Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-12-04
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER a, 1888.
The Message.


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1888.
The Message.
Presiden Harriscn's Message is quite
lengthy document. He is not only
willing to talk at all times but he is |
possessed of the cac0etheS scribendi to a |
marked degree. During the campaign |
he often showed himself to be a not inapt |
tAlker, and his last production, though
commonplace, is worded with consider
able skill. He walks in the beaten
track in following tie trend Of our foreign
affairs. He congratulates the country on
the profound peace which prevails be-
tween the United States and all foreign
nations, and dwells with special COM
4lacency upon the presence in Washing
ton Of the delegates who compose the
Congress Of the Three Americas, and the
Maritime Conference, which is world
wide in it's attendance and significance.
He recommends the raising of the rank
OF number of our diplomatic representa-
tives to certain Of the Spanish American
Republics. The American people in the
mass do not agree with such fantasti cal
and monarchicsl notions, and would far
rather see all our representa- yes abroad
reduced to the rank of consuls or plain
business agents. China and her young
Emperor come in for general mention,
and this leads the President to discus.
sion Of Samoan affairs. He announces
that q treaty is awaiting the action OF
Congress which involves q satisfactory
adjustment Of all the ting ques-
lions respecting the Islands in contro.
versy between the United States and
European powers, and expresses his trust
''that the efforts which have been made
''to effect an adj ustment of this question
Twill be productive of the permanent
establishment of law and order in
Samoa upon the basis of the mainte.
"nancs of the rights and interests of the
natives"
The Fisheries question and the Mica
ragua canal come in for brief discussion,
and after general review of our foreign
relations, in which Turkey and Persia
are accorded notice-it would seem to
most people that very powerful magni-
flying glass would be needed to see much
importance in our intercourse with the
latter power-the President next reaches
Whist he styles, "The Revolt In Brazil"
He fails to explain what has become of
Mr.. Blaine's lingo policy, or why the
government of the United States has
been 30 gingerly in its recognition of a
Sister Republic.
The most astonishing portion of the
message is that in which he essays to
demonstrate that we are witnessing the
closing of very prosperous year. He
POUNDS this predicate on the general fact
that the harvests have been good and
the revenues OF the government large.
He says nothing about the unprecedent-
eddy low price of corn or the unparalleled
depression of manufactures and all kinds
Of industry. and the exceptional and op-
pressive tightness of the money market.
The fact that 80 much money has
been coming from the people
by high war taxes, which they
were lily able to pay, naturally leads
him mp to the surplus he admits to be an
evil on general principles, but by which
ne in reality stands. Taking all the
various suggestions of the message on this
head, the Presidents manner of getting
rid of the surplus is practically that of
Tom Fitch, viz, ''to blow it in" He
believes in Withdrawing the national
money now loaned to the banks and
applying it to the purchase of bonds, and
readers Of the newspapers have noticed
that Mr.. Window has already started in
ON this plan. He assumes to think that
the tariff ought to be reduced, but in
effect he sticks staunchly to the doctrines
enunciated by the Chicago Convention,
though he dare not give them plain utter
ance. That Ephraim is still joined to
his idols, we can prove by brief extract
from this portion of the message: "The
removal of the Internal tax upon TO-
"baoco would relieve an important agri-
cultural product from a burden which
"was imposed only because revenue from
"customs was insufficient for the public
needs. If safe provision against fraud
''can be devised, the removal Of the tax
upon spirits used in the arts and manu-
"factures would also Offer an unobjec-
"tionable method of reducing the sur
''plus."
Upon the silver question Mr.. Harri.
son comes out fat-footsdly not only
against the free coinage of silver, but
against coming the maximum amount of
that metal permitted by the Bland bill.
he makes the usual Wall street argu.
ment, and his remedy for curtailed |
currency and painfully restricted circula-
ton is, as far as silver is concerned, to |
have that bullion deposited in the vaults |
OF the Government and silver certificates
issued on the basis of it's market value.
In other words, the official head of the
Republican party advocates far more
radical decentralization of that metal |
than has existed sincs the great con-
spiraey OF 1873. |
In his recommendation for extending
our Coast Dsfensss, building ships and
plants to cast the modern ornaments,
the President will find many sympa-
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