Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-12
THE MESSAGE.
The Presidents Advice to the F,tty-
First Congress.
The Salient Points OF Very
Lengthy Document.


sons message opens with the statement
that good will and cordiality have charac'
terlZed our relations ana correspondence
with other governments, and the year Just
closed leaves few internal questions OF i'm
portance remaining unadiusted, and no OBJ
stacle exists TO long postpone the ADJUST
ment of pending questions. Ee refers
tavorably TO the meeting OF the pan Amer
lean congress, and the international marine
conferences; advises that all the South
American and the Hawaiian and Haytian
missions be raised TO tirst-class; wants
the Chinese already in this country kindly
treated; recommends that provision be
made by an international agreement for
Wis by marking the water boundary be-
tween the United States and Canada in
the narrow channels that join the great
lakes; advises enlargement OF the list OF
otfenses for which extradition may be
claimed and granted between this country
and Great Britain, by new treaty TO be
LAID before the senate; says all dlnicultles
that prevented the beginning OF the
Nicaragua canal have been adjusted: says
that Persia is treating the missionaries
kindly and inviting American capital;
troubles with naturalized citizens abroad,
especially in France, Italy, Russia and
Turkey need adjusting; and declares that
the new republic of Brazil will be recogniz
ed as soon as the people of that country
have assented TO its establishment.
THE SURPLUS.
Within our own borders general con-
dltion of prosperity prevails. The report
OF the secretary OF the treasury shows that
| the receipts for the year were $751;, $50 OJo.-
! 81; derived from customs, S2!3, s39, 14l.6
! from internal revenue, $3.50 Sol, 5l3.92; from
miscellaneous sources, 49,, 1856, S9A23 The
| ordinary expenditures, for the same period
were S2Sl, 9yd, G15.6O, and the total eXpendi-
lures, including the sinking fund, were
SOS, '9,92925. The excess was 81, 49,
1899.
For the total fiscal year the total revenue,
actual and estimated, are S3S5,0O0,O0O, and
the ordinary expenditures, actual and esti-
mated, is 1908, 1000, making with the
sinking fund, "A total expenditure Of S34l,-
! 81, ll6.99, leaving an estimated surplus or
! $43,61S, SS3.Ol The existence Of so large
surplus should have the immediate atten.
ton OF congress, with a view to reducing
the receipts OF the treasury to the needs Of
the government. The collection Of moneys
not needed for public uses imposes an I'M
necessary burden upon the people, and the
presence OF so large surplus in the public
vaults is a disturbing element in the con
duct OF private business.
DANGEROUS LOANS.
The loanlng of public funds TO the banks
without interest upon the security OF gov
eminent bonds, | regard as an unauthor
lied and dangerous eXpedient. II Is not to
be expected that the banks having these
deposits will sell their bonds 10 the treas
ury so long as the present highly bene-
fetal arrangement is continued. They
now practically get interest both upon the
bonds and their proceeds. The deposits
now outstanding should be gradually
Withdrawn and applied to the purchase Of
bonds.
TARIFF REVISION.
l recommend a revision of our tar
i'll law, both TO its administrative fea-
lures and In the schedules Unifor-
nifty OF valuation at all our ports is essen
tial, and elective measures should be
taken to secure it. Some disturbances of
business may result from the considera-
ton Of this. Temporary ILL effect will be re-
duced to the minimum by prompt action,
and by the assurance which the country
already enjoys that my necessary changes
will be so made IS not TO impair the just
and reasonable production of our home in
dustries. The inequalities of the law
should be adjusted, but the protective
principles should be maintained and fairly
applied to the products OF our farms as
well as our shops.
The free list can very safely be extended
by placing thereon articles that do not
offer injurious competition to such do
nestle products as our home labor can sup
ply. The removal of the internal tax upon
tobacco would relieve an important agri-
imposed only because our revenue from
customs duties was insufficient for the
public needs. III safe provision against
fraud can be devised, the removal of the
tax upon spirits used in the arts and man
ufactures would also offer an unobiection-
able method Of reducing the surplus.
SILVER COINAGE.
The law requiring the purchase of SO,
| 100000 worth OF silver bullion each month,
to be coined into silver dollars of 4l9l6
grains, has been observed by the depart
! ment; but neither the present secretary
nor any of his predecessors has deemed 1t
safe TO exercise the discretion given by
law to increase the monthly purchases to
S4,O00,000. When the law was enacted
February 2S, 1879 the price OF silver in
the market was $l.20 4 10 per ounce max
ing the bullion value of the dollar SO cents.
| Since that time the price has fallen as low
as 9l.O2 cents per ouRce, reducing the bull
lion value of the dollar TO 70.Gc Within
the last few months the market price has
somewhat advanced, and on the first day of
November last the bullion value of a silver
dollar WAS az cents. The evil authorizations
which have accompanied the coinage and
use OF the silver dollar have not been real
lied. AS coin it has not had general use,
and the public treasury has been compelled
70 store it. But this is manifestly owing TO
the fact that its paper representative is
more convenient. The general acceptance
and use of the silver certificate shows that
silver has not been otherwise dscredited.
The coinage OF silver at the present ratio
free would be disastrous to all business in
terests
At n later day l may communicate fur
Their with congress upon this subject
THE UBIQUITOUS cHINAMAN.
The enforcement of the Chinese exclu-
sion act has been found TO be very difficult
on the northwestern frontier. Cinnamon.
landing at Victoria, find it easy to pass our
border, owing TO the impossiblity, with
the force at the command of the customs
officers, of guarding so long an inland line.
The secretary OF the treasury has author.
lied the employment of additional officers
who will be assigned to this duty, and
every effort will be made TO enforce the
law.
THE COAST DEFENDER
Judged by modern standards. we nre
practically without coast defenses. | very
urgently recommend an appropriation at
this session for the construction of such
works in our most exposed harbors
approve the suggestion Of the secretary
Of war that provision be made for encamp.
ing companies OF the national guard in our
coast works for specified time each year.
and for their training in the use OF heavy
guns.