining world, and what
a factor they are in politics, so he
feels that if the glare and glitter of
free trade-by buying goods where
you can get them the cheapest
will not charm them, therefore it
becomes necessary to discuss its re-
vision in way that will suit
them and in so adroit a way that
it will require learned man to
separate the chaff from the wheat.
Mr.. Cleveland knows that a revis.
ion of the tariff will affect the
amount of labor and the price of
the same, therefore he says:
"This relation of the working.
men to the revenue laws of the
country and the manner in which
it palpably influence the question
of wages, should not be forgotten
in the justiflable prominence given
to the proper maintenance of the
supply and protection of we'll paid
labor and these considerations sug-
gest such an arrangement of the
government revenues as shall re-
duce the expense of living, while it
does not curtail the opportunity
for work nor reduce the cOmpensa-
ton Of American labor and injuri-
ously affect its condition and the
dignified place it bears in the est.
nation of our people"
This ia a clear statement and con.