The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-11
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER IL.
Boure statesmanship.

forming GOuRTHES anu l1S DcOplC hhd1+ AO
has nothing to tell them about the opera
tons of the government which they do
not already know. What follows estab
fishes the truth of this preliminary state
ment.
The review of cur foreign relations is, as
usual, dull and uninteresting. The fact
is that we are practically without foreign
relations, and what the president says
about them is purely perfunctory. Speak
ing of the pan-American congress now IN
session, the president has something to
say about unnecessary barriers to COM
merce between the nations OF America"
This language sounds very strangely,
coming from a man who was elected presi-
dent on platform declaring, substantially,
that the more barriers to commerce
between this and other countries which
could be raised, the better off our people
would be- The deluded people who voted
for Mr.. HARRISON with the understanding
that he would. if elected, at once institute
hostile policy against England, will take
a melancholy interest in his tame and
even trucking illusions to the very pacific
relations existing between ourselves and
John Bull, and likely to be continued in
definitely. Mr. HARRISON did all his tail
twisting during the campaign.
Mr.. HARRISON has something to say
about Chinese immigration. He has
finally come to the conclusion that our
supreme interests demand the exclusion
of a laboring element which has been
shown to be incompatible with our social
life" 1t took Mr.. HARRISON a very long
time to come to this conclusion; it is graf
flying to know that, being president, he
has finally reached it.
The president introduces his remarks
upon domestic affairs with congratulations
upon the great prosperity of the country"
What he says on this subject will probably
be received with great enthusiasm by the
farmers of the country, who are now sell
ing their products at lower prices than for
more than twenty-five years past, and
MANY of whom are actually using corn for
fuel because it is cheaper than protected
coal. 1t will also excite strange sensations
in the minds of the tens OF thousands OF
mechanics and laborers who have had
their wages reduced since Mr.. HARRISON
became president.
The presidents discussion of revenue
questions is really extraordinary for its
weakness and barrenness OF suggestion.
IL shows that the surplus for the last fiscal
wear was over ST., 100000; for the current
fiscal year it is computed at over S43, 000,-
900. and for the next fiscal year at the
same amount, with probability, accord
will
be largely increased. He admits that
surplus revenue is a great evil, but he does
not admit, and is, apparently, utterly I'M
conscious of the fact that the existence of
his surplus is not nearly SO great an evil
as the tremendous burdens which the sys-
tenn of taxation under which it is accumu-
lated imposes upon the American people.
He makes no suggestion looking to the
tightening of these burdens. He does
not propose the repeal of a single
penny of the onerous taxes on the neces-
carries of life. under which the American
people are staggering, or of the burden
some imposts upon the raw materials of
our manufactures which are Gripping SO
many OF the most important industries of
the country, depriving American labor of
the EMPLOYMENT to which it is entitled
and building up a small number of great
fortunes at the expense of the masses of
the American people. He carefully avoids
anv direct reference to the wool question,
and contents himself with saying, in gen
eral terms, that ''the protective principle
should be maintained and fairly applied
to the products of our farms as well
as our shops" A more demagogical
and dishonest utterance than this
was never made by president of
the United States in a state paper. Mr..
HARR1soN knows, of course that it is not
possible by legislation to protect the
products of our farms, because for such
products the American farmer already
monopolizes the home market and is
obliged TO seek foreign markets for his sur
plus, the price of which determines the
price which he receives at home.
The presidents talk about applying the
protective principle to the products of our
farms presumes an amount OF ignorance
and creduhty IN our agricultural popula-
ton which, judging from recent events,
does not exist. The president also talks
about 'the disabilities and limitations
which the processes of reduction put upon
both capital and labor" In other
words, the president believes, or pre-
tends to believe, that reducing taxes dis
ables' and limits" capital and labor
The proposition is an affront to COM
mon sense, but we suppose the republican
organs will applaud the presidents state
ment Of it as statesmanlike. The only
reduction OF taxes which the president
ventures to recommend is the repeal of
the internal tax on tobacco, and spirits
used in the manufactures and arts. and
the addition TO the free list in the tariff
schedules of such articles as do not come
into luxurious competition" with articles
Of home production. The president care
fully avoids specifying these articles His
treatment of the whole revenue question
lie demagogical, evasive, and cowardly.
What contrast his weak utterances upon
this, the one vital issue of the hour,
present to the bold. unequivocal and
statesmanlike utterances of GROVER
o. rxtf aNn ,1non the same enbiact in his