The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-12-12

result would follow any considerable IN
crease Of the present rate OF coinage. Sucn
a result would be discreditablc to our hnan-
cial management and disastrous to all Dusl-
ness interests. Indeed, nothing more harn-
full could happen to the silver interests. Any
safe legislation upon this subject most Sc.
cure tho equality of the two coins IN their
commercial uses"
COAST DEFENsEs AND HARBOR IMPROVE
MENTs.
We are practically without coast defense.
The President recommends defenses for our
coast cities and the cncamping OF National
Guard companies i'm coast works to familiar
iZe them with the use of heavy guns. lie
thinks fewer attempts at river ana hafDOt
improvements should be made each year ana
more done in individual Improvements. All
work begun should be carried TO completion
JUDICIAL.
The Terry killing suggests more definite
laws for protecting United states officers anu
court to relieve the supreme Court of many
cases is needed. District judges salaries
need revision; 5000 is small enough.
TRUSTS.
Trusts should be made the subject of pro-
hibitory and even penal legislation. There
should be international copyright Natural
iZation frauds are too common, and the Gov
ernment should exercise supervision over
the naturalization of aliens.
The enemies of social order who come to
our shores should be denied citizenship and
sirable. The Postmaster General needs new
buildings. The law relative to transmitting
lottery advertising and lottery rcmittance5
through the mails is unsatisfactory.
THE NAVY.
More ships are wanted. Twcnty-siX new
vessels are under way or being designed,
but when built we shall have only forty two.
The President thinks eight armorod ships,
three gun-boatS and five torpedo boats
should be built at one. Paying for them
would reduce the surplus.
AFTER INDIAN LANDS.
We are dealing with the Indians through
commissioners authorized by Congress with
favorable results. The President fayors
opening up the reservations, putting Indians
on farms and sending the young to school
Cattle men are obstructng our ncgotia-
tions with the Cherokecs. The needs of the
public can not long be ignored for the needs
of the cattlemen. Land thieves in New Mex
leo must be punished. y new port Oh ehlry
is needed In Alaska.
THE PENSION QUESTION.
"I am not unaware that the pension roll al
ready involves very large annual eXpcnd-
iturc." says the President; "neithcr am de-
TERED by that fact froll recommending that
Congress grant "a pension to such honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors OF the
civil war as, having rendered sub.
stantial service during the war, are
now dependent upon their own labor for Il
maintenance, and by disease or casualty are
incapacitated from earning it, no matter
when that disease or casualty was contracted
or occurred. Many of the men who would be
included in this form of relief are now de-
pendent upon public aid. This fact does not,
in my Judgment, compOrt with the National
honor"
Congress is asked to pass laws compelling
railways to use automatic couplers and air
brakes. to prevent loss of life and limb to
brakemen
THE WEATHER BUREAU.
The Secretary of Agriculture wants a law
department. He wants to print his report
but hasn't any money. The1resident wants
the Signal Service annexed to the AgrlcuI-
tural Department.
OWL Service reform is progressing. Rec
ords of efficient conduct or otherwise are adj
yised that they may be shown in answer to
pressure for removal, or used as basis Tor
promotion.
THE NEGRO IN THE SOUTH.
'1n many parts of our, country where the
colOred population is large, the people of
that race are, by various devices, deprived
of any effective exercise of their pollti-
cal rights, and of many of their clFll
rights" says the President. "Thc wrong
does not expend itself upon those whose
votes are suppressed. Every constituency
in the Union is wrOnged 1t has been tie
hone of every patriot that a sense of justice
and respect for the law would work a grad
ual cure of these flagrant evils. surely, no
one suppOSeS that the present can be accept
ed as a permanent condition. If it il said
that these communities must work out TINS
problem for themselves, we have right TO
ask whether they are at work upon it. Do
they suggest any solution? When and under
what conditions is the black man to have Il
free ballot? When is he, in fact, to have
those full civil rights which have so long
influence which our Government was intend
ed to secure to the electors to be restored?
This generation should cOuragcously face
these grave questions and not leave them aS
a heritage of woe to the next. The cOnsulta-
tion should proceed with candor, caimnes5
and great patience upon the lines OF justice
and humanity, not of prejudice and cruelty.
No question in our country can be at rest eX-
cept upon the firm base of justice and OF the
law. | earnestly invoke the attention or
Congress to the consideration of such meas
urcs within its wcll-dcfned constitutional
powers as will secure to all our people a Tree
exercise of their right of suffrage, ana every
other civil right under the Constitution ana
laws of the United States No evil, however
deplorable, can justify the assumption, either
on the part of the executive or of Congress,
of powers not granted, but both VIII be high
Iy blamable if all the powers granted are not
wisely but firmly used to correct these evils:
The power to take the whole direction and
the House of Representatives is clear
ly given to the General Govern
ment. a partial and qualified super
vision of these elections is now provided for
by law, and in my opinion, this law may be
so strengthened and extended as to secure
on tire whole better results than can De III.
tanned by law taking all the processes OF
such election into Federal control. The col
ored man should be protected in all his rcla'
tions to the Federal Government, whether as
litigant, juror or witness in our courts, as an
eleCtor or member of Congress or as peace
full traveller on our inter State railways.
sUBsIDIsING STEAMSHIP COMPANIES.
The President recommends that such ap-
propriations be made for ocean mail service,
in American steamships, between our ports
and those of Central and South America,
China, Japan and the important islands IN
both of the great oceans, as will be llDerally
remuneratVe for the service rendered, AS
will encourage the establishment and in some
fair degree equalize the chances of American
steamship lines in the competitions winch
they must meet.
NAVAL RESERVE.
,.uro eho,,IJ oISo ,naEa nroyiSinn for n
naval reserve, to consist of such merchant
ships of American construction and of a
specified tonnage and speed, as the owners
will consent to place at the use OF the Gov
crnment, in case of need, as armed cruisers.
England has adopted this policy and as a
result can now, upon necessity, at once place
upon her naval list some of the fastest
steamships in the world. A proper super
vision of the construction of such vessels,
would make their conversion into effective
ships of war very easy.
FALSE ECONOMY.
"I am an advocate of economy in our Ma
tional expenditures" the President con-
tinues; "but it is misuse of terms to make
this word describe a policy that withlloldS an
expenditure for the purpose of extending
our foreign commerce The enlargement
and Improvement of our merchant marine
the development of a sufficient body OF
trained veteran seamen; the promotion OF
rapid and regular mail communication be-
tween the ports of other countries and oul
| own, and the adaptation OF large ana swltt
| American merchant steamships u naval
| uses in time of war, are public purposes OF
| the highest concern. The enlarged partici'
patton of our people in the carrying trade to
! The new and increased markets that viii be
opened for the products of our farms and
| factories; the fuller and better employment
| OF our mechanics, which will result from
| liberal promotion of our foreign commerce
| would insure the widest possible diffusion o
| benefit to all the States and to all our people
and every thing is most propitltioUs for the
| carrying out of such ideas.
|