The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

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! conservative.
AS usual the people are congratulated
upon the peace and prosperity OF the
country and the prospects for future
achievements and developments.
Upon the surplus Mr.. Harrison dwells
at considerable length, and recommends
that it be reduced by removing the inter-
nal revenue from tobacco and from spir-
it's used in the arts and manufacture.
He also recommends that the free list be
enlarged by placing upon it such articles
as do not come in competition with those
produced by home labor.
The extensive coinage of silver is ad-
vised.
Appropriations for coast defensss was
earnestly urged, also for improvements
of rivers and harbors.
He recommended that the salaries of
all District judges be raised to $5 900 per
annum and that some provision be made
for the protection of United States offic-
ers in the discharge of their duties.
Speaking on the subject of national
aid to education, the message says:
National aid to education has hereto
fore taken the form of land grants, and
in that form the constitutional power of
Congress to promote the education of the
people is not seriously questioned, and /
do not think it can be successfully Ques-
toned when the form is changed to that
of a direct grant of money from the pub
lie treasury. Such aid should be as it
always has been suggested by the same
exceptional conditions.
The sudden emancipation of the
slaves; the bestowal of the suff-
rage which soon followed; impair
ment of the ability of the States
where these new citizens were
chiefly found to adequately pro-
vide educational facilities, presented
not only exceptional but unexampled
conditions. That the situation has been
much ameliorated there is no doubt.
The ability and interest of the State
have happily increased, but great work
remains to be done, and think the gen.
eral government should lend it's aid, as
the suggestion of national grants in aid
of education, grows chic fly out of the
conditions and needs of the emancipated
slave and bis descendants.
On the Southern question he had con-
siderable to say, and we extract the fol-
lowing from it upon that subject and
federal control of elections:
1 earnestly invoke the attention of
Congress to the consideration of such
measures within it's we'll defined consti-
tutional powers as will secure to all our
people free exercise of the right of suf-
frage and every other civil right under
the constitution and laws of the Unite
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 will be
highly blamahle if all the powers grant
ed are not wisely, but firmly used to COR
! rect these evils.
| The power to take the whole direction
and control of the election of members
of the House of Representatives is clear
ly given to the general government. A
partial and qualified supervision of these
elections is now provided by law, and in
my opinion this law may be strengthen
ed and extended so AS to secure on the
whole better results than can be attain
ed by law taking all the processes o.
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