The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

too long to lay before our readers
this week. The following is a syn.
opsis which we get from the Mobile
Register:
The President gives the country
a very interesting and able mes
sage. Like all tho messages OF
late years it is entirely too long and
argumentative. 1t would be tar
better If, like speeches from thrones,
the Presidential address to Con-
gress should simply summarize
views which the Cabinet Ministers
could afterward discuss i'll detail
through vo%Iumiuous reports, and
the leaders of party could formu'
late into partisan doctrines. The
message has come to be an epitome
history of the country for two years.
1t is getting cum6rous and I'M
weildy.
So far as it deals with foreign
affairs We are happy to know that,
as General Taylor used to say, We
are at peace with all the world and
il amlcable relations with the rest
of mankind. Even the mission to
Teheran is pronounced a good
thing, having aroused the Shah to
take notice Of the existence OF this
portion of the barbaric world.
The interest of the message is
with domestic affairs, mainly with
the questions of finance and taxa
ton. Tie President deals candidly
and firmly with the Indian problem.
The conclusion reached by him Is
that the Indian must give up bis
barbaric tradition and learn to live
as a civilized being. 1t ought not
to be a difficult to wean him to the
usages of the white man, aud to
force him to surrender tie tribal
relation and to EARN his bread like
other mortals.
The surplus in the Treasury is
about ninety millions of dollars
By the end of the year all the pub
lie debt within reach u DO paid
and then tie problem will be what
to do with an annual surplus which
will probably reach one hundred
millions. The Presidents very
wisely calls for reduction OF taxa
ton, and that no surplus can here
alter arise, and he advises such
modification of tho revenue laws as
to prevent abnormal and excessive
business profits which grow at the
expense Of the farmer and the me
chanic. @
At the same time, while modify.
ing the tariff laws and reducing
the revenue to the amount actually
needed By an economical govern
ment, the President advises ina
educ regard should be had to th'
interests Of American labor" ant
| that "lhose who have been induced
to build up great manufacturing
establishments should not be sud
denly deprived of advantages Il
which they have adapted their bus
mess" Keeping in view the duty
we WI to American labor and Il
vested enterprises of great value
the President wisely recommend
that the duties OH imports shoul'
he lowered upon n~ecessaries OF Ill
aud upon those raw materials whlcI
enter most largely into our grea
manufacturing enterprises. Ihl
position OF the President is essen
TALLY that OF Mr. Hewitt. Th
raw material which MIR. Hewitt
desired to I've brought III free
mainly coal and iron, tho article
which keep his iron works IN M
ton. How the introduction
sugar, iron and coal, free of dut!
or with a duty SO low as to perm
successful foreign competition
would affect the budding minin
operators at tue South aud I'll
agriculture Of Louisiana, renaiI
to be discussed aud cautiously co
sidered. The principle laid dow
} by the President is ab~stractly co
rect. 1t remains to be seen, hO'
ever, whether the applicable
would be disastrous to certain sc
= tons OF tkis country and lari
; bodies of laborers.
! The President again recommen'
I the suspension of compulsory silv
coinage and points out the disast
that will follow from a plethora
silver. He sees no reaso for co
r tinuing such coinage on the pl
q that it is needed as a c~irculatiI
e medium, when in fact the Cover
n ment is compelled to build vanI
to store it away because there is
. alann..a aomand for its circnlanr