The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1888-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

the Annual Message was delivered
to the House and Immediately
read by the clerk. That portion of the
Message in which the President treats of
the tariff question was listened to at
tentiyely by members on both sides of
the house. Now and then a smile, more
of triumph than of derision, would APP
pear upon the face of some enthusiastic
Republican, but the silence was not
broken until the clerk read in clear
voice: ''the cause for which the battle is
waged is comprised within lines clearly
and distinctively defined. 1t should
never be compromised. 1t is the peoples
cause" Then the Democrats could no
longer restrain their feelings and broke
into round of applause, which was an
swered by the Republicans with derisive
laughter. The Presidents reference to
the Sackville-W West incident provoked
laugh from the Republican side of the
House, but no counter demonstration was
made by the Democrats. From this
point interest in the Message slackened.
Mr.. Mills, of Texas, was the only mem
Der who paid the slightest attention to
the further reading, and the noise OF
no easy task. When, at 3. 10, the read
ing was complete |, Mr.. Mills offered a
resolution, which was agreed to, refer
ring the Message to the committee of the
whole and providing for its printing.
On the subject of trusts
and ''combines," he said: Gas
we view the achievements of aggre-
mated capital, we discover the existence
of trusts, combinations and monopolies,
while the citizen is struggling far in the
rear or is tramped to death beneath an
iron heel. Corporations, which should
be the carefully restrained creatures OF
the law and the servants of the people,
are fast becoming the peoples masters.
| Still congratulating ourselves upon the
wealth and prosperity of our country,
and complacently contemplating every
incident of change inseparaby from these
conditions, 1t is our duty as patriotic
citizens to inquire at the present stage oil
our progress, how the bond of govern
ment made with the people has been
kept and performed and instead of lin,
iting the tribute drawn from our citizens
to the necessities of its economical adj
ministration, the government persists
under the same laws by which these re-
suits are produced, the government per-
mits many millions more to be added to
the cost of the living of our people and
to be taken from our consumers, which
unreasonably swells the profits of snail
but poweress minority. Our farmers,
long suffering and patient struggling in
the face of life with the hard st and
most unremitting toll, will not fail to-
see, in spite of misrepresentation and
misleading fallacies, that they are obliged
to accept such prices for their products
as are fixed in foreign markets where
they compete with the farmers of the
world; that their lands are declining in
value while their debts increase and that
without compensating favor they are
forced by the action of the government
to pay, for the benefit of others, such en-
HANGED prices for the things they need
that the scanty returns Of their labor fai
to furnish their support or leave no mar
gin for accumulation. Communism is
hateful thing, and a menace
to peace and organized govern
ment But the communism of com
bined wealth and capital, the out
growth Of over weening cupidity and
selfshness which insiduously undermine'
the justice and integrity of free institu
tions, is not less DANGEROUS than thu
communion of oppressed poverty and
toll which, exasperated by injustice an0
discomfort, attacks, with wild disorder
the cita ell of rule.
The department Of agriculture has
continued with good measure of sue
cess, its efforts to develop the processes
enlarge the results and augment the pro-
fits of American husbandry. It's records
of the year show that the season of 1885
has been one of medium production. A
generous. supply Of the demands of con
sumption has been assured, and surplus
for eXportation moderate in certain pro
ducts and bounlilul in others, will prove
a benefaction alike to buyer and grower,
Four years ago it was found that the
great cattle industry Of the country was
endangered and those engaged in it were
alarmed at the rapid extension Of the
European plague Of pleuro pneumonia.
Serious outbreaks existed in Illinois,
Missouri and Kentucky and in Tennis
see. Animals affected were held IN
quarantine. Five counties in New York
and from one to four counties IN each Of
the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Delaware and Marylana, were almost
cqua y affected. With this great danger
upon us, and with the contagiou already
in the channels Of commerce, with the
enormous direct aud indirect losses al
ready being caused by it, and when only
prompt aud energetic action could be
successful, there were IN none OF these