The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-05

The Inaugural Address.
The Presidents inaugural address is a
rather conservative paper. It indicates
very clearly that the President views public
questions from a republican standpoint, but
it was not to be expected that he would
view them from any other. A great deal
of attention is devoted to the doctrine of
protection-more apparently, than there is
any occasion for in an inaugural address. The
President is an ardent protect onist, how
ever, and it is but natural that he should
take the earliest opportunity to make his
/ position with regard to the tariff clear. He
seems to have the idea that nearly the whole
of the opposition to the protective system
/ is % be found in the south. Is be not mis-
takena Is not the opposition to that system
very strong i'll the west, and in the manu-
featuring states of New York, New Jersey
ana Connecticut2 The returns of the last
national election show that it is.
OF course the President does not think
| that there is a free ballot and a fair count
In the south. On this point he accepts the
assertions Of the republican newspapers
rather than the testimony of the southern
| people. In the face of the charges that
northern manufacturers at the last national
election coerced their employees into voting
the republican ticket, he asks this ques-
ton: is it not quite possible that the
farmers and promoters of the great mining
and great manufacturing enterprises which
have recently been established in the south
may yet find that the free ballot of the
workingman, without distinction of race, is
needed for their defense as well as for his
| own" OF course he speaks of the free"
ballot of the workingman, but is the ballot
of the workingman in mines and mills of
the north free? Is it not fact that the
ballot of the workingman in the south is
now far more free than that of the work.
| irgman in the norths There is abundant
| testimony that it is.
President Harrison has determined not to
have a southern policy and this determine
ton viii have the approval of the south.
He says: II have altogether rejected the
| suggestion of special executive policy for
any section of our country. II is tho duty
| of the executive to administer and enforce,
in methods and by the instruments pointed
out and provided by the constitution, all laws
enacted by congress. These laws are gem
eral and their administration should be uni
form and equaln If the President makes
no distinction between the north and the
south in the administration of the avs, and
in his suggestions to congress, the south will
not be backward in giving his administra-
ton all the support to which it is entitled
from her All the south asks for Is fair
treatment, and that President Harrison is
understood as promising.
The republicans as a rule will not regard
with pleasure that portion of the address
which deals with civil service reform. II
| President Harrison is rightly understood he
proposes to enforce the civil service reform
law as vigorously as Mr.. Cleveland did. 1t
may be that the mugwumps will not be so
unhappy after all.
1t may be reasonably expected that the
pension burden will amount to more than
300, 100000 year before President Harri-
sons term ends. He can be depended upon
to sign every pension bill that is passed, and
the republican majority in congress, with
the hope of controlling the entire soldiers
vote, can be depended upon to pass about
every known bill that is presented to it,
Perhaps the republican policy Will be to
get rid of the surplus by increasing the
pension burden.
The foreign policy of President Harri-
sons administration, if the tone of the in
augural address is any indication of it, will
not be very aggressive one. The promise
is, however, that it will be dignfied and
firm, and that it will aim to uphold Aneri-
can honor and protect American citizens
and their rights in all foreign lands. There
will be no complaint if this promise is
kept.
the address is a paper of merit, and will
tend to increase the estimation in which
the President is held by the people.