The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1888-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Monday To congress, occupied one hour
and twenty minutes in its reading. 1t
contains twenty-five thousand words and
is one of the longest Presidential mes,
sages ever delivered. The portions of
the message referring to tariff reform,
treasury surplus, fishery troubles, and
the West incident were listened to with
close attention by the republican sena'
tors. It is impossible for tie CHRONICLE
at this hour to furnish the message en-
tire or all extended report, but will be
satisfied to give brief outline O! the
message, not Including the department
reports whi h will hereafter be published.
The President says that orr survival
for one hundred years is not sufficient
to assure us that we no longer have
dangers TO fear in the mainlainance of a
free government. The time admonishes
us to inquire whether we have kept in
the paths of safety and whether we have
before lis a way plain and clear which
leads to happiness and prosperity. The
fortunes realized by our manufacturers
are no longer the rewards Of sturdy in
dustry and enlightened foresight, they
are the result Of government ,liscrimina.
ton anil undue exac.ipnI from the mas
ses of the people. Tie gulf between the
employer and the employe is constantly
widening. The government too, con.
tinues to exact unjust tribute from her
people, adding to the danger Of diverting
the country from the legitimate channels
Of business. BY our laws the government
permits millions more to be added tn the
cost of living, to unreasonably swell the
profits of a small but powerful minority.
The government is in partnership with
it's favorites, it's stiles all patriotic love
of country, and substitutes selfish greed
and grasping avarice.
In alluding to re ,ision Of the tariff.
the President adds:
THE existing evil and injustice should
be honestly recagnized. boldly met and
effectively remedied. There should be
no cessation of the struggle until plan
is perfected, fair and conservative, to
ward existing industries, but which will
rrduce the cost OF consumers of the nec-
essaries of life, while it provides for our
manufacturers the advantage of free raw
materials and permits no injury to the
interests "f American labor The cause
for which the battle is wased is compris-
ed within lines clearly defined. 1t should
never be compromised. 1t is the peo-
PIES cause.
The necessity of the reduction of our
revenue il so apparent as to be generally
conceded, but the means by which this
end shall be accomplished, and the sim
Of direct benefit, which results to the
citizsns, present controversy of utmost
Importance. There should lie no scheme
accepted as satisfactory by which the
burdens OF the people are only apparent
ly removed. Extrayagant appropriations
OF the public money with all their de.
noralizing consequences should not be
tolerated either as means of relieving
the treasury of the present surplus, or
as furnishing pretext for resisting
proper reduction in tariff rates."
In regard to pensions, the President
says that revision of the law should be
made so that every worthy applicant
could be provided for, instead of allow
ing the present system of private en-.
sion bills tn upjustly discriminate and
tend topopular Generalization. Regard
ing the Indian problem he says a plan
has been provided by those well in.
formed. but as yet it has failed of legis.
lative sanction, while grant to railroad
companies allowing them to pass through
Indian reser', atoms are greatly multi
piled. Plans for the amendment and
change of the public land laws, awaits
the action of Congress also. He also
invokes the aid of Congress in the settle
ment Of the fishery question, according
to the plan proposed by him in former
message. In speaking of the dismissa.
of Minister West he reviews the causes
which led to his dismissal and regrets
that such action was made imperatively
necessary. An appropriation having
been made for the purpose of compen-
sating Chinese subjects who have suf
fered injuries in this country, he hopes
that the cause of the unkind E cling has
been p r.nanently removed. The wis
dom of concluding treaty of commercial
reciprocity with Mexico is dwelt upon.
A tribute to Gen. Sheridan's memory,
receives the Presidents homage. He
also expresses hope that post.office
buildings will be erected in accordance
with the recommendations of the Post |
master General, where the amount of
gross receipts would fix the right of a |
community to public building to be
erected by the government for post
Office.
In dealing with polygamy the Presi-
dent quotes the figures showing the
of convictions since he was
President and says that polygamy is
nearly at an end in the United States,
owing to vigorous policy of the govern
ment officials there and the advance of
IDEAS opposed TO the forbidden practices. |
The department of agriculture has
met with good measure of success, en-
Iarged the results and augmented the
profits of American husbandry.
In regard to land grant railroads the
President concludes: "The subject |
should be treated as business proposi.
lion with view to the final realization
Of it's Indebtedness by the government,
rather than upon prejudices or by way of
for previous wrong doing.
The Secretary of the Treasury recon-
nends the suspension of the further
coinage of silver and in such recommen-
lation 1 concur. For further valuable
and timely recommendation
ask careful attention of Congress to
The secretary's report.
The consciousness that have present.
ID but an imperfect statement of the
of our country and its wants,
occasions no fear that anything omitted