Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


The message of President Harrison is
a very long and an able state paper. Its
length should not prevent any citizen who
feels sincere interest in the affairs of the
nation from reading it slowly, carefully
and in full. 1t fairly and extensively
places before the people the condition of
their country and the affairs of the several
departments of the national Government
1t will take rank among the plainest,
clearest and most conscientious of state
papers. 1t is not a great document in the
sense that literary brilliancy and politi-
cal adroitness and fencing, make a state
paper remarkable. But it is message
that does honor to the heart of the Pres
ident, and testifes to his courage of con-
yiction, the sincerity of his purpose and
his patriotic devotion. 1t is straightfor-
ward, strong and unmistakable.
He does not hesitate to antagonize the
silver men, and to point out why he OPP
poses the free coinage Of silver. He does
not hesitate to declare that the duty of the
nation to ITSELF the claims of common
justice and the calls of humanity demand
that the black man in the South shall be
accorded his full civil rights; that the
suppression of his vote shall cease, and
that the political covering of the ex-slave
shall be brought to a speedy end. He has
the courage, also, to protest against the at
tempt to drive the black man from his
home, and to deprive the South of its chief
labor element. He has the courage, fur
ther, to speak his mind in unmistakable
terms concerning the pensioning of ex-
soldiers of the late war, and to insist that
those who served well and long, and were
discharged without disability, but have
since become dependent upon their labor
for support, but by disease not due to
vice, or by accident or age are unable to
support themselves, shall be provided for
by the Government for which they periled
their lives, and be prevented from be-
coming dependents upon private charity.
The President has also the courage to
denounce as unfit for the privileges OF
American citizenship all classes of people
who assume obligations antagonistic to
social order, in opposition to the laws and
their execution, and who are at enmity
with the form of government under which
we live-not only would he refuse all such
the benefits of the naturalization laws, but
he would deny them domicile in the coun-
try. He quietly but forcibly rebukes civi
service radicals who have lately assailed
the Administration on the ground that it
has proved untrue to the civil service re-
form laws; he points out the defects of
those laws and advises legislation to ex-
tend and improve them, to render the
civil service more efficient, and to remove
it more and more from political control
The Democracy will probably assail the
message on the ground that it is inconsist-
ent with Republican pledges in advising
reduction in the tariff schedules; but the
President has been careful to reassert the
protective doctrine to which he pledged
himself in the late campaign, and he
points out that limitation of income to
the needs of the Government need not
trespass upon the doctrine of the protec-
ton of home industries. He makes a
long and fervent plea for the extension Of
such governmental aid to ocean mail carry
ing lines as will stimulate the reassertion
of prominent position for the flag upon
the commercial high seas, and will give
us fair share of trade through the ave-
nues of strong merchant marine, bearing
the colors of the nation upon all seas and
into ali ports. He reasserts the wisdom of
the Chinese Restriction Act, points out
how it is evaded upon the British Column
bian border, and asks Congress to author
lie the Treasury Department to employ
sufficient force to check the invasion in
that direction, and that steps be taken to
bring about an understanding with the
Dominion of Canada upon the subject.
The demand for the amendment of the
naturalization laws so as to insure stricter
examination of applicants and the pres
ence in Court of a representative of the
Government to cross-examine all petition
ers for citizenship, and to resist the appli-
cation in proper cases, will find respons-
i've echo in every patriotic heart. The
suggestion that the internal revenue be
greatly reduced by the removal of the tax
upon tobacco, and from all spirits used in
the arts and manufactures, will provoke
anew the debate upon the internal revenue
question. The President will probably
find himself supported by the majority o.
the people in that recommendation.
The advice that we proceed at once tc
greatly enlarge our navy and augment our
coast defenses will find only feeble opposi
ton. The great mass of the people will
approve and insist that Congress act dur.
ing the present session upon these import
ant subjects with celebrity and upon broad
and distinctly stated policy The Presi
dent advises also, that the United State:
follow the example OF Great Britain, and
in aiding commercial carriers engaged III
ocean mail service, stipulate that they
shall be so fitted that on demand they may
be speedily converted into armed cruisers
and taken intethe service of the nation as
a reserve naval force. He advises legisla-
ton upon the subject of trusts and injuri-
Gus combinations to "eorner" the products
of the country to the oppression of the
people; that the postal service, which
comes into more intimate communication
with the people than any other branch OF