Smyrna times., 1889-12-11
President Harrison's Annual
Message.

/ AOAS uuu dDl6 uOCumSQl. uldQA
points are covered; the following i
the position he takes on the leadin,
| issues.
The Message gives us a glimpse o
the Federal pocket book. Our aggre
gate income last year was 1887 .O5O,
O5S 81; the ordinary expenditure
were $2Sl, 1856, ,6156O, and the tota
outlay, including appropriations to
wards paying Off the public debt, was
S329, ,579, ,929.25. The surplus over
everything was $57, 40, 1850. 1t is
estimated that, at the end of June
1890 there will be a surplus of S43,-
6|0,0S3, and a surplus at the end o
June, 1891, of S43,569,522 Plenty O
money.
The existence of such surpluse:
should prompt Congress to reduce
Treasury receipts to Government
needs; the collection of moneys not
needed for the public use is not whole.
some; it has called into use expedi
ents of very questionable propriety
the loaning of public funds without in
terest on the security of bonds is re-
garded as an unauthorized and dan
gerous expedient, and deposits now
outstanding should gradually be with
drawn and applied to the purchase of
bonds. That is what the Message sug-
gets on that subject, and it is quite
right, we think-all of it.
The President recommends a revis-
ion" of our tariff law, both in its ad.
ministrave features and in the sched
ules. Revision" it is observed, is the
word, and the right word. Tariff
reform" is a high-sounding chant; il
may be made to mean anything, every
thing and nothing. Dealing with the
tariff Is delicate thing, because of its
effect on the business Of the country
causing apprehension and disturbance.
That is sure to be so when reform
moons aggressive and hostile cutting
down TO the quick" but no distul b.
anCe need be feared when the process
is revision" guided by friendly and
just hands. The defects of the admin
istrative part of the law should be cor
rected, and the inequalities of the tax
part of the law should be adjusted
but the protective principle should be
maintained aud fairly applied to the
products of our farms as well as oul
shops.
All that is very sound. The Presi
| dent then suggests such extension o.
the free list as will not injurOusly
compete with home labor, together
with the removal Of the tobacco tax
and of the tax on spirits used in tn,
arts.
The advocates of free and unlimited
silver coinage, get but cold comfor
from the Message. Neither the pres
ent Secretary of the Treasury nor any
of his predecessors has deemed it saf,
to exercise the discretion of increas
ing the monthly purchase of silve
bullion up to the four million maxi
! mum month. The President is man
ltcstly Of the same way of thinking
and considers it clear that if the coin
age OF silver at the present ratio shoul,
! be made Tree, We must expect that tht
| difference in the bullion values of tn
j gold and silver dollars will be taker
account of in commercial transactions
This could hardly fail to happen, anC
! there would be a bad time. w
should keep OFF, from that danger.
The Secretary of the Treasury Seems
/ to favor plan for the issuance of note
or certificates upon the deposit of sll
yer at its market value. There Nigh
be merit and value IN that, but tn
Presidents ears cautiously clear of j
| until better advised.
Concerning sundry other affairs thu
President thinks ii time to begin GU
coast deiences now that we are gettin,
big guns; that the attempt to murde
Justice Field, of the Supreme COur
invites legislation on that general sui
ject; that the Supreme Court docke
should be relieved by an intermediat
COURT that the salaries of some Unite
States Judges are inadequate tha
TRUSTS" which ''crush out" compel
tors should be halted that interns
tiOnal copyright should be promoted
that hostile Socialists "and such
should not be naturalzed: that a Fec
eral bankrupt law is desirable; tha
the weather service should be de
tached from the War Department; an
that the "QuadrO- Centennial" World
Fair proposition will be presented I
Congress.
In the matter of pensions the Pre-
ident recommends that Congress sha
grant pension to such honOrably di
charged soldiers and sailors of tE
civil war as, having rendered substal
tial service during the war, are no
dependent upon their own labor fC
maintenance, and by disease or ca
ualty are incapacitated from earnin
it-and these pensions are to go to IL
incapacitated soldier whether the di
ease or disability can be traced to IL
soldiers service in the war or not.
this matter General Harrison doe
well.
The President adheres manfully
the cause of Reform in the Civil Sc
vice, and will have no more "closC
books" or secret books in the Civ
Service Commission. But that is t,
, big a subject to begin at the close of
/ review, as also is that of the rights
the emancipated slaves of the SOutheI
States, for whom the President max
a powerful appeal for protection an
guarantee.